Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-10-06
The oraug Outang.

An adult orang-outang has arrived
In London from Malacca, and is an at
traction in the Geological Garden. The
oraBg in question Ia not, like so
many of his kindred who have pre-
ceded HIM 10 England, an infant in
years, but of middle age and full-grown.
He stands Eve feet without his stock
ings, and, being a little bald and well
whiskered, is very respectable look
ing specimen OF the man ape. The
baby orangs who have hitherto been
exhibited have been guiieless urchins
of no decided character, solemn coun-
tenance like other babies, and easily
put out of sorts. Visitors called them
''poor little things" and though they
Were coddled with blankets and sop,
women thought it.on the whole, rather
a shame that they were not also allow
ed perambulators and rattles. The hu-
man helpnessness of the very young
orangs certainly justified this maternal
solicitude on their behalf, and the re-
peated failure to rear them to maturity
told a pitiful tale of lungs too delicate
TO bear our climate. Their ways and
habits, so those say who have kept them
as pets, are exactly those of human
babies. They refuse TO sleep alone,
and even if left by themselves when
awake will cry fretfully for a nnrse.
They like being rocked in a cradle. and
hate being washed. When anything Il
offered them not to their taste, they
kick violently, just as human beings of
of the same age do, but when satisfied
with the bottle or plaything given
them they Groom in u contented way
over 1t until placidity merges into sleep.
Toys have to be provided for them,
and they break them all punctually,
after, of course, having tried firmly
but Intellectually to choke themselves
with them. When happiest, they lie
in a helpless fashion on their backs,
turning their heads occasionally
from one side to the other, with all
four hands in the air, hoping appare 1T
Iy to find something to take hold of,
but unable to guide their fingers TO any
particular object. As the time passes
and they grow adventurous, they try
to tumble cut of their cradles, and
often succeed, to their immense discom-
future, for their legs being too weak to
hold them up, they have TO lie on the
ground on their stomach until friendly
hands have placed them right side up.
All these baby traits of conduct and
character commend the very juvenile
orangs to the tender sympaty of their
visitors. and their wistful child eyes
always made them pets of the public.
But who, we should like to know, is
going to pet the elderly ape that has
Just arrived or how can we lavish any
tender sentiments over a creature that
stands five feet high and has a bald
head and big whiskers.
The great strength of the orang
outang now ameng US has indeed
necessitated extraordinary precautions
in his confinement. The cage in which
he travelled was so small that he could
not have fair play for his tremendous
arms, and the bars so thick that he
could not make an impression upon
them with his enormous teeth. lmpo-
tent, therefore, for mischief, the hairy
prisoner sits huddled up and roaring.
Any interference with him, however
kindly meant, is at once resented oy
language which might easily be trans
lated into human equivalents, and the
vigor with which he shakes his cage
proves the sincerity of his ill-feeling.
He is not of the interesting age that
excites the soft hearted compassion OF
the gentler sex; for it is impossible to
connect this great hairy ape with any
idea so tenderly suggestive as feeding
battles and perambulators. If given
blankets he will probably eat them,
and as for coddling him, the keepers
might as well think of coidling steam
engine. In their native haunts they
were never trified with, for they were
monarchs of all they surveyed, and the
only neighbors capable of molesting
them were the frequent crocodile and
the still rarer python: while even
there, so the natives say, the orang does
not fear to meet the N in single COM
bat. The huge ape, it is said, will leap
upon the back of an alligator and tear
its jaws asunder. Literally translated,
s'orang outang" means "the MAI of the
woods" and the first half of the name
is a title OF respect, implying wisdom in
those so-called, for the chief of the Ma
LAYS are STYLED "orang," and so also,
in compliment to its intelligent sagaci-
ty, is the elephant. In their natural
state they are not only inoffensive, but,
when suddenly intruded upon, betray
no symptoms of alarm, behaving from
first to last with the greatest presence
of mind, and always dying with pathe-
tic dignity. Naturalists tell gs that
these apes watched them when tres
passing on their haunts with curiosity +,
but without fear, and would remain
quietly where first seen, in spite of
preparations for attack being in pro-
gress. If escape seems desperate, they
make no effort to run from an enehy
but utilizing the best cover that is
available, avoid the missiles, spears, or
bullets as long as they can, and when
badly wounded move away leisurely
into the thickest foliage they can reach,
and expire without a cry.