The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-02-14
RREAKING A PACK
OF MONKEYS.
QUEER WAY IN WHICH IT is ACCOMPLISH
EDIN INDIA.


EDININDIA.
Monkeys in India are an unmitigat-
ed nuisance, especially in the country.
l have often come across in the jun
giles adjoining the villages of Northern
Bengal whole troops Of them, whose
depredations in fields and orchards
were the despair Of the unfortunate
villagers. These troops always con-
sist of one huge male and about one
hundred e nales. The fact is, when a
little monkey is born in the pack, it is
suffered TO live if female, but instant
ly 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 them
selves in single blessedness. Now,
getting tired of solitude alter a 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
wivts-very naturally. But how are
they to get them? All the female
monkeys of the country belong to the
harcm of some big brute or other.
Clearly, the only solution is to at
tack such 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 a fierce one and often lasts sew
eral days. The party attackel always
tries to retreat and often traverses
several jun9lcs, fields, and even vii
lagos. But the pursuit is not Wig
orous, and at last stand has to
be made-sometimes in village green
or even an orchard of some country
mansion. In the actual fight the fe-
males generally remain faithful to
their lord and master and help him
fiercely against his numerous assail-
ants. But the result is a foregone
conclusion, and the several widows,
after very short period of mourning
usually manifested by a show Of ill
temper-arc 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 sell
dom attack men, woe to the luckless
one who ventures to come near them
in their deadly struggle. Moreover,
when pressed by hunger, these packs
are not to he triled with. You may
not mind even the damage done to
your orchard by hundreds of monkeys
goLbling up everything they can lay
their hands on, but it is quite dif-
ferent matter when YOU have to shut
your doors and windows and stay in
for days at a time because Of the army
outside.
Consequently, the Object If tie ma
tives is to break up these packs l'y
capturing their leaders. Killing is
against the dictates Of conscience, but
capture is not, especially as the mon
key is liberated in short time, as will
appear presently. So, when pack is
about, the natives employ the follow
ing method: Close to an orchard a
bit of level space is selected and hole
dug in it about two feet deep and six
or eight inches in diameter. A moose
is made at one end Of long, stout
cord, and placed over the mouth ofthe
hole. The cord is then passed through
a pully or ring attached to tree close
to the house and the other end held
some distance away 10y concealed
person. The moose anil about ten or
fifteen feet of the cord are covered
with sand. Then a nice, tempting
banana is placed in the hole, and a
number of rotten onos-1overcd, how
ever, with fresh skins-a!e strewn all
over the ground.
When the pack comes the females
are too shy to venture out into open
space near the house, but the bis gotha
is brave fellow. He sees the bana
mas on the ground, leaps down, takes
up one, throws it away in disgust
then another, with the same result
Suddenly he notices the nice, tempt
ing one in the hole and plunges his
arm in. Immediately the cord is pul
led, 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. Ther
the hiding shikari comes forth, and
circling round and round the tree Will
the cord held tight in his hand, bind:
the unfortunate monkey safe and fast
all but the head The pulley or rims
is introduced not merely to bind th'
monkey to the tree, but also because
it would be highly dangerous to dras
the infuriated 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 select
ing the finest soap or the purest water