Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat: In the U. S. Sloop-of-war Peacock, David Geisinger, Commander, During the Years 1832-3-4 — John Shaqi
Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat: In the U. S. Sloop-of-war Peacock, David Geisinger, Commander, During the Years 1832-3-4Roberts, Edmund
History
Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat: In the U. S. Sloop-of-war Peacock, David Geisinger, Commander, During the Years 1832-3-4
Roberts, Edmund
Southeast Asia -- Commerce; Southeast Asia -- Description and travel
Yams, sweet-potatoes, goats, fowls, and fruit were purchased in
abundance, but neither _flour_ or _bread_ could be obtained. Several
monkeys were purchased by the crew at Angiers. After the ship had
weighed anchor a female animal of this tribe, having a young one
clinging closely to the under part of her body, broke loose, ran with
great swiftness to the end of the spankerboom, and plunged into the
sea; a Javanese boat, towing astern, took them in; but not in time to
save the life of the younger; the female was then secured but refused
to eat, and remained till next morning in a state of melancholy.
Believing the animal would die, she was unloosed and running with
great precipitancy to the end of the boom, looked into the sea; but
not finding the object of her solicitude there, she looked overboard,
from every part of the ship, moaning most piteously. About this time,
she observed a small gray monkey, differing in species from herself,
having a very long tail; she at once seized the latter and hugged it
with great, seeming delight. The attempt to remove it from her would
have been in vain, had any one been disposed to make the trial; when
any of the sailors or the monkeys approached her, she would hug her
new object of affection with greater tenacity, run out her head, pout
disdainfully, and show a formidable row of white ivory; chattering and
scolding, at the same time most vehemently; occasionally she would
allow it to wander a few steps, holding on by the tip of the tail,
during the time; when too far, she would pull it backward, but if it
attempted to go beyond the length of its leading-string, (the tail,)
she would quickly drag it to her, box its ears, closely embrace it, and
after being reconciled, would feed it with some dainty morsel, stowed
away in her pouch.
On a cold, stormy day, during our passage from La Plata to Sumatra, the
gun-deck being deluged with water, a Porto Praya monkey, a favourite
of mine, came to the cabin-door, and in its most expressive manner
solicited permission to enter; it stood shivering in the doorway,
dripping with saltwater, and looking the picture of distress, at
the same time snuffing up the warm air, proceeding from a stove; I
called it in, at length; the first object of its attention was the
stove, (never having seen one before,) but approaching too near, it
slightly burnt its nose, and quickly retreated, looking with much
astonishment at the cause; finally it sprung to the top of the table
and skipping about from one place to another, unfortunately alighted on
the stove, where it danced for a second or two, jumped precipitately
down, and came to me, showing its paws, (which were scorched white,)
and apparently asking for relief. I rubbed them with oil, at which the
animal appeared to be relieved; it then quietly took its station as
close to me as possible, testifying unquestionably, as much silent
gratitude as any human being could have done in a similar situation.
[Sidenote: SAILING FROM ANGIER.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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