CHAPTER XVIII 



Other Chimpanzees — The Village Pet — A Chimpanzee as Diner- 

 Out — Notable Specimens in Captivity 



AMONG the number of chimpanzees that I have seen 

 are some whose actions are worthy of record ; but as 

 many of them w r ere the repetitions of similar acts of other 

 specimens which are elsewhere described, I shall omit men- 

 tion of them and relate only such other acts as may tend 

 to widen the circle of our knowledge, and more fully illus- 

 trate the mental range of this interesting tribe of apes. 



In passing through the country of the Esyira tribe I 

 came to a small village, where I halted for a rest. On 

 entering the open space between two rows of bamboo huts, 

 I saw a group of native children at the opposite end of the 

 space, and among them was a fine big chimpanzee, sharing 

 in their play. When they discovered the presence of a 

 white man in the town, they left their sport and came to 

 inspect me. The ape also came, and he showed as much 

 interest in the matter as any one else did. I was seated in 

 a native chair in front of the king's hut, and the people, as 

 usual, stood around me at a respectful distance, looking on 

 as if I had been some wild beast captured in the jungle. 



The ape was aware that I was not a familiar kind of 

 thing, and he appeared in doubt as to how he should 

 act towards me. He sat down on the ground among the 



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