3T2 Dr Abel on the Capture of a coiossal Ormig Outatig. 



Capture of the Animal — The following short history of the 

 circumstances under which the animal was found, and of the 

 mode of taking him, is drawn up from accounts which were fur- 

 nished to Dr Abel, either directly or indirectly, by persons con- 

 cerned in his capture. 



A boat party, under the command of Messrs Craygyman 

 and Fish, officers of the brig Mary Anne Sophia, having landed 

 to procure water at a place called Ramboom, near Touraman, 

 on the north-west coast of Sumatra, on a spot where there was 

 much cultivated ground, and but few trees, discovered on one 

 of these a gigantic animal of the monkey tribe. On the ap- 

 proach of the party he came to the ground, and, when pursued, 

 sought refuge in another tree at some distance, exhibiting as he 

 moved, the appearance of a tall man-like figure, covered with 

 shining brown hair, walking erect, with a waddling gait, but 

 sometimes accelerating his motion with his hands, and occasion- 

 ally impelling himself forward with the bough of a tree. His 

 motion on the ground was plainly not his natural mode of pro- 

 gression, for even when assisted by his hands or a stick, it was 

 slow and vacillating : it was necessary to see him amongst 

 trees in order to estimate his agility and strength. On being 

 driven to a small clump, he gained by one spring a very lofty 

 branch, and bounded from one branch to another with the ease 

 and alacrity of a common monkey. Had the country been co- 

 vered with wood, it would have been almost impossible to pre- 

 vent his escape, as his mode of travelling from one tree to ano- 

 ther is described to be as rapid as the progress of a swift horse. 

 Even amidst the few trees that were on the spot, his movements 

 were so quick that it was very difficult to obtain a settled aim ; 

 and it was only by cutting down one tree after another, that his 

 pursuers, by confining him within a very limited range, were 

 enabled to destroy him by several successive shots, some of whicjj 

 penetrated his body and wounded his viscera. Having received 

 five balls, his exertions relaxed, and reclining exhausted on one 

 of the branches of a tree, he vomited a considerable quantity of 

 blood. The ammunition of the hunters being by this time ex- 

 pended, they were obliged to fell the tree in order to obtain him^ 

 and did this in full confidence that his power was so far gone 

 that they could, secure him without trouble, but were astonish- 



