hough the speaker was a religious man, he muttered to himself, "I am
not sure they ought ever to have been made." The voice proceeded from
one of the finest instances of manly beauty; one famed also for talent
and acquirement. Rapoynda started into my recollection; and as I slowly
left the talented picture, I could not help smiling at the common
feeling between the savage and the gentleman, thereby proving its
universality.

Never did any one start for a tropical climate with a greater antipathy
towards these "wild men" than I did; I lived years in their vicinity and
yet contrived to avoid all contact with them, and it was not till I was
homeward-bound that my conversion was effected. The ship in which Mr.
Bowdich and myself took a round-about course to England, was floating
on a wide expanse of water, disturbed only by the heavy swell, which
forms the sole motion in a calm; the watch on deck were seated near the
bows of the vessel, the passengers and officers were almost all below,
there was only myself and the helmsman on the after-deck; he stood
listlessly by the binnacle, and I was wholly occupied in reading. A
noise between a squeak and a chatter suddenly met my ears; and before I
could turn my head to see whence it proceeded, a heavy, living creature
jumped on to my shoulders from behind, and its tail encircled my throat.
I felt it was Jack, the cook's monkey; the mischievous, malicious,
mocking, but inimitable Jack, whose pranks had often made me laugh
against my will, as I watched him from a distance, but with whom I had
never made the least acquaintance. Whether from fear or presence of mind
I do not pretend to say, but I remained perfectly still, and in a minute
or two Jack put his head forward and stared me in the face, uttering a
sort of croak; he then descended on to my knees, examined my hands as if
he were counting my fingers, tried to take off my rings, and when I gave
him some biscuit, curled himself compactly into my lap. We were friends
from that moment. My aversion thus cured, I have ever since felt
indescribable interest and entertainment in watching, studying, and
protecting monkeys. We had several on board the above-mentioned vessel,
but Jack was the prince of them all.

Exclusively belonging to the cook, although a favourite with the whole
crew, my friend (a Cercopithecus from Senegal) had been at first kept by
means of a cord, attached to the caboose; but, as he became more and
more tame, his l