Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-07-17
GNOreester 9aiIg SPY.
From DIR. Chaillu's African Adventures.
The GOrTlIas of CentrnI Afi.icn.

pleasures oil my me- Some hunters who had
been out on my account brought in young
gorilla alive / cannot describe the emotions
with which saw the struggling little brute
dragged into the village. All the hardships l
had endured in Africa were rewarded in that
moment.
1t was little fellow of between two and
three years old, two feet six inches in length,
and as fierce and stubborn as a grown animal
could have been.
My hunters whom l could have Rugged to
my heart, took him in the country between
the Rembo and cape ST. Catharine. By their
account, they were going, five in number, to a
village near the coast, and walking very silent.
ly through the forest, when they heard what
they Immediately recognized as the cry of a
young gorilla for its mother. The forest was
silent 1t was about noon and they immedi-
ately determined to follow the cry. Present
ly they heard it again. Guns in hand, the
brave fellows crept noiselessIy toward clump
of wood, where the baby gorilla evidently was.
They knew the mother would be near, and
there was likelihood that the male, the most
dreaded of all, might be there too. But they
determined to risk ALL and if at all possible, TO
take the young one alive, knowing what joy
it would be to me.
Presently they saw the bush moving, and
crawling little further on in dead silence,
scarce breathing with excitement, they beheld
what has seldom been seen even by the ne.
groes, a young gorilla, seated OIL the ground,
eating some berries which grew close to the
earth A few feet further on sat the mother,
also eating the same fruit.
Instantly they made ready to fire and none
too soon, for the old female saw them as they
raised their guns, and they had only to pull
triggers without delay. Happily they wound
ed her MORALLY.
She fell. The young one, hearing the noise
of the guns, ran to his mother aud chung TO
her, hiding his face and embracing her body.
The hunters Immediately rushed toward the
two, hallooing with JOY as they ran on. But
this reused the little one, who instantly let go
bis mother and ran to a small tree, which he
climbed with great agility, where he sat and
roared at them savagely.
They were now perpexed how to get at
him. No one cared to run the chance of be.
ing bitten by this savage little beast, and shoot
it they would not. AT last they cut down the
tree and, as it tell, dexterously threw cloth
over the head OF the young monster, and thus
gained time to secure it while it was blinded.
With all these precautions, one man received
a severe bite on the hand, and another had a
piece taken out of his leg
AS the little brute, though SO dminutive,
and the merest baby for age, was astonishing
ly strong and by no means good tempered,
they could not lead him. He constantly rush.
ed at them. So they were Obliged to get a
forked stick in which his neck was inserted
in such way that he could not escape, and
yet could be kept at safe distance. In this
uncomfortable way he was brought into the
village.
There excitement was intense. AS the an.
imal was lifted out Of the canoe in which he
had come a little way down the river, he roar
ed and beloved, and looked around wildly
with his wicked little eyes, giving fair warn
ing that il he could only get at some of us he
would take his revenge.
saw that the stick hurt his neck, and i'm
mediatey set about to have a cage made for
him. In two hours we had built strong
bamboo house, with the stats securely tied at
such distances apart that we could see the gOf-
lila and it could see out. Here the thing was
Immediately deposited and now, for the first
time, bad fair chance to look at my prize.
1t was young male gorilla, evidently not
yet three years old, fully able to walk alone,
and possessed, for its age, of most extraordi-
nary strength and muscular development Its
greatest length, proved to be, aiterward, two
feet six inches. Its face and hands were very
black eyes not SO much sunllen as i'll the
adult The hair begun just at the ey ebrows
and rose to the crown, where it was of a red
disli-brown. 1t came down the sides of the
face in lines to the lower jaw much as our
boards grow. The upper lip was covered
with short coarse hair, the lower lip had
longer hair. The eyelids very slight and thin.
Eyebrows straight, and three quarters of an
inch long.
The whole back was covered with hair of
an iron gray, becoming dark nearer the arms,
and quite white about the anus. Chest and
abdomen covered with hair, which was some
what tkin and short on the breast On the
arms the hair was longer than anywhere on
the body, and of a grayish-black color, caused
by the roots of the hair being dark and the
ends white. On the hands and wrists the hair
was black and came down to the second joints
of the fingers, though one could see in the
short down the beginning Of the long black
hair which lines the upper parts OF the fingers
in the aduis. The hair of the legs was gray
ish-black, becoming blacker as it reached the
ankles, the feet being covered with black
hair.
When l had the little fellow safely locked
in his cage, ventured to approach to say a
few encouraging words TO him. He stood in
the farthest corner, but as l approached bel
lowed and made precipitate rush at me; and
though retreated as quickly as l could sue
ceeded in catching my trowser legs, which he
grasped with one of his feet and tore, retreat
ing Immediately to the corner tarthest away.
This taught me to be cautious for the present,
though l had hope still to be able to tame
him.
He sat in his corner looking wickedly out
of his gray eyes, and never saw a more mo
rose or ilitempered face than had this little
beast
The first thing was, of course, to attend to
the wants of my captive. / sent for some OF
the forest berries which these animals are
known to prefer, and placed these and a cup
of wafer within his reach He vas exceeding.
ly shy, and would neither eat nor drink till
had removed to considerable distance.
The second day found Joe, as l had med
him, fiercer than the first He rushed saw
agely at any one who stood even for mo
ment near his cage, and seemed ready to teal
us all to pieces. / threw him to day some
pineapple leaves, of which l noticed he ate
only the white parts. There seemed no diff
Guilty about his food, though he refused now
and continued during his short lite 20 refuse
all food except such wild leaves and fruits as
were gathered from his native woods for him
The third day he was still more morose and
savage, believing when any person approach
ed, and either retiring to distant corner OF
rushing TO attack. On the fourth day, while
no one was near, the little rascal succeeded in
forcing apart two of the bamboo rails which
composed his cage, and made his escape.
came up just as his flight was discovered, and
immediately got all the negroes together fol
pursuit, determining 10 surround the wood
and recapture nay captive. Running into the
house to get one Of my guns was startled by
an angry growl issuing from under my low
bedstead. 1t was master Joe, who lay there
hid, but anxiously watching my movements
instantly shut the windows, and called tc
my people to guard the door. When Joe saw
the crowd of black faces he became furious
and, with his eyes glarng and every sign o
rnua in his LITTLE face and hodv .,ot out fron