OTHER CHIMPANZEES 



149 



induce him to resume, but he firmly declined, and 

 sat there like a tired athlete, picking his teeth with 

 a bamboo splinter, which he had pulled off the side 

 of the house. 



His conduct was so much like that of the children 

 with whom he was playing, that one could not have 

 distinguished him from them except by his physique. 

 He enjoyed the game as much as they did, and 

 showed that he knew how to gain or use an 

 advantage over his adversary. In a scuffle he was 

 stronger and more active than the boys, but in the 

 race they were the more fleet. He screamed and 

 yelled with delight, and in every way appeared to 

 enter into the spirit of the fun. 



He was about five years old, and his history, as it 

 was given to me, was that he had been captured when 

 quite young in the forest near that place and ever 

 since that time had lived in the village. He had 

 been the constant playmate of the children, ate with 

 them, and slept in the same houses with them. He 

 was perfectly tame and harmless ; he knew every one 

 in the village by name, and knew his own name. 



The king's son, to whom he belonged, assured me 

 that the ape could talk, and that he himself could 

 understand what he said ; but he declined to gratify 

 my request to hear it. However, he called the ape 

 by name, and told him to come to him, which he 

 obeyed. He then gave him a long-necked gourd, 

 and told him to go to the spring and bring some 

 water. The animal hesitated, but on repeating the 

 command two or three times, he reluctantly obeyed. 



