54 THE MAN-LIKE APES I 



But, though possessed of immense strength, it 

 is rare for the Orang to attempt to defend itself, 

 especially when attacked with fire-arms. On such 

 occasions he endeavours to hide himself, or to 

 escape along the topmost branches of the trees, 

 breaking off and throwing down the boughs as he 

 goes. When wounded he betakes himself to the 

 highest attainable point of the tree, and emits 

 a singular cry, consisting at first of high notes, 

 which at length deepen into a low roar, not 

 unlike that of a panther. While giving out 

 the high notes the Orang thrusts out his lips into 

 a funnel shape ; but in uttering the low notes he 

 holds his mouth wide open, and at the same time 

 the great throat bag, or laryngeal sac, becomes 

 distended. 



According to the Dyaks, the only animal the 

 Orang measures his strength with is the crocodile, 

 who occasionally seizes him on his visits to the 

 water side. But they say that the Orang is more 

 than a match for his enemy, and beats him to 

 death, or rips up his throat by pulling the jaws 

 asunder ! 



Much of what has been here stated was 



as large as 32-pounders, which most effectually kept us clear of 

 the tree she was on. She could be seen breaking them off and 

 throwing them down with every appearance of rage, uttering at 

 intervals a loud pumping grunt, and evidently meaning mid- 

 chief." " On the Habits of the Orang-Utan," Annals of Natural 

 History. 1856. This statement, it will be observed, is quite 

 in accordance with that contained in the letter of the Redder, t 

 Palm quoted above (p. 23). 



