ENRAGED MONKEYS SAVAGE FOUR HUNTERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22654, 3 June 1948, Page 4

ENRAGED MONKEYS SAVAGE FOUR HUNTERS

DURBAN. April 27. A troop of 60 enraged Durban ! monkeys this week made a savage ati tack on an African game hunter. Mr. Charles Wallace, and three officers of the American freighter, Governor Houston. Mr. Wallace was taken to hospital suffering from more than 50 bites and scratches and his limbs are vbry badly swollen. Mr. Wallace and the three officers — Mr. James Haag, chief officer, Mr- Edward Hall, chief engineer, and Mr, L. M. Frior, chief steward of the Governor Houston —set out to catch one of Durban’s monkeys with her young for the officers to take back to America with them as a souvenir from Durban. They travelled by taxi to a section of the bush near the Blue Lagoon. Mr. Wallace said: “We went into the bush laden with bananas and peanuts- We did not think of taking sticks or any other form of protection, because we thought the monkeys were tame. The monkeys crowded round for the fruit, and when they came near I grabbed a mother monkey vvith a young monkey clinging to her. Then hell was let loose. Mother’s Despair “The mother monkey fought and screamed and wailed, and, screeching with rage, the whole troop of animals bore down on us to rescue the captured one "Although all four of us lashed out with our boots and fought with our arms as well as - we could, the animals closed in on us, jumping down from trees, biting and scratching “As I was determined not to release my hold on the mother monkey their attack was centred on me, tearing pieces of flesh from my arms and hands. My three companions were bitten, too, in trying to ward off the onslaught but, fortunately, their injuries were not as serious ao mine. “By fighting a rearguard action, shouting and kicking all the time, my friends managed to pull me out of the bush to the waiting taxi“l was taken to hospital, where my wounds were treated and I was given anti-tetanus injections. Mr. Wallace said that he had had many escapes before while hunting wild animals in Portuguese East Africa, but this was the most frightening experience. “All for Nothing.” Mr. Haag said: “It was all for nothing, too. After leaving Mr. Wallace at hospital we took the monkey with its baby on to the ship and placed it in the chief engineer's cabin. It ran amuck in tire cabin and lore everything to shreds. “When the door was opened it bolted out and ran all over Hie ship barking and biting at everyone who approached. Several members of the crew were bitten and the skipper, Captain G. G. Summers, asked us to chase the animal off the ship. The whole crew spent two hours trying to chase it down the gangway, but the animal became more infuriated at each attempt and it barked and launched several attacks. “Eventually, it ran down a rope jumping the rat guard on to the shore." It was a miracle that they got Mr. Wallace out of the bush alive. The taxi in which they took him to hospital was soaked in blood-