The Portland daily press., 1869-05-29
Selected Story.
From .'The Malay Archipelago" published by Har-
per & Brothersl
A BABY 0RANG-UTANG

10 Ich ne. We iounu IL W De a fatner large
one, very high up on small tree. At the
second shot 1t fell, rolling over. but almost inn
medately got up again and began to climb.
AT third shot it fell dead. This was also a
fullgrown female, and while preparing to car
ny it home we found young one face down.
ward in the bog. This little creature was on
ly about foot long, and had evidently been
hanging TO its mother when she fell Luck
ily il did not appear to have been wounded
and after we had cleaned the mud out of its
mouth it began to cry out, and seemed qaite
strong and active. While carrying it home it
got its hands in my beard, and grasped so
tightly that had great difficulty in getting
free, for the fingers are habtually bent inward
at the last joint so as to form complete hooks.
AT this time it had not single tooth, Dut
few days afterward it cut its two lower front
teeth. Unfortunately, l had no milk to give
il. as neither Malays, Chinese, nor Dyaks
eyer use the article, and / in vain Inquired
for any female animal that could suckle my
little infant. II was therefore obliged to give
it rice-water from bottle with quill in the
cork, (which after few trials it learned to
to suck very well. This was very meagre
diet, and the little creature did not thrive we'll
on it, although added sugar and cocoa-nut
milk occasionally, to make it more nourishing.
When put my finger in its mouth, it suck
ed with great vigor, drawing in its cheeks
with all its might in the vain effort to extract
some milk, and only aff@ persevering a long
would give it up in disgust, and set up
scream very like that OF baby in similar cir
cumstanceS.
When handled or nulsed, it was very quiet
and contented, but when laid down by it sell
would invariably cry; and for the first few
nights was very restless and noisy. i fitted
up little box for cradle, with soft mat for
it to lie upon, which was changei and washed
very day, and scon found it necessary o
wash the little mias as well. After l had
done so a few times, it came to like the oper-
alton, and as soon as it was dirty would begin
crying, and not leave off till l took it out and
carried it to the spout, when it became quiet,
although it would vince little at the first
rush OF the cold water and make rediculously
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 arms and legs stretched out, while /
thoroughly brushed the long hair of its back
and arms. For the first few days it clung
desperately with all four hands to whatever
it could lay hold OF, and 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 was impossible to free
myself without assistance. When restless, it
struggle about with its hands up in the air
trying to find something to take hold CT, and,
three of its hands, seemed quite happy. For
want of something else, it would seize its own
feet and after a time 1t would constantly
cross its arms and grasp with each hand
the long hair that grew just below
the opposite shoulder. The great ten |
acity of its grasp soon diminished, and |
was obliged to invent some means to |
give it exercise and strengthen its limbs. |
For this purpose made short ladder of |
three or four rounds, on which put it to /
hang for quarter OF an hour at time. At /
first it seemed much pleased, but it could not |
get all four hands in comfortable position, |
and, after changing about several times, |
would leave hold of one hand after the ouher /
and drop on to the floor. Sometimes when |
hanging only by two hands, it would loose |
one, and cross it to the opposite shoulder,
graspiBg It's own hair; and, as this seemed |
much more agreeable than the stick, it would |
then loose the other and tumble down, when /
it would cross both and lie on its back quite /
contentidly, never seeming to be hurt by its |
numerous tumbles. Finding it so fond OF |
hair, endeavored to make an artificial moth |
er, by wrapping up piece of buffalo-skin into |
bundle, and suspending it about a foot from |
the floor. At first this seemed to suit it ad- |
mirably, as it could sprawl its legs about and |
always find some hair, which 1t grasped with /
the greatest tenacity. was now in hopes /
that had made the little orphan quite happy; |
and SO 1t seemed for some time till it began |
to remember its lost parent and try to suck. |
1t would pull itself up close to the skin, and |
try about everywhere for a likely place; but. |
as it emily succeeded In getting mouthfulls Of |
hair and wool, it would be greatly disgusted, |
and scream violently, and, alter two or three |
attempts, let go altogether. One day it got |
some wool into its throat, and l thought it |
would Harc- cholrcd, but utter much s,aerire.
IT recovered, and was obliged to take the i'm |
10 x,so
this last attempt to exercise the little crea- /
ture.
After the first week found could feed it
better with spoon, and give it little more
varied and more solid food. Well-soaked bis
cult, mixed with little egg and sugar. and |
sometimes sweet potatoes, were readily eaten: |
and 1t was never failing amusement to OBJ |
serve the curious changes OF countenance by |
which 1t would express its approval or dislike |
of what was given to it, The poor little
thing would lick its lips, draw in its cheeks,
and turn up its eyes with an expression of the
most supreme satisfaction when it had a |
mouthful to its taste. On the other hand,
when its food was not sufficiently sweet or
palatable, 1t would turn the mouthful about
with It's tongue for moment as If trying to
extract what flavor there was, and then push |
1t all out between its lips. If the same food |
was continued, it would set up scream and |
kick violently, exactly like baby in pas
sion.
After I had had the little mias about three
weeks, fortunately obtained young hare /
lip monkey (Macacus cynomolgus), which
though small, was very active, and could feed
itself. placed Is in the same box with the
MAS, ana they Immediately became excel
lent friends, neither exhibiting the least fear
OF the other. The little monkey would sit
upon the others stomach, or even on its face.
without the least regard to its feelings.
While was feeding the mias, the monkey
would sit by, picking up all that was split,
and occasionally putting out its hands to in
tercept the spoon; and as soon as had fin
lshed would pick off what was left sticking to
the miass lips, and then pull open its mouth
and see If any still remained inside: after
ward lying down on the poor creatures
stomach as on comfortable cushion. The
little helpless mias would submit to all these
insults with the most exemplary patience, on
ly too glad to have something warm near it,
which it could clasp afectionately in its arms.
1t sometimes, however, had its revenge; for
when the monkey wanted to 90 away, the
mias would hold on as long as it could by the
loose skin of its back or head, or by its tail,
and it was only after many vigorous jumps |
that the monkey could make his escape.
1t was curious TO observe the different ac-
tions OF these two animals, which could not |
have differed much in age. The mias, like a
very young baby, lying on its back quite help
less, rolling azlly from side to side, stretching
out all four hands into the air, wishing to
grasp something, but hardly able to guide its
fingers to any definite object, and when dis
satisfied, opening wide its almost toothless
mouth, and expressing its wants by most
iniantine scream; the little monkey, on the
other hand, in constant motion, running and
jumping about wherever it pleased examin-
ing everything around it, seizing hold of the
smallest objects with the greatest precision.
balancing itself on the edge of the box or
running up post, and helping itself to any
thing eatable that came in its way. There
could hardly be greater contrast, and the
baby mias looked more baby like by the COM
parisOn.
When had had it about month It began
10 exhibit some signs of learning to run
alone. When laid upon the floor it would
rush itself along by its leg, or roll itself over
and thus make an unwieldy progression. |
When laid in the box it would lift itself up
to the edge into almost an erect position, and
once or twice succeeded in tumbling out.
When left dirty, or hungry, or otherwise ne
elected, it would scream violently until at
tended to, varied by kind of coughing or
pumping noise very similar to that which is
made by the adult animal. If no one was in |
the house, or its cries were not attended to,
1t would be quiet for little while, but the |
momentit heard footstep would begin again
harder than ever.
Alter nye weeks it cut its upper front teeth,