416 HISloUV OF 



tremely long, the \ isage nuked and without hair, as also the ears 

 and the hands. The body is lightly covered, and scarcely differ- 

 ing from that of a man, except that there are no calves to the 

 legs. Still, however, the animal is seen to walk upon his hinder 

 legs, and in an erect posture. He sleeps under trees, and builds 

 himself a hut, which serves to protect him against the sun and 

 the rains of the tropical climates, of which he is a native. He 

 lives only upon fruits, and is no way carnivorous. He cannot 

 speak, although furnished with a greater instinct than any other 

 animal of the brute creation. When the negroes make a fire in 

 the woods, this animal comes near and warms himself by the 

 biiize. However, he has not skill enough to keep the flame 

 alive by feeding it with fuel. They go together in companies, 

 and if they happen to meet one of the human species remote 

 from succour, they show him no mercy. They even attack the 

 elephant, which they beat with their clubs, and oblige to leave 

 that part of the forest which they claim as their own. It is im- 

 possible to take any of these dreadful creatures alive, for they 

 are so strong that ten men would not be a match for but one of 

 them. None of this kind, therefore, are taken except when 

 very yo\mg, and these but rarely, when the female happens to 

 leave them behind ; for in general they keep clung to the breast, 

 and adhere both with legs and arms. From the same traveller 

 we learn, that when one of these animals dies, the rest cover the 

 body with a quantity of leaves and branches. They sometimes 

 also show mercy to the human kind. A negro boy, that was 

 taken by one of these, and carried into the woods, continued there 

 a whole year, without receiving any injury.' From another trav- 

 eller we learn, that these animals often attempt to surprise the 

 female negroes as they go into the woods, and frequently keep 

 them against their wills for the pleasure of their company, feed- 

 ing them very plentifully all the time. He assures us, that he 

 knew a woman of Loango that had lived among these animals 

 for three years. They grow from six to seven feet high, a!id 

 are of unequalled strength. They build sheds, and make use of 

 clubs for their defence. Their faces are broad, their noses flat, 

 tlieir ears without a tip, their skins are more bright than that of 

 ft mulatto, and they are covered on many parts of the body with 

 long and tawny-coloured hair. Their belly is large, their heels 

 1 he Brosse, as fiuoted by Buflbn, vol xx^ iii. p. 'iC. 



