THE SIAMANG 523 



the warmer latitudes, would not again return to the main-top. 

 Always desirous of retiring to rest at sunset, he would approach 

 me with a peculiar begging chirping noise, and beg to be put to 

 bed. \\Tien once taken into the arms of a friend, he was as 

 adhesive as Sinbad's old man of the sea, and any attempt to 

 remove him was at once resisted with violent screams. When 

 he came at sunset to be taken into my arms and was refused, he 

 exhibited all the freaks of temper of a spoilt child, lying on 

 deck, rolling about, and dashing everything aside ; but finding his 

 paroxysms of rage unattended to, would mount the rigging, and 

 hanging over that part of the deck on which I was walking, 

 would suddenly drop into my arms. His look was grave, his 

 manner mild, and he evinced a degree of intelligence beyond 

 common instinct. 



" Once or twice I lectured him on taking away my soap 

 continually from the washing-stand. One morning I was 

 writing, the ape being present in the cabin, when, casting 

 my eyes upon him, I saw the little fellow taking the soap. 

 I watched him without his perceiving me, occasionally giving 

 him a furtive glance. I pretended to write, and seeing me 

 occupied, he took the soap, and moved away with it in his 

 paw. When he had walked half the length of the cabin, 

 I spoke quietly without frightening him, when he instantly 

 walked back and deposited the soap with the evident conscious- 

 ness of having done wrong. I never observed him lap with his 

 tongue when drinking, but when tea or coifee was given him he 

 protruded it to ascertain the temperature, and if too hot, shaking 

 his sapient bead violently, but still undeterred, would wait pa- 

 tiently till it cooled. His mildness of disposition and playfulness 

 of manner rendered him the universal favourite, but he became 

 particularly attached to a little Papuan child (Elau, a native of 

 Erromango), whom he probably considered as having affinity. 

 They might often be seen, the animal with his long arm round 

 her neck, eating biscuit together. He would often roll on the 

 deck with her, as if in a mock combat, but on her attempting to 

 play with him when he had no inclination, he would make a 

 slight impression with his teeth on her arm, just enough for a 

 warning or sharp hint. 



" There were several small monkeys on board, who repelled the 

 kind approaches of the little man in black by chattering. He 



