1 



THE FOUR-FINGERED MONKEY. 



the fufceptible bofom; nor can we poflibly be furprifed at any perfon's 

 refilling to deftroy thefe creatures, when we picture to ourfelves a wounded 

 Monkey ftretched on the ground, covered with blood, ftruggling with death, 

 ftretching his little hands towards his foe, and turning towards him a 

 face almoft human; while the expreflive looks of his dying eyes are 

 evidently derlgned to reproach him for the agonies he feels from approaching 

 death. 



Stedman, having wounded one of thefe Monkeys, held it by the tail, and 

 twirling it round in the air, llruck its head forcibly againft a tree ; the 

 blow, however, proved ineffectual, and the piteous looks of the fuffering 

 animal forbade a repetition of the cruelty. Stedman, therefore, unable 

 longer to bear the affecting light, plunged the animal in water, and thus 

 terminated its mifery with its exiftence. 



Dampier's remarks on thefe animals are very entertaining. " There 

 was," fays he, " a great company dancing from tree to tree over my head, 

 making a terrible noife, and exhibiting many antic geftures. Some broke 

 down dry flicks and flung at me, others fcattered their excrements on my 

 head, and one, bigger than the reft, approached fo near as to make me leap 

 back ; but the animal fufpended itfelf from a branch by the tip of its tail, 

 and there continued fwinging to and fro, making mouths at me. The 

 females," fays the fame author, " are much troubled to leap after the males, 

 as they are commonly encumbered with two young ones. They are very 

 fullen when taken, and difficult to be procured when Ihot, as they will 

 cling with their feet or tail to a bough while any life remains. When I 

 have fired at one and broken a leg or arm, I have actually pitied the creature 

 while it gazed in anguilh on the fractured limb, and turned it cautioully 

 from lide to lide." 



Pennant informs us, that thefe animals are extremely active, and are faid 

 to enliven the American forefts, where they facilitate their removal to the 

 tops of diftant trees by hanging down in a fort of chain, linked to each 

 other by their tails ; and thus fwinging till the lowermoft catches hold of a 

 branch and draws up his affociates. They will occalionally pafs rivers by 

 the fame curious method. 



