Men Talk to Monkeys.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 November 1912, Page 4

Men Talk to Monkeys.

MYSTERIES OF AFIUOAX

SWAMP

EXPLORER'S STORIES

It is the firm belief of Mr James Stewart, tho Scottish surveyor, who lwis returned homo alter .spending over three years in Darkest Africa, that many of the natives can almost speak the monkey language, Mr Stowart travelled through Liberia and part of the Upper Congo, with a party of surveyors, and during tho whole- of their arduous inarch they killed their dinner every day. Sometimes they travelled at the rate of t.wontv milos thiily, sometimes till* forests were so douse and the obstacles so numerous that they made no more than a few milos.

"•During one of our marches." lie wiid, in relating further experiences to .a representative, "wo liacl to ■ plough our way through a marsh that rose up above our knees. The boggy nature of some of the country was such that wo were splashp<l from head to foot, and it was tho most tiresome walk we had in tho whole of our journeys. For miles the marsh stretched on all sides; the carriers told us that it had never boon explored, and tho only way to got to our destination was to go through it as quickly as wo could. We wont through it—hut not quickly. Adder! to the inconvenience and sodden condition of the land was the terrible smell of rotten and rotting vegetation. We lost one or two of our packages at this stingo, for they fell off the heads of our carriers, who stumbled against submerged trees. One of tho men disappeared, (no. He was in the roar, and had only a lisihl. load, but suddenly he was missed from the caravan, and we had to senivh for him. Tho natives spread on! in a semi-circle, and did a complete tour round us. swooping the march for a radius of about .100 yards. They never found him.

"Tt was when we were goinc down tho rivers that we made the ac(|unintianco of the monkeys. "We oould hear them in the forosls. chattering to eaoh other and calling plain! ively. almost like huiwin heings. At first T could hardly believe they wore monkeys; I thought they were tribes of natives, and some of their cries wore like those of children who had boon frightened. Tt was the weirdest thing to see them swinging along one of the bouchs of the troo, hand in hand or

;rast>ing ench other's tails. They .•onld swing loge.ther in this fnsh-

ion, forming a bridge right arrow the stream, innd then our cflrriero would get quite* excited. They were very fond of monkey flesh. As we approached the .animals the na-

tives would ship their paddles and sit quiet, while the best marksman would hold a gun so that Ko could

have a good shot. x\s a rule he would briug down one of the wioru keys with a screech, and as soon as , the result of tho shot was seen some of the men would jump overboard and swim to the body, bringing it back to the boat in groat glee.

I am convinced that most of these men knew tho monkey language ,if there- is such a thing, for their conduct proved' it. More than once I have seen a carrier and a companion go off into bush carrying a gun nnd walking until they were within sight of some of the animals. Then one would sit down on hit* haiuiches and put his lingers to his lips and nose and nuike cries which were certainly good imitations of tho cries we have heard from the forest. In a little while one or two monkeys would come hopping along towards the spot, also calling, and when near enough the carrier who had the gun would lire, and another monkey would be added to tho larder.