Java: a man and a woman of mixed race (Dutch and Javanese), with the woman holding a young child in her arms, standing outside a plantation; right an ape of Java (orangoutan?). Etching by F. Garden, 1752.

"There is a mixed breed called Topasses or Mardikers, consisting of several nations, incorporated with the Dutch ..." (Salmon, op. cit. p. 114)

The ape is described as having human characteristics (Salmon, op. cit., p. 115: "Monkeys also abound here: Mr. Leguat, who resided in Java some years, relates, that he saw a monkey that was kept in one of the bastions at at Batavia, that came very near the human form; that it was a female, went upright on its hinder legs, was very tall, and concealed the pudenda with one of its hands; that she made her bed neatly every day in a little house her master had built for her, and lying down at night, covered herself with a quilt, and sometimes would bind her head with a cloth, and seemed to grieve as if she had the head-ach. Mr. Leguat imagined great pains had been taken to teach the creature to perform such actions, as seemed to be the result of reason, while others were of opinion it was the issue of an ape and a female slave; for when a slave has committed a great fault, or what the Dutch are pleased to call such, they frequently run up into the mountains, and live perfectly wild, and supposes that this creature was begot on her mother by some male ape.")

[London] : [Richard Baldwin], [1752]

1 print : etching, with engraving ; image 14 x 23.5 cm

Topasses or Mardikers at Batavia. An ape of Java. F. Garden sculp.

Wellcome Collection 42068i