SIMIAD.E. 377 



clubs ; their face is smooth ; their nose flat ; their ears without inverted 

 rims ; their body covered with long hair, thinnest in front ; their heel 

 elevated about half an inch from the ground ; and they walk either upon 

 two feet or four, just as their fancy prompts them." 



Notwithstanding all the confusion and exaggeration, too palpable in 

 the accounts of the early travellers, it cannot be doubted that with 

 their descriptions is mixed a considerable portion of truth ; but the dif- 

 ficulty is, to separate it from the fiction which obscures it. 



Were we to judge from the young individuals which have been 

 brought to Europe, we should attribute not only great intelligence, but 

 also docility, to the adult Chimpanzee ; it is, however, most probable, 

 that, on arriving at maturity, its disposition undergoes that change for the 

 the worse which is so remarkably the case with the Simiadae generally. 

 It may, indeed, be reasonably concluded, in the absence of positive in- 

 formation, that the conditions of its existence require the perpetual ex- 

 ercise of caution ; and that it is frequently involved in desperate com- 

 bats with its natural enemies, to overcome which requires great force 

 and determined resolution. As maturity, therefore, approaches, and the 

 animal begins to live independently of its parents, the protectors of its 

 youth, caution, distrust, cunning, ferocity, and untameable obstinacy 

 may be engendered, and, becoming habitual, take the place of that gen- 

 tleness and docility which render the young so interesting. 



Lieutenant Matthews, R. N., who resided at Sierra Leone during the 

 years 1785-6-7, and whose letters, describing this part of Africa, appeared 

 in 1 788, informs us that the Chimpanzees, or Japanzees, are social animals ; 

 and that they " generally take up their abode near some deserted town or 

 village, where the papau-tree grows in abundance, of the fruit of which 

 they are very fond ; and build huts, neatly in the form in which the natives 

 build their houses, which they cover with leaves ; but these are only 

 for the females and young to lie in ; the males always lie on the outside. 

 If one of them is shot, the rest immediately pursue the destroyer of their 

 friend ; and the only means to escape their vengeance, is to part with 

 your gun, which they directly seize upon, with all the rage imaginable, 

 tear it to pieces, and give over the pursuit." 



In the foregoing description, confirmatory, in the main, of the details 

 given by the more trustworthy of the older voyagers, two circumstances 

 are peculiarly forced upon our attention : first, the terrestrial, rather 

 than the absolutely arboreal habits of the animal in question ; secondly, 

 the construction of huts, or arbours, for places of residence. With re- 

 spect to the terrestrial habits of the Chimpanzee, the observation may be 

 repeated, that its anatomical conformation renders the erect, or, perhaps, 

 rather semi-erect, attitude far more easy for it to assume, than for the 

 Orang. Not only are the limbs more developed, more firm and mus- 



VOL. I. 3 C 



