533 



(simia capucina of BufFon). The manner of 

 roasting these anthropomorphous animals con- 

 tributes singularly to render their appearance 

 disagreeable in the eyes of civilized man. A 

 little grating or lattice of very hard wood is 

 formed^ and raised one foot from the ground. 

 The monkey is skinned, and bent into a sitting 

 posture ; the head generally resting on the 

 arms, which are meagre and long ; but some- 

 times these are crossed behind the back. When 

 it is tied on the grating, a very clear fire is 

 kindled below. The monkey, enveloped in 

 smoke and flame, is broiled and blackened at 

 the same time*. On seeing the natives devour 

 the arm or leg of a roasted monkey, it is diffi- 

 cult not to believe, that this habit of eating . 

 animals, that so much resemble man in their 

 physical organization, has, in a certain degree, 

 contributed to diminish the horror of anthropo- 

 phagy among savages. Roasted monkeys, par- 

 ticularly those that have a very round head, 

 display a hideous resemblance to a child ; the 

 Europeans therefore, who are obliged to feed 

 on quadrumanes, prefer separating the head 

 and the hands, and serve up only the rest ot 



* Soon after my return to Europe, an engraving was pub - 

 lished at Weimar from a drawing composed with great spirit 

 by Mr. Schick at Rome, representing one of our resting- 

 places on the banks of the Oroonoko. In the foreground 

 some Indians are occupied in roasting a monkey. 



