Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-06-01
NEW KIND OF ANIMAL.
A GEOLOGICAL FREAK FROM
SOUTH AFRICA.
Captured by Some SaiIors-Found the
Creature Hanging Head Downward
from Tree, Enjoying a Midday
Nap.

VI the many geological curioSities
that have been brought here in the
past none has been so astonishing as a
freak which arrived from the Brazils
on board the American brigantine
Daisy early yesterday morning. DR..
Angel Rodriguez, a scientist of inter
national repute, who lives in the
quaint Spanish-American city OF
Rosario, where the Daisy loaded her
cargo OF bones, says the animal is akin
TO the species "heliogabalus," but the
natives use the appellation "boogum."
VI the two names Captain Dickson Of
the Daisy is inclined to favor the lat
ter, as somewhat like "bugaboo." The
Drlgantine lay for several days at
rosario, as much time is required to
move the cargo from the sheds to the
vessels hold. 1t was while this work
was going on that the men led rather
an easy life, and many on leave of alb
sence made excursions into the neigh
boring country. One of these trips ap-
prlsed them of the existence of the
boogum." There were five men in
the party which discovered the ami
nal, which when first seen was hang
ing head downward from the trunk of
a tree, his immense muscular legs en-
clrcllng 1t about nine feet from the
ground. So absolutely motionless was
he that the frightened men took heart
and cautiously approached. He is
asleep said William ]. Carter, fore
mast hand, who is responsible for the
story or the capture. Asleep the boo
gum gave no indication of what he
was atterward found to be when re-
moved to the Daisy. The men saw a
body apparently A feet s inches long,
the head somewhat resembling a cross
between a kangaroo and a baboon,
with pointed ears and whiskers some
what shorter than a goat. The neck
was thick, OF pinkiSh hue, growing
from trunk which at the chest was
scarcely wider than the animals fore
mead, but below the waist 1t suddenly
Wldened into proportions which by
contrast with the slender upper por-
ton seemed abnormal. It's legs were
or extraordinary proportions, the thighs
measuring q inches in circumference.
lhey terminated in fiat feet, like a
Tiger, with immense claws that looked
like steel, so powerful, we'll rounded
and gllstening did they appear. The
hair on the legs and lower part OF the
oody was OF fine texture and did rot
disguise the powerful muscles wCrx-
ing underneath. The general color of
the animal was brown, and thee was
a remarkable absence of any resem-
blance to tail. 1t is only by the mer-
est chance that the "boogum" is now
alive, for Carter dealt I'm a terrible
blow over the forehead with a club.
The beast was deprived Of his senses
and carried down to the wharf sus
pended by the legs from a pole Scarce
ly had he been deposited on the fore
deck Of the Daisy and had become the
admiration Of all eyes, when he re-
vived. With one leap he sprang from
the deck to the foresail gaff, a distance
of at least 16 feet. His subsequent ac-
lions were of nature to fill the crew
with terror. Every one of his tremen-
dous leaps served to illustrate a pro-
ments were confined to his lower ex-
tremities, the upper legs simply flap
! ping. pendantlike, in the air Every
time his powerful claws would strike
the masts or yards splinters Of the
stout pine would fly in showers. All
attempts to dislodge him failed, and
the vessel was temporarily abandoned
/ nv tho friohtannI bo
''boogum" leaped through the hatch
into the forehOld, and the cover being
! quickly damned on he became a pris-
! oner. The Daisy sailed and the rage
of the ''boogum" knew no bounds. He
was Only separated from the crews
! quarters by a partition about an inch
| thick. and the stout oak trembled IN
der his onslaughts. The voyage of the
! Daisy was seventy days to this port,
during which the bOogum" subsisted
| by sucking the marrow from the bones
in the ships hold. Frequently he
would use the larger OF these as a club
ard beat terrifying accompaniment
to his almost human shrieks OF rage.
1t became a serious question with the
captain whether the vessel would ever
reach port. So powerful were the at
tacks of the beasts claws on the plank
ing that it became necessary to have
the pumps in readiness to start at any
moment in case leak should develop.
A look into the hold yesterday showed
that it was knee deep in splinters.
Now that the Daisy has arrived with
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