ANIMALS. 413 



imitation.' They even then sat at the table like men, ate of every 

 thing without distinction, made use of their knife, spoon, and 

 fork, both to eat their meat and help themselves. They drank 

 wine and other liquors. When carried on ship-board they had 



" lu his attempts to obtain food, he afforded us many opportunities of 

 judging of his sagacity and disposition. He was always very impatient to 

 seize it when held out to him, and became passionate when it was not soon 

 given up ; and would chase a person all over the ship to obtain it. I seldom 

 canifi upon deck without sweetmeats or fruit in my pocket, and could nevei- 

 escape liis vigilant eye. Sometimes I endeavoured to evade him by ascend- 

 ing to the mast head, but was always overtaken or intercepted in my pro- 

 gress. When he came up with me on the shrouds, he would secure himself 

 by one foot to the ratlings, and confine my legs with the other and one of 

 his hands, while he rifled my pockets. If he fomid it impossible to overtake 

 me, he would climb to a considerable height on the loose rigging, and then 

 drop suddenly upon me. Or if, porcei^ ing his intention, I attempted to 

 descend, he would slide down a rope, and meet me at the bottom of the 

 shrouds. Sometimes I fastened an orange to the end of a rope, and loAvered 

 it to the deck from the mast head ; and as soon as he attempted to seize it 

 drew it rapidly up. After being several times foiled in endeavouring to 

 obt.ain it by direct means, he altered liis plan. Appearing to care little about 

 it, he would remove to some distance, and ascend the rigging very leisurely 

 for some time, and then, by a sudden spring, catch the rope which held it. 

 If defeated again by my suddenly jerking the rope, he would at first seem 

 quite in despair, relinquish his effort, and rush about the rigging, screaming 

 violently. But he would always retiirn, and again seizing the rope, disre- 

 gard the jerk, and allow it to run through his hand till withiu reach of the 

 orange ; but if again foiled, would come to my side, and tiiking me by the 

 arm, confine it while he hauled the orange up. 



" I have seen him exhibit violent alarm on two occasions only, when he 

 appeared to seek for safety in gaining as high an elevation as possible. On 

 seeing eight large turtles brought on board, whilst the Caesar was otf the 

 Island of Ascension, he climbed with all possible speed to a liigher part of 

 the ship than he had ever before reached, and, looking do^vn upon them, 

 projected his long lips into the form of a hog's snout, uttering at the same time 

 a sound which might be described as between the croaking of a frog and the 

 grunting of a pig. After some time he ventured to descend, but with great 

 caution, peeping continually at the tiu-tle, but could not be induced to ap- 

 proach witliin many yards of them. He ran to the same height, and uttered 

 the same sounds, on seeing some men bathing and splashing in the sea ; and 

 Huce his arrival in England luis shown nearly the same degree of fear at the 

 Bight of a live tortoise." 



This animal survived his transportation to this country fi-om August 1S17, 

 when ho arrived, to the 1st April, 1819, during which interval he was in 

 the custody of Mr Cross at Exeter Change, as much caressed for the gentle- 

 ness of his disposition as he was noticed for his great rarity. There was no 

 need of personal confinement, and little of restraint or coercion; to bis 

 keepers especially, and to those whom he knew by their frequent visits, he 

 1 As quoted by Bnffou, vol. xxviii. p. 77. 

 •2 M 3 



