THE BIG GAME OF WESTERN CHINA. 



255 



later unless he removes himself out of the neighbourhood. 

 Undoubtedly the most interesting animals on Omi itself 

 were the monkeys, medium-sized tailless animals probably 

 belonging to the baboon family; there appeared to be 

 at least two species of them. In the Summer they are 

 found on the cliffs and in the trees towards the summit 

 of the mountains at about 8,000 feet, though as the summit 

 is covered with snow for four or five months in the year, 

 they no doubt descend to lower levels in the winter. They 

 might be found in great troops of twenty or thirty, especially 

 after recent rain, but were very capricious in their move- 

 ments; sometimes we would not see one for a week or more. All 

 animals on a sacred mountain like Omi are protected and 

 the tameness of these monkeys was quite wonderful. They 

 would sit within a few feet of you as you ascended the steps, 

 and steal the candles from the pilgrims who were coming up 

 the mountain to perform their religious ceremonies; indeed 

 the coolies had to watch their loads carefully when the 

 monkeys were on the prowl. They had no fear of man, for 

 they were never molested; and thinking of the deer already 

 referred to, which only feared men in so far as they had been 

 taught to — that is within a range of a hundred yards or so, 

 being merely interested in his presence beyond that range, 

 there is food for reflexion upon the real attitude of wild 

 animals in general towards man. 



