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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 1921)
,..., II. , , . , , . , .1 I ! .,'' 4-M I - ' By CHARLES MAYER. lliuntnttloa by WIU CmwturU. The orang-outangs, high up in the tree, were huddled together, swaying back and forth. Omar came with the message that the space was cleared (or the tree to fall; I ordered the net carried to position and sent the two headmen to place the natives at their post. Dense clouds of smoke rolled up from the smudges, enveloping the tree completely and hiding the orang-outangs, who perched aloft, screaming and coughing. I could get occasional glimpses of them, as they Mt there, hugging each other. The big rattan nets were in place, with the men holding them ready to cast when the tree came down. Other men, armed with sharp-pointed poles, stood behind, to pin the beasts down if the nets did not fall in the proper rsition. They were so excited that spent several minutes in casually walking about, talking with them and calming them. Alt trudged a few feet behind me, carrying my express rit'e. We cleared away the litter of tree trunks and creepers from the spot where the big tree was to fall, so that there m sht be nothing under foot to interfere with rapid work; then I gave the signal for the tom toms. The racket began again and the crew of men detailed to cutting the tree ran through the smoke bar rier, waving their parangs and shout ing. I stood outside, near the net, watching the orangs and keeping the men at their stations. Omar was with me, and Munshee was with the men who were doing the cuttng. We could hear the big knives haek- tng into the tree. A messenger from Munshee came with the word that the tree was ready to drop. I gave a hasty glance around me, told the men to be on the alert and sent him back with in structions to let the tree fall. Once again through the din of tom-toms and shouts we could hear chopping; the tree swayed for a moment, the orang-outangs screamed with terror and the men with the net crouched, readv to spring. Slowly the tree toppled and came down, gathering speed as it fell, exactly in the spot we had marked. When it street the entire jungle seemed to be m up- hearal , The orang-outangs abruptly topped their outcry. As they hit the ground, they were paralyzed with fright A net went sailing over them. In an instant they came to their senses and began fighting. With long, black, powerful arm they lashed at the rattan; they leaped and struggled, biting the ropes and tearing great gashe in their bodies. They acreamed and chattered furi ously. One e-f thera reached out and grabbed native by the throat, whipping hint through th air and breaktsg his neck. The nativ struck the rewnd several yards away, blood yeant froai his sc ad mouth. FOLLIES The Sea Tragedy of the Wild Orang-Outangs I yelled to the men to cast the second net and secure it to the trees. The orangs kept up a constant bat--tie, lashing and heaving under the ropes that pressed them to the ground. Their arms and legs became entangled in the meshes of the nets, and they wasted their strength in wrenching and squirming, while we fastened them down. The natives, crazy with excitement, pressed in, tumbling over one anotuvr. Our material had been put to the greatest test and would hold the ani mals, I knew, for they could not again equal the struggle of the first few minutes. So, because I wanted them to have room to become thor oughly tangled in the nets, I ordered the ropes slackened a a trifle. Just then, while I was standing near the nets, superintending the Vrork of making them fast, a huge paw shot out and grabbed my ankle. I was jerked off the ground and, as I felt, my hands caught the limb of a tree. I clung to it with all my strength, feeling my fingers weaken and slip while the brute pulled. The joints at my hip and knee pained me for an instant; then my leg became numb. The men stood terrified and 1 could not yell at them; I felt my self growing diiry and I simply wondered why some oue did not do something. Then Omar grabbed a club and pounded the orang's arm; the pulling stopped, and I realized that 1 was being dragged away from the nets. For several minutes I was too groggy to know what was hap pening, but the idea that the natives might kill the orang-outangs while I was disabled nude me sit up. They were standing there, looking first at me and then at the animals, wonder ing wnat to co. i tola them 1 was all right and I began feeling my leg. It was not broken, but it had been so badly wrenched that 1 could not stand on it. While I sat on the sround direct ing the work the men gathered the outside meshes of the nets and ran a rope through them. Then, as the other ropes were loosened, they putled the noose close, and the two brutes were in a sack. For the first time I had an opportunity to exam ire our catch. They Vere the two biggest orang-outangs ever captured in Borneo. Gradually they exhausted them selves and gave up the struggle. They peered out through the meshes, snarling at the men who came tear thera and sometimes shooting out a long arm with the fingers opening and closing. The natives, squatted about ia a circle, watching the ani ma's and laughing. When the men had rested I bad them bnild two litters cf bocihi j one for the dead man and the other tor me. I Ben we strong th net on three long rotes, to be carried by 1- men, and started back to the village. Messengers went on ahead to ted the people cf the karupor.g of war aircccs. i stajcj lie procei OF THE PASSING SHOW By Hanlon SOM sion; then came the orang-outang with natives dancing around them and beating tom-toms; then the dead man. It was necessary to stop often to change crews that were carrying the litters and the animals they weighed over 500 pounds and the entire population of Omar's kam pong came out to meet us in the jungle before we had covered half the distance. My coolie boy, who had remained at the village, was ahead of them all. He was one of the fastest rickshaw men I have ever seen, and his old training came in handy that day. He wanted to carry me in his arms back to the village, but I told him to run back and put some water on to boil for me. i left Omar and Munshee in charge of the orangs. and had my men hurry ahead with me, for my leg was paining me intensely and I could feel the fever coming on. I had many things to do before I could afford to be sick, and I did not want to lose any time. For one thing, I realized that it would be impossible to get the animals into separate cages and that it would be necessary to build a larger cage be fore we could take them from the nets. It would be too dangerous to leave them in the nets overnight, for they might chew their way out. At the village I found that my boy had laid out my medicine kit. I soaked my leg in hot water and massaged it; then we painted it with iodine and bandaged it tightly. By the time the procession arrived I was ready to give Omar and Mun shee orders about the new cage. While the women prepared the feast of chicken, rice and sugar cakes, the men went into the jungle again and cut logs eight feet long and from six to eight inches in diameter. These they drove two feet into the cround. otacine them not j more than three inches apart, so as I to form a cage eight feet long and j three feet wide. Then they bound ithent together tightly with rattan ropes and made and lashed down a strong rooi of logs. One end of the cage was kit open for the animals to enter. Fropped up on my titter. I directed the work; then I was carried while 1 made a careiul inspection of it When the cage was ready, the orang outangs were brought up to the open end, the poles were drawn out and the slip-knot ot the cuter net was loosened. By using poles and work ing at a respectful distance, the men forced into the cage the single net i containing the animals; then they drove the end-bars rcto the ground land lashed thera. Finaltv. bv work- irg between the bars, they loosened i the slf-knot ot the net and left the I orar.g-ootangs tree to untangle them ! selves. By the time the job was finished, i I was exhausted by the fever, and j usy kg iu pun-rg me unbearably. THE UEE: OMAHA, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1921. CANDIDATES '&f$kK itt??4 s,fr y:& r?w ?A - I Vt4 , .SCWjErgJigJ r4bfd; -ts" 5- A huge paw shot out and grabbed my ankle. I ws jerked off the ground, and. as I fell, my hands caught the limb of a tree. . . . The brute pulled. I feh myself growing dixry. ... Then Omar grabbed a club and pounded the orang's aim. I thanked the men for their good way, Munshee turned to preparing t none ot the natives could venture tor work and was carried back to ja boat for ne; aa awning made of close. Omar' house. palm leaves was put over the center j when m boat was readv, all the la the morning I sent for Mun- and a bed arranged. people of the Jumpong were oa hand shee and told him that it would be j I left Omar in charge of the j to bid me goodby and wish me a necessary for me to go down the : orang-outang s. with AS to assist j $fdy recoverr. Munshee steered river to Sir.ting. where Dr. Van; him Ali objected to beig left be. 5Ix mcn pa'ddted. Another boat Erman lived. He seiected four t ; hind, tot I explained to him that he , followed with rr.v ssppUes. I wen his fastest boatmen and sect thera could be of greatest service to renown the river, thir.krcy that I had orl to the djctor with the message 1 ,br staying. He was to see that the never found a kinder. rao:e hesptt u cemwg. Their orders were that : o--arig-ourangs were fed and watered ! able people than these, who are they might stop at Xanoah-Finoh to, and to have the nat-.ves trap other i known throughout the world as sav eat. but that they were not to rest j animals for me. I instractrd Omar i a;es an d bead hunters, nctit the message was delivered. J to build a shed over the ca andl My fever grew worse and worse Just a soca as they were out of tie; to place a feace aroasd it. so that 'and I becacc delirious. I was co- FOR DISARMAMENT ui " conscious when we reached Sintang Two days later I awoke in Dr. Van Erman's house and was unable for some time to realize where I was and why I was there. The doc tor came in and talked with me for a few minutes. He said that 1 would be well in two weeks and that my leg was not badly damaged. Then I drifted off to sleep again. The next day I felt stronger, and the doctor repeated some of the tales the natives were telling about the capture of the orang-outangs and the death, of the crocodile. The stories had improved with age, and so I told him what had actually hap pened. "Mahommed Munshee has been waiting here for you to get well," said the doctor. I think he'd like to see you if you don't mind." Munshee came in, beaming with delight. Taking my hand and press ing it to his forehead, he told me that only one chosen by "God and Pr'-phet" could recover from the fever and the sickness caused by the paw of an orang-outang. All of the villagers, he said, had been making offerings to the different dei tief for my recovery, and the people would be happy to hear that Tuan vas well again. I told him that I wonld return with him to Omar's Inmpong within two weeks, and he left, promising to come for me. By the time Mahommed Munshee came for me I was quite ready to go up the river. 1 had seen enough of the country to know that the jungles were full of animals, and I wanted to capt'ir as many as possible before starting back for Singapore. Mun-, shee said that the orang-outangs were in good health and that Omar's men. working with Ali, had made many captures. Dr. Van Erman cashed a draft for me, so that I should have silver money to dis tribute to the natives who had helped me. and I started np the river, prom ising to stop on my way down so that the doctor could see the ani mals. At Munshee's request. I stopped over night in his village. The peo ple gave me a royal welcome and we had a fine celebration. The news of my cominir went ahead cf us. and j Omar and Ali came down the river. ' meetirg us two hours' distance be low the kampong. They gave me an enthusiastic reception and I was touched by their affection. We rowed on up the river and. when we reached Omar's village I found that the people had been busy for days, preparing the festivities in honor of my return. After greeting the people, I went directly to the cage of the orang outangs. They showed little ficht. 'and I was encouraged to find that ! they were not too despondent. I d:d j not war.t to risk transporting them I until they had become thoroeh'y accustomed to captivity or at least t as fmch accustomed to it as i pos isible for crazg-suaaS. For home sickness grips them just as it grips human beings, and they become piti able objects. If they refuse to eat, it is scarcely worth while to spend time and money in transporting them, for seasickness and the excite ment of traveling will kill them. I had been lucky enough to find my captives eating quietly and taking life calmly. Before beginning the work of cap turing other animals, I turned my attention to preparing . the trans portation cages. These were three feet wide, three feet high and five and a half feet long just large enough -to hold the orangs, without giving them any chance to wrench at the bars. They sat clutching each other while we placed the transpor tation cages at each end of the big cage. Occasionally they snarled at us and reached out between the bars. Natives armed with sharpened poles held them back. Then, by poking and prodding, we separated them and ran bars through the center of the big cage. These operations ex cited the beasts so greatly that we left off work for the day. The next morning we went to the cage again and cut away the end bars so th3' the animals could enter their trans portation cages. These gave them more room, and I stationed an extra guard over them with instructions to call me immed ately if they began to tear at the bars. Ali spent prac tically all of his time there, talking to them and feeding them. Gradual ly they became accustomed to him. and. although they were far from ac cepting him as a friend, they did know him and realize that he was not there to hurt or annoy them. All others, except the headmen and my self, were kept away from the cages. Food was always placed in the transportation cages, and, since the animals were deprived of each other's company, they became ac customed to spending their time 'in them. That, of course, was exactly what I wanted, and the prospect looked more encouraging each day. We spent the next two week in trapping and snaring, and I kept the men of the kampong busy all the time, either at collecting the animals or at building cages for them. I was fortunate enough to get one proboscis-monkey. It is a rare, long nosed species, difficult to capture. My standing orders from zoological gar dens all over the world always in cluded one of these creatures, but this was the only one I ever caught. W e found h;rn hopelessly tangieo m a net we had put up near a water- ing place- He was a fine specimer-f ' and tail, aad a nose that measured two inches. Among the animals we captured while workxg from Omar kam pong were three gibbons, or wah- wahv These are aio known a ey ing g-.bbens. because they make such long leaps from tree to tree. Jhr- t