"
The discovery must be assigned to Admiral Hanno of Carthage, who,
about B. C. 500, first in the historical period slew the
Troglodytes, and carried home their spoils.
The next traveller who described the great Troglodytes of
equatorial Africa was the well-known Andrew Battel, of Leigh,
Essex (1589 to 1600); and his description deserves quoting. "Here
(Mayombo) are two kinds of monsters common to these woods. The
largest of them is called Pongo in their language, and the other
Engeco "(in the older editions "Encego" evidently Nchigo, whilst
Engeco may have given rise to our "Jocko"). "The Pongo is in all
his proportions like a man, except the legs, which have no
calves, but are of a gigantic size. Their faces, hands, and ears
are without hair; their bodies are covered, but not very thick,
with hair of a dunnish colour. When they walk on the ground it is
upright, with their hands on the nape of the neck. They sleep in
trees, and make a covering over their heads to shelter them from
the rain. They eat no flesh, but feed on nuts and other fruits;
they cannot speak, nor have they any understanding beyond
instinct.
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