A MAN WHO BECAME A MONKEY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 386, 7 March 1908, Page 4

A MAN WHO BECAME A MONKEY.

Human “Ape ” Captured In a Belgian Forest. One of the weirdest sensations of modern times has just been solved in Belgium. The population in the neighbourhood of the forest of Soignies had been living, in a state of fear owing to the appearance in the forest of an unknown animal, which was reported to be of a gigantic stature. It was seen to move quickly along the branches of the trees, but always mysteriously disappeared. Finally an expedition to hunt the creatufe was organised, and the members of the party secreted themselves in a part of the forest where it had frequently been seen. After waiting for several hours without result they were finally rewarded by the appearance in the thicket of a man, with flowing disorderly hair and long matted beard. He was almost naked and - was jumping from branch to branch like a monkey< The hunters tried to seize him, but he got away in the depths of the thicket and could not be found. Yesterday the man-ape was captured by a crowd of villagers, who suddenly surrounded him. He was covered with short hair, and looked exactly like an oiang outang. He shrieked when captured, but made no attempt to reply.j to the questions put to him. He was offered some bread which he ate ravenously. It was noticed that he wore round his neck a chain, to which was attached a medal hearing the word “Mygrean.” The Police discovered that this was the name of a Norwegian barque which was wrecked on the French coast in 1895. No survivor was found at the time, and it was at once conjectured that the man had escaped from the wreck and had become insane. Baron Gryusdaal, the Norwegian philanthropist, heard of the case and supplied funds to have the captive sent back to Norway, The mau was then taken aboard a Norwegian ship at Antwerp, and his identity as a member of the crew of the wrecked Mygrean was dramatically established. As he went aboard, the captain addressed him in Norwegian. The mau was seized with violent emotion, and fell on the deck in a fit. When he recovered he was able to answer the captain’s questions sensibly, and told him how he had lived in the forests of France aud Belguim for the last 12 years.