160 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



spite of the general misery of things — as the coolies changed 

 their carrying-poles from shoulder to shoulder. 



At nightfall we reached a small cluster of huts, where we 

 camped thankfully for the night : and next day before noon 

 the terrible burden was deposited with thankfulness within 

 my old camp, where I found my Siamang in a sad state, 

 suffering from a suppurating finger and tooth. On lancing 

 the one, and extracting the other, the poor creature seemed 

 greatly relieved, and I was delighted to watch it recover 

 without having contracted any antipathy, but rather the 

 reverse, for me. It accompanied me to Telok-betong, occu- 

 pying with great composure during the long journey a seat on 

 the top of one of my large packages, sheltering its head, to 

 the amusement of all whom we met, under a Cliinese umbrella 

 which I had bought for it, and for which, after every halt, it 

 held out its hand in the most knowing way, screaming lustily 

 if the porters dared to move on before it had comfortably 

 arranged itself. 



I took it with me to Batavia, where I gave it to a friend to 

 keep till a good opportunity should occur of sending it to 

 London. It managed, however, to escape, and unfortunately 

 took to the evil practice of hiding in the tops of the cocoa-nut 

 trees, and dropping down — in the most playful way, I have 

 not a doubt — its fruits on the passers by, till some irate half- 

 caste, who had narrowly escaped a broken head, unworthily 

 put an end to a most charming existence, to my deep regret. 



