26 THE ORANG-OUTAN. 



Though sufficiently docile and good -tempered when it has its own way, the young Orang 

 is rather subject to sudden gusts of passion when crossed in its wishes, and in such cases puts 

 forth its powers with much effect. But the angry passion soon passes away, and the creature 

 seems to be ashamed of its conduct. 



One of these animals which I watched for some little time, had a curiously wistful and 

 piteous expression of countenance, and although very young, its face was wrinkled like that 

 of an old man of eighty. The creature sat and looked out of its deeply set eyes, as if the cares 

 of the nation rested on its shoulders. It was not very lively, but moved about among the 

 branches with great ease. The form was not at all symmetrical, for the long arms, and feet, 

 and hands seemed strangely out of proportion with its round, weakly-looking body, so that it 

 involuntarily reminded the spectator of those long-legged, round-bodied spiders that are so 

 common about old walls. 



The lips were very mobile, and the animal moved them when agitated by any emotions ; 

 sometimes shooting them forward like the poutings of a petulant child, and sometimes drawing 

 them together in strange wrinkles. The neck was but slightly indicated, and the whole animal 

 presented an uncouth, goblin-like aspect. 



One of these animals that was brought to England by Dr. Abel, exhibited many curious 

 habits. 



It had been taught to walk in an erect position, without supporting itself by extraneous 

 help, but the erect posture was so ill adapted to its structure, that it could only preserve its 

 balance by raising the arms over its head, and throwing them behind it, as has already been 

 mentioned. The mode in which the head is united to the neck renders the equilibrium un- 

 certain. 



This animal was tolerably omnivorous in appetite, for although its usual food consisted of 

 fruits and bread, it was exceedingly fond of raw eggs, and would eat almost any kind of meat, 

 whether dressed or raw. It would drink water, or milk, or beer, preferring the two latter 

 liquids to any other. But it was also fond of wine, and was partial to mixtures of a still more 

 potent character. Coffee and tea were favorite beverages with the animal, so that it displayed 

 a decidedly civilized taste. 



As might be expected, while it was on board ship the sailors petted their companion after 

 their wont, and it was quite familiar with them, showing no fear, and even occasionally 

 indulging in a sham fight. But it was struck with unaccountable fright at some very harmless 

 creatures that became inmates of the same vessel. They were only common turtles, perfectly 

 incapable of doing damage, and destined for soup. But the mere sight of them terrified the 

 Orang-outan to such an extent that it ran away to the mast-head, and, protruding its lips, 

 uttered a series of strange sounds. A land tortoise affected the animal in a similar manner, as 

 also did the sight of a number of men bathing and floating in the water. Perhaps there was 

 some connection in the mind of the ape between the turtle and the cayman, which siipposition 

 is strengthened by the alarm caused by the bathers. I have known a common snail cause a 

 great turmoil in a cage of monkeys, and there may possibly be some instinctive antipathy 

 between monkeys and crawling animals. 



This singular emotion is worthy of notice, because it proves the fallacy of judging any 

 animal to be the natural enemy of another, merely because the latter is terrified at its approach. 

 Granting that the apes might occasionally have been prompted by their mischievous nature to 

 meddle with the turtles, and to have been half-blinded by a sand-shower thrown from the 

 turtle's flippers, or have suffered a painful wound from the snap of a turtle's sharp jaws, yet 

 the little land -tortoise could not do damage. As we have just mentioned, even the presence 

 of a poor garden-snail is a terror to many members of the monkey race. 



It is therefore evident that the antipathy does not exist only in some individuals which 

 may have suffered by the reptiles, but that it is the common propensity of these strange 

 animals. We can easily understand that a,n ape should display an agony of terror at the sight 

 of a leopard, or a snake, for the one has teeth and claws, being also very fond of ape-flesh, and 

 the other has fangs. But that the same animal should be just as frightened when it sees a 

 turtle, a tortoise, or a man bathing, is indeed remarkable. 



