The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-05-19
MONKEY TALK.
Apes Said to Possess a Wide Range
OF Speech.
.An Expedition Planned by Band OF Dor
neo Orang-OutanGs to Rccapturo a
Kidnapped Conrade-A Sim.
q Ian Ccu,c!l.

! L. N-H ' ~JSih d.
An old Indian soldier wns trying TO
prove that apes have language. He
said: al was travelling in Bornco with u
psrty that was attacked one night by q
..Eang of orang-outangs They mum.
bered not less than City, and were all
males, and formidable fellows at that
Each carried an enormous club made of
the hastily stripped bough OF some
tree, and all were evidently wild with
some unusual excitement II was
sight to make anybody's blood run cold,
and am free to confess that mine did.
No mob of lawless men ever looked one
7aH as ferocious as did that advancing
-cornpany of apes, crashing their teeth
in a rage, oil the more alarming that it
~was inarticulate. Their eyes flashed,
the Rroaning sound they made was ac-
,companied by horrible display OF
pointed, cleaning fangs, and that we
would be as infants in the grasp Of
those powerful arms one had only to
look at them to know. They were led
by gigantic fellow fully six feet in
height and looking more human than
many an EthiopianI have seen. They
came straight on, though from differ
...nt direction from ours, and soon per
-ceived us in the branches of the tree.
ii. raised his gun to fire, when warned
him not to shoot, for we were gone men
If we directed their rage to us The
mass of the apes made a break for us as
It was, but the leader paused as If puz-
-zled. Seeing the others rush upon us.
he started forward. and, throwing up
-one arm as man might do. gave q
hoarse call. The others gathered about
him in IN Instant; gr,tnting and evil
IDENTITY demonstrating, but obedient
'.At last the leader dropped to, oil
fours and examined the. ground with
great care, the others watching his
movements with the greatest possible
Interest. When this was concluded the
big ape stood up and regularly harangued
the rest, and at. last he seemed to
convince them of something, for they
All started off down the river with re-
-newed enthusiasm, with one exception
This was evidently the doubling
Thomas of the party, for leaving his
companions he ran back and club in
hand he began to climb the tree in
which II. and were perched. II.
grabbed his gun and was about to fire
when Mutt begged him to wait until he
saw that the ape was bent on attacking
us, and the next moment we found that
this was good advice. for the old chap
was only desirous of smelling us all
over, it seemed. This he did thoroughly,
Messing each one of our party frorl head
to foot, tickling me in the ribs until
laughed uproariously in spite of Muti's
entreaties not to exasperate the ape,
bnt the old chap did not seem 70 take
my lcvity nraiss, and only drew back TO
look me in the face gravely, as If to
question what I meant by such conduct
When he had apparently satisfied him
self he dropped to the ground and ran
oil to rejoin his companions, who bv
this time were nearly out of sight by
-Muti's advice we scrambled down with
NIL speed and took up our march. The
moon was nearly setting now. how
over, and 1t soon grew impossible for us
to 60 on, and we struck camp once
1aore, though the natives were pushing
forward at all hazards. Something has
been stolen from the orang-outangs and
Ahey are looking for It, said the men.
who seemed TO have an overwhelming
fear of the animals, and If they cannot
find the thief they will return and take
,Sengeance on u.s.
-'Dawn was just breaking when we
heard the splash Of oars coming down
The river, and presently we saw boat.
COZ rather raft, coming down propelled
7v four or fvc native oarsmen, and
with two other men on board. There
--rsas also something chained to short
1nost near the center. AS this raft came
in sight this something gave O long,
s1elancholy cry, low and piercing.
which won instant reply from the shore
ny . perfect howl from the crowd OF
'2Pcs we had encountered, which came
-znshing out Of the underground lining
the bank as if they had lain in wait for
Ehe appearance Of the raft The oars
amen, seeing them. stopped rowing. and
Warming to the other men called to them
10 untic the ape at the mast This they
evidently refused TO do, and the next
Encment the foremost of the rescuing
party reached the boat and was just in
'xhe act OF leaping aboard when one Of
RAe men struck at him with an oar. He
11u back. but as he did so twenty Of his
~nstes sprang on, and rushing at the
36aaow, struck him over the head with
'xhe&r clubs ] could see the blood and
6r2ins spout six feet or more. and the
Dext moment the corpse, horribly mu-
Edlsted, was tossed into the stream.
1--WE looked to see the other men
odlled also, but with great presence Of
aaand one Of them ran, and cutting the
>scpe that held the captive, dragged Il 70
che edge Of the raft and pushed It over
Into the water. One OF the apes saw It
1s1t struck, and instantly raised a cry
'xhat caused the rest TO pause when they
w their compoa!cn striking out for
liz shors. TnsS ipiloYsa ~ once, clear.
ing the raft In the twinkliug Of an eye.
::2aaning the bank they set of for the
+voods at run and were soon out OF
M sight Seeing the raft was going our