every thing and every body: but he was also a
first-rate equestrian. Whenever the pigs
were let out to take a run on deck, he took his station
behind a cask, whence he leaped on the back of one
of his steeds as it passed. Of course the speed
was increased, and the nails he stuck in to keep himself
on, produced a squeaking: but Jack was never
thrown, and became so fond of the exercise, that he
was obliged to be shut up whenever the pigs were at
liberty. Confinement was the worst punishment
he could receive, and whenever threatened with that,
or any other, he would cling to me for protection.
At night, when about to be sent to bed in an empty
hencoop, he generally hid himself under my shawl,
and at last never suffered any one but myself to put
him to rest. He was particularly jealous of the
other monkeys on board, who were all smaller than himself,
and put two out of his way. The first feat of
the kind was performed in my presence: he began
by holding out his paw, and making a squeaking noise,
which the other evidently considered as an invitation;
the poor little thing crouched to him most humbly;
but Jack seized him by the neck, hopped off to the
side of the vessel, and threw him into the sea.
We cast out a rope immediately, but the monkey was
too frightened to cling to it, and we were going too
fast to save him by any other means. Of course,
Jack was flogged and scolded, at which he was very
penitent; but the deceitful rogue, at the end of three
days, sent another victim to the same destiny.
But his spite against his own race was manifested at
another time in a very original way. The men had
been painting the ship’s side with a streak
of white, and upon being summoned to dinner, left
their brushes and paint on deck. Unknown to Jack,
I was seated behind the companion door, and saw the
whole transaction; he called a little black monkey
to him, who, like the others, immediately crouched
to his superior, when he seized him by the nape of
the neck with one paw, took the brush, dripping with
paint, with the other, and covered him with white
from head to foot. Both the man at the helm and
myself burst into a laugh, upon which Jack dropped
his victim, and scampered up the rigging. The
unhappy little beast began licking himself, but I
called the steward, who washed him so well with turpentine,
that all injury was prevented; but during our bustle
Jack was peeping with his black nose through the bars
of the maintop, apparently enjoying the confusion.
For three days he persisted in remaining aloft; no
one could catch him, he darted with such rapidity
from rope to rope; at length, impelled by hunger,
he dropped unexpectedly from some height on my knees,
as if for refuge, and as he had thus confided in me,
I could not deliver him up to punishment.