Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 18.djvu/441

Rh seemed to be in a deep sleep, she would look up with signs of pleasure and utter a whimper of acknowledgment. When she had to be whipped, she would give up at once when caught, though never to any one but her master; but if his wife was in the room, she would run to her for protection, sounding a note of triumph while the master was looking out that she did not bite him in getting away from him. She was always betrayed by her guilty consciousness when she had done anything wrong, even if no one had observed her; and if detected, would act as a child acts under the shame of guilt. She was not greedy in eating except when denied something; then she would seize it with both hands, and stuff her cheeks so full that it would take a considerable time to eat what she had put away. At her regular meals she ate slowly. If a cup of milk was placed in the cage so that the shadow of one of the bars of the cage was thrown over it, she would look at the shadow, grasp after it, and then look astonished to find that she had not got hold of it, and would not drink until she had examined the cup from every side. In eating, she rejected the thinnest shells, the strings of beans, and the skins of nuts. She was induced to take medicine by pretending that she must not have it. If her master wished to give her rhubarb, he would play with a piece of the drug while Chega looked on wistfully; then seem to snatch it away so that she should not get it, and let it drop, as if accidentally, out of his hand, when in an instant it would be seized or swallowed; or, if not already swallowed, would be if an effort was pretended to take it away. Chega was fond of her master's Spitz dog, and had many frolics with him. Once they were chasing each other between the sofa and the table, when the ape got into a position between the two where the dog could not follow her, but staid upon the table looking at her. In an instant she took hold of the table-cloth with both hands and brought it down, with the dog in it, upon the floor. While the astonished dog was trying to release himself from the folds of the cloth, Chega ran to the window-sill and clapped her hands in evident pleasure over the success of her trick. Chega slept with her master for three years, lying with one of her arms around his neck, while her other hand was in his. To prevent her getting away in the night, her master fixed a cord to her neck, so that she should wake him when she moved. She soon learned the secret of the cord and how to unhitch it, and would unhook the neck-band, take out a pin, lay the whole carefully aside, and spring up to go, when she would be stopped. Chega seemed to have dreams, as men and children often do, of falling from a height, and would draw up her limbs with the convulsive motion that all are aware of. Herr Schneider believes that his pet exhibited in a wonderful degree the faculties of reflection and comparison. Dr. Julius Falkenstein has given, in his account of the German Loango Expedition, a narrative of the early life-history of the gorilla Mpungu, which was obtained and brought home by the expedition, and was afterward exhibited in the Berlin Aquarium. While in Africa, the young animal was kept as free as possible from other than natural influences, so that its habits might be studied as accurately as was practicable. Mpungu gave a contradiction to the reports of the fierce and untamable character of the gorilla, for he soon became accustomed to the persons around him, showing a real dependence upon them and confidence in them, and was allowed to run about with no more care than a child. He gave no evidence of evil or malicious propensities, but had a will of his own, and distinct tones of voice in which to express his feelings. The representations of Du Chaillu concerning the gorilla's beating his breast were confirmed by this animal. The action indicated an excess of physical good feeling, and was never observed while the animal was in Europe, because he never enjoyed good health there. Pleasure in bodily vigor was also frequently exhibited in reelings and tumblings like those of a drunken man. When anything was given to the young gorilla in a cup or glass, he would take it up carefully with both hands, bring it to his mouth, and, having drunk, set it down as carefully; and he was never known to break a dish. Yet he was never taught how to use dishes. He took in eating only as much food at a time as he could hold between his thumb and two fingers, and would observe the removal of the mass of food with indifference;