Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-01-10
poLYeAMovs MONKEY PACKS.
Troops Of t1,e stuainns in BcnrnI jun
giles Are Iresscn Up by Trap
ping tic Leader.

nuisance, especially in the country.
have often eeme ncross in the jungles
adjoining the villages of northern Ben.
gal whole troops of them, whose dep
relations in ijelds and orchards vert
the despair Of the unfortunate vii.
layers, says writes in the Strand.
These troops always consist of one
huge male and about 10Dfemales. The
fact is, when little monkey is born
in the pack, it is sufferen to live If q
female, but instantly Killed by the
father III it happens 10 he y male. The
mother, however, sometimes manages
to hide the little one until ihe 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 he found
living by themselves in single blessed.
ness. Now, getting tired of solitude
after time, and perhaps believingfn
union as source of strength, these
bachelors often join together and form
n pack of their own-a sort of club.
Then the fun begins. They want
wiyes-very naturally. But how are
monkeys of the country belong to the
harem of some big brute or other.
Clearly, the only solution is to at.
tack such Il harem, kill the gotha (the
aforesaid big brute), and then divide
the spoils. So an rltimatum 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 trarerses 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 a foregone conclusion, and the sev.
eral widows, after n 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 coun-
try, and often prove positive danger
to the people, for 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
jay 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.
tives is to break up these packs by
capturing their leaders. Killing is
against the dictates of conscience, but
capture is not, especially rs the mou-
key is liberated in short time, as
will appear presently. So, when pack
is about. the natives employ the follow
ing me ethod: Close TO an orchard a bit
of level space is selected and hole dug
in it. about two feet and six or eight
inches in diameter. Anoose is made n I
one end of long, stout cord and
placed over the mouth of the hole. The
cord is then passed through n pulley or
ring attached to q tree close to the
house and the other end held some dis
tance away by n 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 n 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 a brave fellow. He sees the
bananas on the ground. leaps down,
.?.:cs Il? one, throws !: away in disgust,
thu n another. with the same result.
Suddenly he notices the nice tempting
one in the hole, and plunges his arm
in. lmme diate.y the cord is pulled, the
moose fastened OH the arm close to the
shoulder, and the monkey dragged
| wiily-nilly to the tree. where the pull.
| ley or ring is attached. Then the hid
F., ing shikari comes forth, and, The cord
| held tight in his hand, binds the unfor-
| y
the head. The pulley or ring is intro
duced not merely to bind the monke J
| to the tree, but also because ii 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 se.ect
ing the finest soap or the purest water
The operation is an interesting on,
and source of great amusement t.
;, to the bystanders. The monkey, how
ever, lodges his head about, only TO ge
good dose of soap in his eyes ant
mouth. Then he has enough of it, es
pc cially as he feels dreadfully ach.
all over and the cords cutting into hi
body every inch-to say nothing of tn
personal remarks and the highly ad
jectival language of the bystanders
He submits to his fate with eastern