PITHECUS, MAMMALIA. 45 



ders, it hangs in large and long massy tufts, which, in continuation with the long 

 hair on the back, seems to form a continuous mass to the very centre of the body. 

 About the flanks the hair is equally long, and, in the living animal, must have de- 

 scended below the thighs and nates. On the limits, however, of the lateral termi- 

 nation of the skin, which must have covered the chest and belly, it is scanty, and 

 gives the impression that these parts must have been comparatively bare. Round 

 the upper part of the back it is also much thinner than elsewhere, and small tufts 

 at the junction of the skin with the neck are curled abruptly upwards, corresponding 

 with the direction of the hair at the back of the head." 



This animal was killed on the coast of Sumatra by a party who had landed for 

 the purpose of watering. Captain Cornfoot, the commander of the vessel, in his re- 

 lation of its capture to Dr Abel, dwelt much " upon the human-like expression of 

 its countenance, and especially on the beautiful arrangement of its beard. He also 

 obliged me with some account of its capture, as reported to him by his officers, and 

 feelingly described the piteous action of the animal on being wounded, and of its 

 apparent tenacity of life. It seems that, on the spot wliere this animal was killed, 

 were five or six trees, which occasioned his hunters great trouble in procuring their 

 prey ; for, in consequence of the extreme agility and power of the animal in spring- 

 ing from branch to branch, and bounding from one tree to another, his pursuers 

 could not fix their aim, until they had cut down all the trees but one. When thus 

 limited in his range, the orang-outang was shot, but did not die till he had received 

 five balls and the thrust of a spear. One of the first balls probably penetrated his 

 lungs, as he, immediately after the infliction of the wound, slung himself by his feet 

 from a branch, with his head downwards, and allowed the blood to flow from hi? 

 mouth. On receiving a wound he always put his. hand over the injured part, and 

 distressed his pursuers by. the human-like agony of his expression. When on the 

 ground, after being exhausted by his many wounds, he lay as if dead, with his head 

 resting on his folded arms. It was at this moment that an officer attempted to give 

 the coup de grace by pushing a spear through his body, but he immediately jumped 

 on his feet, wrested the weapon from his antagonist, and shivered it in pieces. This 

 was his last wound, and last great exertion, yet he lived some time afterwards, and 

 drank, it is stated, great quantities of water. Captain Cornfoot also observes, that 

 the animal had probably travelled some distance from the place where he was killed, 

 as his legs were covered with mud up to the knees." -Breiester^s Journ. iv. 194. 



A young specimen of this animal brought to England from Java, and previously 

 described by Dr Abel in his Account of the Embassy to China, was allowed to wander 

 freely about the ship and became familiar with the sailors. " They often chased 

 him about the rigging, and when pressed he eluded his pursuers by seizing a loose 

 rope and swinging out of their reach. At other times he would patiently wait on 

 the shrouds, or at the mast head, till his pursuers almost touched him, and then sud- 

 denly lower himself to the deck by any rope that was near him. When in a play, 

 ful humour he would often swing within arm's-length of his pursuer, and having 

 struck him with his hand, throw himself from him.'* The manners of this animal 

 were gentle, and he romped with the boys of the ship. He would entice them to 

 play by striking them with his hand as they passed, and then bounding from them. 

 But when excited to violent rage, he displayed his teeth, and attempted to bite those 

 who were near him. " If repeatedly refused an orange when he attempted to take 

 it, he would shriek violently, and swing furiously about the ropes ; then return and 

 endeavour to obtain it, and if still refused he would roll for some time like an angry 

 child upon the deck, uttering the most piercing screams ; and then suddenly starting 

 up, rush furiously over the side of the ship and disappear. On first witnessing this 

 act it was thought he had thrown himself into the sea ; but on a search being made 

 he was found concealed under the chains." 



This animal, according toDr Abel, neither practices the grimaces nor antics of other 

 apes, nor possesses their proneness to mischief. Gravity, approaching to melancholy 

 and mildness, were strongly expressed in his countenance. He soon became attached 

 to those who used him kindly. He was fond of sitting by their side, and getting as 

 close as possible to their persons. From the boatswain of the Alceste, who shared 

 his meals with him, he learned to eat with a spoon ; and might be often seen at his 

 cabin door enjoying his coffee, quite unembarrassed by those who observed him, and 

 with a grotesque and sober ait that seemed a burlesque on human nature. 



