Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1856-08-08
MIS- c ELAN Y.
The 0rang-Kubus, or Hairy Men Of
SumatTa.

Archipelago, contains the following account
Of those apochryphal beings
got a glimpse amid a thick bower Of
foliage, at a height Of about eighty feet, Of
a dark brown form seeming 70 me as largo
as a human being; and when Bahdoo saw
il, he cried out; omng.kubu.
raised a shout AMI We an cried out At
tho top Of our voices struck a, some low
dropping limbs with the pike which held
in my hand. and then We hcarl rustlius aud
lcapinc sounds at other points iu The great
tree tops near 'hc forms We had seen, this
one shifted, slid down q limb, came nearer
to view, and then We could partly scc a vc-
~ human looking form, holding little
creature with very human looking face,
and pocriug down upon MS.
The nilor had raised his carhinc and was
about % rrr, when | BID him stop. II
seemed like murder to shoot at that face,
for hal heard something Of the wild and
hairy races, roaming in the forests not far
from the waters Of Bladon'hurg, again
raised shout, Bahdoo made q peculiar
piercing cry, and again the creature moved.
IL lcapol anil tho huge tree shook. Down.
ward came tho sounds rustlinc, crashing,
then dark bodies sho, before Us, aud pluns.
cl into the creek.
We bad stood with weapons craspol, cy-
rrc,in: nm attack butafcr hearing quick
FOUNDER AMI splash in the water, mp sprung
li,c or six large creatures, dimly scrn for o
moment, and then mp 90 the hank anil away
into the t'ick forest 900 tho other side.
Thrcc.murths Of thc diy was now gone,
and I had seen enough f,r ono days cScur-
SION. The hoat was put about and rowcd
quickly down the stream, pulled with hand'
again through the narrow neck, whcrc the
lcary tops brushed our backs. our fatigue
rlt lish,surl when wc shot out or th, laiy
cavern, into the warm daylight On the main
stream We had lclt, and our fatigue was all
forgotten when, upon turning thc bend Of
tine stream in,, th, mos, W, bsheIi the
graceful golden tippol stars Of the Fllrt
walking up amid the tree tops
Alsht hr,.z' had risen, filling tho clip
prr's main and urc-tor.ail, with which she
walked away from the lamhgrin. bark that
crrp, slowly ba!inl, with an ails SET. It
was sweet, after my day fatigue, 90 sii on
my quartrr.lccl. and feel thr wan, Ola
tlat blew perfume from the woods, and
rhysl with tac fold, of the NagorAmri,a,
which fclt proud to think | was thc first
TO bear up ,his Suma,raa stream.
When w, had como 90 anchor, whIlcl at
ratin. my curry, rr1l mill, .lyory El't In
lnn curry, prepared by Gahi,', and while
.irrin. tbc fragrant tea of my frirul Lame
Boo srn.. thc ,I.li,,t leaf, brought from
taa c.u,ro of China, and gathered, as Doc
.ail, hy m1ukrys, ou certain inaccessible
rocky lodges on mountain sides, and while
rroyin. tar merits Of the mlugoes brought
by thr Dcmarr, visitor was announced.
anil the youn. surgeon from ihc Ball hIS
entered the cabin.
lie commrn,clup0n IN, human.'ikocrsa
turr, which hal seen. lIc had heard NJ
d wild race orhuman-.hap,ibinss, covered
with hair, called orans.ku1u, orhrown men,
who who were % hc iosul in The country
north Of palcmhns, between it and thc
territory Of Jambso. living on the streams
that n1w into the Banyon Assin but be-
had never heard Of them upon the Mossc,
or any or its branches. yet il need not be-
surrrisins that the kuhus should be hunl
on the Musse,, as there was a direct COM
munication, by cross channels, between
them.
\ great many extraordinary and imrroh.
all, stories are told about the kubns and
other wild aboriginal races, by the Malay,
who call them all by the general name OF
orang utan. Some account Of them was
given by lcutcnan, in the army Of Moth
India, who spent many years in
Sumatra.
The Lieutenant said that tie orang-kubu
are to be found in the Iarg' tracts Of forests
watcrcd bv tho IAkitan, Batang, Lokoh,
Rawas. Uln, and Iclan rivers, tributaries Of
tho Moscc and the Danyon Assin, and form
inc boundaries between the territory OF Ba-
Icnbourg and Sdltanctc Of Jambcc, lie
spoke Of them as a race OF beings, living in
a state Of nature, rs simple as wild beasts.
They were much stronger built than the
civilized men Of the island; symmetrically
formed, Of powerful frame, and capable OF
enduring the hardships incident to their
british life.
Some of these creatures, he said, wear
small strip Of bark about the loin', and both
sexes daub themselves with mud and gum
from trees, to avoid the bites ofinscci' but
thcv seem to have no idea Of the use Of gar
mcnts for a covering. The men have long,
shaggy boards, an appendagc almost denied
10 the civilized Sumatrans, and the bodies
Of both males and females arc covered with
long flowing hair.
Their food consists Of wild berries and
rruits. and Of fish, aud several species ofrcp'
tiles, which they eat raw. They do mot cul,
tivatc the earth in any manner whatever.
When traversing the forests they are ac'
companied by a species Of large, wild dog,
who keep watch against the attacks Of tigers
~ l,,rg o,1 olg, sBrvo og sautinpls n