The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-12-31


like what had seen in mcnagerle; and
there was my little William, serving out
food 10 the young ourang- -outangs, cutting
them and ordering them, in the broad An
nandale dialect, to do this, that, and the
other thing, and they were not only obedi.
ent, but seemed Hatiered by his notice and
correction. We were then presented
with delicious fruits, but had no heart TO
partake, being impatient 10 have my fami'
ly away from the midst of this brutal soci-
ETY.; for as long as they were there, could
not conceive them safe or fairly in my own
power.
Agnes then stood up and made speech
to her subjects, accompanying her express
sions with violent motions and contortions,
to make them understand her meaning.
They understood it perfectly; for when
they had heard that she and her children
were to leave them, they set mp such a
jabberiBg of lamentation as British ears
never heard. Many ofthem covering and
fawning before her, and she laid her hand
on their heads; many, toe, ,ofthe young ones
came running, and lifting up the children's
hands, they put them on their own heads
We then formed close circle round Agnes
and the children, to the exclusion of the
pongos that still followed behind. bowling
and lamehting; and that night we lodged
in the camp of the Lockos, placing triple
guard round my family, Of which there
stood great need. We burst not travel by
night, but we coutrived two covered hur-
dies, in which we carried Agnes and the
children, and for three days 4 considerable
body of the talest and the strongest Of the
ourang- -outangs attended our steps, and
some Of them cane TO rs fearlessly every
day, as she said, to see if she was well,
and if we were hurting her.
We reached our own settlement one
day sooner than VIC took in marching
eastward but then burst not remain for a
night, but getting into vessel, sailed
straight for the Cape, having first made o.
yer all my goods and chattels to my coun.
trymep, who are 30 send me down value
here in cora and fruit; end here am, living
with my Agnes and our two children, at a
little wigwam about tive miles from Cape
Towa.
My Agnes's part Of the story is the most
extraordinary of all. But here must needs
be concise, giving only short and gener-
al outline of her adventures; for among
dumb animals, whose signals and grmma-
ces were go liable TO misrepresentation,
much must have been left to her own con.
lecture. The creatures motives for steal.
ing aud OBTAINING hor appeared to have
been rs follows;
These animals remain always in distinct
tribes, & are perfectly subordinate TO chief
or ruler, and his secondary chiefs. For
their expedition to rob our gardens, they
had brought their soyereign's sole heir "a
ong with them, as they never leave any of
he royal family behind, for fear of sur
prisal, 1t was this royal cub which we had
killed, and the Queen his mother, having
been 1istrac,edly inconsolablc for the loss
Df her darling, the old monarch had set out
by night tostry,lf possible to recover it, and
an not find tc seiZed on my boy in It's
place, carried it home in safety to his
Queen, and gave il to her to nurse. She
lid SO. Yea, she positively did nurse him
it her breast for three months, and never
child throve better than he did BY that
lime, he was beginning to walk, and aim at
speech by initiating every voice he heard,
Of beast or bird; and 1t had struck
the monsters as a great loss, that they had
no means Of teaching their young soye
reign to speak, at which he seemed so apt,
This led TO the scheme ofsteaing his own
mother 10 be It's instructor, which they eff
fec ted in the most mastery style, binding
and gagEing her in her own house, and
carrying her from populous hamlet, in the
fair forenoon, without having been dscov
cred. Their eXpertness, and the rapidity
of their motions, Agnes described as in.
conceivable by those who had never wit
messed them. They showed every sort Of
kindness and tenderness by the way, prof.
ferng her plenty of fruit end water; but
she gave herself totally up to despair, til,
behold! she was introduced 20 her own lit
tie William. plump, thriving, and as merry
as a cricket, gambolling away among his
brutal compeers, for many of whom he had
conceived great affection, but then they
iakout grew him, while others fast oyer
TOOK him in size.
Agnes Immediately took her boy under
protection. and was soon given TO under.
stand that her will was to be the sole law ,f
the community; and all the while that they
detained her, they never refused her in aught
save TO take her home sgain. Our lit
tie daughter she had named Beatrice, after
her maternal grandmother. She was born
six months and six days after Agness alb
stracion. She spoke highly of,he pongos,
docilty, generosity, warmth of ahec-
ton to their mates and young ones, and Of
their irresistible strength. She conceived
them, m,however. to have been tribe greatly
superiour ,e all others Of the race, for she
never could regard them in any other light
than os dumb human creatures. confess
that had the same sort of feeling while in
their settlement for many Of the young fe.
males in particular were much comlier than
negro savagcs have seen, and they laugh.
cd, smiled, and cried very much like hu.