AARON 



105 



blemish of any kind, would attract the notice of any 

 one who was not absolutely stupid. 



It is not derogatory to the memory of Moses that 

 I should say this, nor does it lessen my affection for 

 him. Our passions are not moved by visible forces 

 nor measured by fixed units : they disdain all laws 

 of logic, and spurn the narrow bounds of reason ; 

 they obey no code of ethics that can be defined, and 

 conform to no theory of action. 



As soon as I saw this little ape I expressed a 

 desire to own him, so the trader in charge bought 

 him and presented him to me. As it was intended 

 that he should be the friend and ally of Moses, 

 although not his brother, we conferred upon him the 

 name of Aaron, as the two names are so intimately 

 associated in history that the mention of one always 

 suggests the other. 



Aaron was captured in the Esyira jungle by these 

 same hunters, about one day's journey from the 

 place where I secured him ; and in this event began 

 a series of sad scenes in the brief but varied life of 

 this little hero that seldom come within the experi- 

 ence of any creature. 



At the time of his capture his mother was killed 

 in the act of defending him from the cruel hunters, 

 and when she fell to the earth, mortally wounded, 

 this brave little fellow stood by her trembling body, 

 defending it against her slayers, until he was over- 

 come by superior force, seized by his captors, bound 

 with strips of bark, and carried away into cap- 

 tivity. 



