e
rest of her body, while her features might be described as very
human-looking for a monkey, or very monkeyfied for a human being. But I
noticed that her arms were disproportionately long, as compared with
those of a woman; and a further glance revealed that her feet had a
distinct resemblance to hands, her great toes looking very much more
like thumbs.

It was not from her, however, that the roaring and grunting sounds
emanated--for she sat quite silent--but from two males of her own
species, who, in the middle of the arena, were engaged in deadly combat,
using their hands, feet, and teeth as weapons, which they employed with
most ferocious energy. Gripping each other by the throat with the left
hand, apparently with the twofold purpose of strangling and preventing
the opponent from biting, while with the right fist they battered each
other savagely, occasionally using the right foot in an endeavour to
throw each other, the combatants--both of whom stood well over six feet
high--whirled hither and thither with astounding agility, so completely
occupied with each other--and the female so absorbed in watching them--
as to be utterly oblivious of our presence there on the edge of the
arena, partially concealed beneath the shadow of the trees.

For several minutes they fought thus, locked together in a deadly grip;
then, as though by mutual consent, they drew apart a few paces,
evidently for the purpose of recovering their breath, glaring
ferociously at each other meanwhile, and uttering low, deep, rumbling,
snarling growls: and the tremendous energy which they must have expended
during the struggle was abundantly evidenced by the convulsive heaving
of their great, hairy chests. Then suddenly they rushed at each other
again, and became locked in a deadly embrace, each fixing his strong,
fang-like teeth deeply in the shoulder of the other, and each apparently
striving to crush the body of the other in the grip of his great, hairy
arms, the enormously powerful muscles of which could be plainly seen
working beneath the skin. To and fro they swayed, still tightly locked
together, growling and snapping at each other with such deadly ferocity
that in a few moments the blood was streaming copiously from their
lacerated shoulders and arms; and then one, apparently the younger of
the two, succeeded in throwing his opponent violently to the ground.
The shock seemed partially to stun the thrown one for a few seconds, and
of th