326 
ORANG-OUTANG. 
sified as his food. He preferred coffee and tea, but would readily 
take wine, and exemplified his attachment to spirits by stealing the 
Captain’s brandy-bottle : since his arrival in London, he has pre- 
ferred beer and milk to any thing else, but drinks wine and other 
liquors. 
In his attempts to obtain food, he afforded us many opportunities 
of judging of his sagacity and disposition. He was always very impa- 
tient to seize it when held out to him, and became passionate when it 
was not soon given up ; and would chase a person all over the ship 
to obtain it. I seldom came on deck without sweetmeats or fruit in 
my pocket, and could never escape his vigilant eye. Sometimes I 
endeavoured to evade him by ascending to the mast-head, but was 
always overtaken or intercepted in my progress. When he came up 
with me on the shrouds, he would secure himself by one foot to the 
rattling, and confine my legs with the other, and one of his hands, 
whilst he rifled my pockets. If he found it impossible to overtake 
me, he would climb to a considerable height on the loose rigging, 
and then drop suddenly upon me. Or if, perceiving his intention, 
I attempted to descend, he would slide down a rope and meet 
me at the bottom of the shrouds. Sometimes I fastened an 
orange to the end of a rope, and lowered it to the deck from the 
mast-head ; and as soon as he attempted to seize it, drew it rapidly 
up. After being several times foiled in endeavouring to obtain it 
by direct means, he altered his plan. Appearing to care little about 
it, he would remove to some distance, and ascend the rigging very 
leisurely for some time, and then by a sudden spring catch the rope 
which held it. If defeated again by my suddenly jerking the rope, 
he would at first seem quite in despair, relinquish his effort, and 
rush about the rigging, screaming violently. But he would always 
return, and again seizing the rope, disregard the jerk, and allow it 
to run through his hand till within reach of the orange ; but if again 
foiled, would come to my side, and taking me by the arm, confine it 
whilst he hauled the orange up. 
This animal neither practises the grimace and antics of other 
