340 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



remarkably sluggish and deliberate, in marked contrast to the 

 lively activity of other Monkeys. 



However, to dispel these doubts and to justify the claim 

 to reliability, let me quote our author's opening remarks, 

 entitled : — 



" To the Keadee. 



" It is a common saying, and indeed generally proves true, 

 That Old Men and Travellers do give themselves great Liberty in 

 relating fictitious and improbable Stories. The Distance of Time 

 being as great a Protection to the former as that of Place is to 

 the latter : But I can assure my Eeader, that the case is other- 

 wise here ; for I made it my Study to adhere, as much as 

 possible could be, to Truth, especially in those things which fell 

 within the pale of my own Knowledge, having always made it 

 my Maxim to have a greater regard to Utility than Pleasure. 

 As to what I had by Hear-say from the Natives, I neither have 

 inserted the Hundredth part of what they told me, neither do I 

 much insist on the Truth of what I have inserted, though more 

 probable than what I omitted ; but do leave it to the Header's 

 choice to believe or reject as he shall think fit." 



And here I, too, must leave it to the reader's choice to 

 regard or not, "as he shall think fit," the Englishman, Captain 

 Daniel Beeckman, as the first to describe the Orang-Utan. 



