The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-21
MANY MONKEYS.
The Havoc They Cause and
How the Natives Break
Them Up.
(From the Strand Magazine

(From the Strand Magazine.)
Monkeys are an unmitigated nuisance
especial in the country. l have often
come across in the jungles adjoining
the villages of northern Bengal whole
troops of them, whose depredations in
fields and orchards We're the despair Of
the unfortunate villagers. These troops
always consisted of one huge male and
about 100 females. The fact is, when a
little monkey is born in the pack, it is
suffered to live if a female, but instant
ly killed by the father if it happens to
be a male. The mother, however, some
times manages to hide the little one un-
til he is able to get about and then
sends him away before the big male
catches sight of him. In this way it
often happens that individual males are
to be found living by themselves in
single blessedness. Now, getting tired
of solitude after a time, and perhaps
believing in union as a source If
strength, these bachelors often join to-
gether and form pack of their own
as a sort Of club.
Then the fun begins They want
wives-very naturally. But how are
they to get them? All the female mon
keys of the country belong to the harem
of some big brute or other. Clearly, the
only solution is to attack such harem,
kill the gotha (the aforesaid big brute),
and then divide the spoils. So an ulti-
matum is sent-and rejected War is
declared. The battle is a fierce one,
and often lasts several days, The par
ty attacked always tries to retreat, and
often traverses several jusles fields,
and even villages. But the pursuit is
hot and vigorous, and at last stand
has to be made-sometinIes in a village
green, or even an orchard of some
country mansion. In the actual fight
the females generally remain faithful
to their lord and master, and help him
fiercely against his numerous assail-
ants. But the result is a foregone con-
clusion, and the several widows, after
very short period of mourning-usu
ly manifested by show of ill-temper-
are consoled by the victorious males.
Now, these battles cause sad havoc
to the fields and orchards of the coun-
try and often prove a positive danger
to the people; for, though monkeys sell
dom attack men, woe to the luckless
one who ventures to come near them
in their deadly struggles. Moreover,
when pressed by hunger, these packs
are not to be trified with You may not
mind even the damage done to your
orchard by hundreds of monkeys COB
hands on; but it is quite a different
matter when you have to shut your
doors and windows and stay in for days
at a time because of the army out
side.
Consequently, the object of the ma
tives is to break UP these packs by
capturing their leaders. Killing is
against the dictates of conscience, but
capture is not, especially as the mon
10 lihn1.1 or n q time
appear presently. So when pack is
about the natives employ the follow
ing method: Close to an orchard a bit
of level space is selected and a hole
dug in it, about two feet deep and six
or eight inches in diameter. A moose
is made at one end of a long, stout
cord and placed over the mouth of the
hole. The cord is then passed through
pulley or ring attached to a tree close
to the house. and the other end held
some distance away by a concealed
person. The moose and about 10 or IS
feet of the cord are covered with sand.
Then a nice, tempting banana is placed
in the hole, and number of rotten
ones-covered however with fresh
skins-are strewn all over the ground
near the hole.
When the pack comes the females are
too shy to venture out into the open
space near the house But the big
gotha is a brave fellow. He sees the
bananas on the ground, leaps down,
takes up one, throws it away in dis
gust; then another, with the same re-
suit Suddenly he notices the nice,
tempting one in the hole and plunges
his arm in; Immediately the cord is
pulled, the moose fastened on the arm
close to the shoulder and the monkey
dragged willy-nilly to the tree where
the pulley or ring is attached. Then
the hiding shikari comes FORTH and,
circling round and round the tree with
the cord held tight in his hand, binds
the unfortunate monkey safe and fast,
all but the head, The pulley or ring
is introduced not merely to bind the
monkey to the tree, but also because
it would be highly dangerous to drag
the Infatuated brute right up to a per-
son.
The monkey, however, is not killed,
instead they lather his head and face,
no special care being taken in selecting
the finest soap or the purest water. The
operation is an interesting one and a
source Of great amusement-to the by
ISLANDERS. The monkey, however,
lodges his head about, only to get
good dose Of soap in his eyes and
mouth. Then he has enough of 1t,
especially as he feels dreadfully achy
all over and the cords cutting into his
body every inch-to say nothing of the
personal remarks and the highly adj
jectival language of the bystanders.
He submits to his fate with eastern
stoicism. His head is shaved clean as
billiard ball, and then the face as
we'll, nice and smooth like a babys
Then they let him go But, alas such
is the vanity of life! His wives will
not have him now that his beauty is
gone! They disown him completely:
cut him dead. Nay, they drive him
away from the pack with contumely,
with the ends of their tails-in the alb
sence of domestic broomsticks. And
thus, being without a leader, the pack
is soon broken up.
ENGLISH BLooDHoUNDs.