THE MONKEY FAMILY. 



89 



part of the tree, head foremost, as though he had 

 been walking on the level ground. So long as he 

 remained in the tree, his every turn and movement 

 indicated that he was just where he ought to be : 

 and he clearly shewed by his actions, and by his 

 manifest self-possession, that the tree to him, was 

 exactly as the ground is to us, or the water to the 

 finny tribes. 



I had indeed, a most favourable opportunity of 

 making a few observations on the deportment of 

 this huge, but innocuous ape ; both whilst I was 

 inside and outside of his metropolitan prison. 



I soon saw clearly that the tendons in his long 

 and strangely proportioned arms did all his work 

 for him, as he jumped from place to place, or 

 whilst he remained suspended from the branch 

 which he had seized. When all his four limbs were 

 collected on the branch, his hinder ones seemed 

 merely to act as steadying-props, or secondary 

 adjuvants. It was only when he thus exhibited 

 himself, that I could form a correct notion of the 

 astounding strength with which nature had endowed 

 the fore part of his body. — A movement, that would 

 have been utterly impossible to the most active of 

 us lords of the creation, appeared ease itself in 

 this unsightly brute. Thus, having witnessed the 

 obvious self-possession and activity of the orang- 



