AARON AND ELISHEBA 



121 



but she was by nature endowed with a bad temper 

 and depraved instincts. 



It is not at all rare to see a vast difference of 

 manners, intelligence, and temperament among 

 specimens that belong to one species. In these 

 respects they vary as much in proportion to their 

 mental scope as human beings do ; but I have never 

 seen, in any two apes of the same species, the two 

 extremes so widely removed from one another. 



While waiting at Gaboon for a steamer I had my 

 own cage erected for them to live in, as it was large 

 and gave them ample room for play and exercise. 

 In one corner of it was suspended a small, cosy 

 house for them to sleep in. It was furnished with 

 a good supply of clean straw and some pieces of 

 canvas for bed-clothes. In the centre of the cage 

 was a swing, or trapeze, for them to use at their 

 pleasure. 



Aaron found this a means of amusement, and 

 often indulged in a series of gymnastics that would 

 evoke the envy of the king of athletic sports. Eli- 

 sheba had no taste for such pastime, but her 

 depravity could never resist the impulse to interrupt 

 him in his jolly exercise. She would climb up and 

 contend for possession of the swing until she would 

 drive him away, when she would perch herself on 

 it and sit there for a time in stolid content, but would 

 neither swing nor play. 



Frequently, when Aaron would lie down quietly 

 on the straw during the day, she would go into 

 the snug little house and raise a row with him by 



