The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-05-27
The Dyak Maiden,s Peril.

| While Of NIintok, Palembang, and Batavia,
(says traveler), heard many remarkable
stories of the agility ud4city. and especially
of the superhusnan strength, of ths orang
outang.
| will trespass on your attention by rels
| ting Que of the most extraordinary. at the
sane time. one OF the best attested, while at
Batavia ~
L'eutcnant Shoch Of the Dutch East Indis
army was ON march with small detach,
ment ct troops aud coolies on the southern
coast Of Rorneo; be had encamped, on one
occasion, during the MONDAY heat, on the
banks Of one of the small tributaries Of the
Bangarmassi D. The Lieutenant had With hitS
bis domestic establishment, which included
hi daughter playful and interesting little
girl of the ago Of thirteen. = - -
One day, while wandering in the jungle be-
You'd the prescribed limits Of the camp and
haying frota the oppressive heat, loosened
her garments and thrown them off almost
to nudity. the beauty Of her person excited
the notice of an orang-outang who sprang
upon her and carried her off. Her piercing
screams rang through the forest to the ears Of
her doing protectors, and reused every man
in the camp. The swift bare footed coolies
were foreincst ip the pursuit; and now the
cry rings in the 'agonized fathers ears that
his daughter is devoured BY a bianatang--
again, that an orang outang has carried her
of. He rushes halt frenzed, with the whole
company, to the thicket whence the scggaps
pfodse9e d--and there, Among the topmost
limbs Of an enormous bahyAr,, the father be.
held his daughter naked, bleeding, and strng:.
gllEg 'in Fhe grasp Of powerful orang-outang,
who held her Eighty. yeteasly with one arm,
while he sprang lightly from limb to limb, as
if wholly unincumbered 1t was in vain to
think OF shooting the monster, so agile was
he The pyak coolies, knowing the habits of
the orang-outaug 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 missils Of all kinds, and agi
tating the underbrush, while some proceeded
to ascend the tree. BY the redonbled exer-
tons Of the whole company, tee monster was
driven toward the water yet still holding
tightly to the poor girl.
AT last the monster ard his victim wers
seen 81 an outstretching limb o4erhangiaE
the stream tbs coolies, who are among the
swimmers in the world. immediately
lined the banks the soldiers continued the
outcries and throwing of missiles. He clasp.
ed his prize more tightly, took survey Of
the water and of his upward gazing enemies,
and then leaped into the food beoy He
had hardly touched the water ere fifty reso-
lutte swimmers plunged in in pursuit. As he
rises dozen human arms are reached out to-
ward him he is grasped; others lay hold
upon the insensible girl; the orang- outang
used both arms in defense and, after lacera-
ting the bodies Of some Of the coolies with
his powerful, nervous claws, finally succeeded
in diving beyond the reach of his pursuers,
and in escaping down the stream; while the
bleeding, insensible Ledah was restored to the
arms Of her father aud nurse, in whose hands
she was ultimately restored to consciousness,
health, and strength once more. - - 's 's''4'