the malay archipelago-1-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ut　everywhere　for　a　likely　place；　but；　as　it　only　succeeded　in　getting　mouthfuls　of　hair　and　wool；　it　would　be　greatly　disgusted；　and　scream　violently；　and；　after　two　or　three　attempts；　let　go　altogether。　One　day　it　got　some　wool　into　its　throat；　and　I　thought　it　would　have　choked；　but　after　much　gasping　it　recovered；　and　I　was　obliged　to　take　the　imitation　mother　to　pieces　again；　and　give　up　this　last　attempt　to　exercise　the　little　creature。

After　the　first　week　I　found　I　could　feed　it　better　with　a　spoon；　and　give　it　a　little　more　varied　and　more　solid　food。　Well…soaked　biscuit　mixed　with　a　little　egg　and　sugar；　and　sometimes　sweet　potatoes；　were　readily　eaten；　and　it　was　a　never…failing　amusement　to　observe　the　curious　changes　of　countenance　by　which　it　would　express　its　approval　or　dislike　of　what　was　given　to　it。　The　poor　little　thing　would　lick　its　lips；　draw　in　its　cheeks；　and　turn　up　its　eyes　with　an　expression　of　the　most　supreme　satisfaction　when　it　had　a　mouthful　particularly　to　its　taste。　On　the　other　hand；　when　its　food　was　not　sufficiently　sweet　or　palatable；　it　would　turn　the　mouthful　about　with　its　tongue　for　a　moment　as　if　trying　to　extract　what　flavour　there　was；　and　then　push　it　all　out　between　its　lips。　If　the　same　food　was　continued；　it　would　set　up　a　scream　and　kick　about　violently；　exactly　like　a　baby　in　a　passion。

After　I　had　had　the　little　Mias　about　three　weeks；　I　fortunately　obtained　a　young　hare…lip　monkey　（Macacus　cynomolgus）；　which；　though　small；　was　very　active；　and　could　feed　itself。　I　placed　it　in　the　same　box　with　the　Mias；　and　they　immediately　became　excellent　friends；　neither　exhibiting　the　least　fear　of　the　other。　The　little　monkey　would　sit　upon　the　other's　stomach；　or　even　on　its　face；　without　the　least　regard　to　its　feelings。　While　I　was　feeding　the　Mias；　the　monkey　would　sit　by；　picking　up　all　that　was　spilt；　and　occasionally　putting　out　its　hands　to　intercept　the　spoon；　and　as　soon　as　I　had　finished　would　pick　off　what　was　left　sticking　to　the　Mias'　lips；　and　then　pull　open　its　mouth　and　see　if　any　still　remained　inside；　afterwards　lying　down　on　the　poor　creature's　stomach　as　on　a　comfortable　cushion。　The　little　helpless　Mias　would　submit　to　all　these　insults　with　the　most　exemplary　patience；　only　too　glad　to　have　something　warm　near　it；　which　it　could　clasp　affectionately　in　its　arms。　It　sometimes；　however；　had　its　revenge；　for　when　the　monkey　wanted　to　go　away；　the　Mias　would　hold　on　as　long　as　it　could　by　the　loose　skin　of　its　back　or　head；　or　by　its　tail；　and　it　was　only　after　many　vigorous　jumps　that　the　monkey　could　make　his　escape。

It　was　curious　to　observe　the　different　actions　of　these　two　animals；　which　could　not　have　differed　much　in　age。　The　Mias；　like　a　very　young　baby；　lying　on　its　back　quite　helpless；　rolling　lazily　from　side　to　side；　stretching　out　all　four　hands　into　the　air；　wishing　to　grasp　something；　but　hardly　able　to　guide　its　fingers　to　any　definite　object；　and　when　dissatisfied；　opening　wide　its　almost　toothless　mouth；　and　expressing　its　wants　by　a　most　infantine　scream。　The　little　monkey；　on　the　other　hand；　in　constant　motion；　running　and　jumping　about　wherever　it　pleased；　examining　everything　around　it；　seizing　hold　of　the　smallest　object　with　the　greatest　precision；　balancing　itself　on　the　edge　of　the　box　or　running　up　a　post；　and　helping　itself　to　anything　eatable　that　came　in　its　way。　There　could　hardly　be　a　greater　contrast；　and　the　baby　Mias　looked　more　baby…like　by　the　comparison。

When　I　had　had　it　about　a　month；　it　began　to　exhibit　some　signs　of　learning　to　run　alone。　When　laid　upon　the　floor　it　would　push　itself　along　by　its　legs；　or　roll　itself　over；　and　thus　make　an　unwieldy　progression。　When　lying　in　the　box　it　would　lift　itself　up　to　the　edge　into　almost　an　erect　position；　and　once　or　twice　succeeded　in　tumbling　out。　When　left　dirty；　or　hungry；　or　otherwise　neglected；　it　would　scream　violently　until　attended　to；　varied　by　a　kind　of　coughing　or　pumping　noise　very　similar　to　that　which　is　made　by　the　adult　animal。　If　no　one　was　in　the　house；　or　its　cries　were　not　attended　to；　it　would　be　quiet　after　a　little　while；　but　the　moment　it　heard　a　footstep　would　begin　again　harder　than　ever。

After　five　weeks　it　cut　its　two　upper　front　teeth；　but　in　all　this　time　it　had　not　grown　the　least　bit；　remaining　both　in　size　and　weight　the　same　as　when　I　first　procured　it。　This　was　no　doubt　owing　to　the　want　of　milk　or　other　equally　nourishing　food。　Rice…water；　rice；　and　biscuits　were　but　a　poor　substitute；　and　the　expressed　milk　of　the　cocoa…nut　which　I　sometimes　gave　it　did　not　quite　agree　with　its　stomach。　To　this　I　imputed　an　attack　of　diarrhoea　from　which　the　poor　little　creature　suffered　greatly；　but　a　small　dose　of　castor…oil　operated　well；　and　cured　it。　A　week　or　two　afterwards　it　was　again　taken　ill；　and　this　time　more　seriously。　The　symptoms　were　exactly　those　of　intermittent　fever；　accompanied　by　watery　swellings　on　the　feet　and　head。　It　lost　all　appetite　for　its　food；　and；　after　lingering　for　a　week　a　most　pitiable　object；　died；　after　being　in　my　possession　nearly　three　months。　I　much　regretted　the　loss　of　my　little　pet；　which　I　had　at　one　time　looked　forward　to　bringing　up　to　years　of　maturity；　and　taking　home　to　England。　For　several　months　it　had　afforded　me　daily　amusement　by　its　curious　ways　and　the　inimitably　ludicrous　expression　of　its　little　countenance。　Its　weight　was　three　pounds　nine　ounces；　its　height　fourteen　inches；　and　the　spread　of　its　arms　twenty…three　inches。　I　preserved　its　skin　and　skeleton；　and　in　doing　so　found　that　when　it　fell　from　the　tree　it　must　have　broken　an　arm　and　a　leg；　which　had；　however；　united　so　rapidly　that　I　had　only　noticed　the　hard　swellings　on　the　limbs　where　the　irregular　junction　of　the　bones　had　taken　place。

Exactly　a　week　after　I　had　caught　this　interesting　little　animal；　I　succeeded　in　shooting　a　full…grown　male　Orangutan。　I　had　just　come　home　from　an　entomologising　excursion　when　Charles　＇Charles　Allen；　an　English　lad　of　sixteen；　accompanied　me　as　an　assistant＇　rushed　in　out　of　breath　with　running　and　excitement；　and　exclaimed；　interrupted　by　gasps；　〃Get　the　gun；　sir；be　quick；　such　a　large　Mias！〃　〃Where　is　it？〃　I　asked；　taking　hold　of　my　gun　as　I　spoke；　which　happened　luckily　to　have　one　barrel　loaded　with　ball。　〃Close　by；　siron　the　path　to　the　mineshe　can't　get　away。〃　Two　Dyaks　chanced　to　be　in　the　house　at　the　time；　so　I　called　them　to　accompany　me；　and　started　off；　telling　Charley　to　bring　all　the　ammunition　after　me　as　soon　as　possible。　The　path　from　our　clearing　to　the　mines　led　along　the　side　of　the　hill　a　little　way　up　its　slope；　and　parallel　with　it　at　the　foot　a　wide　opening　had　been　made　for　a　road；　in　which　several　Chinamen　were　working；　so　that　the　animal　could　not　escape　into　the　swampy　forest　below　without　descending　to　cross　the　road　or　ascending　to　get　round　the　clearings。　We　walked　cautiously　along；　not　making　the　least　noise；　and　listening　attentively　for　any　sound　which　might　betray　the　presence　of　the　Mias；　stopping　at　intervals　to　gaze　upwards。　Charley　soon　joined　us　at　the　place　where　he　had　seen　the　creature；　and　having　taken　the　ammunition　and　put　a　bullet　in　the　other　barrel；　we　dispersed　a　little；　feeling　sure　that　it　must　be　somewhere　near；　as　it　had　probably　descended　the　hill；　and　would　not　be　likely　to　return　again。

After　a　short　time　I　heard　a　very　slight　rustling　sound　overhead；　but　on　gazing　up　could　see　nothing。　I　moved　about　in　every　direction　to　get　a　full　view　into　every　part　of　the　tree　under　which　I　had　been　standing；　when　I　again　heard　the　same　noise　but　louder；　and　saw　the　leaves　shaking　as　if　caused　by　the　motion　of　some　heavy　animal　which　moved　off　to　an　adjoining　tree。　I　immediately　shouted　for　all　of　them　to　come　up　and　try　and　get　a　view；　so　as　to　allow　me　to　have　a　shot。　This　was　not　an　easy　matter；　as　the　Mias　had　a　knack　of　selecting　places　with　dense　foliage　beneath。　Very　soon；　however；　one　of　the　Dyaks　called　me　and　pointed　upwards；　and　on　looking　I　saw　a　great　red　hairy　body　and　a　huge　black　face　gazing　down　from　a　great　height；　as　if　wanting　to　know　what　was　making　such　a　disturbance　below。　I　instantly　fired；　and　he　made　off　at　once；　so　that　I