62 VERTEBRATA. 



and keeps them with her long after they are weaned. The male, on the contrary, chases them 

 away as soon as they arc capable of obtaining a living. 



So roach appears to be well authenticated. The natives of the Gaboon country, where they 

 Beem to be mo-t common, assert that these animals frequently unite to attack the elephant, lion, 

 and other beasts of prey, with chilis and stones, especially it' they approach their cabins. It m 

 also said to be dangerous for individuals to venture alone into their domains. So far, the story is 

 probable; bul when we are t<>l<l that these animals bury their dead, and cover them in a manner 

 to defend them from the hyenas; that they dress gun-shot and other wounds with pounded herbs, 

 and bind up the parts with strips of bark; and, finally, that the males frequently carry off and 

 make companions of young negresses, w bom th< j treat with great tenderness, so that some of them 

 who have returned from this captivity expressed themselves extremely well satisfied with their 

 adventures ;-— we may well conclude that we have entered the regions of romance. 



The accounts of the chimpanzee in a state of captivity are full of interest. Buffon describes 

 one which he saw, and which at that time he supposed to be the same as the orang, as follows: 

 •' I have seen this animal give his hand to people who visited him, walking gravely with them as 

 ifon< of them; I have seen him seat himself at the table, unfold his napkin, wipe his mouth with 

 it, use his knife and fork to eat with, and pour water into his glass and drink the health of those 

 who visited him ; I have seen him take a cup and saucer, bring them to the table, put* in the 

 ir, pour in the tea, allow it to cool before he drank it, and all this without any other motion 

 than a word or sign from his keeper, and often of his own accord. lie was extravagantly fond of 

 bonbons : he drank wine in small quantities, but preferred milk, or tea, or other mild drinks. 



" In captivity, 1 ' he adds, " the chimpanzee, if one can believe what travelers say, can be as use- 

 ful as the negroes. At Loango, a female chimpanzee had been seen to fetch water in a pitcher, 

 and to bring wood from the forest ; she would also make beds, sweep, and assist the cook to turn 

 the spit. Arc. She once fell sick; a physician bled her, and by so doing saved her life. A year 

 aft"!', being threatened with inflammation of the lungs, she was confined to her bed. When the 

 same physician was called to attend her, she held out her arm to him, and made signs to him to 

 bl 1 her." 



M. De Grandpre, an officer in the French marine, nearly a century since, having lived in 

 Angola two years, gives us the following particulars : "The intelligence of the chimpanzee is truly 

 wonderful : he sometimes walks upright, and leans upon the branch of a tree in the manner of a 

 cane. The negroes are in great fear of him in his wild state ; and not without reason, for ho 

 D ill treats them when they meet him. They say that it is only from idleness that he re- 

 frains from speaking, or perhaps from the fear of being made to work ; as they are confident 

 that these animals can both talk and work like men, if they will. Of this the negroes arc so 

 strongly persuaded, that Avheu they meet them they generally address them as if they wen. 

 human beinj 



" Notwithstanding all my efforts to procure an individual .of this species, I have met with D< 



BUi ss ; biit 1 has i- seen a female on board a vessel, and wishing to measure and examine hei 



she allowed me to do it with great complaisance and evident interest. As it would be tedious tc 

 recounl ail that I learned of tin' intelligence of this animal, I will give only the most rcmarkabh 

 instances. She had been taughf to heat the oven, using great discretion in her manner of putting 

 in the wood, and watching narrowly that the coals should not fall and set the vessel on fire. Sb 

 waited until she theughl the oven sufficiently hot for baking, and then ran to tell the cook, who 

 of the Bagacity of !ii> assistant, hurried to put in his bread or cake, the animal never failing 

 in a single instance to warn him at the proper time. 



•• in turning the cap-tan, she assisted the sailors, and performed her part with more skill an* 

 Strength than were showed by any of them. When the sails were to be unfurled, she went aloft 

 with the sailors and assisted them in the work : she would have insisted upon performing tin 

 i. osl dangero IS Bervices, if the men had allowed it. She tied tin' ropes as well as any of them 

 and observing that the ends were tied to prevent their hanging down, she did the same to tin 

 ropes of which she was in charge. Her hand one day being caught between the bolt-rope and 

 the yard, she disengaged it without making either outcry or grimace : when the work was fin 



