According to the account of Captain Grandpré, a female chimpanzee on board his vessel would heat the oven, taking care that no coals fell out, and carefully watching until it was of the right heat, of which she would inform the baker. She fulfilled all the duties of a sailor, such as drawing up the anchor, furling and making fast the sails. She patiently endured maltreatment by a brutal mate, stretching out her hands imploringly to ward off his blows. But after this she refused all food, and died in five days of grief and hunger. A chimpanzee in Brosse’s possession was sick, and twice blooded. When he again fell ill, he held out his arm as if to demand another venesection. In reading these accounts, which have gone the round of various old-fashioned books on natural history, the question arises what we are or are not to believe, for many particulars appear to be exaggerated. Dr. Hermes, the director of the Berlin Aquarium, disputes the assertion made by others that the female chimpanzee, Molly, which was kept for a long while in that establishment, poured out wine for herself at an evening party, and clinked glasses with a neighbour.[122] There is, however, an account given by Broderip of a male chimpanzee, which was brought from the Gambia, and placed in the London Zoological Gardens in 1835, which appears to be simple and faithful. The creature, clothed in a little jacket, nestled for the most part in the lap of an old female keeper. When he had nothing else to do, he played with his toes, just as a child does under like circumstances. He took Broderip’s hand without fear, and touched the ring on one of his fingers with his teeth, but without bending it. He tried all artificial substances with his teeth. He held fast to his keeper’s gown when she proposed to leave him, and he played with Broderip like a child. He displayed great terror when an anaconda was brought into the room in a basket, and did not dare to take an apple from off the closed lid of the basket; but as soon as the snake and its basket were removed, he ate the apple and became cheerful again. He willingly placed himself in a swing, and held on to the cords with both hands. He generally slept in a sitting position, leaning forwards with folded arms, or sometimes resting his face on his hands. But he would also sleep upon his belly, with his feet drawn up, and his head on his arms.