THE APE. 195 



Laughable story of an ape. 



It is said that they chiefly reside in caverns, 

 and the natives adopt a singular mode of taking 

 them alive. They place near their haunts vessels 

 containing strong liquors, and the animals, as- 

 sembling -to enjoy the unexpected repast, become 

 all inebriated, fall asleep together, and in this 

 situation are easily secured. They inhabit most 

 parts of Africa, the East Indies, and the island 

 of Ceylon. 



Pere Caubasson relates a laughable story of an 

 Tape which he brought up tame, and which be- 

 came so attached, as to be desirous of accompa- 

 nying him wherever he went. When he had to 

 perform the service of his church, the animal was 

 carefully shut up : one day, however, it effected 

 its escape, and followed its master to church, 

 where, silently mounting on die top of the sound- 

 ing-board, it lay perfectly still till the sermon 

 began. It then crept to the edge, and, overlook- 

 ing the preacher, imitated all his gestures in so 

 ludicrous a manner, that the whole congregation 

 were unavoidably excited to laugh. The father, 

 surprised and confounded at this ill-timed levity, 

 reproved his audience for their inattention. This 

 reproof failing in its effect, the preacher, in the 

 warmth of his zeal, redoubled his actions and vo- 

 ciferations. These the ape so exactly imitated 

 that all other considerations were swallowed up 

 in the scene before them, and they burst out into 

 a roar of laughter. At length, a friend of the 

 jpreacher stepped up to him, and pointing out the 



