120 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



strangers, he would sit for hours with his hand upon 

 his head, looking pensively at all around him ; or, when 

 much incommoded by theif examination, would hide 

 himself beneath any covering that was at hand. His 

 mildness was evinced by his forbearance under in- 

 juries, which were grievous before he was excited to 

 revenge; but he always avoided those who often 

 teased him. He soon became strongly attached to 

 those who kindly used him. By their side he was 

 fond of sitting ; and, getting as close as possible to 

 their persons, would take their hands between his 

 lips, and fly to them for protection. From the boat- 

 swain of the Alceste, who shared his meals with him, 

 and was his chief favourite, although he sometimes 

 purloined the grog and the biscuit of his benefactor, he 

 learned to eat with a spoon ; and might be often seen 

 sitting at his cabin-door enjoying his coffee, quite 

 unembarrassed by those who observed him, and with 

 a grotesque and sober air that seemed a burlesque on 

 human nature. 



" Next to the boatswain, I was perhaps his most in- 

 timate acquaintance. He would always follow me to the 

 mast-head, whither I often went for the sake of read- 

 ing apart from the noise of the ship ; and having satis- 

 fied himself that my pockets contained no eatables, 

 would lie down by my side, and pulling a topsail 

 entirely over him, peep from it occasionally to watch 

 my movements. 



" His favourite amusement in Java was in swing- 



