ORAN OTAN. 
11 
partake of the nature of dwarfs among the human 
species, being gentle, assiduous, and playful, 
rather fitted to amuse than terrify. But the gi- 
gantic races of the oran otan, seen and described 
by travellers, are truly formidable ; and in the 
gloomy forests, where only they are found, seem 
to hold undisputed dominion. Many of these are 
as tall, or taller than a man ; active, strong, and 
intrepid ; cunning, lascivious, and cruel. This 
redoubtable rival of mankind is found in many 
parts of Africa, in the East Indies, in Madagascar, 
and in Borneo. In the last of these places, the 
people of quality course him as we do the stag ; 
and this sort oi hunting is one of the favourite 
amusements of the king himself. This creature 
is extremely swift of foot, endowed with extra- 
ordinary strength, and runs with prodigious cele- 
rity. His skin is all hairy, his eyes sunk in his 
head, his countenance stern, his face tanned, and 
all his lineaments, though exactly human, harsh 
and blackened by the sun. In Africa this crea- 
ture is even still more formidable. Battel calls 
him the pongo, and assures us that in all his pro- 
portions he resembles a man, except that he is 
much larger, even to a gigantic state. His face 
resembles that of a man, the eyes are deep sunk 
in the head, the hair on each side is extremely 
long, the visage is naked and without hair, as 
are also the ears and the hands. The body is 
lightly covered, and scarcely differing from that 
of a man, except that there are no calves t© 
the legs. Still, however, the animal is seen t© 
walk upon his hinder legs, and in an erect pos- 
ture. He sleeps under trees, and is said to build 
himself a hut, which serves to protect him against 
the sun and the rains of the tropical climates. 
He lives only upon fruits, and is no way carnivo- 
rous. He cannot speak, although furnished with 
