The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-28
a Baby Orans.FJtan.

From the interesting work on ''The Malay
Archipelago" by Alfred Russell Wallace, which
we noticed a short time ago, we take the follow
ing account of Il young orang-utang or mias,
which the author succeeded in capturing alive:
While carrying it home it got its hands in my
beard and graspcd it so tightly that / had great
difficulty in getting free, for the fingers are
habituaily bent inward at the last Joint so as to
form complete hooks At this time it had not n
single TOOTH but few days afterwards it cut its
two lower front teeth Unfortunately, had no
milk to give it, as neither Malays, Chinese, nor
Dyaks ever use the article and in vain inquired
for any female animal that could suckle my little
infant / was therefore obliged to give it rice
water from a bottle with a quill in the cork,
which after a few trials it learned to suck very
well This was very meagre diet. and the little
creature did not thrive well on it, although |
added sugar and cocOa-nut milk occasionally, to
make it more nourishing. When | put my finger
in its mouth, it sucked with great vigor, draw
ing in its cheeks with all its might in the vain
effort to extract some milk, and only after per-
seyering long time would it give up in disgust,
and set up scream very like that OF a baby in
similar circumstances. -a , kss
When handled or nursed it was very quiet and
contented, but when laid down by itself would
invariably cry, and for the first few nights was
very restless and noisy. l fitted up u little box
for cradle, with a soft mat for it to lie upon,
which was changed and washed every day, and
1 soon found ii necessary to wash the little mias
we'll After / had done so few times it
came to like the operation, and as soon as it was
dirty would begin crying, and not leave off till
took it out and carried it to the spout, when it
Immediately became quiet although it would
vince little at the first rush of the cold water,
and make ridiculOusly wry faces while the stream
was running over its head 1t enjoyed the
Wiping and rubbing dry amazingly, and when /
brushed its hair seemed to be perfectly happy
lying quite still, with its and legs stretched
out, while | thoroughly brushed the long hair of
its back and arms. For the first few DAYS il cunr
desperately with all four hands to whatever it
could lay hold of, and l had to be careful to
Keep my beard out of its way, as its fingers
clutched hold of hair more tenaciously than any,
thing else, and it impossible to free my
self without assistance. When restless it would
struggle about with its hands up in the air try
ing TO find something to take hold of; and when
1t had got bit of stick or rag in two or three
of its hands, it seemed quite happy For want
of something else it would often seize its own
feet, and after time 1t would constantly cross
its arms and grasp with each hand the long hair
that grew just below the opposite shoulder
The great tenacity of its grasp soon diminished
and was obliged to invent some means to give
it exercise and strengthen its limbs. For this
purpose / made a short ladder of three or fouI
rounds on which | put it to hang for quarter
of an hour at time. At first il
seemed much pleased, but it could no
get all four hands in comfortable posi-
ton, and after changing about seVera
times, would leave hold of one hand after tho
other and drop to the floor. Sometimes wheI
hanging only by two hands, 1t would loost
one, and cross it to the opposite shoulder grasp
ing its own hair and as this seemed much NOR
agreeable than the stick, it would then loose tin
other and tumble down, when it would eros
both and lie on Its back quite contentedly, neye
seeming TO be hurt by its numerous tumbles
Finding il so fond of hair, endeavored to maxi
an artificial mother by wrapping up piece o
buffalo-skin into bundle, and suspendng i
aoOut foot from the floor AT first this seeme
TO suit it admirably, as it could sprawl its leg
about and always find some hair, which !
grasped with the greatest tenacity. was now il
hopes that had made the little orphan quit
il began 70 remember its lost parent and try 4