New-York tribune., 1921-11-20

into paroxysm of fury. 1t will bite it's arms,
tearing the flesh away and infcting frightful
wounds II there are two Of the animals, they
bite and hug each other. An orangoutang
that has been struck by an arrow car follow
the natives in the trees or on the ground while
the poison is taking effect. The only refuge
from the frenzied creature is the smoke OF n
fire, and, when it is sufficiently enraged, even
that will not stop it, The best chance lies in
keeping it GO harried that it does mot know
whom to attack; once it decides on particular
native the native is as good as dead. When
the poison begins to work, after an animal has
been wounded, the natives end the fight with
knives The possibility Of an orang-outang at
tack is danger that all the men must be pre-
pared to face, and the duty of engaging in an
orang -outang hunt is no less important than
that Of making war 1t was but normal, there
fore, that as soon as had convinced the vii
layers of my trustworthiness, I should have
their hearty support.
After putting the to work on the nets
and cages, selected a crew Of twenty-five to
accompany me while | went out to get the lay
Of the land. With the guides leading, we
started into the dense jungle, and, after sev-
eral hours Of slow, tortuous travelling, we came
to the tree where the animals lived ! could
see, far up, the platform they had built.
Fortunately the orang-outangs were not
there, and we were able to inspect the location
at our leisure. stationed the men at one side
telling them to wait for US, and then Omar and
Munshee and / circled the tree. The surround
ing jungle was as thick any l have ever
seen; the trees were so close that their branches
mingled and they we're woven together with
.reepers, vines and rattan. 1t was not pos
sible to go forward step without cutting the
way The tree in which the orang-outangs
lived was the largest in the vicinity. Nearly
an hour passed before | decided upon the
course we would pursue Squatting with Omar
and Munshee, explained how we would cut
away the trees, SO as to leave in isolation the
one in which the animals had their platform;
them, how we would cut that tree and tumble
them into the net.
The trees were cut so that they remained
standing. We were trying to achieve some
thing like fimsy structure built of cards OF
dominoes, which one push will send topping
At signal every tree in the circle l had
mapped out was to fall, those at the center
first, and the others in order, until the one in
which the orang-outangs had their platform
was isolated. 1t was nice problem in jun
gle-craft to cut the trees so that they would
bear the weight of animals swinging in the
branches, and yet be so weak that they would
all fall--and in the proper directions-when
we started them by pulling on the ropes. [
allowed myself to be guided entirely by the
judgment Of the natives; they appreciated my
confidence and took care to see that the work
was done accurately.
The hacking with the parangs and the con-
versation attracted hundreds Of jungle ami
mails, including many of the smaller orang
outangs. We did not molest them and they
grew bolder, until we had large, chattering,
screaming audience watching us work.
Long before the two big brutes came back
to their home we were on our way to Omar's
kampong, with the first stage of the work
completed. The jungle as we left it did not
appear greatly different from the way it
looked when we arrived. I knew that the
orang-outangs would realize that some one had
been there, and yet I was fairly certain that
the absence of human beings would reassure
them. And, too, they would have several days
to accustom themselves to whatever changes
they noticed.
On the eighth night at Omars village I
called all the men together and announced
that we would start next morning before day
break. Once again I made them promise that
they would not kill the beasts without my per-
mission, and |, in turn, promised them that |
would shoot if there was the least danger
Long before daybreak the village was astir
BY the time it was light each man was at his
post, waiting for me to fire my pistol sig
nal We could see the two orang- -outangs
sleeping on their platform.
The men who were to give the trees the final
cut and send them topping over stole forward
silently. Ali was beside me, carrying nay rife;
Omar and Munshee were stationed near, one
at each side l waited, scarcely daring to
breathe, for them to signal that their men
were ready.
Omar moved first; then Munshee. l gave
quick glance around and fired my pistol. In
stantly the tumult started; the men yelled and
beat upon ton1-toms and trees. The orang-
outangs leaped up bewildered and scrambled