MONKEYS. 175 



surprise the female negroes, which they keep with them for 

 the pleasure of their company, feeding them veiy plentifully 

 all the time. I knew (says he) a woman of Loando that had 

 lived among these animals for three years. They grow from 

 six to seven feet high, and are of unequalled strength. They 

 build sheds, and make use of clubs for their defence : their 

 faces are broad, their noses flat, their ears without a tip ; their 

 skins are fairer than that of a Mulatto, but they are covered 

 on many parts of their body with long and tawny colored 

 hair : their belly is extremely large, their heels flat, and yet 

 rising behind about half an inch : they sometimes walk up- 

 right, and sometimes upon all fours when they are fantastically 

 disposed. We purchased two of these animals, one about 

 fourteen months old, which was a male, and a female about 

 twelve months." 



The Oran-otang which I saw, walked always upright, even 

 when it carried heavy burdens. Its air was melancholy, its 

 deportment grave, its nature more gentle and very different 

 from that of other apes. Unlike the baboon, or the monkey, 

 whose "motions are violent, and appetites capricious, who are 

 fond of mischief, and only obedient through fear, a look was 

 sufficient to keep it in awe. I have seen it give its hand to 

 show the company to the door, that came to see it, and it 

 would walk about gravely with them, as if one of the society. 

 I have seen it sit at table, unfold its napkin, wipe its lips, make 

 use of the spoon and the fork to carry the victuals to its mouth, 

 pour out its drink into a glass, touch glasses when invited, take 

 a cup and saucer and lay them on the table, put in sugar, pour 

 out its tea, leave it to cool before drinking all this without any 

 other instigation than the signs or the command of its master, 

 and often of its own accord. It was gentle and inoffensive ; 

 it even approached strangers with respect, and came rather to 

 receive caresses than to offer injuries : it ate almost of every 

 thing that was offered to it, but it preferred dry and ripe fruits 

 to all other aliments. It would drink wine, but in small quan- 

 tities, and willingly left it for milk, or any other sweet liquor. 

 Mr. L. Brosse, who bought two young ones that were but a 



