THE OURANG-OUTANG. 559 



liis reach he clutched it with violence, and threw it at my 

 head ! 



" There was something so human in this action, something so 

 evil in the expression of his rage, that I had no hesitation that 

 day m classing Tuan amongst our own species, he reminded me 

 so much of certain children of my acquaintance. But since then 

 I have learned better; he was only on rare occasions peevish 

 and naughty. 



" The first day that I let Tuan dine at table with me, he 

 adopted a somewhat incorrect mode of pointing out the objects 

 which were pleasing to him. He stretched out his brown hand 

 and tried to put upon his plate all that he could lay hold of. I gave 

 him a box on the ear to make him understand politeness. He 

 then made use of a stratagem; he covered his face with one hand, 

 whilst he stretched the other towards the dish. This scheme 

 answered no better, for I hit the guilty hand with the handle of 

 my knife. From that moment my intelligent pupil understood 

 that he was to wait to be helped. 



" He very quickly learned to eat his soup with a spoon, in this 

 way : a thin soup was placed before him, he got upon the table 

 like a dog lapping, and tried to suck it up slowly. This method 

 appearing inconvenient to him, he sat down again on his chair, 

 and took his plate in both hands ; but as he raised it to his lips 

 he spilled a portion of it over his breast. I then took a spoon and 

 showed him how to use it. He immediately imitated me, and 

 ever after made use of that culinary implement. 



" When T brought Tuan on board the Cleopatra, he was 

 domiciled at the foot of the mainmast, and left completely free ; 

 he went in and out of his habitation when he pleased. The sailors 

 received him as a friend, and undertook to initiate him in the 

 customs of a seafaring life. A little tin basin and spoon were 

 given him, which he shut carefully up in his house, and at meal 

 times he went to the distribution of provisions with the crew. 

 It was very funny to see him, especially in the morning, getting 

 his basin filled with coffee, and then sitting comfortably down to 

 take his first meal in company with his friends the cabin-boys. 



" Tuan spent part of his days in swinging among the ropes ; 



