The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-03-31
The Infant Orang-Outan
BY 8. II. BROWNE.
From the Independent.

/ From the Independent
The Orang- Outan is native Of the
great islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
The name, as most young readers know,
means Man of the Woods" or forest, be-
cause the creature bears the closesC resem
blance to man of all the monkey tribe.
In Bornea it is often very misceeivous !;
coming out of its forest hiding places by
night and making havoc with gardens
and fruit-orchards- destroying wantonly
large quantities of their products, which
it does not require for food. The natives,
therefore, hunt it and reduce it's number
as much as possible in the vicinity Of
their fields and dwellings. It is, howev
er, very difficult to approach the Orang
as it takes refuge in the tops OF lofty
trees, whose branches and foliage are
made to conceal it from It's pursuer. Even
W hsn fatally wounded, it will SO careful
ly place itself in crotch, or upon a mat
ted mass of foliage peculiar to tropical
growth, that its body often does not
fall from the tree when life is extinct.
| A recent traveller in those islands
(Wallace) gives an interesting account of
his experience in hunting these animals,
and his observations of their habits in
their native forests
Onone occasion he shot full-grown
female, which was carrying a young one
in it's arms. He did not know this until
it fell with its dead mother from the tree.
1t was only about foot long and
quite babylsh in its appearance and be-
havior %@eag8
nj =. ~ fr1r.o cf ar6 o.
exploring those regions to learn all about
their peculiarities of animal and vegeta-
BILE life. He was very anxious, therefore,
to preserve this little creature, and watch
it's growth and development,
He carried it home and tried to pro-
vide some food which would nourish it,
instead of milk, which it was impossible
to obtain. He did not succeed WE'LL for
though it lived three months, it did not
grow or thrive The incidents of It's
oref existence, however, as he relates
them, are both interesting and amusing.
The arms of the Orang are very long in
proportion to its body. In the full
grown animal they reach, when he stands
erect, almost to the ankles. Those of the
little one were also long and very fexi-
bic, with the fingers adapted to cling te-
naciously to whatever it could get hold
Of In this way it had attached itself to-
the tufts of hair on the mother should
er so tightly that she could leap from
branch to branch and spring from tree to
tree without shaking it off. 1t was ex-
ceedingly uneasy, consequently, to find
something to cling to and hang upon, as
it had done to its mother Mr.. Wallace
pitied its restless reachings for this pur-
pose, and tried TO comfort it by tending
it in his arms. After few such attempts,
however, he gave it'up; for, in spite of
all he could do, it would seize his beard
with such a grip that he could not re-
lease himself without assistance
At length he hit upon a device which
gave his little protege great deal of com
fort for WHILE He rolled buffalo
Skin into a bundle, with the hair outward,
and allowed it to grasp and climb upon
it as much as it liked. This process
strengthened its limbs and improved its
health but in short time it began TO
suck the skin, and got so much hair in
It's throat and stomach as to produce
serious sickness. 1t became necessary,
therefore, to- lake away the bundle,
which had given it so much pleasure.
But it pinned for companionship. 1t
wanted something warm and living to
cuddle upto. 1tsoon leanred to like pet.
ting and handling, and would cry like
any baby to be taken up. The daily
bath and gentle brushing which it re-
ceived gave it comfort and enjoyment
After a while Mr.. Wallace succeeded
in capturing young monkey of another
species for companion to the little
Orang. 1t was thought to be about the
same age, but so much more mature and
lively that it quite tyrannized over the
weaker party, treating it with great in
difference and d.sdaln. though not with
Ill nature superior strength and agil-
ity gave it decidedly the advantage which
it was never slow to take and to keep
over the wee, habyish creature that was
nomatch for it in anything. 1t would
take food out, of its mouth, pull it about,
sit on It's face or stomach, without the
least compunction or consideration of its
feelings. The young OraDg submitted
patiently to all these indignities for the
sake of the warDlGh and comfort it deriv-
ed from living body close to its own.
1t had no teeth when first taken; but
in few days it cut the two front ones Of
the lower jaw, acting very much like .
human infant at the trying period of
teething. -ra
Mr.. Wallace hoped to raise the little
thing, to whichhe became much attached.
But all his efforts to procure suita ole
food for it failed and. after he had faith
fully cared for it night and day for three
months, it died.
1--WE believe the Chimpanzee is more
nearly allied to man than the Orang-
Outang.