24<2 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



escape ; but became violent when put into a large railed bam- 

 boo cage for the purpose of being conveyed from the island. 

 As soon as he felt himself in confinement, he took the rails 

 of the cage into his hands, and shaking them violently en- 

 deavoured to break them in pieces ; but finding that they 

 did not yield generally, he tried them separately ; and, 

 having discovered one weaker than the rest, worked at it 

 constantly till he had broken it, and made his escape. On 

 board ship an attempt being made to secure him by a chain 

 tied to a strong staple, he instantly unfastened it, and ran 

 off with the chain dragging behind; but finding himself 

 embarrassed by its length, he coiled it once or twice, and 

 threw it over his shoulder. This feat he often repeated ; 

 and when he found that it would not remain on his shoulder, 

 he took it into his mouth. 



" After several abortive attempts to secure him more 

 effectually, he was allowed to wander freely about the ship, 

 and soon became familiar with the sailors, and surpassed 

 them in agility. They often chased him about the rigging, 

 and gave him frequent opportunities of displaying his 

 adroitness in managing an escape. On first starting, he 

 would endeavour to outstrip his pursuers by mere speed ; 

 but when much pressed, eluded them by seizing a loose 

 rope, and swinging out of their reach. At other times, he 

 would patiently wait on the shrouds, or at the mast-head, 

 till his pursuers almost touched him, and then suddenly lower 

 himself to the deck by any rope that was near him, or 

 bound along the main-stay from one mast to the other, 

 swinging by his hands, and moving them one over the other. 

 The men would often shake the ropes by which he clung 

 with so much violence, as to make me fear his falling ; but 

 I soon found that the power of his muscles could not be 

 easily overcome. When in a playful humour, he would 

 often swing within arm's length of his pursuer, and, having 

 struck him with his hand, throw himself from him. 



