Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-30
AMBUsHED BN GIANT APES.
Mcn-of-the-Wo Take Revenge
for IN Injury.

tSt. LOUIS OiDbc-i'tulptId
Although my house in this mountainous
district is but four hours from Penang
over the carriage route through the forest,
one may reach the sea in half that time
on horseback along the river front The
nclghborhood abOunds In wild animals,
yet until six weeks ago, | was not aware
Of the fact that the orang -outangs are
numerous in these parts. / made the ac-
quaintance OF the man-Of-tne-wOods at the
time mentioned when returning from the
coast on horseback. Ny Malay servant,
Pamba. noted tiger hunter fearless To
the bone, was in my company.
We came upon the apes quite uneNpect-
edly within sight OF my farmhouse
There were thirty or forty Of them, a fact
which is quite contrary 10 the convictions
OF some of the noble gentlemen who
write books on zoology. Instantaneously
the memory Of this sentence from an old
time textbook "Orang- Outangs do not
liv- in society except when a pair has a
family I'm charge" revived IN my mind
but the spectacle was not favorable 10 A
reminiscent mood
The loose-haired apes were in a great
state Of excitement. They seemed 10 dis
cuss a matter OF immense consequence 10
themselves. and screamed and snrieked
wildly, gesticulating az the same time
after the mann Of the low Italians. All
appeared 10 be above > feet high; indeed
many must have reached feet. When /
first caught sight OF the troop Of apes
the majority were on al-rOurs, but now
that their savageness increased they
swung the body awkwardly forward be-
tween the arms. supporting it by their
bent knuckles Suddenly the entire mob
turned against the orang-Outang that
stood in their midst like II prisoner They
beat him using as FAR as | could see
their left hand principally. Then a gray
haired man-of-the- woods let out a terrify-
ing screech, which was probably A signal
for Immediately aft arward himself and all
his mates began to tear TO pieces the
comrade condemned 10 death. | heard MS
bones break, SO near was | to the place
Of execution. The orang-outang cried pite-
ouslv his voice resembling mat OF a wo-
man in sore distress. The novel quarter
inc process lasted for about thirty 20
tbirtv-five seconds As the orang-Outangs
formed a circle around the mutilated body
~ ,halr victim / heard "A shot. Pamba
had fired I'm the midst OF them. All fled
hut one. an old ape, who rolled on the
e,round with a broken arm. The Malay
advanced upon him. whereupon the animal
ran OF.
Nben we recOunted our adventure at
homo my wife almost swOOned away with
terror AS II happened. she had received
a ,,isi, from a missOnary's wife stationed
4, the interior OF the peninsula that very
dav who had filled her mind with various
stD,ies descriptive OF the orang-Outang
ferocitv and revengeful nature To sOothe
her ! promised to go out OF the way OF
oropg-outangs thereafter. Pamba was or
dsred never. under any circumstances, TO
hun, them. also ordered my servants
no, 20 20 out into the forest alone. and
10 always carry firearms when leaving the
s,ockade For myself and family | did
no, fear The whites in this neghbor-
hood all wear duck or linen suits. the
hrlybt color OF which frightens away ami
mails. even tigers Besides. We kept to
the house after dark.
About a week ago Pamba appeared
hrs,,hIess in the dining room tust as We
w.ra sitting down to our evening meal.
..,r,,ev have come" he cried. See for
Yourself master
walked out onto the veranda, and fol-
Lowing the Malay's direction. observed
I.rga number Of orang-outangs assembled
a, the end OF the carriage-way leading TO
my house. In front Of them stood a CO.
iossaI gray-haired ape. who undoubtedly
s.,ed the mart OF leader. He was screech-
,ro and chattering away at tremendous
80 nointing toward us as he did so.
- ook a, his arm" said Pamba. THAT
"a where my shot struck him"
THE VERY ONE
r, uas indeed the orang-outang we had
encountered. to his sorrow. some time ago.