204 APES AND MONKEYS 



herself in the manner described above. She always ap- 

 peared to be perfectly conscious of being observed by 

 others, but she was defiant and composed. There is nothing 

 known in the catalogue of mischief that she was not ready 

 to tackle at any moment and take her chances on the result. 

 From the stokehole to the funnel, from the jack-staff to 

 the rudder, she explored that boat. To keep her out of 

 mischief, she was tied on the saloon deck with a long line ; 

 but no one aboard the vessel was able to tie a knot in the 

 line which she could not untie with dexterity and ease. 

 Her master, who was a sailor and an expert in the art of 

 tying knots, exhausted his efforts in trying to make one 

 that would defy her skill. 



On one occasion I was aboard the little steamer when 

 the culprit was brought up from the main deck, where she 

 had been in some mischief, and was tied to one of the rails 

 along the side of the boat. The question of tying her was 

 discussed, and at length a new plan was devised. In the 

 act of untying a knot she always began with the part of 

 the knot that was nearest to her. It was now agreed to 

 tie the line around one of the rails on the side of the deck, 

 about halfway between the two stanchions that supported 

 it, then to carry the loose ends of the line to the stanchion, 

 and make them fast in the angle of the stanchion and the 

 rail. As soon as she was left alone she began to examine 

 the knots. She made no attempt at first to untie them, 

 but she felt them, as if to see how firmly they were made. 

 She then climbed upon the iron rail around which the 

 middle of the line was tied and slackened the knot. She 

 pulled first at one strand and then at the other ; but one 



