.MTI4NQ.MTAzNDIz
some of these trees are so Much larger than the common ones that at a distance they look like large hills, covered with verdure. in its thick branches whole droves of apes monkes and orangotans find shelter. in its cool shade droves of Cattle hogs and other animals find a resting place. The fabled tree which threw out its poisonous vapors for 20 miles around killing birds and beasts and trees or rather all animal and vegetable matter was said to exist in this island. the story arose from a tradition of the Natives which had reference to a volcano instead of a tree but the dutch (who first settled this isle) from their ignorance of the Malay language thought it a tree and so spread the report and hence the {crossed out: fable} story. Orang-o-tang which is a Malay word means Man of the Woods so orang-o-pulto means Men of the sea or sailors. The orang-o-tang is very numerous. The Malays say that they live together in towns built of leaves and sticks in the impenetrable jungles. and subsist on the animal and vegetable matter that the woods afford. There are said to be two different species differing in the texture and color of the hair the one called the Cooboo is said to be very much like the human race. so much so that the Malays are said to take some of the most likely cooboo girls to wife the offspring after the 2 or 3 generation loose all appearance of the orang o tang in their wild state they build huts and frequently attack tigers and elephants for food on the approach of a Man they always run off and are quite harmless unless wounded. They can be taught almost any thing I have seen them sweep out a room and others have been learned to wait on the table. Tigers which are very numerous and dangerous attacking the Malays almost every day. never attack the orang-o-tang but on the contrary the orang o tangs attack them with clubs &c and either break their heads or strangle them with their long sinewy arms. They are very strong for some times they when wounded will pick up a Malay and run up a tree the same as a Man would pick up a child and walk off. in fighting with the Malays they with one blow will break an arm or leg. some of them grow to the highth of 8 or 9 feet and after killing a buffaloe will pick it up and walk off. Now all the above about the orang o tang May be a yarn but I give it as the Malays tell it, The Malays have a kind of superstitious dread concerning tigers thinking they are some way connected with God on that account they Never hunt them nor kill them except in cases of necessity. Whole cities have been deserted on account of their ravages. Villages country towns and provinces have been depopulated by these savage animals. The
[bottom of page torn off}