Evening star., 1901-07-02
MONKEYS IN INDIA.
Clever StrataEems OF Natives TO RIA
Villages of the Perts.


Villages Of the Perts.
From the Strand Magazine.
Monkeys in India are an unmitlgated nui-
sance. especially in the country I have
often come across in the jungles adjoining
the villages OF northern Bengal whole
troops of them. whose deprcdations in fields
and orchards were the despair Of the unfor-
tunate villagers. These troops always con-
sisted OF one huge male and about one hum
dred females The fact is when a little
monkey is born in the pack. 1t is suffered to
live if a female but instantly killed by the
father IL II happens To be a male Tho
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
IL often happens that individual males are
10 be found living 10y themselves IN single
hieSSeoncSS. Now. getting tired Of solI-
tude after time and perhaps believing in
union as a source of strength. these baChe-
lors often join together and form a pack
OF their cwn-aS "A sort of club
Then the fun begins. They want wives
very naturally. But how are they to get
them? All the female monkeys of the coun-
try belong 10 the harem Of some hig brute
or other. Clearly. the only solution is to
attack such a harem, kill the gotha uhe
aforesaid big brute). and then divide the
spoils. SO an ultimatum is sent and re-
Jected War is declared. The battle Is a
party attacked always tries to retreat and
often traverses several junCles fields and
even villages But the pursuit is hot and
vigorous and AT last a stand has to be
i1ade-sometimes i'm a village green or even
an orchard OF some country mansion In
the actual fight the females generally re-
main faithful to their lord and master and
help him fiercely against his numerous
aSSailants. But the result is a foregoue
conclusion. and the several widows after a
very short period of mourning usually
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 country and often
prove a positive danger To the people for,
though monkeys seldom attack men. woe To
the luckiess one who ventures to come near
them in their deadly struggle Moreover
when pressed by hunger. these packs are
not to be trifieG with. You may not mind
even the damage done to your orchard by
hundreds OF monkeys gobbling up every
thing they can lay their hands on but IL
Is quite different matter when YOU have
TO shut your doors and windows and stay
IN Tor days at time because of the army
outside.
Consequently the object Of the natives
is TO break up these packs 10y capturing
their leaders. Killing is against the die
tates Of conscience. but capture is not es-
pecialiy as the monkey is liberated in al
short time, as will appear presently. So
when pack is about. the natives employ
the following method: Close to an nrcha I'd
a IiA VI ieNtl space IS selected and hole
dug in ii, about two feet deep and six or
eight inches in diameter. A moose is ma de
at one end OF long. stout cord and placed
over the mouth OF the hole. The cord is
then passed through pulley OF ring at
tached to a tree close to the house and the
other end held some distance away by al
concea led person. Tho moose and about ten
or fifteen feet Of the cord are covered witt
sand. Then nice. tempting banana is
placed in the hole. and a number nf 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 gntha is a brave
fellow. He sees the bananas on the ground
leaps down. takes up one. throws IL away
In disgust. then another, with the same re-
suit. Suddenly he notices the nice. trmpt-
ing one in the hole and plunges his arm in
immediately the cord is pulled, th,. 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 un-
fortunate monkey safe and fast. all but the
head. The pulley or ring is introduced not
merely to bind the monkey to the tree hut
also because 1t would be highly dangerous
TO drag the infurated brute right up TO a
person.
The monkey, however, is not killed. In
stead they lather his head and face no spe-
cial care being taken in selecting the finest
soap or the purest water. The operation isl
an interesting one and source Of great
amusement-to the bystanders The mon-|
key, however. lodges his head about only|
TO get good dose OF soap in his eyes andI
mouth. Then he has enough OF It. especial
ly as he feels dreadfuly achy all over andI
TIE cords cutting into his body every incAI
to say nothing OF the personal rernarksI
and the highly adjectival language of theI
bystanders. He submits to his fate with
eastern stoicism. His head is shaved cleanI
as billiard ball. and then his face as well.
nice and smooth. like a baby's. 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 drfveI
him away from the pack with contumely
with the ends Of their tails in the absence|
OF domestic broomsticks. And thus being
without leader. the pack is soon brokenI
UP.