1807.) On the Stratagems 
diameter, and two feet deep. They are 
always full of a very falt water, but 
never run over. Dip out as much as you 
pleafe, there is no apparent diminution ; 
the deficiency is inftantly fupplied: and 
about ten feet lower down tlie hill, there 
iffues a {pring of pure and frefh water. 
When thefe regions become peopled, the 
tranfportation of this rock-falt will be 
‘perfectly eafy, by means of the Arkanfas. 
Experience has proved it to be preter- 
able to every other kind 1 m curlig previ- 
fions. 
St. Lois of the Illinois, 
March 1805. 
Ea zi 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
OBSERVATIONS on the STRATAGEMS, §c. 
of APES and MONKIES, im @ WILD 
STAT, and in CAPTIVITY. 
DEPENDENTLY of the general 
form of thefe animals, and of their 
external and internal organization, which 
in many retpects prefent a ftriking and 
humiliating refemblance to thofe of men, 
their pl layfulnefs, their frolics, and gam- 
bols, have im all ages attracted the no- 
ice of mankind. Some naturalifts have 
alferted, that they are capable of realon- 
ing and reflecting; and that they are 
suided by an inftinstive fagacity much 
fuperior to that of the brute creation in 
general. They are, however, certainly 
dettitute of every eflential faculty of’ 
man: incapable as well of thought as of 
fpeech, there is an immenfe interval be- 
twixt the creature formed in rind after 
the image of God, and thefe mere brutes, 
bearing fome rude traits of the ele emental . 
parts of the human frame. 
Every one will acknowledge that, in 
gencral, both apes and monkies are €x- 
ce! ively ugly, heir limbs are peca- 
larly Rrong; and they have great delight 
in break ing, tearing in pieces, or flealing 
whatever comes in their: way. In all 
their operations and maneuvres, their 
agility is aftonithing. Whenever any 
thing offends or throws them into a 
pation, ed indicate their rage by chat- 
tering violeatly with their teeth. Many 
of them, if beaten, will figh, groan, a and 
weep, like chi dren; but mot of them, 
on thefe eccafions, utter dreadful fhrieks 
of diftrefs. They make fuch ridiculous 
grimaces, place themfelves in fuch ftrange 
and oyhinaticnl attitudes, and in other 
re{pects conduct themfelves fo finguiarly, 
that few perfons, even of thofe who molt 
diflike them, can on thefe occafions re- 
frain from fwiling, and nearly all muft be 
amuled by them, 
of Apes and Monkres. 127 
It is faid, that there are fome races of 
monkies which keep up a certain dif- 
cipline among theimfelves. Though ace 
tive in the highest deyree in pillaging 
plantations and cultivated grounds, they 
ieldom go on important expeditions for 
this purpofe but in numerous-troops. If 
they meditate an attack (for inftance) on 
a melon ara a large party of them en- 
ters the parden. "The animals range 
Se iis if poflible, under a hedge 
r fence, at foie diftance from each 
ane, and throw the melons, from hand 
to hand, with aftonifling rapidity. The 
line they form ufually terminates in 2 
mountain or foreit, and all their ope- 
rations are executed during the moft pre= 
found filence. 
Wafer tells us, that when he was on 
fhore in the land: of Gorgonia, he ob- 
ferved feveral monkies (of the fowr-fin- 
gered {pecies) come down, at low water, 
to the rocks of the fea coaft, for the 
purpofe of devouring oyiters. They got 
at the food contained within the fhells, 
by placing one oyfter on a ftone, and 
beating it im pieces with another. The 
milbrouk of Bengal (Simia Fuunus of 
Linneus) is reported to do the fame. 
Many of thefe animals, and particu- 
larly the preacher, and four-fingered 
monkies (Stmia beelzebul and Sunta pa- 
nifcus of Linnzus), havefometimes dread- 
ful contentions, in which great numbers 
on both fides are frequently flain. They 
employ weapons in their combats; and 
often arm themfelves with ftones and 
pieces of wocd, which they throw with 
{ure aim, and aftonifhing vielence, at 
each other. They have, on thefe occa- 
fions, neither deferters nor ftragglers ; 
for in times of danger they never for- 
fake each other. They raa along the 
plains, and even leap from tree to tree, 
with furprizing rapidity. 
The initinéts and fagacity of thefe 
animals are, in many inftances, fuch as 
not to be injured or diminifhed even by 
Captivity. Th fome houfes we fee the 
wander (Stmia Silenus of Linneus), 2 
cunning and audacious monkey, much 
inclined to ridicule and grimace. He 
may be taucht to drefs and undrefs. him- 
felf, to fpin, to poke the fire, to pulh a 
wheéel-barrow, or play on a tambourine, 
He will wath earthen veffels or glaffes 
without breaking them, and carry hght 
burthens from place to place, whenever | 
he is ordered to do fo. A monkey of 
this fpecies has been obferved to ‘turn a 
fpit with one hand, whilft with the other 
he held a piece of bread under the meat 
' to 
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