SKETCH OF GABOON. 
441 
most extraordinary subject of our conversations on natural history, 
(which I introduce merely to excite enquiry) was the Ingena, com- 
pared with an Ourang-outan, but much exceeding it in size, being 
generally five feet high, and four across the shoulders ; its paw was 
said to be even more disproportionate than its breadth, and one 
blow of it to be fatal ; it is seen commonly by those who travel to 
Kaylee, lurking in the bush to destroy passengers, and feeding 
principally on the wild honey, which abounds. Their death is 
frequently accelerated by the siUiness which characterizes most of 
their actions: observing men carry heavy burthens through the 
forest, they tear off the largest branches from the trees, and accu- 
mulating a weight (sometimes of elephants teeth,) disproportionate 
even to their superior strength, emulously hurry with it from one 
part of the woods to another, with little or no cessation, until the 
fatigue, and the want of rest and nourishment, exhausts them. 
Amongst other of their actions, reported without variation by the 
men, women, and children of Empoongwa and Sheekan, is that of 
building a house in rude imitation of the natives, and sleeping out- 
side or on the roof of it; and also of carrying about their infant 
dead, closely pressed to them, until they drop away in putrefac- 
tion.^ The larger birds in the creeks were uncommon, if not un- 
known. Pelicans abounded. 
part of which he banquetted sumptuously on dead parrots) made the loss very mor- 
tifying- 
* The description the natives give of this animal agrees extraordinarily with that of 
the Quoja Morrou in Dapper. 
Les Quojas Morrou, dont on a parle dans le royaume de Quoja, naissent dans le roy- 
aume d' Angola, Comme cet animal tient beaucoup de Thomme, bien des gens ont cru 
qu'il etoit issu d'un homme & d'un singe, mais les Negres meme rejettent cette opinion. 
II y a trente ou quarante ans qu'on apporta en HoUande un de ses animaux, dont on fit 
present a son Altesse le Prince Frederic Henri. II etoit de la grandeur d'un enfant de 
trois ans, mais il avmt bien le double d'epais, etant d'une faille carree, fort vigoureux & 
3 L 
