breast. The wretched predicament of the apes increased every instant.
Some sat down, and with the most ludicrous gestures, tried to clean themselves. Others were hopelessly entangled in stakes and cordage, which they trailed about after them, looking the picture of bewildered despair.
Others, again, endeavoured to help one another, and stuck fast together: the more they pulled, and tugged, and kicked, the worse became their plight.
Many had the gourds and cocoa-nut shells lumbering and clattering about with them, their paws having been caught when they sought to obtain the rice or fruit we had put for bait.
Most ridiculous of all was the condition of one old fellow, who had found a calabash, containing palm wine, and, eagerly drinking it, was immediately fitted with a mask, for the shell stuck to his forehead and whiskers, of course covering his eyes; and he blundered about, cutting the wildest capers in his efforts to get rid of the encumbrance.
Numbers took to flight; but, as we had spread bird-lime on several of the trees around, many apes found themselves fixed to, or hanging from the branches, where they remained in woeful durance, struggling and shrieking horribly.
The panic being now general, I loosed the three dogs, whose impatience had been almost uncontrollable, and who now rushed to the attack of the unfortunate monkeys, as though burning with zeal to execute justice upon desperate criminals.
The place soon had the appearance of a ghastly battle-field; for we were obliged to do our part with the clubs and sticks, till the din of howling, yelling, barking, in every conceivable tone of rage and pain, gave place to an awful silence, and we looked with a shudder on the shocking spectacle around us.
At least forty apes lay mangled and dead, and the boys began to be quite sad and down-hearted, till I, fully sharing their
