THE QURAN OUTANG. 
261 
then suddenly lower himself to the deck by 
any rope that was near him, or bound along 
the main-stay from one mast to the other, 
swinging by his hands, and moving them one 
over the other. The men would often shake 
the ropes to which he clung with so much 
violence as to make me fear his falling, but I 
soon found that the power of his muscles 
could not be easily evercome. When in a 
playful humour, he would often swing within 
arm’s length of his pursuer, and, having struck 
him with his hands, throw himself from him. 
“ Whilst in Java, he lodged in a large tama- 
rind-tree near my dwelling ; and formed a 
bed by intertwining the small branches, and 
covering them with leaves. During the day, 
he would lie with his head projecting beyond 
his nest, watching every one who passed be- 
neath ; and when he saw any person with 
fruit, he would descend to obtain a share of 
it. He always retired for the night at sunset. 
