The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-06-13
From The .Saiem GaSefte.
OGRA\G OuIANG.

~ 80 -
5th of Jannary. Among other dona-
lions. the skin, eXtremlties. X parts
al the head and neck Of a larTc Ou.
rang Untang, killed ON the coast Of
Snmatra. were presented TO the So
cicty by n capt. Coontoot. Accord
lnc To the cot given below.
which MAS read ut the meeting, this
animal must have been of very I'M
common size and strength. None
0f the specimens which have hccn
exhibited In Europe, have ever eX-
ceeded three feet IN height, and their
principal characteristic has been a
mild Imitation ofthe domestic habits
of man. hat this one is said 10 have
been nearly eight feet high, and very
teroei0us.
"It appears that an Officer Of the
ship Mary .9nnc Sophia, was ON shore
at a place called Ramboom. near
Touromon. on the West Coast of
Snmatra, where he discovered The
animal IN tree. lie assembled his
people & followed him To "A tree in a
cultivated spot on which he took ref
ugc. His walk WAS erect and wad
ding. but not quick, and he was o.
hliged occasionally to accelerate his
motion with his hands but with the
bough Of "A tree he ~impelled himself
forward with great rapidity. When
he reached the tree his strength was
shown III a high degree, for with one
spring he gained a very lofty Dough,
and bounded from it with the ease oi
smaller animals of his kind. Had
the circumjaccnt land been covered
with woods he would certainly have
escaped from his l%ursuels, his mode
of travelling, by bough o trce, being
described as rapid rs the progress
OF a very fleet horse. But at Ram
boom there are but very few trees
left in the midst of cultivated fields
and amongst these alone he .jumpet
about to avoid being taken. lie was
first shot on a tree, and after having
received five balls, his eXertions
were relaxed, owing no doubt to loss
OF blood and the ammunition being
about this time expended, they were
obliged to have cours to other
measures for his destruction. One
0fthe first balls probably penetrated
BIS lungs, for Immediately after the
infection ofthc wound he Slug him
sell by his feet from a branch with
his head hDWnwards, and allowed the
blood To flow from his mouth.
On receiving n wound he always
put his hand over the injured part,
and the h~uman-likc agony OF his ex-
preston had the natural effect of OK.
citing painful feelings among his pur-
Sucrs. With the assistance of thu
%pcasantry, who seemed rs amazed
at tie sight OF the animal as the crow
Of the Mary Anne Sophid, never hay.
ing seen one before, although living
within two days journey from tht
vast and |iimpenctrable forest on tl'
island, they cut down the tree Oh
W III u uN hhD t''tiitiS AAifAua'N "
bnt the moment he found it falling
he excrtcd his remaining strcngtI
and gained another tree, and then
. third, until he was finally brought T.
, the ground and forced to combat hi
ASSISTANTS, who gathered very thick
ly round and discharged spears an,
other missiles against him. Ih'
, first spear, made Of very stron!
supple sort Of wood which wonl'
have resisted the strength of TIN
strongest man, was broken by hin
= like q carrot, and had he not been IL
=, this time in almost a dying state, /
was feared he would have severed
the heads Of some of the party wit
! equal case. He fell at length undcl
innumcrable stabs inflicted by Tn
peasantry. The animal is SUPPOSED
to have travelled some distance from
y the place where he was killed, as hi
n legs we're covered with mud mp Il
I, tie knees. HE hands and feet u
> the animal had great analogy to hu
MAJ hands and feet, only that th'
I thumbs were smaller in propurtion
and situated nearer the wrist Join
than tic thumbs d thurman beings &c
morally are His body was we'll pro
p%ortioncd 4: he had Il fine broad eX
handed chest and a narrow waist
His legs however, we're rather short
B his rms very long. tho both pos
sesscd such sinew and muscle, as lei
!, no doubt other power and strength
!. His head was we'll proportion
cd with his body Z; the rose a pro
: minent ; the eyes large q his mout