The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-09-09


u:cs we introduced lens, III. 2. which brought them
TO the apparent proximity of eighty yards the
highest clear magnitude we possessed until the lat
ter end Of March, when We effected an improvement
i, the gas BARRIERS. About half of the first party had
passed beyond our canvass; but of all the others
we had perfectly distinct and deliberate view.
T'hcy averaged four feet in height, were covered,
.xcep, OIL tls face, with short aud glossy copper
culcurcd hair, and had wings composed of thin
membrane, without hair, lying snusy upon their
bacas from the top of the shoulders to the calves of
the legs. The iice, which was of yelowish flesh
c,lor was Il slight improvement upon that Of the
large orans outang being more open and intclli-
gent in lis expression, and having much greater
EXPANSION of forehead. The mouth, however, was
very prominent though somewhat relieved by thick
beard upon the lower jaw, and by lips far more hu-
man than those of any species of the simia genus.
In general symmetry of body and limbs they
infinitely superior to the orang outang; SO much so,
that but for their long wings, Lieut.. Drummond
said they would look well on parade ground
some of the oil cockney militia ! The hair on the
heal was Il darker color than that Of the body,
closely cured, but apparently not woolly, and mr.
ranged in two curious semi-clrcles over the tenn
pies of the forehead. Their feet could only be
seen as they alternately lifted in walking; but
from what we could of them in 81 transient n
view, they appeared thin and very protubcrant at
ihc heel.
g Whilst passing across the canvas, and when
ever we afterwards them, these creatures evil
dently engaged IN conversation; their gesticulation,
more particularly the varied action of their hands
aal arms, appeared lmphssoned and scmphatic'
We hence iaicrrcl that they rational beings,
and though not perhaps of 50 hgh an order others
which we discovered the next month on the shores
of the Buy of Ranbows, that they capable of
producing works of art and contrivancc. The next
view we o5aincd of them still more favorable.
l. h,,r1n of I,l,e b,I
stream which we then for the frs, time perceived
running down the valley to The large lake, and hav-
,rg on its eastern margin small wood. Some OF
these creature had crossed this wntcr aud were
lying like spread eagles the s.irts of the wood.
We could then perceive thlt their wings possessed
great exycus0n and were similar in structure those
of the bat, h ing IA semi-transparen membrane cx-
panded in cnryilneal divisions by means of straight
raili, united at the back by dorsal intce ceumcnts.
Bat what nsioniShCl MS very much was the crcum-
stance of this membrane being continued, from the
shoulders to the legs, united all the way down,
though gradually decreasing in width. The wings
seemed completely under the command of yolition,
for those of the creatures whom we saw bathing in
The water, spread them Instantly their full width
waved them ducks do theirs to shake off the wa
ter, and then as Instantly closed them again in Il
compact form. Our further observation OF the hab-
It's OF these creatures who were of both sexes, led to
results so very remarkable, that prefer they should
be first Laid before the public in DIR. Hcrsches own
work. where have reason to know they fully
and faithfully stated, however lncredulously they
may be received.
Thctl families then almost simultaneously spread
their wings, and were lost in the dark confines of
the canvass, before had time to breathe from our
paray yzing ast"nishmcn We scientifically dcnom-
mated them the Vcspcrtilio-homo or man-bat and
they are doubtless innocent and happy creatures,
Notwithstanding some of their amusemcn,s would
iLut i'll comport with terrestrial notions of de-
curum. The valley tser we called the Ruby Col
oscum, in compliment to its siupcndous southern
boundary the six mile sweep of red precipices two
thousand feet high. Aud the night, or rather morn
inc. being far advanced, postponed our tour to
Petavious, (No. 20,) until another opportunity"
We have, of course, faithfully obcycd DIR. Grants =
private injunction to omit those highly curious pas
slges in his cspondence which he wished us to
suppress, although do not clearly perceive the i
f,cc OF the assigned for it. 1t is the
omitted paragraphs contain acts which would be
wholly incredible 10 readers who do not carefully .
examine the principles aud capacity OF the instru-
ment with which these marvellous discoveries have
been nude; but will nearly all of those which he
has kindly permitted us to publiS! and it for
this that considered the explicit dcscrip-
toa which we have given of the telescope SO mpor-
t,nt preliminary. From these, however, and 9TH
or prohibited passages, which will be published by
Dr.. Hcrschel, with the certificates of the civil and
military authority OF the colony, and of several f.
piscopal, Wesleyan, and other ministers, who, in .
the month of March last, were permitted under the
stipulation of temporary secrecy visit the obscr-
yatorv, and become eyc-witnesscs of the wonders
which they requested 20 attest, we confident
his forthcoming Volumes will be ut the most
sublime in science. and the most intense in general
interest, that ever issued from the press.
The night of the l4th displayed the moon in her
mean lJralion full but the somewhat humid
state of the atmosphere being for several hours less
favorable to minute inspection than to general
survey of her surface, they were chiefly devoted to
he latter purpose. But shortly after midnight the