M O N 
which they entertain the greateft animofity: they 
confider them, not without reafon, as the moft naif- 
chievous and tormenting animals in the Vvorld ; 
and rejoice to fee their numbers thinned, as well 
becaufe they dread their devaftations, as on ac- 
count of their partiahty to their flefh. The Mon- 
key, which is always fi-iinned before it is eaten, 
when lerved up at a negro feail, appears fo 
like a young child, that Europeans are generally 
fhocked at the fight: the natives, however, whofe 
feelings are iefs delicate, devour it as one of the 
richeft luxuries, and affiduoufly attend the fportf- 
man in order to profit by the fpoil. But, what 
chiefly aftonilhes the negroes, is to fee our travel- 
lers carefully taking the young ones alive, while 
they leave them the old, that are certainly the moil 
proper for food. They cannot comprehend what 
advantage can arife to us from training up a little 
animal which by experience they know to be 
equally fraught with tricks and mifchicf. In- 
deed, iome of them have been led to fuppofe that, 
through a kind of perverfe afieftion, we love only 
creatures of the mod mifchievous kinds ; and hav- 
ing often obferved us buying young and tame 
Monkies, they have taken equal care to bring 
rats to our faftors, offering them for fale, and ex- 
preffing great furprife and difappoinrment on 
finding them rejeded. 
When Monkies aflemble in companies, they do 
incredible damage to the Indian corn or rice, as 
well as to the fugar-cane plantations: they carry 
off as much as they are able, but generally deflroy 
ten times more than they carry away. Their man- 
ner of plundering is pretty much like that of ba- 
boons: one of them (lands as centinel on a tree 
while the reft are pillaging, carefully and cau- 
tioufly turning on every fide, but particularly to 
that from which they fufped the approach of dan- 
ger. In the m.ean time, the reft of the f[)oilers 
purfue their work with great filence and afliduity : 
they are not contented with the firft blade of 
corn, or the firft cane they happen to feize ; but 
after pulling up that which appears moft alluring 
to the eye, they turn it round, examine it, com- 
pare it with others, and if they find it agreeable to 
their mind, ft-ick it under one of their fhoulders. 
When they have in this manner procured their 
load, they begin to think of retiring; but fliould 
the owners of the field appear in order to interrupt 
their depredations, their faithful centinel inftantiy 
gives notice, by a loud call expreffing fomething 
like Houp! houp! houp! which ail the confede- 
rates perfetftly underftand, and at once throwing 
down what provifion they have collcfted in their 
left-hands, fcamper off on three legs, carrying the 
remainder in their right. If ftill clofely purfued, 
they then throve down their whole burdens, and 
take refuge among the trees of the woods, on the 
tops of which they remain in perfed fecurity. 
Were we implicitly to credit the narratives of 
fame travellers refpeding the government, poli- 
tics, and fubordination, of thefe animals, we might 
perhaps be taxed with credulity; but we have no 
reafon to doubt that they are under a fpecies of 
difcipline, which they exercife among each other. 
They are generally obferved to affociate together 
in companies; to march in exaft order; and to 
obey the voice of fome particular chieftain, re- 
markable either for his fize, age, or experience. 
One fpecies, to which Buffon gives the name of 
the Ouarine, and which are remarkable for the 
loudnefs and diftinclnefs of their voice, are ftill 
I, 
more fo for the ufe to Vv^hicli they apply it. ' i 
have frequently been a v?itnefs,' fays Marcgrave, 
' of their affcmblies and deliberations. Everj^ 
day, both morning and evening, theOuarines af- 
femble in the woods, to receive inftruclions. When 
they are all gathered together, one among the 
number takes the higheft place on a tree, and 
makes a fignal with his hand to the reft- to form 
themfelves into a circle, in order to hearken. As 
foon as he obferves them properly arranged, he 
begins his difcourfe, v/ith fo loud a voice, and yet 
in a manner fo precipitate, that, to hear him at a 
diftance, one would imagine the whole company 
were crying out at the lame tim,e: however, dur- 
ing that period, only one is fpeaking; and all the 
reft obferve the moft profound filence. When 
the orator has finiftied, he makes a fignal with his 
hand for the reft to reply; and at that inftant they 
raife their voices together, till by another fignal 
of the hand they are enjoined filence : this they as 
readily obey; till at laft the whole aflembly breaks 
up, after hearing a repetition of the fame ha- 
rangue.' 
The Monkey tribes fubfift principally on fruits, 
the buds of trees, or lucculcnt roots and plants. 
Like the human fpecies, they are all fond of 
Iweets; and fliev/ a particular predileftion for the 
pleafant juice of the palm-tree and the fugar-cane. 
With thefe the fertile regions in which they are 
bred generally fupply them ; but when it happens 
that thefe fail, or that more nourilliing food be- 
comes more agreeable, they eat infedls and worms; 
and fometimes fuch as inhabit the maritime parts 
dcfcend to the fea-fliores, where they feaft on oy- 
ftcrs, crabs, and fiiell-fifn. Their manner of ma- 
naging oyfters appears very extraordinary; and 
yet it is too well authenticated to be difputed. As 
the oyfters of the tropical climates are generally 
larger than ours, the Monkies, when they reach 
the fea-fide, pick up ftones, and thruft them be- 
tween the opening fhells: this prevents them from 
clofing, and the crafty anim^als then eat the fifti at 
their eafe. They alfo often draw crabs out of the 
water, by putting their tails to the holes in which 
they have talcen refuge; when the crabs faftening 
on the lure, the Monkies v/ithdraw them fuddenly, 
and thus drag their prey aftiore. This habit of 
laying traps for other animals renders them very- 
cautious of being entrapped themfelves; and 
hence, v/e are affured by many perfons of credit, 
that no fnares, how nicely Ibever baited, will catch 
the Monkies of the Weft India ifiands. 
The females generally bring forth one at a time, 
and fometimes two. They feldom breed in the 
European climates; but fuch as do, exhibit a very 
ftriking pidure of parental affedion. Both the 
male and the female feem indefatigable in the 
nurture of their young one, in fondling and caref- 
fing it: nor do they inftrud it with lefs afliduity, 
teaching it the various arcs they themfelves pof- 
fefs, and chaftifing it if either ftubborn or inatten- 
tive. When v/iid in the woods, the female, if ihe 
happens to have two young, carries one on her 
back, and the other in her arms : that on her back 
clings very clofely, clafping it's hands round her 
neck, and it's feet round her middle; and, when! 
file would fuckle it, fiie alters her pofition, that 
v/hich has been fed giving place to the other, v/hich 
flie then takes in her arms; and, thus loaded, Ihe 
is frequently incapable of bounding from tree tO' 
tree. On fuch occafions, the dexterity of thefe 
creatures is truly admirable : the whole family 
* ■ ' , fon-n 
