Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-09-03
VENGEANCE OF APES.
NUMBERING A MAN WHO ABB
QUOTED ONE OF THEM.
A Story youeled For by an English
oGieer--orang- outangs Can Talk and
Think and Plan just AS Well as
Humans.

Look al that, will you now?" said
an old Indian soldier, calling my atten-
tion to recent widely discussed article
debating the question whether or not
monkeys and apes have a language Of
their own. Now, il they want TO
argue point like that why do not they
ask those that know instead of hastily
compiled reports of the observations OF
some traveller who thinks himself a
martyr 10 the cause Of science IL he
gives twenty. -four hours study to the
matter
80 my mind the thing won't bear
disputing over. for If there is nything
certain ii Is that apes at least not only
have language, but that IL is n Ian
guage having WIDE range. This
know from actual experience.
I'm 1879 was subaltern In a regi-
ment stationed at Delhi. and early in
the summer got a furlough Of three
n 1nths. Al that time ] had no home
ties, being an orphan and childless
widower, and when a fellow officer,
Lieutenant H., proposed our spending
our leave in sightseeing ! was agree
able. IL. had fancy 10 visit Sumstra
and Borneo. 50 we took ship for the
latter place.
we AlNA k1k hugAN Nnbhkl "a ANf
when, on our way 10 the coast we
reached a little stream, the name Of
which ! do not remember. Here we
halted for the night, and as all OF the
party were pretty well worn out, we
contented ourselves with cold supper,
and fell asleep at once. ] was awalS-
ened by one Of the natives sitting up
with sudden exclamation OF surprise.
What is it, Muti2' said.
THE fellow listened a momen
longer before he replied, and in that
/ space heard a sound that find hard
/ 10 describe. II was q sort OF subducd
l moaning. and yet had nothing of grief
/ or pain in IL, but MAS accompanied by
4 note Of determination. II may call
/ II 70. II came nearer every second,
and in few minutes every man was
/ awake.
The natives held brief consultation
/ among themselves and disagreed, but
| Mt last Mutt directed II. aud me TO clint
! one 81 the largest trees and proceeded
10 do the same himself. The other,
| seeing this. after look around. sooI
followed our example. MI this time
the noise was coming nearer, ana W.
could perceive that il was the voices o
large number OF animals
"'They are orang -outangs,' whis
pered the l}0rnoese: keep silent every
body. for they mean mischief
This last information was super
fuous. as the moment they came within
sight il was plain 70 be seen that the.
did meansmischief, and murderous mis-
chief. too. They numbered not les
than City, and were all males, ant
formidable fellows at that Each car
] Il ais,h f-saAE ~ Nh
hastily stripped bough Of some tree
and an we're evidently wild with som
unusual excitement II WAS q sight 3
mako hnyb0dy's blood run cold, and
am free 10 confess that mine did.
mo mob OF lawless mcn ever locke
one half as ferocious ~ did that nc
yancing company Of apes, FnRShin
, their teeth ia a rage, all more alarm
ing that il was inArticulate. The
eyes flashed. ybc grooming sound the
made was accompanied by horTibl
, display OF pointed, cleaning fangs, an
, that we would be as infants in Oh
! grasp Of those powerful arms one ha
only 20 look at them 70 know.
They were led by n gigantic fcilo'
six feet in height, and looking MOI
human than many AN Ethiopian hay
seen. They came straight on, thong
I from different direction from our
|. aud soon perceived US in the branch,
Of the tree. II. raised his gun 20 fir'
|, when warned him not
:. shoot. for we were gone meu II We q
! rected their rage TO us. The mass {
: the apes made break forus MS II wa
: but the leader paused as II puzzled.
I Seeing the others rush upon MS
started forward and throwing up or
: arm as man might do, gave boar
: call The others gathered about hi
: in an instant, granting and evident
{ demonstrating, but obcdicnt At la
the leader dropped TO all-fours and Q
amined the ground with great care, Il
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