MONKEY CONGREGATION.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 382, 3 September 1903, Page 6

MONKEY CONGREGATION.

JReiuarknblc A»«eml>tnKe In the For- £*" est with the Birds Serving * u Musician*. f The author of "Sands of Sahara," Whpn visiting: the Gorge of (jhiffa, jcanie- upon a strange ceremonial jwhich. a native assured him, was an [unusual one. The gorge itself is like )a grand sanctuary, canopied by trees,, ■ and 'lighted' delicately by the sun. filtering through foliage... A remark--able assemblage was there that day .'•—a congregation of monkeys apparently holding some kind of service, to which the birds of the forest Igave music. The .monkeys sat in rows upon the broad, outreaching branches of . the ▼irgin trees. They were in parties of two, three or four, although one fellow 6at alone, like a decorous bachelor. While most of them remained stationary, certain partriarchal fellows passed about the area of assemblage, sitting down for a few minutes on the branches beside different families of the parish, seeming to give them counsel. j The ceremonies were conducted ! •with the greatest propriety. The monkeys seemed to be. taking part In a service in which they were deeply interested. When it was over, and. ; they were about to go out into the' world, the "ruling elders ceuld be seen running about, passing from tree to tree on the interlacing branches: nor did assembly break up until those evidently respected officials "had visited and saluted the en: ire convocation. Even their departure was made most decorously. Then, after that serious council "had adjourned, the monkeys fell to" enjoying- themselves. They scampered from tree to tree. They swung from branch to branch. Seine hung by .their tails, and others, in little coteries, hand in hand enjoyed their mid-air frolic. But the old bachelor did not clasp hands with anybody. Fast Nine Mo;i»i«s Every Year. A census- which has just been completed in British India lias brought to light the extraordinary fact that there are in that country J,416,G.-.S persons who fast and remain er.tire'y idle during nine months of every year. persons are members of the Jain sect and their homes are in Bengal and in the provinces of Guzerat and Rajputana. Their principal shrine is on the mountain of Parasnath, near Chota Nagpore, and thither they flock every spring, in order to beg-in the first; great fast of the year. A Jain can easily live for six or seven weeks without taking even a morsel of food, and during certnin festivals it is customary for all of them to abstain from food for two full months. When they eat they confine themselves to vegetables, for they never kill an animal, even in self-defense. It is-their religion which imposes upon them the oblig-ation of fasting, but travelers say that abstinence from food is no penance in their case, and that even if thry were cdl to become converted to some other creed they would still remain idle and lead A sererely ascetic life for the greater part of the year.—N. Y. Herald. Lvach Stations in Swede*. In Sweden the traveler may learn at which railway' stations meals are seryed by huge signs, bearing a crossed knife and fork, which are posted along the road on each side of .the •topping place.—N. Y. Sun.