The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-26
THE LINGUIN.
story of an Exciting Hunt After an
Extraordinary Monster in Java.


Extraordinary Monster in Java.
Lieut.. Col. Andrew Haggard, in the Wide
World Magazine.
It may probably interest some readers
who have never yet heard of the brute to
learn that here is still existing in the
Island of Java an animal-or, rather
reptile-which seems to DE the missing
link between the ichthyosauri of pren's
toric days and the well known saurians of
present times. This animal is. it appears
known to the ma tives by the name Of lin
gum" and~at the suggestion of my friend,
Baron A1fons Pereira. consul general Of
Austria Hungary, in Tunis, / propose 10
narrate how he was some years ago fortI-
nate enough to shoot one of these strange
monsters.
The Baron Is particularly anxious that
should put the circumstances on record,
as he has always found when he has re-
counted the existence of and destruction
by him of one of the brutes that it has
been treated as d mere travellers tale.
Moreover, during the years which have
elapsed since he shot the linguin, Baron
Pereira has never seen any picture or ac-
count of the huge reptile in any natural
history book, except a representation of
an ichthyosaurus: nor has he seen any
thing approaching it in appearance in any
zoological collection that he has ever Wis
tied Fortunately, however, the Baron has
recently received in a letter, written 10
Count Mailath, one of his friends who
made INQUIRIES on the subject in Java,
direct confirmation of his own experiences,
and there can therefore be no doubt of the
existence of this strange beast in the ISL
and.
shall now try to give the Baron's ex-
neriences in his own words, but before
doing so must remark that he has painted
for me an excellent picture OF the lhgthn
being attacked by the Javanese native,
after he had himself wounded it with his
rife.
But now to the story.
~ was" saws Baron Pereira, zone morn
ing in February, 1862 travelling in large
Jayauese canoe with the Assistant Resi-
dent Metnan himself a well known sports
man. Dawn had only pust broken when
we found ourselves close TO the mouth or
the batavia river AT this point the water
was salt. and there was a considerable
sven caused by the waves of the sea rum
ring m against the tide. AS we advanced
tbe rowers had considerable difficulty in
making Roadway against the morning
hreeze Suddenly there was enormous ex-
oitenent among the crew OF Malays who
manned the boat: 'Linguin! Ldnguin"
heard TpDeated on ali StuSSs l@tAlSuihs AAAl-
sr,,inp repeated the steersman sitting next
% me seizing me by the arm as he shouted
and nointfng excitedly toward the muddy
-hore along which we were coasting at a
S,stance of about $50 metres.
"Tt was.as have said, barely Light, and
an mat / could make out was the long
"a dark form Of some large creature lying
an the mud / seized my rifle, not know
no the least what linguin might be,
No al first imagining il to be merely a
orocodtle. But even with my rife In hand
| besitated to shoot, for the movement
| - he boat, which was rolling, made any
ottennt al steady aim impossible. How
c,,ar The natives with me grew inpatient
~ .inguinr they cried again. Shoot
shootY
"standing up, took hasty aim and
| erad Instantly there was most tremen-
Aus commotion in the mud. / saw huge
creature whirling around and round In the
1,ouid ooze. first on it's head and then on
,ts tail-much like the frework called a
| ratberine-wheel-wh liquid mud was
| being scattered about In all directions. A
shout OF triumph rose from my crew and
The steersman, Selling murderous look