THE ORANG OLTANG. 



fetching water, pounding in a mortar, turning a fpit, and handing drink to 

 others ; that it will learn to lit at table, ufe a knife and fork at its meals ; in 

 Ihort, perform any actions which are confident with its organization, 

 diverged of the operations of the mind. The Chimpanzee, which was 

 publicly fhewn in London, in 1/38, was extremely mild, affectionate, and 

 good-natured ; ate like a human creature ; would lie down in bed with its 

 hand under its head ; fetch a chair to lit down on ; drink tea ; pour it into 

 a faucer, if too hot ; cry like a child ; and be uneafy at the abfence of its 

 keeper (a). 



A young female, of this fpecies, is now in the Leverian Mufeum. It was 

 fent to the late Sir Afhton Lever by Mr. Smeathman, who received it from 

 the internal parts of Africa. During fix months that it lived with him, it 

 was very much attached to him, imitated human actions, fed itfelf with a 

 fpoon, and lay in bed with its head on a pillow, and its body and limbs 

 covered with the bed clothes. 



If any credit is to be given to the relations of travellers, the Orang 

 Otitang is laid to be paflionately fond of women, and that they will carry off 

 negreffes by force. Although they are capable of being rendered mild and 

 gentle, they are naturally fierce and favage, and, when wild in their defert 

 haunts, feem to have a fixed averfion to the human fpecies, attacking and 

 killing the negroes who wander by themfelves in the woods. They live 

 entirely on fruits and nuts, fleep in trees, and will throw fiones at thofe who 

 offend them. They affect folitude, are grave and melancholy in their 

 appearance, and never difpofed to frolic, even when young. 



The learned Dr. Tyfon, who dhfected one of thefe animals, very 

 accurately remarks (b), that the principal external differences between this 

 animal and the human fpecies confifts in the following particulars : the arms 

 are much longer, and the thighs fhorter, the thumb is fmaller, and the palm 

 of the hand longer and narrower ; it differs likewife in the form of the feet, 

 the toes being much longer, and the large toe placed at a greater diftance 



(a) Pennant. 

 (b) Tyfon's Ana*, of a Pigmy, fol. London, l6gg. 



