of remarkable Height. 195 



ing the height of the animal is, that it was a full head taller 

 than any man on board, measuring seven feet in what would 

 be its ordinary standing posture, and eight feet when it was 

 suspended for the purpose of being skinned. Captain Corn- 

 foot dwells much upon the human-like expression of its coun- 

 tenance, and especially on the beautiful arrangement of its 

 beard. He also obliged me with some account of its capture, 

 as reported to him by his officers, and feelingly described the 

 piteous action of the animal on being wounded, and of its ap- 

 parent tenacity of life. It seems that, on the spot where this 

 animal was killed, were five or six trees, which occasioned his 

 hunters great trouble in procuring their prey ; for, in conse- 

 quence of the extreme agility and power of the animal in 

 springing from branch to branch, and bounding from one tree 

 to another, his pursuers could not fix their aim, until they 

 had cut down all the trees but one. When thus limited in 

 his range, the orang outang was shot, but did not die till he 

 had received five balls and the thrust of a spear. One of the 

 first balls probably penetrated his lungs, as he, immediately 

 after the infliction of the wound, slung himself by his feet 

 from a branch, with his head downwards, and allowed the 

 blood to flow from his mouth. On receiving a wound, he al- 

 ways put his hand over the injured part, and distressed his 

 pursuers by the human-like agony of his expression. When 

 on the ground, after being exhausted by his many wounds, 

 he lay as if dead, with his head resting on his folded arms. It 

 was at this moment that an officer attempted to give the coup 

 dc grace by pushing a spear through his body, but he imme- 

 diately jumped on his feet, wrested the weapon from his anta- 

 gonist, and shivered it in pieces. This was his last wound, 

 and last great exertion ; yet he lived some time afterwards, 

 and drank, it is slated, great quantities of water. Captain 

 Cornfoot also observes, that the animal had probably travel- 

 led some distance from the place where he was killed, as his 

 legs were covered with mud up to the knees. 



In the accounts which I have received of the circumstances 

 observed by the persons immediately concerned in the capture 

 of the animal, the only discrepancy of any consequence re- 

 gards its height. The measurement of his skin, however, 



