112 Q^U A D R U P E D S. 



feet ; the toes as long as the fingers ; the middle toe longeft. The 

 animal often ufed his hinder feet as hands j fometimes its hands inftead 

 of fctt' 



In its paffage to England, thofe it knew on fhip-board, it would em- 

 brace with great tendernefs, opening their bofoms, and clafping its 

 hands about them. Monkies of a lower fpecies it held in averfion j al- 

 ways avoided the place where they were kept in the fame veHel. After it 

 ■was a little ufed to wear clothes, it grew very fond of them ; part it 

 would put on without help j the reft it would carry in its hands to fome 

 of the company, for their affiftance. It would lie in a bed, place its 

 head on the pillow, and pull the clothes upwards, as a man would do. 



Mr. BufFon defcribes one, which, fays he, I have feen give its hand to 

 fliow the company to the door, fit at table, unfold its napkin, wipe its 

 lips, ufe the fpoon and the fork to carry the vifluals to its mouth, pour 

 out its drink into a glafs, touch glafles when invited, take a cup and 

 faucer and lay them on the table, put in fugar, pour out its tea, leave 

 it to cool before drinking, and this often of its own accord. 



However, many of thefe extraordinary habits were probably the refult 

 of education. It is very fuppofable the moft perfeft of this kind are 

 generally prone like quadrupeds, for when we examine the palms of 

 their hands, and the foles of their feet, we find both equally callous and 

 beaten; a proof that both have been equally. ufed. It is even faid, that 

 when they are taken, their hands are tied behind them, to teach them 

 to walk upright ; and, thus educated, an ape, or a quadruped, may be 

 an admirable object for human curiofity, but little advanced in regard to 

 • its own felicity j its conveniencies for its manner of life are neither 

 improved nor augmented : all its acquifitions are ufelefs to itfelf, and 

 calculated to caufe wonder in fpeftators, not to rank their pofTefTor a 

 fingle ftep higher in the fcale of being. 



Pyrard relates, that in Sierra Leona, in Africa, are a kind of apes, 

 called Baris, ftrong and mufcular, which walk upright, pound at a mor- 

 tar, go to the river to fetch water, in a little pitcher, on their heads ; 

 but if care be not taken to receive the pitcher at their return, let it fall, 

 and then, feeing it broken, cry for their lofs. 



The gigantic races -of the Ouran Outang are truly formidable ; 

 are as tall or taller than a man ; adlive, ftrong, intrepid, cunning, laf- 

 civious, cruel ; found in many parts of Africa, in the Eaft-Indies, in 

 Madagafcar, and in Borneo. In the lait, the people of quality courfe 

 him as we do the ftag. 



The 



