u^ 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



We are informed by Francis Pyrard, * that, in the province of 

 ' Sierra-Leona, there is a fpecies of animals called baris, (the orang- 

 ' outang), who are ftrong and well limbed, and fo induflrlous, 

 ' that, when propf rly trained and fed, they work like fervants ; that 

 ' they generally walk on the two hind-feet ; that they pound any 

 ' fubftances in a mortar ; that they go to bring water from the river 

 ' in fmall pitchers, which they carry full on their heads. But, 



* when they arrive at the door, if the pitchers are not foon taken 

 ' off, they allow them to fall ; and, when they perceive the pitcher 

 ' overturned and broken, they weep and lament *.' With regard 

 to the education of thefe animals, the teftimony of Schoutton corre- 

 fponds with that of Pyrard. * They are taken,' fays he, ' with fnares, 

 ' taught to walk on their hind-feet, and to ufe their fore-feet as 

 ' hands in performing different operations, as rinfing glafles, carry- 

 ' ing drink round the company, turning a fpit,' &c. f. Guat in- 

 forms us, that he ' faw at Java a very extraordinary ape. It was a 

 ' female. She was very tall, and often walked eredl on her hind- 



* feet. On thefe occafions, fhe concealed with her hands the parts 

 ' which diftingulfli the fex. — She made her bed very neatly every 

 ' day, lay upon her fide, and covered herfelf with the bed-clothes. — 

 ' When her head ached, fhe bound it up with her handkerchief; 



* and it was amufing to fee her thus hooded in bed. 1 could relate 

 ' many other little articles which appeared to be extremely fingular. 



* But I admired them not fo much as the multitude ; becaufe, as I 



* knew the defign of bringing her to Europe to be exhibited as a 



* fhew, I was Inclined to think that fhe had been taught many of 



* thefe monkey tricks, which the people confidered as being natural 



* to the animal. She died in our fhip, about the latitude of the 



* Cape 



* Voyages de Francois Pyrard, torn, 2. pag. 331. 

 f Voyages dc Schoutton aux Indes Orientales, 



