10 Anecdotes of a Diana Monkey, 



plation of Landseer's admirable picture*, exclaiming, " How 

 can you look at that so long ? Such things ought never to have 

 been made, and I am sure ought never to have been painted." 

 I obeyed, but the recollection of Rapoynda flashed across me. 

 After this I will not apologise for intruding an old ship 

 companion of mine on your notice, although he belongs to the 

 never failing theme of monkeys. He w^as a native of the 

 Gold Coast, and was of the Diana species (5imia Diana). 

 {fig.S.) He had been 

 purchased by the cook of 

 the vessel in which I 

 sailed from Africa, and 

 was considered his ex- 

 clusive property. Jack's 

 place then was close tOi 

 the cabooce; but as hisi 

 education progressed, he 

 was gradually allowed an* 

 increase of liberty, till at 

 last he enjoyed the rangeJ 

 of the whole ship, except^ 

 the cabin. I had em-j 

 barked with more than a 

 mere womanly aversion to 

 monkeys, it was absolute 

 antipathy; and although 

 I often laughed at Jack's 

 freaks, still I kept out 

 of his way, till a circum- 

 stance brought with it a 

 closer acquaintance, and cured me of my dislike. Our latitude 

 was three degrees south, and we only proceeded by occasional 

 tornadoes, the intervals of which were filled up by dead calms and 

 bright weather. When these occurred during the day, the helm 

 was frequently lashed, and all the watch went below. On one 

 of these occasions I was sitting alone on the deck, and reading 

 intently, when, in an instant, something jumped upon my 

 shoulders, twisted its tail round my neck, and screamed close 

 to my ears. My immediate conviction that it was Jack scarcely 

 relieved me : but there was no help ; I dared not cry for as- 

 sistance, because I was afraid of him, and dared not obey the 

 next impulse, which was to thump him ofl^ for the same rea- 

 son, I therefore became civil from necessity, and from that 

 moment Jack and I entered into an alliance. He gradually 

 loosened his hold, looked at my face, examined my hands and 



* " The Monkey who had «cen the World." 



