APES AND MONKEYS. 289 



much as he eats, and can therefore very materially damage the pro- 

 duce of the farmer, gardener, or fruit-grower. At the beginning of 

 an expedition each monkey, in his anxiety to secure himself a meal 

 whatever may happen, devours almost indiscriminately whatever 

 he can reach; then, if he possesses cheek-pouches, he stuffs these 

 as full as possible; but as soon as his most pressing necessities are 

 relieved, he selects and criticises every bite, carefully examining and 

 smelling every fruit he plucks, every ear he breaks, before eating it, 

 and indeed in most cases simply throwing one thing after another 

 carelessly away to seize something different, which as often as not 

 is rejected in its turn. "We sow, and the monkeys reap," the 

 inhabitants of the Eastern Soudan complained to me, and with justice. 

 Against thieves like these, neither fence nor wall, lock nor bolt, 

 are suiBcient protection; they climb the first, and open the last; 

 and what they cannot eat they carry away. It is at once amusing 

 and painful to watch them feeding, for then, as at all times, their 

 behaviour is a mixture of boldness and artfulness, bravado and 

 cunning, love of enjoyment and caution, and indeed also of trickery 

 and spitefulness, impudence and malevolence. All their skill and 

 dexterity is brought into play when an undertaking seems dangerous. 

 They run, climb, leap, if need be even swim to overcome obstacles; 

 but in no case do they forget their care for their individual safety. 

 The commander always leads the way, and coaxes, calls, chides, 

 warns, cries, scolds, and punishes as seems to him good; the herd 

 follows and obeys, but without ever entirely trusting him. In 

 danger every member of the herd looks out for its own safety, 

 rejoining the leader after that is assured; the mothers with a young 

 one at their breasts, or on their backs, are an exception, for they are, 

 or seem to be, less concerned about their own safety than that of 

 their child. 



When their expeditions are not attended with danger they often 

 rest, and give the young ones opportunity to amuse themselves 

 together; but when there is any danger they finish their expedition 

 and then enjoy a period of rest and relaxation, during which they 

 often indulge in a siesta to help their digestion. In the afternoon 

 they set out on another foraging expedition; towards sundown they 



Cm 70) . 19 



