New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-21
An Abduction Indeed

p . 3 i f. p
We copy passage from. a paper read before
the American Geographical Society by Capt.
Gibson, lately returned from the East Indies,
and bringing with him some new facts as to the
tribes of ourang- outangs inhabiting the deserts
of that part of the world He says:
g My statement of the extraordinary pecu-
liarities of these apparently semi i-human beings
has led to the expression ofso much curiosity to
know more Of them by some, and of skepticism
as to the fact of their existence on the part Of
others, that have deemed it due to myself and
to public curiosity, to give additional facts
along with all the corroborative evidence that
has fallen under my observation.
| s While at Mintnk, Pal lamhang, and Batavia,
| heard many remarkable stories of the agility,
| audacity, and especially of the superhuman
strength OF the ourang oUtang, I will trespass
/ upon your attention b. relating one of the most
extraordinary, and at the same time one of the
best attested, which heard while in Batavia.
Lieut.. Shoch, of the Dutch East India army,
was on q march with q small detachment of
troops and coolies on the southeastern coast of
Borneo he had encamped, on one occasion,
during the monday heat, on the banks of one of
the small tributaries Of the Bangarmassin The
Lieutenant had with him his domestic establish
ment, which included his daughter, playful
and interesting little girl of the age of thirteen
One day, while wandering in the jungle, be-
yond the prescribed limits of the camp, and
garments and thrown them off almost to nudity,
the beauty of her person excited the notice of an
ourang outang, who sprang upon her and car
ried her of. Her piercing screams rang through
the forest to the ears of her dosing protectors,
and reused every man in the camp. The swift
barefooted coolies we're foremost in the pursuit,
and now the cry rings in the agonized fathers
ears that his daughter is deyoured by binatang
again that an ourang- outang has carried her
off. He rushes, half phrensied, with the whole
company to the thicket from whence the screams
proceeded, and there, among the top-most limbs
of an enormous banyan, the father beholds his
daughter, naked, bleeding, and struggling in
the grasp OF powerful ourang -outang, who
held her tightly, yet easily, with one arm, while
he sprang lightly from limb to limb, as if wholly
uneucumbered, It was in vain TO think Of
shooting the monster. SO agile was he. The
Dyak coolies, knowing the habits of the ourang-
outang. and knowing that he will always plunge
into the nearest stream when hard pressed,
began system of operations to drive him to
the water; they set up great shout, throwing
missiles of all kinds and agitating the under
brush while some proceeded to ascend the tree.
BY the redoubled exertions of the whole CON-
pany the monster was gradually driven towards
the water, yet still holding tightly to the poor
girl.
At last, the monster and his victim were seen
on an outstretching limb oYer-hanging the
est swimmers in the world, Immediately lined
| the banks; the soldiers continued the outcries
and throwing of missiles. He elasped his prize
more tightly, took a survey of water and then
of his upward gazing enemies, and then leaped
into the food. He had hardly touched the
water, ere fifty resolute swimmers plunged in
pursuit; as he rises, q dozen arms are reached
towards him; be is grasped others lay hold
upon the insensible girl; the ourang -outang
used both arms 10 defend, and, after decorating
the bodies Of some of the coolies with his power
ful nervous claws, finally succeeded in diving
beyond the reach of his pursuers, and in escap
ing down the stream, while the bleeding, insen-
sible Ledah was restored to the arms of her
| father and nurses, in whose hands she was ul-
timately restored TO consciousness. health and
strength once more This savage version OF the
classic story of Pluto and Pfoserpine is we'll
authenticated, and the girl, now a grownup
| woman, is living at Ambanya in the Moluccas."
/ ADMIRAL. NAPIER. Admiral Napier, who COM
mands the British fleet in the Baltie, figured in
the war against the United States IN 1872, and
/ not very creditably, as he was Joined with Coch-
! rane aud Cock burn ir making war upon the
farm-houses and hen-roosfs Of the Virginia far
/ mers. One of his letters Ingersolls. history
mentions, taken during the war, dated June "a,
! 1914. says
. Here am in Lynnhayen Bay, the clippers
sailing every day, and losing them for wait of
| fast sailors l have petitioned the Prince Re-
gent IN behalf of the whole of us for good
sfaee Of prize money. Excuse this hasty scrawl.
am in Add bad hunior, having just return
ed from an unsuccessful chase
We hope he will find the Baltic service calcu-
| lated to put him in a better humor.
] ilE ATr M HaEEMtN Iporn From. tha