252 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



powers of producing these dreadful and discordant 

 sounds. 



His flesh is good food; but when skinned, 

 Monkej^ the his appearance is so like that of a young 

 one of our own species, that a delicate 

 stomach might possibly revolt at the idea of putting a 

 knife and fork into it. However, I can affirm, from 

 experience, that after a long and dreary march through 

 these remote forests, the flesh of this monkey is not 

 to be sneezed at, when boiled in Cayenne pepper, 

 or roasted on a stick over a good fire. A young one 

 tastes not unlike kid, and the old ones have somewhat 

 the flavour of he-goat. 



I mentioned, in a former adventure, that I had hit 

 upon an entirely new plan of making the skins of quad- 

 rupeds retain their exact form and feature. Intense 

 application to the subject has, since that period, enabled 

 me to shorten the process, and hit the character of an 

 animal to a very great nicety, even to the preservation 

 of the pouting lip, dimples, warts, and wrinkles on the 

 face. I got a fine specimen of the howling monkey, 

 and took some pains with it, in order to show the im- 

 mense difference that exists betwixt the features of this 

 monkey and those of man. 



I also procured an animal which has caused not a 

 little speculation and astonishment. In my opinion, 

 his thick coat of hair, and great length of tail, put his 

 species out of all question ; but then, his face and head 

 cause the inspector to pause for a moment, before he 

 ventures to pronounce his opinion of the classification. 

 He was a large animal, and as I was pressed for day- 

 light, and, moreover, felt no inclination to have the 

 whole weight of his body upon my back, I contented 



