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No Monkeying Around Here
THE apes on the Rock of Gibraltar are living the life of Riley again — much to the pleasure of sight-seers traveling through the historical strait, and to the complete satisfaction of the British soldiers stationed there.
The apes are looked upon as symbols of steadfastness on a stronghold which itself has become synonymous with solidity.
Even slightly annoy one of these apes and you'll find yourself facing serious charges. They're looked after in a devoted, almost worshipful, manner by the soldiers.
Closely related to baboons, the yellowish-brown apes are the size of medium-sized dogs. They have long square snouts and no tails. Terrestrial animals, they are natives of the Barbary Coast. Their original home was on the rocky mountain, Jebel Musa, on the African side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Nobody seems to know for sure when they came to the rock, but apparently it was centuries ago — and they came in droves.
The Spanish say, "The British will leave when the apes do." It's an old saying, and while there's no military basis for it, no chances have been taken. Twice the ape population has been increased secretly by the British. The first importation was in 1740, the second in 1930. Both times, the number of animals was dwindling to the point of extinction.
The British have good reasons for perpetuating the apes.
One reason dates back almost two centuries, when the Spanish attempted to take the Rock of Gibraltar. A sentinel had fallen asleep at his post. Spanish troops were moving stealthily toward him. Suddenly, while foraging for food, one of the apes upset a pot of beans. The sentinel was instantly aroused, saw the danger, sounded the alarm, and the invaders were beaten off.
Then there was a later occasion when the Spanish attempted to lay siege to Gilbraltar by digging underground passages into the stronghold, planning to blow up the British headquarters. For weeks they carried on this tedious work, and military records show they were well on the way to success. Their plan was upset by an ape.
This particular ape held its ear close to a drum one night and listened intently. The soldiers were puzzled by the action, and it became a case of "monkey see, monkey do" in reverse, because then the soldiers put their ears to drums and listened. What they heard in the sensitive drumheads were the vibrations of digging.
Immediate investigation revealed the Spanish encroachment, and countermines were set off, blasting out the invaders again.
With those two incidences still being recounted by the soldiers who guard Gibraltar, it's not difficult to understand why the military sent up a howl in 1941 when all animals on the rock were ordered killed as an emergency war measure. Consequently, the order was altered. All animals — except the apes of Gibraltar — were destroyed.
So, the apes survived the war — and they've got the run of the place again. — Barney Schwartz.
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