Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-15
CHEAP MONKEY LABOR IN PERU.
Apes That Pick Nuts Under the d.
rcction of Human FOremen.

rcctfOn of Human FOremen.
Perhaps the most interesting crea-
lures in Peru are the apes" said
| Dwight Darlington in the office Of Phil
| ip Hitchcock of the Wabash railway
yesterday. Mr.. Darlington has an eX-
tensive plantation in eastern Peru.
He is travelling for pleasure across the
continent.
For centuries past these remarkable
animals have been performing work
which is usually supposed to require
human intelligence" continued he.
f"Naturalists accredit the horse. dog
and elephant with possessing more in
tellect than all other dumb animals.
but believe the Peruvian apes surpass
all brutes. In the huge nut forests Of
my adopted country the apes are of in
estimable value. With amazing cele-
rity they pick the rich nuts from the
dark trees. saving much time and en-
penSe. Men cannot do the work in
thrice the time required by the nimbe-
fingered apes.
My plantation near the Ucayali riv-
er contains 100 acres. of which an even
hundred is in nut trees. I have 40
apes to do the picking for me. Two ma
tive fOremen have charge Of the hairy
bodied nut gatherers | have huge
comfortable cage for the apes. large
enough to accommodate 100 of them.
Into this they march every night.
Each morning early when the paro-
quets and scarlet finches begin to
scream. the foremen open the doors Of
the cage and out troop the apes, chat
tering merrily.
They are permitted to eat and drink
for ten minutes and then led off to the
grove selected for the day. Four apes
are sent up each tree and every quar-
tette has a big basket at the bottom.
While the fOremen sing and play
upon their mouth organs, strolling
about from tree to tree. and noting
progress. the apes pluck the nuts with
great rapidlty. After several hours
| the donkey wagons appear with more
baskets and remove those already load
ed with nuts to the big bins in the
stOrehOuse. There is then a brief ces-
| Sation of work.
Sometimes | go out with my violin
and play a bit. Our apes in Peru are
exceptionally fond of music. rs | sup
pose all apes are. On my approach
they chatter eagerly and group them
selves around me. 7 play tunes of all
kinds. hut never fail tn close with
something lively and spirited. I clap
my hands. point tn the trees and de-
part on my mule. Th" apes take the
mint anu the empty baskets. Seek III"
unpicked trees and begin picking win
renewed vigOr.
I'VE always treat them kindly. Pun
ishment for miSchievous conduct Is
severe: but rarely necessary. Some
times the wild apes attack :he planta-
tion in bands and do much harm. The
dogs give warning day or night AMI va
shoot the intrudrrS mcrcilcSSly After
they have been repulSed and some
killed. we take our apes to tho spot i'm
solemn procession. We show them the
dead and blOndy bodies of their
friends. Then we lock them up for Il
day or more.
THE lesson produces an indclible i'm
preston upon them. They learned long
ago that all animals must he Suhser-
Went to man. They evince rage ut the
sight of Il wild monkey. They are most
valuabl servants and enable the plan
terS to make handsome incomes. which
would be impossible with solely human
labOr."-Denver Post