424 QUADRUMANA. 



over and over again, uttering deep, guttural sounds, expressive of his 

 feelings : nor when his rage was over, did he always abandon his purpose ; 

 but sometimes had recourse to stratagem, when his violence was of no 

 avail. 



Among his modes of amusement, displaying both strength and agility, 

 it is mentioned, that he would frequently hang from a rope by one arm, 

 and, thus suspended, writhe and twist about, with his eyes shut, so as to 

 represent a person hanging, and in the agonies of death. 



The picture thus given delineates anything but apathy or sluggishness. 

 Mr. Bennett expressly notices, as an instance. of his curiosity, which novel 

 objects always excited, that when a ship was spoken with at sea, he would 

 invariably mount up the rigging, in order to command a good view of the 

 vessel ; and sometimes take up his position on the peak haulyards, just 

 under the flag, and there remain, gazing after the departing ship, until she 

 was out of sight ; when he would descend to the deck, and resume his 

 accustomed sports. 



The following instance of his intelligence is, also, narrated. It would 

 appear, that he had a peculiar inclination for disarranging articles in the 

 cabin ; and, among these articles, a piece of soap would especially attract 

 his notice ; and that, for the removal of this, he had been once or twice 

 scolded. One morning Mr. Bennett was writing, the Ape being present, 

 in the cabin ; when, casting his eyes towards the animal, he observed him 

 taking the soap. " I watched him," adds the narrator, " without his 

 perceiving that I did so : he occasionally would cast a furtive glance to- 

 ward the place where I sat. I pretended to write ; he, seeing me busily 

 occupied, took the soap, and moved away with it in his paw. When 

 he had walked half the length of the cabin, I spoke quietly, without 

 frightening him. The instant he found I saw him, he walked back again, 

 and deposited the soap nearly in the same place from whence he had taken 

 it;" thus betraying, both by his first and last actions, a consciousness of 

 having done wrong. 



With respect to food, the individual in question gave preference to 

 a vegetable aliment, as rice, plantains, c. He was ravenously fond of 

 carrots ; on the appearance of which his usual placidity was lost in his 

 eager desire for them. A portion of carrot would attract him from one 

 end of the table to the other ; over which he would walk, without 

 disturbing a single article, although the ship was rolling at the time ; 

 so admirably could he maintain his balance. He would drink tea, 

 coffee, or chocolate, but neither wine nor spirits. Animal food was not 

 altogether rejected ; and of this he preferred fowl. On one occasion, 

 a lizard, which was caught on board, was placed before him, when he 

 seized the reptile instantly in his paw, and greedily devoured it. It is 

 not improbable that reptiles, small birds, &c. may form a portion of the 



