1833: the ORANGUTAN, w/engraving; Richmond Castle YORKSHIRE; British geology

Description

The Penny Magazine
April 27, 1833
the ORANGUTAN
Richmond Castle, Yorkshire
British geology
This is a paper which is
over 180 years old
! It is printed in a small format, measuring 7” by 11” in size, and is 8 pages long. The issue came from a bound volume and has some typical minor disbinding marks at the spine, but is otherwise in excellent condition.
* * * * * * *
The paper’s highlight is a long article on
THE ORANG-OUTANG
. This story features a half-page wood engraved drawing of an orangutan washing his hands along a riverbank. This is followed by more than two full pages of text (51 column inches in small print) on the exotic creature, describing the physiology and habits of the orangutan in colorful detail. It also tells of how the first example of the species was brought to England from Borneo, in 1817, by Dr. Abel. In a charming and funny anecdote, an observer on the ship describes how the animal had broken out of his cage, and then unfastened a chain from another restraint:
“After several abortive attempts to secure him more effectually, he was allowed to wander freely about the ship, and soon became familiar with the sailors, and surpassed them in agility. They often chased him about the rigging, and gave him frequent opportunities of displaying his adroitness in managing an escape. . . . When in a playful humour he would often swing within arm’s-length of his pursuer, and having struck him with his hand, throw himself from him. . . . His beverage in Java was water; on board ship it was as diversified as his food. He preferred coffee or tea, but would readily take wine; and exemplified his attachment to spirits by stealing the captain’s brandy bottle. . . . In his attempts to obtain food he offered us many opportunities of judging of his sagacity and disposition. He was always very impatient to seize it when held out to him, and became passionate when it was not soon given up, and would chase a person all over the ship to obtain it. I seldom came on deck without sweatmeats or fruits in my pocket, and could never escape his vigilant eye. . . . When he came up with me on the shrouds, he would secure himself by one foot to the rattling, and confine my legs with the other, and one of his hands, whilst he rifled my pockets. . . .”
* * * * * * *
The cover page of this issue is on
Richmond Castle, Yorkshire
, with a wood engraving view of the Castle, as seen from the River Swale. The accompanying article goes on to take up 1/3 of the next page.
* * * * * * *
There is also an article which was part of a series on
British geology
, titled Mineral Kingdom, which has over a full page of text, plus 4 diagrams which illustrate the “Section of the Stratified and Unstratified Rocks from the Land’s End in Cornwall to the Coast of Suffolk.”
******************************************
Background on this publication
:
The Penny Magazine
was a weekly 8-page paper put out by London’s “Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.” Throughout the 1830s, an American edition was very popular in the United States, only to dwindle into extinction during the following decade. The paper did not cover the current news of the day, and carried no advertising. Instead, the
Penny Magazine
provided excellent essays on a wide array of subjects, such as architecture, science, geography and natural history, often illustrated with fine woodcut engravings.
68 [gsp348]
_gsrx_vers_856 (GS 7.0.20 (856))