314 FROM NORTH POLE TO EQUATOR. 



nize and distinguish his friends from other people, but well-meaning 

 from evil-intentioned persons so thoroughly that the keeper of a 

 chimpanzee was convinced that anyone with whom his protege re- 

 fused to make friends was really a good-for-nothing or a scoundrel. 

 A thorough but accomplished hypocrite who deceived me and others 

 was all along a horror to our chimpanzee, just as if he had seen 

 through the red-headed rascal from the first. Every chimpanzee 

 who has been much in human society likes best to be a member of 

 a family circle. There he behaves as though he felt himself among 

 equals. He carefully observes the manners and customs of the 

 house, notices immediately whether he is being watched or not, and 

 does in the former case what he ought to, in the latter what pleases 

 him. In contrast to other monkeys, he learns very easily and with 

 real eagerness whatever is taught to him, as, for instance, to sit 

 upright at table, to eat with knife, fork, and spoon, to drink from 

 a glass or cup, to stir the sugar in his tea, to touch glasses with his 

 neighbour, to use his napkin, and so on; with equal ease he becomes 

 accustomed to clothing, beds, and blankets; without great difficulty 

 he gains after a time an understanding of human speech which far 

 surpasses that of a well-trained dog, for he follows not merely the 

 emphasis but the meaning- of words, and executes commissions or 

 obeys commands with equal correctness. Exceedingly appreciative 

 of every caress and flattery, and even of praise, he is equally sensi- 

 tive to unfriendly treatment or blame; he^is also capable of deep 

 gratitude, and he expresses it by shaking hands or kissing without 

 being asked to do so. He evinces a special fondness for children. 

 Being neither spiteful nor vicious, he treats children with great 

 friendliness as long as they do not tease him, and behaves to help- 

 less infants with really touching tenderness, though towards others 

 of his own species, monkeys of a different species, and animals 

 generally, he is often rough and harsh. I lay special stress on this 

 characteristic, which I have observed in every chimpanzee I have 

 brought up, because it seems to prove that the chimpanzee recog- 

 nizes and respects the human even in the youngest child. 



The behaviour of a sick and suffering anthropoid ape is most 

 touching. Begging piteously, almost humanly, he looks into his 



