to get away some distance, they were
sure to stop and allow me to come up. I never observed the slightest
attempt at defence, and the wood which sometimes rattled about our ears
was broken by their weight, and not thrown, as some persons represent.
If pushed to extremity, however, the 'Pappan' could not be otherwise
than formidable, and one unfortunate man, who, with a party, was trying
to catch a large one alive, lost two of his fingers, besides being
severely bitten on the face, whilst the animal finally beat off his
pursuers and escaped." Mr. Wallace, on the other hand, affirms that he
has several times observed them throwing down branches when pursued.
"It is true he does not throw them 'at' a person, but casts them down
vertically; for it is evident that a bough cannot be thrown to any
distance from the top of a lofty tree. In one case a female Mias, on
a durian tree, kept up for at least ten minutes a continuous shower of
branches and of the heavy, spined fruits, as large as 32-pounders, which
most effectually kept us clear of the tree she was on. She could be seen
breaking them off and throwing them down with every appearance of
rage, uttering at intervals a loud pumping grunt, and evidently meaning
mischief."--"On the Habits of the Orang-Utan," 'Annals of Nat. History,
1856. This statement, it will be observed, is quite in accordance with
that contained in the letter of the Resident Palm quoted above (p.
210).)

But, though possessed of immense strength, it is rare for the Orang to
attempt to defend itself, especially when attacked with fire-arms. On
such occasions he endeavours to hide himself, or to escape along the
topmost branches of the trees, breaking off and throwing down the boughs
as he goes. When wounded he betakes himself to the highest attainable
point of the tree, and emits a singular cry, consisting at first of
high notes, which at length deepen into a low roar, not unlike that of a
panther. While giving out the high notes the Orang thrusts out his lips
into a funnel shape; but in uttering the low notes he holds his mouth
wide open, and at the same time the great throat bag, or laryngeal sac,
becomes distended.

According to the Dyaks, the only animal the Orang measures his strength
with is the crocodile, who occasionally seizes him on his visits to the
water side. But they say that the Orang is more than a match for his
enemy, and beats him to death, or rips up his throat by pulling the jaws
asu