UNGKA APE. 167 



When strangers came on board he approached 

 them with caution, and at such a distance, as he 

 considered consistent with his ideas of safety. To 

 the ladies he did not evince any partiality ; we 

 had none on board by which we could judge 

 whether a few days or weeks of their powerful 

 fascinations would have any effect on him. The 

 only lady who had honoured him with her notice 

 was one who came on board from a ship we spoke 

 at sea ; he evinced, however, no partiality to the 

 gentle sex, and would not permit her to caress 

 him : whether it was the bonnet, which was of 

 the calibre of 1828, or other portions of the lady's 

 dress, that excited his indignation, I cannot say, 

 as the animal could not communicate his opi- 

 nions ; whatever the cause might have been, 

 he was evidently not eager to become ac- 

 quainted with her, but would show a disposi- 

 tion to bite if she attempted to caress him. 

 As she appeared at first timid of approaching 

 him, this show of warfare may have been occa- 

 sioned by it, and in some degree have made 

 the cunning brute keep up the feeling. I 

 was acquainted with a lady in Ceylon, who, 

 having been bitten by a cockatoo, always evinced 

 great terror at the approach of one which was 

 kept by her Ayah, or lady's-maid, in the 



