Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1901-10-17
poLYcAMous MONKEY PACKS.
giles Are Broken Up by Trap
ping the Leader.


gal whole troops of them, whose dep
relations in fields and orchards were
the despair of the unfortunate vii
layers, says writer in the Strand.
These 'troops always consist OF one
huge male and about 100 females The
fact is, when little monkey is born
in the pack, it is suffered to live II q
female, but instantly killed by the
father if it happens to be male. The
mother, however, sometimes manages
to hide the little one until 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 blessed
ness. Now, getting tired of solitude
after time, and perhaps believing in
union as a source of strength, these
bachelors often join together and form
pack of their own-a sort of club.
Then the fun begins. They want
wives-very naturally. But how are
they to get them? Will the female
monkeys of the country belong to the
harem of some big brute or other.
Clearly, the only solution is to at
tack such a harem, kill the gotha (the
aforesaid big brute), and then divide
the spoils. So an ultimatum is sent and
rejected. War is declared. The battle
is fierce one and often lasts several
days. The party attacking always tries
to retreat, and often traverses several
jungles, fields and even villages. But
the pursuit is hot and vigorous, and at
last stand has to be made-some-
times in village green or even an or
chard of some country mansion. In
the actual fight the females generally
remain faithful to their lord and mas
ter and help him fiercely against his
numerous assailants. But the result
is foregone conclusion, and the sew
eral widows, after short period of
mourning 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 positive danger
to the people, 1for though monkeys
seldom attack men, woe to the luck
less one who ventures to come near
them in their deadly struggle. More
over, when pressed by hunger, these
packs are not to be trifled with. You
may not mind even the damage done
to your orchard by hundreds of mon
keys gobbling up everything they can
lay their hands on, but it is quite diff
ferent matter when You have to shut
your doors and window and stay in
days at . time because Of the army
outside.
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.
key is liberated in short time, ~
will appear presently. So, when pack
is about, the natives employ the follow
ing method: Close to an orchard bit
of level space is selected and hole dug
in it, about two feet and six or eight
inches in diameter. Anoose is made at
one end of long, stout cord and
placed over the mouth of the hole. The
cord is passed through pulley or
ring attached to tree close to the
house and the other end held some dis.
lance away by concealed person. The
moose and about ten or fifteen feet of
the cord are covered with sand. Then
nice, tempting banana is placed in the
hole, and number of rotten ones
covered, however, with fresh skins
are strewn all over the ground.
When the pack comes, the females
are too shy to venture out into the
open space near the house, but the big
gotha is brave fellow. He sees the
bananas on the ground, leaps down,
takes up one, throws it away in disgust,
then another, with the same result.
Suddenly he notices the nice tempting
one in the hole, and plunges his arm
in. Imme diately the cord spulled, the
moose fastened on the arm close to the
shoulder, and the monkey dragged
willy-nilly to the tree, where the pull
ley or ring is attached. Then the hid
ing shikari comes forth, and, the cord
held tight in his hand, binds the unfor.
tunate monkey safe and fast, all but
the head. The pulley or ring is intro
duced not merely to bind the monkey
to the tree, but also because it would
be highly dangerous to drag the infu-
rated brute right up to person.
The monkey, however is, not killed.
Instead, they lather his head and face,
no especial care being taken in select
ing the finest soap or the purest water.
The operation is an interesting one
and source of great amusement to
to the bystanders. The monkey, how
ever, lodges his head about, only to get
a good dose of soap in his eyes and
mouth. Then he has enough of it, es-
pecially 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 ad-
jectival language of the bystanders.
He submits to his fate with eastern
stoicism. His head is shaved clean as
billiard ball, and then his face as
we'll, nice and smooth, like baby's.
Then they let him 60. But, alas, such
is the vanity of life, his wives will not
have him now that his beauty has
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 leader the pack
is soon broken up.