MAN WHO BECAME A MONKEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 81

MAN WHO BECAME A MONKEY.

HUMAN "APE" CAPTURED IN 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 gigantic stature. It was seen to move quickly along the branches of the trees, but always mysteriously disappeared. Finally an expedition to hunt the creature 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 a thicket of a man with flowing disorderly hair and a long matted heard. 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. Subsequently 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 ©rang oufcang. He shrieked when captured", but made no attempt to reply to the questions put to him. He was offered some bread, which he ate ravenously. It was noticed that be wore round his neck a chain, to which was attached a medal, bearing 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 Grynsdaal, the Norwegian philanthropist, heard of tha case, ond supplied funds to have the captive sent back to Norway. --The man was taken aboard a Norwegian ship at Antwerp, and his identily as a member cf the crew of the wrecked Mygrean was dramatically established. As he went aboard, the captain addressed him in Norwegian. The man 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 how hi> had lived in the forests of France and Belgium for the last 12 years.