THE ORANG-OUTANG 51 



aloft, by violently shaking or swaying the ropes by which it was suspended, were 

 found to be quite ineffectual, although it often appeared to the spectator that the 

 muscles of the orang would be unable to withstand the strain to which they were 

 exposed. In its playful moods this orang is described as swinging itself suddenly 

 within arm's length of one of its pursuers, and after having struck him a harm- 

 less blow with its outstretched hand, as suddenly swinging off in the opposite 

 direction. 



Dr. Abel states that while in Java this orang was lodged in a large tamarind 

 tree growing near the house of his master. Here he was accustomed to form a 

 kind of nest or bed, for himself by plaiting the smaller boughs together, and 

 strewing the platform thus made with leaves. In the daytime the animal was in 

 the habit of lying in this couch with his head projecting over the edge, and thus 

 watched with interest all the passers-by. When any of these happened to be 

 carrying fruit, the ape would descend from his lair and endeavor to obtain a 

 portion. At sunset, or even sooner, it would retire to its nest for the night ; while 

 at the first rays of dawn it would be again afoot, and endeavoring to obtain its 

 usual food. When on board ship the masthead formed its usual sleeping place, 

 where the creature would comfortably ensconce itself in the folds of a sail for the 

 night. " In making his bed," writes Dr. Abel, "he used the greatest pains to 

 remove everything out of his way that might render the surface on which he 

 intended to lie uneven ; and, having satisfied himself with this part of his arrange- 

 ment, spread out the sail, and lying down upon it on his back, drew it over his 

 body. Sometimes I preoccupied his bed, and teased him by refusing to give it up. 

 On these occasions he would endeavor to pull the sail from under me or to force 

 me from it, and would not rest until I had resigned it. If it was large enough for 

 both he would quietly lie down by my side. If all the sails happened to be set, he 

 would hunt about- for some other covering, and either steal one of the sailor's 

 jackets or shirts that happened to be drying, or empty a hammock of its blankets. 

 His food in Java was chiefly fruit, especially mangosteens, of which he was 

 extremely fond. He also sucked eggs with voracity, and often employed himself 

 in seeking them. On board ship his diet was of no definite kind ; he ate readily of 

 all kinds of meat, and especially raw meat ; and was very fond of bread, but always 

 preferred fruits when he could obtain them. His beverage in Java was water ; on 

 shipboard it was as diversified as his food. He preferred coffee and tea, but would 

 readily take wine, and exemplified his attachment to spirits by stealing the 

 captain's brandy bottle ; since his arrival in London, he has preferred beer and 

 milk to anything else, but drinks wine and other liquors. In his attempts to get 

 food, he afforded us many opportunities of judging of his sagacity and disposition." 

 The continuation of Dr. Abel's account is too long to be quoted at length, but he 

 gives several other interesting particulars of the habits of the animal during the 

 voyage from Java to England. Although habitually gentle, this orang could be 

 excited into paroxysms of violent rage, which he expressed by opening his mouth, 

 showing his teeth, and seizing and biting such persons as were in his vicinity. 

 This animal survived its arrival in England for about fifteen months, when it fell a 

 victim to the disease so fatal to its kindred in our climate. 



