72 MAMMALIA— ORANG OUTANG. 



railed bamboo cage, for the purpose of being conveyed from the island. As 

 soon as he felt himself in confinement, he took the rails of the cage into 

 his hands, and shaking them violently, endeavored to break them in pieces ; 

 but finding that they did not yield generally, he tried them separately, and, 

 having discovered one weaker than the rest, worked at it constantly, till he 

 had broken it, and made his escape. On board ship, an attempt being made 

 to secure him by a chain tied to a strong staple, he instantly unfastened it, 

 and ran off with the chain dragging behind ; but finding himself embarras- 

 sed by its length, he coiled it once or twice, and threw it over his shoulder. 

 This feat he often repeated; and when he found it would not remain on his 

 shoulder, he took it into his mouth. 



"After several abortive attempts to secure him more effectually, he was 

 allowed to wander freely about the ship, and soon became familiar with the 

 sailors, and surpassed them in agility. They often chased him about the 

 rigging, and gave him frequent opportunities of displaying his adroitness in 

 managing an escape. On first starting, he would endeavor to outstrip his 

 pursuers by mere speed ; but when much pressed, eluded them by seizing 

 a loose rope, and swinging out of their reach. At other times, he would 

 patiently wait on the shrouds, or at the mast head, till his pursuers almost 

 touched him, and then suddenly lower himself to the deck by any rope that 

 was near him, or bound along the mainstay, from one mast to the other, 

 swinging by his hands, and moving them one over the other. The men 

 would often shake the ropes by which he clung with so much violence, as 

 to make me fear his falling ; but I soon found that the power of his muscles 

 could not be easily overcome. When in a playful humor, he would often 

 swing within arm's length of his pursuer, and, having struck him with his 

 hand, throw himself from him. 



"Whilst in Java, he lodged in a large tamarind-tree, near my dwelling, 

 and formed a bed by intertwining the small branches, and covering them 

 with leaves. During the day, he would lie with his head projecting beyond 

 the nest, watching whoever might pass under ; and when he saw any one 

 with fruit, would descend to obtain a share of it. He always retired for the 

 night at sunset, or sooner if he had been well fed, and rose with the sun, 

 and visited those from whom he habitually received food. 



"Of some small monkeys on board from Java, he took little notice, whilst 

 under the observation of the persons of the ship. Once, indeed, he openly 

 attempted to throw a small cage, containing three of them, overboard, be- 

 cause, probably, he had seen them receive food, of which he could obtain no 

 part. But although he held so little intercourse with them when under our 

 inspection, I had reason to suspect that he was less indifferent to their 

 society when free from our observation ; and was one day summoned to the 

 top-gallant yard of the mizen-mast to overlook him playing with a young 

 male monkey. Lying on his back, partially covered with a sail, he foi 

 some time contemplated, with great gravity, the gambols of the monkey, 



