been taken in the Gulf of Stanchio, in the Archipelago, by a merchantman trading to Natolia, in August 1774. "Its face, say the accounts of the day, is like that of a young female; its eyes a fine light blue; its nose small and handsome; its mouth small; its lips thin, and the edges of them round like that of the codfish; its teeth are small, regular and white; its chin well shaped, and its neck full. Its ears are like those of the eel, but placed like those of the human species, and behind them are the gills for respiration, which appear like curls. Some are said to have hair upon their head; but this has only rolls instead of hair, which, at a distance, might be taken for short curls. But its chief ornament is a beautiful membrane or fin rising from the temples, and gradually diminishing till it ends pyramidically, forming a foretop like a lady's headdress. It has no fin on the back, but a bone like that of the human species. Its breasts are fair and ull; the arms and hands are well proportioned, but without nails on the fingers; the belly is round and swelling, but there is no navel. From the waist downwards the body is in all respects like the codfish; it has three sets of fins one above another below the waist, which enable it to swim erect on the sea. In the year 1794, a mermaid, as it was called, was shown at No. 7, Broad-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden; it was said to have been taken in the North Seas by Captain Fortier. This nymph of the sea, a woman from the head down to the lower part of the waist, and a fish from thence downwards, was three feet long, having ears, gills, breasts, fins, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, and a contiguous scale covering the fish part. The existence of this animal is firmly be lieved in the northern parts of Scotland, and in the year 1797, a schoolmaster of Thurso affirmed, that he had seen one, apparently in the act of combing its hair with its fingers. The portion of the animal which he saw was so near a resemblance to the form of a woman, that but for the impossibility of a female so long supporting herself in the waves, he should have presumed it to have been one. Twelve years afterwards, several persons observed near the same place a like appearance. "The next publication in which we find any account relative to the mermaid worthy of notice, is Dr. Chisholm's Essay on the Malignant Fever in the West Indies, published in 1801. The Doctor speaks of it as follows:- I probably hazard the implication of credulity by the following note:-In the year 1797, happening to be at Governor Van Battenburgh's plantation, in Berbice, the conversation turned on a singular animal which had been repeatedly seen in Berbice river, and some smaller rivers. This animal is the famous mermaid, hitherto considered as a mere creature of the imagination. It is called by the Indians méné mamma, or mother of the waters. The description given of it by the governor is as follows:-The upper portion resembles the human figure; the head smaller in proportion, sometimes bare, but oftener covered with a copious quantity of long black hair. The shoulders are broad, and the breasts large and well formed. The lower portion resembles the tail portion of a fish, is of immense dimension, the tail forked, and not unlike that of the dolphin, as it is usually represented. The colour of the skin is either black or tawny. The animal is held in veneration and dread by the Indians, who imagine that the killing of it would be attended with the most calamitous consequences. It is from this circumstance that none of these animals have been shot, and consequently, not examined but at a distance. They have been generally observed in a sitting posture in the water, none of the lower extremity being discovered until they are disturbed, when, by plunging, the tail appears, and agitates the water to a considerable distance round. They have been always seen employed in smoothing their hair, or stroking their faces and breasts with their hands, or something resembling hands. In this posture, and thus employed, they have been frequently taken for Indian women bathing. Mr. Van Battenburgh's account was much corroborated by that of some gentlemen settled in Mahaycony and Abary. "At Sandside, in the parish of Reay, in the county of Caithness, there was seen, on the 12th of January, 1809, an animal supposed to be the mermaid. The head and the chest, being all that was visible, is said to have exactly resembled those of a fullgrown young woman. The breasts were perfectly formed; the arms longer than in the human body, and the eyes somewhat smaller. When the waves dashed the hair, which was of a sea-green shade, over the face, the hands were immediately employed to replace it. The skin was of a pink colour. Though observed by several persons within the distance of twenty yards, for about an hour and a half, it discovered no symptoms of alarm. "In 1811, a young man, named John M'Isaac, of Corphine, in Kintyre, in Scotland, made oath, on examination, at Campbletown, before the sheriff-substitute of Kintyre, that he saw, on the afternoon of the 13th of October, in that year, on a black rock on the sea-coast, an anima, of the particulars of which he gives a long and curious detail. He states that the upper half of it was white, and of the shape of a human body; the other half, towards the tail, of a brindled or reddish grey colour, apparently covered with scales; but the extremity of the tail itself was of a greenish red shining colour; that the head was covered with long hair; at times it would put back the hair on both sides of its head; it would also spread its tail like a fan; and, while so extended, the tail continued in tremulous motion, and when drawn together again, it remained motionless, and appeared to the deponent to be about twelve or fourteen inches broad; that the hair was very long and light brown; that the animal was between four and five feet long; that it had a head, hair, arins, and body, down to the middle, like a human being; that the arms were short in proportion to the body, which appeared to be about the thickness of that of a young lad, and tapering gradually to the point of the tail; that when stroking its head, as above mentioned, the fingers were kept close together, so that he cannot say whether they were webbed or not; that he saw it for near two hours, the rock on which it lay being dry; that, after the sea had so far retired as to leave the rock dry to the height of five feet above the water, it tumbled clumsily into the sea; a minute after he observed the animal above water, and then he saw every feature of its face, having all the appearance of a human being, with very hollow eyes. The cheeks were of the same colour with the rest of the face; the neck seemed short; and it was constantly, with both hands stroking and washing its breast, which was half immersed in the water; he, therefore, cannot say whether its bosom was formed like a woman's or not. He saw no other fins or feet upon it but as described. It continued above water for a few minutes, and then disappeared. The minister of Campbletown, and the Chamberlain of Mull, attest his examination, and declare that they know no reason why his veracity should be questioned. "In 1812, Mr. Toupin, of Exmouth, published the following account of his having seen a mermaid: The day, (August 11,) says he, being very fine, I joined a party of ladies and gentlemen in a sailing excursion. When we had got about a mile to the southeast of Exmouth bar, our attention was suddenly arrested by a very singular noise, by no means unpleasant to the ear, but of which it is impossible to give a correct idea by mere description. It was not, however, unaptly compared by one of our ladies to the wild melodies of the Eolian harp,* combined Here we have the fiction of the Syrens realized, which none of our Argus-eyed mermaid-hunters had hitherto done. The Syrens, in fabulous history, were certain celebrated songstresses, who were ranked among the demi-gods of antiquity. Hyginus places their birth among the consequences of the rape of Proserpine. Others make them the daughters of the river Achelous and one of the Muses. The number of the Syrens was three, and their names were Parthenope, Lygea, and Leucosia. Some make them half women and half fish; others, half women and half with a noise similar to that made by a stream of water falling gently on the leaves of a tree. In the mean time we observed something about one hundred yards from us, to windward. We all imagined it to be some human being, though at the same time we were at a loss to account for this, at such a distance from the shore, and no other boat near. We hailed, but received no reply, and we made toward this creature as soon as possible, when, to the great astonishment of us all, it eluded our pursuit by plunging under water. In a few minutes it rose again, nearly in the same place; and by that time we had got suffi ciently near for one of the boatmen to throw into the water a piece of boiled fish, which he had in his locker. This seemed to alarm the animal, though it soon recovered from its fears, for we presently observed it to lay hold of the fish, which it ate with apparent relish. Several other pieces were thrown out, by which the creature was induced to keep at a short distance from our boat, and afforded us the opportunity of observing it with attention, and found to our astonishment that it was no other than a mermaid. As the sea was calm, and in a great degree transparent, every part of the animal's body became in turn visible. The head, from the crown to the chin, forms rather a long oval, and the face seems to resemble that of the seal, though, at the same time, it is far more agreeable, possessing a peculiar softness, which renders the whole set of features very interesting. The upper and back part of the head appeared to be furnished with something like hair. and the forepart of the body with something like down, between a very light fawn and a very pale pink colour, which, at a distance, had the appearance of flesh, and may have given rise to the idea that the body of the mermaid is, externally, like that of the human being. This creature has two arms, each of which terminates into a hand with four fingers, connected to each other by means of a very thin elastic membrane. The animal used its arms with great agility, and its motions in general were very graceful. From the waist it gradually tapered so as to form a tail, which had the appearance of being covered with strong broad polished scales, which occasionally reflected the rays of the sun in a very beautiful manner; and from the back and upper part of the neck, down to the loins, the body also ap birds. There are antique representations of them still subsisting under both these forms. Pansanias tells us that the Syrens, by the persuasion of Juno, challenged the Muses to a trial of skill in singing; and these, having vanquished them, plucked the golden feathers from the wings of the Syrens, and formed them into crowns, with which they adorned their own heads. The Argonauts are said to have been diverted from the enchantment of their songs by the superior strains of Orpheus. Ulysses, however, had great difficulty in securing himself from seduction. peared covered with short round broad feathers, of the colour of the down on the fore part of the body. The whole length of the animal, from the crown of the head to the extremity of the tail was supposed to be about five feet, or five feet and a half. In about ten minutes from the time we approached, the animal gave two or three plunges, in quick succession, as if it were at play. After this, it gave a sudden spring, and swam away from us very rapidly, and in a few seconds we lost sight of it.' "It must be in the recollection of most persons, that in the autumn of 1819, a creature appeared on the coast of Ireland, about the size of a child of ten years of age, with a bosom as prominent as a girl of sixteen, having long dark hair, and full dark eyes. We shall not transcribe the account, as it will doubt less be well remembered; but it may be right to add, for the satisfaction of those who have not seen it, that a spectator endeavoured to shoot it, but on the report of the musket, it plunged into the sea with a loud scream. "Since this time we heard nothing of mermaids, until an American ship, and a Bostonian too, Captain Eades, established this wonder of the deep, which is now the wonder of the good people of London, at the Cape of Good Hope. It is said to have been caught on the north coast of China, by a fisherman, who sold it for a trifle, when Captain Eades bought it for 5,000 Spanish dollars. At least so the first account from the Cape stated; but the present possessor of this interesting creature, who certainly believed it to be a real mermaid, only estimates the whole cost at the Cape and bringing home at 1,000%; so that it is probable Jonathan did not give half the money stated. Without offering any remarks as to the existence or non-existence of the mermaid, we may observe that the question is as far from solution as ever, since it seems to be universally acknowledged by all persons capable of judging, that the mermaid now exhibiting is nothing but the head and bust of a baboon joined to the tail of a fish. This circumstance, however, does not appear to affect the exhibition, which continues as crowded as ever.”— Mirror, Vol. I., 1822. "The English are particularized for their partiality to strange sights," says Strutt; uncommon beasts, birds, or fishes, are sure to attract their notice, and especially such of them as are of a monstrous kind: and this propensity of our countrymen is neatly satirized by Shakspeare, in the Tempest, where Stephano, seeing Caliban lying upon the stage, and being uncertain whether he was a fish, a beast, or one of the inhabitants of the island, speaks in the following manner: "Were I in England now, as once I was, and had this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give me a piece of silver. There would the monster make a man: any strange beast there makes a man. When they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Italian." Indeed we may observe, that a cow with two heads, a pig with six legs, or any other unnatural production, with proper management, are pretty certain fortunes to the possessors in this country.-ED. CHAP. XX. ANIMALS OF THE MONKEY KIND.* QUADRUPEDS may be considered as a numerous group, terminated on every side by some that but in part deserve the name. On one quarter we see a tribe covered with quills, or furnished with wings, that lift them among the inhabitants of air; on another, we behold a diversity clothed with scales and shells, to rank with insects; and still, on a third, we see them descending into the waters, to live among the mute tenants of that element. We now come to a numerous tribe, that, leaving the brute creation, seem to make approaches even to humanity; that bear an awkward resemblance of the human form, and discover some faint efforts at intellectual sagacity.t Animals of the monkey class are furnished with hands instead of paws; their ears, eyes, eyelids, lips, and breasts, are like those of mankind; their internal conformation also bears some distant likeness; and the whole offers a picture that may well mortify the pride of such as make their persons alone the principal object of their admiration. These approaches, however, are gradual; and some bear the marks of this our boasted form, more strongly than others. *The animals of this very extensive family are distinguished by their having four front teeth in each jaw, all placed close together, as in the human mouth; the canine teeth are longer than the rest, and a little distant from the grinders; the grinders are obtuse. † MAN.-There are few departments of human knowledge that have been more disfigured by fable, imposture, misconception, and exaggeration than natural history in general. Few portions of natural history have suffered more from the same causes than that which relates to the quadrumanous species of the animal world; and the first subdivision of those animals, namely, that of the apes, has proved in a more especial manner a fertile source of falsehood and misrepresentation, of impudent or ignorant distortion of facts, and of ridiculous and contemptible absurdity of deduction. Man has not merely been placed by his Maker at the head of the countless organized beings which occupy this nether world, but he has also been disjointed, as it were, and severed from them all. His natural superiority is strongly marked, even in the earliest stages of moral advancement, and when his unexcited faculties lie almost dormant within him. Attitude, physiognomy, and language proclaim the rudest savage that traverses the wild, to be lord of the prone and mute creation that surrounds him. But when, by the judicious cultivation of his moral and intellectual faculties, the diviner part of man's nature becomes fully developed, we then see clearly and palpably that the gulf which separates him from other creatures is impassable. It matters not how nearly they may approxi mate to his outward form or his physical peculiarities, his mental powers set him at an immeasurable height above them all. His supremacy is no usurpation of pride; it is the gift of Heaven, and has been universally recognised in all ages and among all nations. The most untaught have yet learned to know and to respect the dignity of their nature— "To venerate themselves as men."-GRIFFITH. INTELLIGENCE OF THIS RACE.-The degrees of their so much vaunted intelligence, which is in general very limited, and rarely capable of being made subservient to the purposes of man, vary almost as much as the ever-changing outline of their form. From the grave and reflective oran-outang, whose docility and powers of imitation in his young state have been the theme of so much ridiculous exaggeration and sophistical argument, to the stupid and savage baboon, whose gross brutality is scarcely relieved by a single spark of intelligence, the gradations are regular and easy. A remarkable circumstance connected with the developement of this faculty, or perhaps we should rather say, with its gradual extinction, consists in the fact that it is only in young animals which have not yet attained their full growth that it is capable of being brought into play; the older individuals, even of the most tractable races, entirely losing the gaiety, and with it the docility of their youth, and becoming at length as stupid and as savage as the most barbarous of the tribe. The hinder feet being thus formed as hands, the animal often used them as such; and, on the contrary, now and then made use of its hands instead of feet. The breasts appeared small and shrivelled, but exactly like those of a man: the navel also appeared very fair, and in exact disposition, being neither harder nor more prominent than what is usually seen in children. Such is the description of this extraordinary creature; to which little has been added by succeeding observers, except that the colour of the hair is often found to vary ⚫ in that described by Edwards it was of a reddish brown. From a picture so like that of the human species, we are naturally led to expect a corresponding mind; and it is certain that such of these animals as have been shown in Europe, have discovered a degree of imitation beyond what any quadruped can arrive at.(g) The little animals we have been describing, which are seldom found above four feet high, seem to partake of the nature of dwarfs among the human species, being gentle, assiduous and playful, rather fitted to amuse than terrify. But the gigantic races of the ouran-outang, seen and described by travellers, are truly formidable: and in the gloomy forests, where they are only found, seem to hold undisputed dominion. Many of these are as tall or taller than a man ; active, strong, and intrepid, cunning, lascivious, and cruel. This redoubtable rival of mankind is found in many parts of Africa, in the East Indies, in Madagascar, and in Borneo.(g) In the last of these places, the people of quality course him as we do the stag; and this sort of hunting is one of the favourite amusements of the king himself.* This creature is extremely swift of foot, (g) HABITS OF THE ORAN OUTANG.—Buffon gives an interesting account of one :—" I have seen it," says he, "give its hand to show the company to the door: I have seen it sit at table, unfold its napkin, wipe its lips, make use of the spoon and the fork to carry the victuals to its mouth, pour out its drink into a glass, touch glasses when invited, take a cup and saucer and lay them on the table, put in sugar, pour out its tea, leave it to cool before drinking; and all this without any other instigation than the signs or the command of its master, and often of its own accord. It was gentle and inoffensive; it even approached strangers with respect, and came rather to receive caresses than to offer injuries. It was particularly fond of sugared comfits, which every body was ready to give it; and, as it had a defluxion upon the breast, so much sugar contributed to increase the disorder and shorten its life. It continued at Paris but one summer, and died in London. It ate indiscriminately of all things, but it preferred dry and ripe fruits to all other aliments. It would drink wine, but in small quantities, and gladly left it for milk, tea, or any other sweet liquor. "Such these animals appeared when brought into Europe. However, many of their extraordinary habits were probably the result of education, and we are not told how long the instructions they received for this purpose were continued. But we learn from another account that they take but a very short time to come to a great degree of imitative perfection. Mr. L. Brosse bought two young ones, that were but a year old, from a (g) Le Compte's negro; and these at that early age discovered an astonishing power of imitation. They even then sat at the table like men, ate of every thing without distinction, made use of theu knife, spoon, and fork, both to eat their meat and help themselves. They drank wine and other liquors. When carried on shipboard, they had signs for the cabin boys expressive of their wants; and whenever these neglected attending upon them as they desired, they instantly flew into a passion, seized them by the arm, bit them, and kept them down. The male was sea sick, and required attendance like a human creature; he was even twice bled in the arm; and every time afterwards when he found himself out of order, he showed his arm, as desirous of being relieved by bleeding." RECENT CAPTURE OF THIS ANIMAL. -A female oran-outang has lately been captured by Captain Hull on the coast of Sumatra. On his arrival at Truman, where he was kindly received, he heard various accounts from the natives of the animal he was in search of, called by them Orang Mawah, Mawi, or Mawy. These animals, they said, resided in the deepest part of a forest, distant from Truman about five or six days' journey, and they appeared very averse to undertake any expedition in search of them, stating that these beings would assuredly attack any small party, especially if a woman should be with them, whom they would endeavour to carry off. They were unwilling also to destroy these animals from a superstitious belief that they are animated by the souls of their ancestors, and that they History of China. |