260 THE QURAN OUTANG. 
he instantly unfastened it, and ran off with 
the chain dragging behind ; but, finding him- 
self embarrassed by its length, he coiled it 
once or twice, and threw it over his shoulder. 
This feat he often repeated, and when he 
found that it would not remain on his shoul- 
der, he took it into his mouth. 
“ After several abortive attempts to secure 
him more effectually, he was allowed to wan- 
der freely about the ship, and soon became 
familiar with the sailors, and surpassed them 
in agility. They often chased him about the 
rigging, and gave him frequent opportunities 
of displaying his adroitness in managing an 
escape. On first starting, he would endea- 
vour to outstrip his pursuers by mere speed? 
but when much pressed, he would elude them 
by seizing a loose rope, and swinging out of 
their reach. At other times he would pn* 
tiently wait in the shrouds or at the mast- 
head till his pursuers almost touched him, and 
