4(10 HISTOllY OF 



touch glasses when invited, take a cup and saucer and lay them 

 on the table, put in sugar, i)our out its tea, leave it to cool before 

 drinking, and all this without any other instigation than the 

 signs or the command of its master, and often of his own accord. 

 It was gentle and inoffensive ; it even approaches strangers with 

 respect, and came rather to receive caresses than to offer injuries. 

 It was particularly fond of sugared comfits, which every body 

 was ready to give it ; and as it had a defiuxion upon the breast, 

 so much sugar contributed to increase the disorder, and shorten 

 its life. It continued at Paris but one summer, and died in 

 London. It ate indiscriminately of all things, but it preferred 

 dry and ripe fruits to all other aliments. It would drink wine, 

 but in small quantities, and gladly left it for milk, tea, or any 

 other sweet liquor.* 



* Dr Clark Abel has given the following interesting account of an oran 

 outang which he brought from Java to England. " On board ship an 

 attempt being made to secure Iiim by a chain tied to a strong staple, he 

 instantly unfastened it, and ran off with the ch;un dragging beliind ; but 

 finding himself embarrassed by its length, he coiled it once or twice, and 

 threw it over his shoialder. This feat he often repeated ; and when he found 

 that it would not remain on his shoulder, lie took it into his mouth. After 

 several abortive attempts to secure him more effectually, he was allowed to 

 wander freely about the ship, and soon became familiar with the sailors, and 

 surpassed them in agility. Tliey often chased liim about the rigging, and 

 gave him frequent opportunities of displaying his adroitness in managing an 

 escape. On first starting, he would endea\onr to outstrip his pursuers by 

 mere speed ; but when much pressed, eluded them by seizing a loose rope, 

 and SAvinging out of their reach. At other times, he would patiently niiit 

 on the shrouds or at the mast-head, till his piusuers almost touched him, 

 and then suddenly lower liimself to the deck by any rope that was near liim, 

 or bound along the main-stay from one mast to the other, swinging by his 

 hands, and moving them one over the other. Tlie men Hould often shake 

 the ropes by which he clung with so much violence, as to make me fear his 

 falling ; but I soon found that the power of his muscles could not be easily 

 overcome. AVlien in a playful humour, he would often swing witlun arm's 

 length of his pursuer, and, liaving struck him with his hand, throw himselt 

 frora him. 



" Whilst in Java he lodged in a large tamarind-tree near my dwelling , 

 and formed a bed by intertwining the small branches, and covering the ni 

 with leaves. During the day, he would lie with his liead projecting beyond 

 his nest, watching whoever might pass under ; and when he saw any one 

 with fruit, would descend to obtiiin a share of it. He ahiays retired for the 

 night at sunset, or sooner if he had been well fed, and rose with the sun, 

 and visited those from whom he habitually received food. 



" Of some small monkeys on board ftom Java he took little notice, whilst 

 under the observation of the persons of the sliip. Once, indeed, lie openl 

 attempted to throw a small cage, containing three of them, overboard ; be- 



