My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

l8oMY LIFEfashionable society at the Zoological Gardens. Whenits poor mother fell mortally wounded, the baby wasplunged head over ears in a swamp about the consistenceof pea-soup, and when I got it out lookedvery pitiful. It clung to me very hard when I carriedit home, and having got its little hands unawares intomy beard, it clutched so tight that I had great difficultyin extricating myself Its mother, poor creature, hadvery long hair, and while she was running about thetrees like a mad woman, the little baby had to holdfast to prevent itself from falling, which accounts forthe remarkable strength of its little fingers and toes,which catch hold of anything with the firmness of avice. About a week ago I bought a little monkeywith a long tail, and as the baby was very lonelywhile we were out in the daytime, I put the littlemonkey into the cradle to keep it warm. Perhaps'you will say that this was not proper. How couldyou do such a thing ? ' But, I assure you, the babylikes it exceedingly, and they are excellent friends.When the monkey wants to run away, as he oftendoes, the baby clutches him by the tail or ears anddrags him back ; and if the monkey does succeed inescaping, screams violently till he is brought backagain. Of course, baby cannot walk yet, but I let itcrawl about on the floor to exercise its limbs ; but itis the most wonderful baby I ever saw, and has suchstrength in its arms that it will catch hold of mytrousers as I sit at work, and hang under my legs fora quarter of an hour at a time without being the leasttired, allthe time trying to suck, thinking, no doubt,it has got hold of its poor dear mother. When itfinds no milk is to be had, there comes anotherscream, and I have to put it back in its cradle andgive it 'Toby'—the little monkey—to hug, which