Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1893-04-09

Kidnapped comrado-A SIM
Ian Council
- V
An old Indian soldier was trying to
prove that apes have a. Language. lie
said: 81 was travelling in Bornco with q
party that was attacked one night by q
gang OF orang-outangs. They num-
bered not less than nfty, and were oil
males, and formidable fellows ut that.
Each carried an enormous club made of
the hastily stripped Dough of some
tree, and all were evidently wild with
como unusual excitement 1t was q
sight to make anybody's. blood run cold,
pnd l am free to confess that mine did.
No mob of lawless men ever looked one
half rs fcrocious as did that advancing
company of apes, gnushing their teeth
In n rage, all the moro alarming that il
was inarticulatc. Their eyes flashed,
h growing sound they made was nc
c~ompanicd by q horrible display of
pointed, cleaning fangs, and TINT we
would be ns infants in the gragp of
those powerful arms ono had only to
look Mt them to know. They were led
by n gigantic fellow fully six feet in
height and looking moro human than
many IN Ethiopian 1 have seen. They
came straight on, though from n differ
cnt direction from ours, and soon per
ceivcd us III the branches of the tree.
II. raised his gun to fire, when / warned
him not to shoot, for we were Eonc men
If VIC directed their rage TO us. Tho
mass Of the apes made q break for us as
1t was, but the leader paused rs If puz-
zlcd. Seeing tho others rush upon us,
he started forward, and, throwing up
ono nrm MS n man might do, gave a
hoarse call. The others gathered about
him i'll nm instant, grunting and evil
IDENTIFY demonstrating, but obcdient.
AT last the leader dropped to all
Tours and examined the ground with
great care, the others watching his
movements with the greatest possible
interest. When this was concluded the
big ape stoodup and regularly harangucd
the rest, N ut last he seemed To
convince them Of something, for they
oil started off down The river with 70.
ncwed enthusiasm, with enc 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 pcrchcd. ii
grabbed his gun md was. about to fro
when Mutt begged him to wait until he
saw that the ape was bcnt on attacking
US, and the next moment we found that
this wnS good advice, for the old chan
was only DESTROYS of smelling us all
over, II seemed. This he did thoroughly,
nosinG each IL of our party from head
to foot, tickling me in tho ribs until :
laughed up~roGriouGly in optic of Nuts
cntrcatic3 no to cSa5pcratc the upc,
but the old chap did not seem to tako
my lcvity amiss, and only drew back to
look me in the face gravGly, MS IL to
question what meant by such conduct.
When he he'd apparently satisfied him.
Golf he dropped to the ground and ran
OF to rcjoin hi8 companions, who by
this tinc were nearly on. of sight. BY
Mutfs advice we scrambled down with
NIL speed md took up our march. Tho
moon was nearly setting now, how
ever, and 1t soon grew impossible for III
70 go on, nnd we struck camp once
more, though the natives were pushin,t
forward ut NIL hazards. Something has
been stolen from the orang-outangs and
they arc looking for it, said the men.
who seemed to nave IN overwhelming
fear of the nnimnls, and il they cannot
find the thief they will return aud talo
vengeance on u.s.
Dawn wa just breaking when wo
heard the splash Of oars coming down
the river, and presently we saw II boat,
or rather n rnft. coming down propelled
by o IL or fyc native oarsncn, md
with two other men on board. There
WINS also something chnincd to n short
mnst near the center. AS this raft came
in sight this something gave u long,
melancholy cry, low md piercing,
which Won instant reply from the shore
by o pcrfc3t howl from the crowd Of
npes we had encountered, which camo
rushing out of tho underground lining
the bank Ms II they had, lnin in wait for
the appearance OF tho raft; The onrs-
men, seeing them, stopped rowing, md
turning to the other mon called To them
TO unto the ape at tho mast. This they
evidently. refused to do. and the next
moment the foremost Of Tho rcscuing
party reached the boat md Svna just IN
tho net OF lcnping aboard when one of
the mon struck ut him with am oar. IIo
fell baclt, but ns he did 10 twenty OF his
mates sprapg on. oud rushing Mt tho
follow, btruclt him over the head with
their clubs. I could sec the blood and
brains spout blk feet or moro, and the
next moment tho corpsc, horribly mu.
tilntcd, vas tossed into thb stream.
1--WE looked to eco tho other mon
killed also, but with great presence OF
mind ono Of them ran, and cutting tho
ropc that held the captive, dragged IL Ia
the edge OF the raft and pushed IL over
Into the water. Ono OF tho apes saw IL
NJ II struck, mud instantly raised a cry
that caused the rest to pause when they
saw their companion striking out for
the shore. They followed at once, clear.
ing the raft In the twinlsling Of un cyc.
Gaining the bank they set of for the
woods ut n run and were soon out OF
OF sight. Seeing the raft was going our
way VIC hailed IL and soon completed mn
arrangement with tho men 10 take us I'd