The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1883-09-19
Hunting Orang-Uu,ar,gs.

"What are the principal features IN
hunting orang-utans, as you call ifamP"
Suppose as the best way Of aHswcr-
ing that question" said Mr. Hornaday,
Of the National Museum, "that you
and I start some morning from the'I
Dvak village on a trip up the river after
Oranp-outangs. You will find our
boat excellent for kGrting purposes.
being broad and Hat-bottomod. One
Malay is i'm the bow, and two in the
Stern, As we proceed IOu will notice
that the trees on each side are not lofty
but very dense. The actual banks OF
the river are invisible, for choveauX
de frise of screw pines grow far out
into the stream, and beyond them there
is yet vast extent of ground covered
with water. Presently some one sees 2
trce-top moving. A moments glance
tells us that the quick motion Of the
branches indicates a monkey, and not
the game we are looking for. A little
further on, however, a tree-tOp swings
hearily to and fro. Now we know that
the gentlemen whom we have come tr
call upon is at home. Quietly the boat is
rOwed as near the tree as possible, and
with my indispensable field-glass l try
and locate him. Then 1 fire, aiming
for the breast or budy-never for the
skull, for that would spoil the specimen.
If wounded mortallv he will tumble
down, but if not we will hear him make
off through the woods. Overheard we
I 90 into the swamp, natives and all, and
hurry after him. My ammunition is
Waterproof, and the wettiug will not
/ hurt it. After a chase, 1 get another
/ chance to fire, and if that brings him
| down it is only matter of time to wait
/ untS he dies. We must not 90 near
him until he is dead. for we would
speedily find what strength the oraug-
/ Utan has in his hands and feet. You
see that with firearms there is neither
| danger or excitement. When the ia
tives attack these creatures with spea rs
the case is different, but even then the
pictures you see of an Orang-utan de-
Tending himself with a club are pure
imagination. They don't do anything
of the kind.N
"What are the characteristics of tho
orang-utans?"
"They are solitary in their habits,
especially the old on es. Once / saw
four together, but that is an unusual
thing. Their home is in the trees and
they rarely descend to the ground
They are as helpless on the ground as
a man with both legs amputatcd at the
knees, aud simply waddie. They can
not stand erect for moment 1t is q
physical TmpossiElity. They are not
savage toWard man, their first instinct
being to rRn away. Even mothers with
their yoUUg take flight rather than at
tempt 30 make a defense. Among
themselves they fight frequently, biting
each Others hands and fedt. One old
fellow ! killed had three fingers and
two toes bitten@h, and a bio piece bit
ten out of his face They are very
destructive to the fruit and for this
reason the natives are glad 10 have
them Killed. Ehey could not, however,
be said to be EUmerOus.
''CaL they swim like mGnYT'
''Ne, l do not believe they can. All
my observation and experience 90 to
prove th0tghey cannot make u.single
stroke in thE water, but sink as help
less az lead. "
Cam they be tamed?"
81 caught "a young ono uniIult- and
kept it for quite a while rs pet 1t
was tame, and its passions and emo
tiOns were exactly like { child Just be.
fore lit is able to talk. DO j think
orang- -Ttans could be ytLught 'how tc
talk? DON'T know that'the experiment
has ever been tried. III it wCs, and
proved successful, it would set people
thinking, '--WuShiRgtORF Post.