SACRED MONKEYS 63 



known in England ; for while monkeys in zoological 

 collections are well treated, there is every reason to believe 

 that the simian assistants of the barrel-organ grinder are 

 taught their tricks by fear rather than kindness. 



HANUMAN MONKEY (Semnopithecus entellus). 

 Coloured Plate III. Fig. 6. 



It must be remembered that the Israelites of old reared 

 up the golden calf of idol homage at the very time when 

 God was affording special evidences that they were His 

 chosen people. While there may be uncertainty whether 

 the Egyptians worshipped the baboon, there is no room 

 for doubt that for long ages the Hindus held in sacred 

 reverence various members of the brute creation. Even 

 under modern conditions of life, closer association with 

 Western peoples, and the spread of Christianity, the 

 worship of animals still remains, though with less revolting 

 features than was formerly the case. 



The Hanuman Monkey is supposed by the Hindus to be 

 a visible incarnation of the god Vishnu, and consequently 

 the temples dedicated to the god are happy havens for this 

 particular species. They simply swarm about the cities 

 and villages where Vishnu is worshipped. The beautiful 

 carvings of the temples and even the holiest idol shrines 

 are denied by the jabbering creatures, who, not content 

 with the offerings of the faithful, rob orchards, pilfer from 

 fruit stalls, and even enter shops in search of delicacies. 

 No native would dream of taking active offensive measures 

 against the four-handed robbers. Efforts have been made to 

 get rid of this holy scourge by deporting large numbers of 

 the monkeys to certain fertile spots, specially purchased and 

 cultivated for them ; but the monkeys prefer town life, and 

 usually contrive to return to the temples. In a city in the 

 North-west Provinces two English officers were attacked 

 by several monkeys in one of the chief thoroughfares. 

 Purely in self-defence the white men wounded one of 

 the sacred animals, which immediately raised the anger 

 of the priests and pilgrims. A fanatical mob gathered, 



