The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-08-25
PORT. SCOTT CO.. IOWA; THURSDAY, AUGUST Is, 1853
A Pet ourang-outang.

A Pet ourang- -outang.
The following account of Tuan, pet ou-
rang outanR, will, we think, interest our
readers. II is taken from French book,
Voyages ct Recits, by Dr.. WAN:
When Tuan was entrusted to me he was
about three years old. His height was that
Of child Of three. Had it not been for his
prominent abdomen, he would have resem-
bled young Malay, dressed in some brown
material, like our little sweeps. When !
freed him from the bamboo basket in which
he was brought to me, he siezed hold Of my
hand and tried to drag me away, as little
boy who wanted to escape from some disa-
|greeable object might have done. Itook him
into my room, in which NJ. Dutroncoy had a
sort of cell prepared for him. On seeing
his new cage, which resembled Malay
house, Tuan understood that it was in future
to be his lodging. He let 90 my hand and
set about collecting all the linen he could
find. He then carried his booty into his
lodging, and covered its walls carefully
napkin, and having draped himself in this
rag as majestically as an Arab in his
turnous, lay down in the bed he had prepar-
led.
Tuan's disposition was very mild; to raise
ones voice to him was sufficient. Yet he
now and then had very diverting fits Of an
ger. One day l took from him a mango he
had stolen. At first he tried to get it back;
but being unable to do so, he uttered plain
tive cries, thrusting out his lips like pout-
ing child. Finding that this pettishness had
not the success he anticipated, he threw him
self fiat on his face, struck the ground with
his fist, and screamed, cried, and howled
for more than half an hour. At last felt
that was acting contrary to my duty in re-
fusing the fruit he desired; for in opposition
to GoD's will, l was seeking to bend to the ex-
igencies of our civilization the Independent
nature which he had sent into the world
amid virgin forests, in oraer .aa. i !. should
obey all its instincts and satisfy all its
longings. / approached my ward, calling
him BY the most endearing names, and offer
ed him the mango. As soon as it was with
in his reach he clutchedit with violence and
threw it at my head. He was, however,
only on rare occasions peevish and naugh-
ty.
When first let Tuan dine with me at ta-
Bile, he adopted somewhat incorrect mode
Of pointing out the objects which were pleas
ing to him. He stretched out his brown
hand and tried to put upon his plate all he
could lay hold of. gave him a box on the
ear to make him understand polteness. He
then made use of q stratagem; he covered
his face with one hand while he stretched
out the other toward the dish. This scheme
answered no better; for | hit the guilty hand
with the handle of my knife. From that mo-
ment my intelligent pupil understood that he
was to wait to be helped. He very quickly
learned to eat his soup with spoon, in this
way, thin soup was placed before him; he
got upon the table, like dog, tapping, and
tried to sup it up slowly. This method ap-
pearing inconvenient to him, he sat down
again on his chair and took his plate IN both
hands; but, as he raised it to his lips, he spill
ed a portion of it over his breast. | then
took a spoon and showed him how to use it,
He Immediately initiated me, and ever
after made use of that culinary imple-
ment.
When brought Tuan on board the Gle
opatra he was domiciled at the foot of the
mainmast, and left completely free. He
went in and uut Of h,a habitation when he
pleased. The sailors received him as a
friend, and undertook to initiate him into the
customs of q sea-faring life. A little tin ba-
sin and spoon were given him, which he care
fully shut up in his house, and at meal times
he went to the distribution of provisions with
the crew. It was funny to see him, espe-
cially in the morning, getting his basin filled
with coffee, and then sitting comfortably
down to take his first meal in compa-
nv with his friends, the cabin boys.
Tuan acquired the habits of gourmet while
on board; he drank wine, and had even be-
come deeply learned in the art Of apprecia-
ting that liquid. One day two glasses were
offered him-one half full of champagne, the
other half full of claret. When he had a
glass in each hand, some one tried to deprive
him of that containing the champagne. To
defend himself, he hastily brought his disen-
gagged hand up to the one which had been seiz-
ed hold Of, and having, by dexterous effort,
succeeded In freeing it, he poured the spark
ling liquid into the glass OF which he had un-
disturbed possession, he then held out the
empty glass to the person who had tried to de-
prive him of it.
This act, so we'll conceived and so aiff-
cult to execute, was followed by one no less
Tdan was among the ropes,
and would not come down, in spite Of my
reiterated orders. l showed him glass OF
beer to persuade him to come down to me.
He looked 6 long while at what | offered
him, then, not trusting perfectly to what ne
saw, he took rope, and with admirable pre-
cision, directed its end into the glass. He
then drew up the rope, put the end he had
dipped into the liquid into his mouth, and,
having made sure Of the flavor, hasten
ed down to share the glass with me.
Tuan then took possession Of all the pie
ces Of stuff or clothing he found, and either
threw them over his shoulders or covered
his head with them. Handkerchiefs, nap
kins, shirts, or carpets, which came in his
way were Unfortunately used for this pur-
pose.
Wherever we put into harbor, ! brought
him clusters Of bananas; the fruits were pla-
ced with those belonging to the officers OF
the staff. Tuan had leave to enter this
sanctuary at pleasure. Provided he had
been once shown which clusters belonged
to him, he respected the others till such
time "a he had exhausted his own provision.
After that he no longer went ostensloiy
and boldly in search of fruit, but by STEALTH
like a serpent; the larceny com,
mitted, ne came up again faster than ne had
gone down.
p.Rxs IN VILLAGEs.-The Watertown
Journal says that liberal citizen OF Water
town, Mr.. JOHN C. STERLING, has donated
twenty acres of land adjoining the water res
mt Il