Monkey training for organ grinders in the 1800's, Page 2

...monkey is worried and irritated until it arrives at a condition bordering on frenzy. A state of weakness and depression ensues, all resistance ceases, and the animal allows itself to be handled. As soon as this point is reaches, the severity of the treatment is lightened and by degrees the animal is fondles and finally released. In nine cases out of ten this treatment is effectual in making the monkey lose all of its former ferocity and becomes as meek as a peeping chicken."

"Does this treatment not weaken the monkey?"

"No. It does not seem to affect its strength in the least. Besides, the Italian is careful not to injure what is so valuable a piece of property to him. Having broken the monkey's spirit, it is now the trainer's business to make friends with Mateo. This he does by giving it candies and nuts and by caressing it. Should he then return to insubordination, the monkey is quickly pulled down to the floor by means of a rope run through a ring in the floor and fastened to a collar around the animal's neck. Then a switch is brought into play until it is glad to submit."

"Having passed through the a-b-c's what is the next step in the education of the ring-tail?"

"The next step," said Mr. Reiche, "is to make it come when called. This is a very important part of the training, as it gives the master full control of the animal. The collar around the monkey's neck is made to fit closely and the edges are unusually sharp, so that a jerk upon the rope fastened to the collar causes pain. The man walk away from the monkey a short distance and calls it by name, always repeating the word a number of times and at each call giving the rope a slight jerk. At each tug the monkey draws nearer and nearer, because the collar hurts its neck, until it is close to the trainer, when it is taken up and fondled. This process is repeated for many days, increasing the power of tugs on the rope if necessary, until the monkey will come after the first pull. It will quickly learn to identify the call with the pain at its neck, and come to its master as soon as it is called in order to avoid the pain it anticipates."

"Mateo is now in his a-b-ab's. What comes next?"

The next move is the reverse of the first; that is, teaching the monkey to leave the master and go where bidden at a certain command or in obedience to a wave of the hand. This is accomplished in much the same manner as is related above, with the difference that the string or rope is reached through a pulley fastened in the wall. The master places himself with the monkey at the wall opposite the pulley, and gives the rope a tug, which naturally draws the monkey toward the pulley. In a very short time the monkey learns to run off at the wave of the hand. Pulleys are then attached along the different walls and the rope frequently changed from one to the other. This will at first bewilder the monkey and he will often run off in the wrong direction, only to be checked. The hand of the master always being pointed in the direction the animal should go, it soon learns to watch the hand and follow the direction indicated. This is one of the most important phases of the monkey's education, as it enables the Italian when exhibiting the monkey in the street to send it up and into windows to collect pennies."

"But how is the monkey taught to fetch small articles?"

"Oh, that is a simple matter," was the reply. "A coin is placed in the monkey's hand. If it drops the coin the monkey is rebuked and the coin put into its hand until, after repeated trials, the copper is retained. Each time this is done the master repeats a certain word in Italian which is the equivalent of the word 'fetch'. After the idea of holding the coin is firmly fixed in it mind, the monkey will hold out its hand to receive it, and will finally grab for it. When this point is reached, the penny is laid before the monkey upon the floor, whereupon the monkey will pick it up. The coin is then gradually moved further and further away, and finally thrown on the other side of the room. With a wave of the hand, the monkey is then sent to pick up the coin and told to fetch it. This usually finishes the education of the ordinary hand organ monkey. It has received all the instruction necessary for practical financial purposes, and is put to work right away."

"But some monkeys take higher degrees, do they not?"

Yes, a few, but rarely is a monkey educated to do the tricks now-a-days which were taught to them ten years ago. It was a common thing in the streets of New York at that time to see a monkey performing on a wooden pedestal in the street. These accomplishments of the monkeys are fast falling into the soup. But the little animals would learn just as quickly now as they did then if put to it. To teach a money to put on and take off its hat, the hat is first placed on it head and then taken off and replaced by the master guiding the monkeys hand by taking hold of its arms, accompanying the two movements by separate commands and an occasional pinch. Practice soon makes the monkey perfect in these movements. During all these lessons the monkey has been dressed and has become accustomed to wearing clothes."

"How is a monkey taught to walk upon its hind legs?"

"The hands, or fore feet, are fastened to its back.. The body of the monkey is then raised to a standing posture by means of the string fastened to its collar. The same impulse of avoiding pain which caused the animal to come when called is the motive in this instance as well. When the animal has become accustomed to standing, the hands are released. When once the monkey is accustomed to walking upright, it is an easy manner to teach the animal to walk a tight-rope. In fact, owing to the formation of its feet, the monkey finds it very easy to dance on the dating slack-wire! The power to preserve his balance is born in the monkey and he is really quite in his element on the rope. While walking about, it is an easy matter to teach the monkey to dance. By continual repetition the animal soon learns how to ring a bell, strike the cymbals, and to turn the crank of a small organ."

"How is it taught to shoot a gun?"

"By gradually making it acquainted with the noise of an explosion. This is done by first exploding percussion caps and then light charges at a distance from the monkey, gradually bringing the monkey nearer. In this manner the animal soon becomes indifferent to the noise and will hold the gun with perfect fearlessness. The fingers of the monkeys left hand are then placed firmly on the trigger and its knuckles are given a sharp rap which explodes the powder. In a very short time the monkey will pull the trigger at the motion of a stick."

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