The Florence daily tribune., 1898-11-05
MONKEYS OF INDIA.
THE HAVOC THEY CAUSE BY THEIR
WARS FOR WIVES.

/ pae,,s-idttic Chance tso- Male Non
keys mt nirth.
Monkeys in India arc an unmitisaled
nuisance, especially in tho country. L
have often come across in the jungles
adjoining the villages of northern Bon.
gal whole troops on them. whose depre-
cations in fields and orchards were the
despair OF the unfortunate villagers,
These troops always consisted of ono
hugo malo and about 100 females Ths
fact is, when little monkey is born ia
tho pack. il is suffered to live if 10.
male, bnt instantly killed by the father
il it happens TO be male The mother,
however sometimes manages to hide
the little one until he is ablo to get
about aud then sends him away hefora
the big male catches sight Of him. In
this way it often happens that indi.
viduai males are 10 be found living by
themselves in single hlossedness. Now.
getting tired Of solitude after tina
mi! pr6Thar5 believing in union as "a
source OF strength, those bachelors often
Join together aud form pack Of their
own--as sort Of club.
Then tic fun begins They want
wives-yory naturally. But o1w are
thy. 20 get them? All The femsle
monkeys Of tho country belong to tho
harem of some big brute or other.
Clearly, ::iliG only solution is 10 ntfncis
such hnrem, kill tho gotha (the afore-
said big hrute), aud then divide the
spells. SO an ultimatum is sent-nnd
rejected. War IS declared The battle
is fierce ono and often lasts several
days. The party attacked always tries
to retreat and often trayerses several
junglos, fields md even villages But
the pursuit is hot aud vigorous, and at
last a stand has to be inaae-sometimus
in village green or even an orchard OF
somo country mansion. In tho actual
fight tho females generally remain
faithful to their lord aud master and
help him fercoly against his numerous
assrilants, But tho result IS forcgone
conclusion, aud the several widows,
after q very short period of mourning
usually manifested 10y show of i'll
tomper--aro consoled by the victorious
males.
Now, these battles cause sad havoc TO
the fields ard orchards Of tho country
and ofton prove positive danger TO tho
people, for, though monkeys seldom ut.
tack mon, woe to the luclIless one who
ventures to come nenr them in their
deadly struggle. Moreover when pressed
by hunger, these packs arc not to DO
triaed with. You may not mind even
tho damage done to your orchard by
hundreds of monkeys gobbling mp every
thing they can lay their hands On, but
ii is quite different matter when you
have to shut your doors and windows
and stay in for days at a time because CT
tho army outside.
Consequently the object of thenatives
is to break up these packs by capturing
their leaders. Killing is against the do
tates of conscience, but capture is not.
especially as tho monkey is liberated in
short time, as will appear presently.
So, when pack is about, the natives en-
ploy the following method: Close to an
orchard u bit az level space is selected
and hole dug il it, about 9 feet deep
and or inches in diameter. a moose
is nnde at one end Of long, stout cord
and placed over tho mouth Of tho hole.
Tho cord is then passed through Il pulley
or ling attached to u tree close to tho
house and tho other end held some dis
lance away by concealed person. Tho
Moose and about 10 or 3 feet of tho
cord arc covered with sand. Then nice.
tempting banana is placed in the hole,
and "A 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 tho open
space near the house, but the big gotha
is brave fellow. He sees the bananas
on the ground, leaps down. takes up enc.
throws ii away Ia disgust, then another.
with the eamo result. Suddenly he no.
tees 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 Che hiding shilGari comes forth.
and, circling round and, round the tree
with the coed held tight in his hand,
binds the unfortunate monkey SAFE and
fast all but the head. The pulley OF
ring is introduced not merely to bind
the monkey to the tree, bat also because
it would he highly dangerous to Grag
tho infatuated brute right up to 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 ard u
source of great amusement-to the NY
ISLANDERS. Tho monkey, however, lodges
his head about, only TO get gcod dose
Of soap IN his eyes and mouth. Then he
has cncugh of it. especially as he feels
dreadfully achy all over and the cords
emitting into his body every inch-to
say nothing Of the personal remarks and
the highly adjcotiyaI language Of the