OF SUMATRA. 491 



^vas necessary to see him amongst trees in order to estimate his agility and 

 strength. On being driven to a small clump he gained by one spring a very 

 lofty branch, and bounded from one branch to another with the ease and ala- 

 crity of a common monkey. Had the country been covered with wood, it 

 would have been almost impossible to prevent his escape, as his mode of tra- 

 velling from one tree to another is described to be as rapid as the progress 

 of a swift horse. Even amidst the few trees that were on the spot, his move- 

 ments were so quick that it was very difficult to obtain a settled aim, and it 

 was only by cutting down one tree after another, that his pursuers by con- 

 fining him within a very limited range, were enabled to destroy him by se- 

 veral successive shots, some of which penetrated his body and wounded his 

 viscera. Having received five balls, his exertions relaxed, and reclining 

 exhausted on one of the branches of a tree, he vomited a considerable quan- 

 tity of blood. The ammunition of the hunters being by this time expended, 

 they were obliged to fell the tree in order to obtain him, and did this in full 

 confidence that his power was so far gone, that they could secure him with- 

 out trouble, but were astonished as the tree was falling to see him effect his 

 retreat to another with apparently undiminished vigour. In fact, they were 

 obliged to cut down all the trees before they could drive him to combat his 

 enemies on the ground, against whom he still exhibited surprising strength 

 and agility, although he was at length overpowered by numbers, and des- 

 troyed by the thrusts of spears and the blows of stones and other missiles. 

 When nearly in a dying state, he seized a spear made of a supple wood 

 which would have withstood the strength of the stoutest man, and shiv- 

 ered it in pieces; in the words of the narrator, he broke it as if it had been a 

 carrot. It is stated by those who aided in his death, that the human like 

 expression of his countenance, and piteous manner of placing his hands 

 over his wounds, distressed their feelings and almost made them question the 

 nature of the act they were committing. When dead both Natives and Eu- 

 ropeans contemplated his figure with amazement. His stature at the lowest 

 computation was upwards of six feet, at the highest it was nearly eight, but 



KkU 



