48 THE ORAN OTAN. 



choly, his gait grave, his movements measured, his 

 disposition gentle, and very diiFerent from that of 

 other apes. He would present his hand to conduct 

 the people who came to visit him, and walk as 

 gravely along with them as if he had formed a part 

 of the company. He frequently used to sit wdth 

 persons at dinner, when he would unfold his towel, 

 wipe his lips, use a spoon or a fork to carry his vic- 

 tuals to his mouth, pour his liquor into a glass, and 

 make it touch that of a person who drank along with 

 him. If he was invited to take tea, he brought a 

 cup and saucer, placed them on the table, put in 

 sugar, poured out the tea, and allowed it to cool 

 before he drank it. All these actions he performed 

 without any other instigation than the signs or ver- 

 bal orders of his master, and often even of his own, 

 accord '*. 



Hamilton saw^ an Oran Otan in Java. He says, that 

 its habit was grave and melancholy ; that it would 

 light a fire, and blow it with its mouth ; and that 

 it would broil a lish to eat with its boiled rice, imi- 

 tative of the cusom of the human race -f: 



One of these animals that Le Comte saw in the 

 Streights of Molucca is described as having manners 

 very similar to those already mentioned. It walked 

 uprii;ht, and used its hands and arms like a man ; 

 Sif^d indeed its actions were in general so nearly alHed 

 to those of mankind, and its passions so expressive 

 and lively, that a dumb person could scarcely render 

 himself better'undcrstood. It.O*^y ^^' ^^'b^'^ i^ sig- 



* Buff. Quad, viii. 8G.— t IIumiUoB, ii. lil. 



