The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-03-14
The Gorilla.

The Gorilla. IN d.
In Dickens AUhe Year Round we 6nd
the following description of this animal,
which is said 10 be the most closely allied
in structure, to the human form, of any Of
the brute creation: -- a5 eggs" t
The gorilla is of the average hight of
man-fve feet six inches; his brain case is
low and narrow, and, as the fore part Of
the skull is high, and there is very prom.
inent ridge above the eyes, the top Of the
head is perfectly fat, and the brow, with
its thick integuments, forms 'scowliEg
penthouse over the eyes, = Couple with
this deep lead colored skin, much wrink'
led, prominent jaw with the canine teeth
(iu the males) of huge size, a receding
chin, and we have an exaggeration of the
lowest and most forbidding 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 a man, yet they are of more IN.
calmly aspect than in any other ofthe brute
kind. Long, shapeless arms, thick and
muscular. with scarce any diminution of
size deserving the name Of wrist (for at the
smallest they are fourteen inches round,
while strong mans wrist is not above
eight;) wide, thick hand, the palm long,
and the fingers short, swollen, and gouty
looking; capacious chest; broad shoulders,
legs also thick and shapeless, destitute ot
calf aud very muscular, yet short; hand
like foot with thanh to it, 'of huge di.
mensions and portentOus power of grasp.
No wonder the lions skulk before this
monster, and even the elephant is baffied
by his malicious cunning, activity and
strength. The teeth indicate q vegetable
diet, but the repast is sometimes varied
with eggs, or q brood of young birds. The
chief reason of bis enmity to the elephsn,
appears to be, that it shares his taste
for certain favorite fruits. And, wher
from his watch tower in the upper baneh.
es of tree, he perceives the elephant help
ing himself to these delicacies, he steal
along the bough, and, striking its sensitive
proboscis violent blow with the clul
with which he is almost always armed
drives off the startled giant, trumpetini
shrilly with rage and pain.
Towards the negroes, the gorilla seem
to cherish en- implacable hatred; he al
tacks them quite unprovoked. Ifa part
of blacks approach unconsciously with
range of a tree haunted by one of thes
wood demons-swinging rapidly down
the lower branches, he clutches with b
, thumbed foot at the nearest part of the,
his green eyes fash with rage, his ha
stands on end, and the skin above the eye
drawn rapidly up and down, give him
fendish scowl. Some time during the
. excursions in quest of ivory, ia tho'
. . gloomy forests, the natives will first di
cover the proximity cf q gorilla by Il
:. sudden mysterious disappearance Of or
!, > of their companions. The brute, anglin
for him with his horrible foot droppe
from tree while his strong arms grasp
. firmly, stretches down his huge hind han
= seizes the helpless wretch by the throa
: draws him up into the boughs, and as SOC
). as his struggles have ceased, drops hi
. down, strangled corpse.
!. A tree is the gorilla's sleeping place
~ ~ night, his pleasant abode by day, and b
= castle of defence. From that coigne
!. = advantage he waits his foe, ahould Il
latter be hardy, or fooi-hardy enough
pursue. No full grown gorilla has ev
been taken alive. @
. A bold negro, the leader Of an elepba
" hunting expedition, was offered hundr
: :, dollars for live gorilla. If you ga
y y me the weight of yonder hill in gold,
= could not do it, he said.
:, :, Nevertheless, he has his good quaiiti
"a in domestic point of view-he is
=. =, amiable and exemplary husband and fath
&c &c watching over his family with affections
= = solicitude, and ferocity. The moth'
y show that devotion to their young in til
- - of danger which is the most universal of
= instincts.
q The gorilla constructs himself a sn
80 :. hammock out of the long, tough slent
:. " stems of parasitic plants, and lines it W
~ - the broad dried frones Of palms, or vi
~ long grass sort of bed surely not
= be despised-swung in the leafy brancl
~ ofa tree By day, he sits on bou
e, - leaning his back against the trunk, owl
,.S -. to which habit, elderly gerillas beeo
~ -. rather bald in those regions.