SIMIAD.E. 405 



rush over the side of the ship. When he first did this, it was thought 

 that he had thrown himself into the sea ; but, on search being made, he 

 was found concealed under the chains. 



One of his favourite amusements consisted in romping with. the boys 

 of the ship. He would entice them to play, by striking them with his 

 hand as they passed, then bound from them, but allow them to overtake 

 him, and engage in a mock scuffle with them, in which he used his hands, 

 feet, and mouth. " If any conjecture could be formed," our author 

 remarks, " from these frolics, of his mode of attacking an adversary, it 

 would appear to be his first object to throw him down, then to secure him 

 with his hands and feet, and then wound him with his teeth." 



He took but little notice of some small Monkeys that were on board, 

 while under observation ; but, when such was not the case, there was 

 reason to suspect him of being less indifferent to their society. On one 

 occasion Dr. Abel was called to the top-gallant yard of the mizen mast, 

 to watch him playing with a young male. Lying on his back, and partly 

 beneath a sail, the Orang for some time contemplated, with much gravity, 

 the gambols of the other, while bounding over him ; but, at length, caught 

 the Monkey by the tail, and tried to envelop him in his (the Orang's) own 

 covering. " The Monkey seemed to dislike the confinement, and broke 

 from him ; but again renewed its gambols ; and, although frequently 

 caught, always escaped. The intercourse, however, between them did not 

 seem to be that of equals ; for the Orang-outang never condescended to 

 romp with the Monkey as he did with the boys of the ship." Once, he 

 openly attempted to throw a cage, containing three Monkeys, overboard ; 

 because, probably, it was suggested, he had seen them receive food, of 

 which he had failed to obtain a share. 



He displayed great alarm at the sight of some live Turtles : climbing, 

 with all possible speed, to a higher part of the ship than he had ever 

 before reached, he looked down upon them, projecting his long lips into 

 the form of a Hog's snout, uttering at the same time a sound which, our 

 author says, " might be described as between the croaking of a Frog and 

 the grunting of a Pig." After some time he ventured to descend, but with 

 much caution, peeping continually at the Turtles ; but could not be induced 

 to approach within many yards of them. He ran to an equal height, and 

 uttered similar sounds, on seeing some men bathing and splashing in the 

 sea ; and, subsequently to his arrival in England, displayed a degree of fear 

 at the sight of a Tortoise. 



His food, while in Java, consisted chiefly of fruit, particularly man- 

 gostans, of which he was excessively fond. On board ship his diet was 

 miscellaneous : he sucked eggs, which he often employed himself in seek- 

 ing, with voracity ; ate readily of all kinds of meat, especially of raw ; and 

 was also very fond of bread ; but always preferred fruit, when he could 



