THE MONKEY KIND. 



405 



the women. These, however, as the Cheva- 

 lier humorously relates, not at all liking either 

 the manners or the figure of the paltry gal- 

 lants, boldly stand on their defence, and with 

 clubs, or whatever other arms they can pro- 

 vide, instead of answering their caresses, 

 oblige their ugly suitors to retreat ; not, how- 

 ever, before they have damaged or plunder- 

 ed every thing eatable they can lay their 

 hands on. 



At the Cape of Good Hope, they are less 

 formidable, but, to the best of their power, 

 equally mischievous. They are there under 

 a sort of natural discipline, and go about 

 whatever they undertake with surprising skill 

 and regularity. When they set about robbing 

 an orchard or a vineyard, for they are extreme- 

 ly fond of grapes, apples, and ripe fruit, they 

 do not go singly to work, but in large com- 

 panies, and with preconcerted deliberation. 

 On these occasions, a part of them enter the 

 enclosure, while one is set to watch. The 

 rest stand without the fence, and form a line 

 reaching all the way from their fellows with- 

 in, to their rendezvous without, which is ge- 

 nerally in some craggy mountain. Every 

 thing being thus disposed, the plunderers 

 within the orchard throw the fruit to those 

 that are without as fast as they can gather it; 

 or, if the wall or hedge be high, to those that 

 sit on the top; and these hand the plunder 

 to those next them on the other side. Thus 

 the fruit is pitched from one to another all 

 along the line, till it is safely deposited at 

 their head-quarters. They catch it as readi- 

 ly as the most skilful tennis-player can a 

 ball ; and while the business is going forward, 

 which they conduct with great expedition, a 

 most profound silence is observed among 

 them. Their sentinel, during this whole time, 

 continues upon the watch, extremely anxious 

 and attentive; but, if he perceives any one 

 coming, he instantly sets up a loud cry, and 

 at this signal the whole company scamper 

 off! Nor yet are they at any time willing to 

 leave the place empty-handed ; for if they be 

 plundering a bed of melons, for instance, they 

 go off with one in their mouths, one in their 

 hands, and one under their arm. If the pur- 

 suit be hot, they drop first that from under 

 their arm, then that from their hand ; and, if 

 it be continued, they at last let fall that 



which they had hitherto kept in their mouths. 

 The natives of the Cape often take the 

 young of these animals, and, feeding them 

 with sheep and goat's milk, accustom them 

 to guard their houses ; which duty they per- 

 form with great punctuality. Those, how- 

 ever, that have been brought into Europe, 

 are headstrong, rude, and untractable. Dogs 

 and cats, when they have done any thing 

 wrong, will run off; but these seem careless 

 and insensible of the mischief they do; and I 

 have seen one of them break a whole table 

 of china, as it should seem by design, with- 

 out appearing in the least conscious of having 

 done amiss. It was not, however, in any re- 

 spect so formidable as that described by Mr. 

 Buffon, of which he gives the following de- 

 scription: " It was not," says he, " extreme- 

 ly ugly, and yet it excited horror. It conti- 

 nually appeared in a state of savage ferocity, 

 gnashing its teeth, flying at the spectators, 

 and furiously restless. It was obliged to be 

 confined in an iron cage, the bars of which 

 it so forcibly attempted to break, that the 

 spectators were struck with apprehension. 

 It was a sturdy bold animal, whose short limbs 

 and powerful exertions showed vast strength 

 and agility. The long hair with which it 

 was covered seemed to add to its apparent 

 abilities ; which, however, were in reality so 

 great, that it could easily overcome a single 

 man, unless armed. As to the rest, it for ever 

 appeared excited by that passion which ren- 

 ders the mildest animals at intervals furious. 

 Its lasciviousness was constant, and its satis- 

 factions particular. Some others also of the 

 monkey kind showed the same degree of im- 

 pudence, and particularly in the presence of 

 women ; but, as they were less in size, their 

 petulance was less obvious, and their inso- 

 lence more easily corrected." 



But however violent the desires of these 

 animals may be, they are not found to breed 

 in our climate. The female brings forth usu- 

 ally but one at a time, which she carries in 

 her arms, and in a peculiar manner clinging 

 to her breast. As to the rest, these animals 

 are not at all carnivorous ; they principally 

 feed upon fruits, roots, and corn, and gene- 

 rally keep together in companies. The in- 

 ternal parts are more unlike those of man 

 than of quadrupeds, particularly the liver, 



