DEADLY FIGHT WITH APES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10263, 28 March 1896, Page 6

DEADLY FIGHT WITH APES.

A correspondent writing from Malacca to an English paper, says : — 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 horaeback along the river front. The neighbourhood abounds in wild animals; yet, until six weeka ngo, I was not aware of the fact that the orang outangs are j uraerous in these parts. I made the -cqnaintftnoa of the man-of-rhe-woods nr, the time mentioned when returning; from the coast on horeebsek. My Malay servant, Pamba, a noted tigerhnnter, fearless to the bone, was in my company. We oame upon the apoß quite unexpectedly within Bight of my farmhouse. There were thirty or forty of them. The loose-haired apes were in a great state of excitement. They seemed to discuss a matter of immense consequence to themeolves, and screamed wildly, gesticulating at the same time after the manner of the low Indianß. All appeared to bo about five feet high ; indeed, many must have reached seven feet. When I firat caught sight of the troop of apes the majority were on all-fours, but now that THEIR SAVAGENESS INCREASED.

they Hwang the body awkwardly forward between the arms, supporting it by their bent knuckles. Suddenly the entire mob turned against theorang.outangthat stood in their midst like a prisoner. They boat him, using, as far as I could see, their left hand principally. Then a grey-haired man-of.the-woods let out a terrifying screnoh, which waß probably a signal, for immediately afterwards himself and all hi 3 mates began to tear to pieces the comrade condemned to death. 1 heard his 1 bonea break, so near was I to tha pluce of eXeoufion. The orangoutang cried pitioasly, his voice resembling that of a woman in sore distress. The novel quartering process lasted for about thirty to thirty five seconds. As the orang-outangs formed a circle nround the mutilated body of their victim I I heard a shot. Pamba had fired in the mUlBt of them. All fled but one, aD old ape who rolled on the ground with a broken arm. The Malay advanced npon him, whereupon the animal ran off. When we recounted our adventure at home my wife nearly swooned away with terror. As it happened, she had received a visit from a missionary's wife atationed in the interior of the peninsula thatvejy day, who had filled hor mind with various stories descriptive of the orang-outang's ferocity and revengful nature. To soothe her I promised to go oat of the way of orang-outangs thereafter. About a week ago Pamba appeared breathless in the dining-room just as we were sitting down to our evening meal. "They have come," he oried. "See for yourself master, master." I walked out into the verandah, and, following the Malay's direction, observed a large number of orang-outangs assembled at the end of the carriage way leading to my house. In front of them stood

A COLOSSAL GREY-HAIRED APE, who undoubtedly acted the part of the leader. He was screeching aud chatter, ing away at a tremendous rate, pointing towards us an he did so, "Looft at his arm," said Pamba. " That is where my shot struck him." It was, indeed, the orang-outang we had encountered, to his sorrow, some time ago. The longer I observed him the more convinced I became of the fact. "We ought to teach him a lesson," I said. "Fetch my guns." Pamba, trembling with bloodthirstiness, aftor the manner of his race, went and returned with light, ning rapidity, but before we could raise the rifles to our cheeks the orangoutangs had vanished. The servant was rather proud of the fact. " Man-of-the-woods is smart animal," he said ; " knows when he has enough. Will not stand in front of a gun." Next morning we found the body of a native child in our front yard. The little one had been strangled to death. The nailmarkaat her neck were lone and sharp. The orang-outangs bad entered upon their campaigu of revenee. This death in the circle of natives entrusted to our care struck my poor wife as an evil omen. Her condition became worse, and hor excitability at lnst so pronounced that I decided to take her to Penang at once and send her hnmß by the next mail steamer. At three o'olock our carriage was brought up to the door. Pamba took me by the arm and said:

" If master be wise he will wait until to-morrow and not drive through the forest, which is full of ferocious beasts." I laughed away his misgivings. "My good fellow," I said, " who ever heard of an attack of wild animals on Europeans in broad dayljght ? Jump in the roor and take care of little Charley j you may take ray pistols if you will. The mistress and myself will take the box Beats," " Master knows better than poor Pamba," said the Malay, " but I warn master of dsnger."