LETTER XXXV 111. 



traced. The face, bands, and soles of the feet 

 without hair: and in the palms of the hands it had si- 

 milar lines t<- ;<>osc of the human race. The internal 

 conformation* was equally similar, except that it had 

 thirteen instead of twelve ribs. In its passage to 

 England, it had made many friends on board, towards 

 whom it would shew evident marks of tenderness, and 

 Used frequently to embrace them with the greatest 

 affection. Moukies of a lower species it seemed to 

 hold in absolute aversion, and would avoid that part 

 of the vessel where they Mere confined. As soon as 

 it was accustomed to the use of clothes, it became 

 .very fond of them, and would dress itself in part with- 

 out any assistance, and carry the remaining to some 

 of its friends, and make signs for them to complete 

 the ornament. It would lie in a bed, place its head 

 Upon a pillow, and then pull up the bed clothes to its 

 neck, id the same manner as human beings are accus- 

 tomed to do." 



M. de Buffon says, that he saw one of these singu- 

 lar -animals sit at table, wipe its mouth with a lU'nUo 

 niter drinking; pour the \vihb into its glass; use a 

 i'urk and spoon to carry the victuals to HB mouth;, put 

 sugar into iucuu; poJir aul ih.' tea, HIK! kuv** it to 

 rooij and, in short, so exactly imitate human actions, 

 that it was astonishing to see how completely in- 

 stinctive sagacity was in this creature substituted for 

 reason. 



From these anecdotes, it appears that the ourang- 

 outang, at least the less and milder kind, may, when 

 taken young, be easily tamed and rendered extremely 

 docile and tractable; but a very indifferent picture 

 is exhibited by travellers, of those which are found 

 in the immense solitudes of Africa, as well as in some 

 parts of the east, and especially in Borneo. They 

 are not only exceedingly swift, but so strong, that 

 one of them could overcome several men. It is there- 

 fore impossible to take them alive, especially as they 

 generally go in companies, armed with thick clubs, 

 with which they will not hesitate to attack the strong- 

 est and fiercest animals, not t-xcvpting even the ele- 



