Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-13
THE GAZETTE.
SATURDAY MORNING. AUGUST II. 1859.
TIE GORILLA.

the following description OF this animal
which is said to be most closely allied IN
structure. to the human iorn,, OF any oil the
brute creation:
The gorilla Is OF the average heig ht OF man,
five feet six inches; his brain case Is low anu
narrow, and as the fore part OF the skull
is high, and there is n very prominent ridge
above the eyes, the top of the head is perfect
" fiat. and the brow. with its thick integu-
ment, forms ''scowling penthouse over the
eyes. Couple with this deep lead-colored
skin, much wrinkled "a prominent jaw, with
the canine teeth in the maes) Of huge size.
a receding chin and We have an exaggera-
ton of the low st and most forbilding type
of human physiognomy. The neck is short
the head pokes forward. The relative pro-
portions Of the body and limbs are nearer
those Of man, yet they are of more ungainly
aspect than in any other of the brute KIND
Long sliapeless arms, thick and muscular,
with scarce any diminution OF size deserving
the name of wrist flor at the smallest they
are fourteen inches round, while Il strong
mans wrist is not above eight;) wide, thick
hand the palm long, and the fingers short,
swollen and equity looking; capaclous chest;
broad shoulders: legs also thick aud shape
less. destitute of calf, and very muscular yet
short a handle-lke foot, with thumb to 1t,
of huge dimension and portentous power OF
prasp.' No wonder the lion skulks before
this monster. and even the elephant is bafled
by his malicious cunning, activity and
strength, The teeth Indicate Il vegetable diet.
but the repast is sometimes varied with eggs;
or brood of young birds. The chief reason
of his enmity to the elephant appears to be,
IL. =. Inn htif
merely that it shares his taste for certain favor
ite fruits. And when, from his watch-tower
in the upper branches of Il tree, he percevcs
the elephant helping himself to these delica-
cies, he steals along the bough, aud striking
its sensitive probOsciS d violent blow with the
club with which he is almost always armed,
drives off the startled giant, trumpetlns shril-
ly with rage and PAIN.
Towards the negroes, the gorilla seems to
cherish an implacable hatred; he attacks them
quite unprovoked. lfa party of blacks ap-
proach unconsciously within range OF a tree
haunted by one of these administering
ing rapidly down to the lower branches, he
clutches with his thumbed foot, ut the nearest
of them; his green eyes flash with rage, bis
hair stands on end, and the skin above the
eyes, drawn rapidly up and down, gives HIM
a fiendsh scowl. Sometimes, during their
excursions in quest OF ivory, i'll those gloomy
forests, the natives will first discover the pr"x-
unity of gorilla by the mysterious disaP-
pearance Of one Of their companions. The
brute, angling for him with its horrible foot,
dropped from tree, while his strong arms
grasp it firmly, stretches down his huge hind
hand, seizes the helpless wretch by the throat,
draws him up into the bOughs. aud, as s"on
his struggles have ceased, drops him down,
q strangled corpse.
"A tree is the gorilla's sleepingplace by
night, his pleasant abode by day, and his
castle of defence From that colgne OF All
vantage he waits his foe, should the latter be
hardy, or foolhardy, enough to pursue. No
full grown gorilla has ever been taken alive.
A bold negro. the leader OF an elephant ex-
petition, was once offered hundred dollars
for live gorilla. Ifyou gave me the weight
of yonder hill in gold, could not do it, he
said
Nevertheless, he has his good qualities i'll
domestic point of view; he liz an amiable
and exemplary husband and father, watching
over his young family with atfectionate soil
citude, and exerting in their defence his ut
most strength and ferocity. The mothers
show that devotion to their young in times
of danger, which is the most universal OF in
stincts.
1.-The gorilla constructs himself Il snug ham
mock out Of the long, tough, slender stems OF
parasitic plants, and lines il with broad dried
ironds of palms, or with long grass sort
of bed surely not tn be despisel swung in the
leafy branches Of tree. By day he sits on
bough leaning his back against the trunk,
owing to which habit, elderly gorilas become
rather bald in those regions.
THE ACTRESS AND THE Skull The fol-
lowing anecdote is extracted from IAN
Essay on the Science of Acting" In the
town of North Waltham, Norfolk, l7IS.
1.-The Fair Penitent" was performed. la the
last act, where Calista lays her hand upon
the skull, Mrs Berry, who played the part.
was seized with an involuntary shuddering,
and fell on the stage. During the night
her illness continued. On the following
day, when sufficiently recovered to converse,
she sent to the stage-keeper and anxiously
inquired whence he procured the skull
He replied, From the SEXTON" who said it
was the skull of one Norris. player, "who
twelve years before was buried in tn" church
ward" That same Norris was her first hus-
band. She died in six weeks.
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The only object of the advertiser in sending the
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REV. EDWARD A. WILSON,
iy 26-wSw Williamsburg. Long Island.
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Uyo MILLERS, MANUFACTURERS. MA
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