Wanderings in New South Wales, Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Being the journal of a naturalist in those countries, during 1832, 1833 and 1834Bennett, George
History
Wanderings in New South Wales, Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Being the journal of a naturalist in those countries, during 1832, 1833 and 1834
Bennett, George
Asia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia -- New South Wales; New South Wales -- Description and travel
His food is various: he preferred vegetable diet, as rice, plantains,
&c., and was ravenously fond of carrots, of which we had some quantity
preserved on board. Although, when at dinner, he would behave well, not
intruding his paw into our plates, having “acquired politeness,” as Jack
would say, by being on board, yet, when the carrots appeared, all his
decorum was lost, in his eager desire for them; and it required some
exertion to keep him from attacking them “with tooth and paw,” unmindful
whether we wished it or not, and against all the laws and regulations of
the table. A piece of carrot would draw him from one end of the table to
the other, over which he would walk, without disturbing a single article,
although the ship was rolling at the time; so admirably can these animals
balance themselves. This is well seen when they play about the rigging
of a ship at sea: often, when springing from rope to rope, have I
expected to see him buffeting the waves, and as often did I find that all
my fears were groundless.
He would drink tea, coffee, or chocolate, but neither wine nor spirits.
Of animal food, he prefers fowl; but a lizard having been caught on
board, it was placed before him, when he seized the reptile instantly in
his paw, and greedily devoured it. He was also very fond of sweetmeats,
such as jams, jellies, dates, &c.; and no child with the “sweetest
tooth” ever evinced more delight after “bons bons” than did this little
creature. Some manilla sweet cakes that were on board he was always eager
to procure, and would not unfrequently enter the cabin in which they were
kept, and endeavour to lift up the cover of the jar: he was not less
fond of onions, although their acridity caused him to sneeze and loll
out his tongue: when he took one, he used to put it into his mouth, and
immediately eat it with great rapidity.
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