Introduction 



vii 



after leading a life of adventure and enquiry 

 among the islands of the South Atlantic 

 and Indian Ocean ; that he came in his 

 own small vessel to the Malay Archipelago, 

 and spent some time in the interior of 

 Sumatra, where he saw apparent evidences 

 of semi-human beings. He saw the orang- 

 utans in their native forest, and noted that 

 they were covered with red hair, and was 

 surprised at the slowness of their move- 

 ments. Among some men engaged in 

 building a stable for the raja, he saw " a 

 dark form, tall as a middle-sized man, 

 covered with hair, that looked soft and 

 flowing ; the arms, hands, legs, and feet 

 seemed well formed, like the Malays' ; the 

 body was straight, and easily bore, on the 

 right shoulder, the yoke of two heavy 

 panniers filled with material for the build- 

 ing which was going on." Gibson says that 

 " the eyes were clearer, the nose fuller, and the lips thinner than those of the common 



By permission of the Son. Walter Rothschild] 

 GIANT TORTOISE. 



[Tring. 



This photograph of Mr. Walter Rothschild riding on one of his huge 

 tortoises gives a good idea of the relative sizes of one of the " giant tortoises" 

 and a human being. 



[Florence. 

 Photo by Fratelli Alinari] 



A GROUP OP CROCODILJANS. 



A wonder of modern animal-training. The photograph shows a number of living crocodilians with their trainer. They have been on 

 exhibition in Florence for some years past, and are still to be seen there. 



