10 Mr Grant's account of an Orang-Outang from Borneo. 



looking on, as if reflecting upon his own superiority in the scale 

 of being to the creatures before him. Indeed, during the whole 

 interview the grave and commanding attitude and bearing of 

 the orang, compared to the levity and apparent sense of infe- 

 riority of the monkeys, was very striking ; and it was impos- 

 sible not to feel that he was a creature of a much more elevat- 

 ed order and capacity. 



A dog of the spaniel kind appeared much frightened at the 

 orang, but surprise was evidently mixed with its feelings of 

 dread; for though scared and inclined to run away, it still linger- 

 ed near to look at the formidable stranger. The other, on 

 the contrary, bounded towards the dog, making a grunting 

 kind of noise, stretching out his arms to catch him, and appa- 

 rently taking much pleasure in the dog's surprise and dread. 

 In all this there was no trace of hostility or malignity. The 

 orang seemed playfully inclined, and I doubt not would have 

 done the dog no harm, had he succeeded in getting hold of it. 



Sometimes his actions are so grotesque that it is impossible 

 not to smile at them. So irresistibly ludicrous are his move- 

 ments occasionally, that even the native spectators, proverbi- 

 ally sedate and grave as they are, cannot help yielding to 

 hearty laughter at their droll effect. These exhibitions are 

 highly enhanced by the air of solemn gravity that characte- 

 rizes the actor throughout. It ought, however, to be always 

 borne in recollection, that the tricks and habits described are 

 those of a young animal. It would be as philosophical to 

 predicate the future character of a man from the gambols of 

 a child in the nursery, as to judge of the habits and peculiari- 

 ties of the adult orang from the playful or eccentric move- 

 ments of a young one. 



I saw him once very indignant at not getting as much tea 

 as he wanted. A European woman happened to place a 

 small saucer of lukewarm tea before him, of which he partook 

 with great relish, sipping it out of the vessel, or dipping his 

 fingers into the liquid and then sucking them. In the course 

 of a minute or two, the woman passing again, he applied for 

 more tea, which he got and drank. A third time he made a 

 like application, and was similarly gratified. At length the 

 woman's stock of tea was exhausted. The poor fellow, how- 



