1 82 THE MONKE Y FA MIL Y. 



to time, could I surprise or detect a monkey. Hence I drew the 

 conclusion, that hollow trees had no attraction for these animals. 

 In fact, if I may judge by what I know of the habits and the nature 

 of monkeys, there is no more chance of finding a monkey in the 

 hollow of a tree, than there is of surprising me myself on a Sunday 

 morning in a church of the creed by law established in these realms 

 a church which, notwithstanding its abundant supply of loaf and fish, 

 I cannot pronounce to be, in my eyes, anything better than a " statio 

 malefida" an unsafe anchorage. Monkeys are by far the most expert 

 climbers in the known world. By the extraordinary formation of all 

 their four limbs, and by their peculiar propensities, they are formed 

 by nature to be heritors of the torrid regions, where summer, solitude, 

 and sustenance are ever to be found. I stop not here to notice ex- 

 tensive tracks which are usually called savannas in the new conti- 

 nent. Some of these are dry, and others wet ; but a description of 

 them is not called for just now, as they have not trees in contiguity, 

 and thus, of course, they are not frequented by the monkeys. You 

 may see many species of birds in these savannas, and herds of wild 

 swine, whilst occasionally a tapir will be observed passing from 

 swamp to swamp but no monkeys, either great or small. Monkeys 

 would be hard set to live here. We must go and seek them in the 

 lofty trees, where a descent to the ground would neither be advan- 

 tageous nor necessary. 



During the time which I passed in the apartment of the large red 

 orang-outang, which attracted so much interest, so much admiration, 

 and ultimately so much disgust, I really considered him to be quite 

 out of his sphere. As he moved to and fro, he did it with a sort of 

 reeling motion, and his gait was remarkably awkward ; and when he 

 stood on two legs, his figure was out of all proportion. You might 

 see at once that nature never intended him for a biped. To us 

 mortals alone, has the Creator granted the sublime privilege of stand- 

 ing upright. " Os homini sublime dedit" &c. In his movements on 

 the floor, he had the appearance as though he were swung in the 

 loins ;- but no sooner had he ascended the large artificial tree, which 

 had been so aptly prepared for him, than his countenance underwent 

 a visible change ; and all seemed to go rightly with him, as though 

 by magic. He swang with amazing ease, and apparently in excellent 



