MONKEYS. 183 



They remained afterwards very quiet, looking on us as though 

 they were pleased with our astonishment. There were some 

 so exceedingly large, that if they had been of a ferocious na- 

 ture, our number would not have been sufficient to secure us 

 from their attacks. As it would have been useless to kill 

 these animals, we made no use of our guns ; but the captain, 

 thinking to wound one of them, which was seated on a tree, 

 after a long pursuit, had no sooner presented his piece, but 

 the animal, probably from the remembrance of the execu- 

 tion of some of his companions, in the same manner, 

 was so greatly terrified at it, that he fell almost motionless 

 at our feet, and being stunned in the fall, we had not the 

 least trouble to secure it : however, when it revived, we had 

 occasion for all our strength and address to keep it, defending 

 itself by biting those who were near it, which obliged us to 

 bind our handkerchiefs over its head." 



Tavernier tells us that some of the inhabitants of India 

 adopt a ludicrous mode of avenging themselves on these 

 Monkeys, who not unfrequently attack the women who are 

 going to market, and rob them of their provisions. In an 

 open space, near the retreat of the Apes, they place five or 

 six baskets of rice, forty or fifty yards asunder, and near the 

 baskets a number of stout cudgels, each two feet in length. 

 They then hide themselves, to watch for the result. Think- 

 ing that no one sees them, the apes hasten towards the bas- 

 kets. For a while they grin angrily at each other, then ap- 

 proach, then retire, and seem to dread coming to action for 

 the prey. More daring than the males, the females at length 

 advance to the baskets, and as they thrust in their heads to 

 eat, the males on the one side rush forward to prevent them. 

 This brings on a general engagement, and the cudgels are 

 lustily plied till the weakest party is compelled to seek shelter 

 in the woods. The victors then fall to upon their hard-earned 

 meal 



The other species of Monkeys will be described in future 

 numbers of this work. 



