The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-22
Hunting Orang-OutangS.

"What are the principal features IL
hunting orang- utans, as you call them
Suppose. as the best way of answer
ING that question:" said Mr.. Hornaday
of the National Museum, ''that -
and | start some morning from the
Dyak village on trip up the river after
orang-outangs. You will find our
boat excellent for hunting purposes,
being broad and flat-bottomed. One
Malay is in the bow, and two in the
stern. AS we proceed you will notice
that the trees on each side are not lofty
but very dense. The actual banks OF
the river are Invisible, for oheveaux
lie frise of screw pines grow far out
into the stream, and beyond them there
Is yet q vast extent of ground covered
with water Presently some one sees a
tree-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, tree-top swings
heavily to and fro. Now we know that
the gentlemen whom we have come to
call upon is at home. Quietly the boat is
rowed as near the tree as possible, and
with my indispensable field-glass try
and locate him. Then l fire, aiming
for the breast or body-never for the
skull, for that would spoil the specimen.
If wounded mortally he will tumble
down, but if not we will hear him make
off through the woods. Overheard we
90 into the swamp, natives and all, and
hurry after him. My ammunition is
waterproof, and the wetting will not
hurt it. After a chase, l get another
chance to fire, and if that brings him
down it is only matter of time to wait
until he dies. We must not 90 near
him until he is dead. for we would
speedily find what strength the orang-
utan has in his hands and feet. You
see that with firearms there is neither
danger or excitement. When the ma
tives attack these creatures with spears
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"
"What are the characteristics of the
Orang-utans"
"They are solitary in their habits,
especially the old ones. 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 amputated at the
knees, and simply waddle. They can
not stand erect for moment. 1t is a
physical impossibility. They are not
savage toward man, their first instinct
being to run away. Even mothers with
their young take flight rather than at
tempt to make a defense. Among
themselves they fight frequently, biting
each others hands and feet. One old
fellow killed had three fingers and
two toes bitten off, and big piece bit
ten out of his face. They are yery
destructive to the fruit and for this
reason the natives are glad to have
them killed. They could not, however.
be said to be numerous.
"Can they swim like men?"
"No, do not believe they can. All
my observation and experience 90 to
prove that they cannot make single
stroke in the water, but sink as help
less as lead"
''Can they be tamed?"
81 caught a young one unhurt, and
kept it for quite while as pet 1t
was tame, and its passions and emo
tons were exactly like a child just be-
fore it is able to talk. Do l think
orang-utans could be taught how to
talk? l don't know that the experiment
has ever been tried. If it was, and
proved successful, it would set people
thinking, - Washington Post.