E'JNTINO THE OURANG OUTANG. 153 



to their surprise, saw him gain another, and they were obliged to 

 cut down all the trees before they could bring him to the earth. 

 Even then, mangled as he was, he made a most determined de- 

 fence against the numbers who attacked him with spears, large 

 stones, and other missiles. He broke the shaft of one spear it 

 was made of a supple wood, and would have withstood the strength 

 f the stoutest man " as if it had been a carrot," to use the 

 words of the narrator. Those who aided in this slaughter 

 acknowledged that they were distressed by the human-like ex- 

 pression of his countenance, the piteous manner in which he 

 applied his hands to his wounds, and the whole bearing of the 

 dying combatant. They confessed that the sight was such as 

 almost to make them question the nature of the act they were 

 committing. He lay dead before them, upwards of six feet in 

 length at the lowest computation, according to the narrative. 



We know not what view their worships of the learned societies 

 may take of this transaction, for there is no telling how far a zeal 

 for science may carry its votaries,* but to the unlearned it must 

 look rather murderous. 



The captain, who furnished Dr. Abel with the details, stated 

 that the creature was a full head taller than any man on board, 

 measuring seven feet in what might be called his ordinary stand- 

 ing posture, and eight feet when suspended for the purpose of 

 being skinned. Dr. Abel describes the skin, dried and shrivelled 

 as it was, as measuring in a straight line, from the top of the 

 shoulder to the part where the ancle had been removed, five feet 

 ten inches ; the perpendicular length of the neck, as in the pre- 

 paration, three inches and a half; the length of the head, from 

 the top of the forehead to the end of the chin, nine inches ; and 

 the length of the skin still attached to the foot, from the line of ita 

 separation from the leg, eight inches. 



* We remember to have heard of a clause said to have been in the direction! 

 given, many years ago, to a commander of an expedition of discovery, somewhat 

 .to the following effect : " You are to avoid collision with the natives ; but if, 

 unfortunately, such an event should happen, and one of them should be killed, 

 you will preserve the body in spirit and bring it home for examination." 



