534 THE SIMI^ OF THE NEW WORLD 



ago, that he and his companion were ranging in the forest in 

 quest of game. His companion took a poisoned arrow and sent 

 it at a red monkey in a tree above him. It was nearly a per- 

 pendicular shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in its 

 descent struck him in the arm, a little below the elbow. He 

 was convinced it was all over with him. *I shall never,' said he 

 to his companion in a faltering voice, and looking at his bow as 

 he said it, ' I shall never,' said he 'bend this bow again.' And 

 having said that, he took off his little bamboo poison-box, which 

 hung across his shoulder, and putting it together with his bow 

 and arrows on the ground, he laid himself down close by them, 

 bid his companion farewell, and never spoke more." 



In a less concentrated or diluted form the wourali poison 

 merely benumbs or stuns the faculties without killing, and is 

 thus made use of by the Indians when they wish to catch an 

 old monkey alive and tame him for sale. On his falling to the 

 ground they immediately suck the wound, and wrapping him up 

 in a strait-jacket of palm leaves, dose him for a few days with 

 sugar-cane juice, or a strong solution of saltpetre. This method 

 generally answers the purpose, but should his stubborn temper 

 not yet be subdued, they hang him up in smoke. Then after a 

 short time his rage gives way, and his wild eye, assuming a 

 plaintive expression, humbly sues for deliverance. His bonds 

 are now loosened, and even the most unmanageable monkey 

 seems henceforward totally to forget that he ever roamed at 

 liberty in the boundless woods. 



In general, however, the American simiaB are distinguished by 

 a much milder disposition than those of the eastern hemisphere, 

 and retain at an advanced age the playful manners of their 

 youth. They are commonly more easy to tame, and learn many 

 little tricks which are taught with much greater difficulty to 

 tleir restless Asiatic or African cousins. Their weakness, their 

 short canine teeth, their good temper, render them harmless 

 play-fellows, and thus they are generally preferred in Europe to 

 tlie Old World monkeys, though they are not so lively, and 

 constantly have a more or less dejected mien, as if they still 

 regretted the primitive freedom of the forest. 



The American monkeys may be conveniently divided into two 

 large groups ; with or without a prehensile tail. To the first 

 great subdivision belong the Howling Monkeys or Aluates 



