THE BED OR ASIATIC OEANG-OUTAtfG. 115 



can thus pass from one fixed object to another, at the 

 distance of his span from each other, and can obviously 

 pass from one branch of a tree to another, through a 

 much greater interval. In sitting on a flat surface, this 

 animal turns his legs under him. In sitting on the 

 branch of a tree, or on a rope, he rests on his heels, 

 his body leaning forward against his thighs. This 

 animal uses his hands like others of the monkey 

 tribe. 



" The orang-outang, on his arrival in Java from Ba- 

 tavia, was allowed to be entirely at liberty till within a 

 day or two of being put on board the Caesar, to be 

 conveyed to England ; and whilst at large, made no 

 attempt to escape, but became violent when put into 

 a large railed bamboo cage for the purpose of being 

 conveyed from the island. As soon as he felt himself 

 in confinement, he took the rails of the cage into his 

 hands, and shaking them violently, endeavoured to 

 break them in pieces ; but finding that they did not 

 yield generally, he tried them separately, and having 

 discovered one weaker than the rest, worked at it 

 constantly till he had broken it, and made his escape. 

 On board ship, an attempt being made to secure him 

 by a chain tied to a strong staple, he instantly un- 

 fastened it, and ran off with the chain dragging be- 

 hind ; but finding himself embarrassed by its length, 

 he coiled it once or twice, and threw it over his shoui- 

 aer, This feat he often repeated, and when he found 



