116 THE 2TATTJEAL HISTOEY OP 



that it would not remain on his shoulder, he 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. 



" They often chased him about the rigging, and gave 

 him frequent opportunities of displaying his adroitness 

 in managing an escape. On first starting, he would 

 endeavour to outstrip his pursuers by mere speed, but 

 when much pressed, elude them by seizing a loose 

 rope, and swinging out of their reach. At other times 

 he would patiently wait on the shrouds, or at the mast- 

 head, till his pursuers almost touched him, and then 

 suddenly lower himself to the deck by any rope that 

 was near him, or bound along the mainstay from one 

 mast to the other, swinging by his hands, and moving 

 them one over the other. The men would 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. 

 When in a playful humour, he would often swing 

 within arms-length of his pursuer, and having struck 

 him with his hand, throw himself from 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 them with leaves. 

 During the day, he would lie with his head projecting 



