Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-03-28
ASHTABULA, o., SATURDAY MORNING. MARCH %, 1863

not so much as they had affected me- Bu,
the roar Of the lion, shaking the ground OF
which we lay announced the nature of the
danger from which the female had narrow.
ly escaped, my FREUD black as be was be.
came paid with fear.
The roar Of the lion was instantly answer
cd by deeper hoarser, louder and more
savage roar. A sound so expressive of
rage and deliance-so terrific, never have
I heard
looked at the Fan and smiled He
understood me instantly, and ceased to trem.
bic. lie composed himself, placed ais en-
gers on bis lips, and thrned, to watch the
combat which was now inevitable, and in
the occurrence of which lay our best hopes
Of safety.
Scarcely thirty yards on our left, the
lion had come rushing through the Jungle
aud had cleared the close inner tangle with
a. bound. He stood full in sight in the
clear open, bis head erect. his maze stand
ing up aud out, all straight, like the hair OF
an angry cat, tnagUifying his apparent
bulk TO colossal proportions his tail,
which at frst stood nearly straight, was
waving from side TO side. At length il
struck his ribs alternately on either side
with sounding blows, and he uttered a.
longer aud more terrific roar than that
which he had given when the female gorrils
la escaped from Rim. Opposite TO him was
the male gorilla, now locking most unlike
the nncouth, sleepy figure which We had
seen piopp~d against the tree.
AT the first shrek from hi, mate the gor-
lila had sprung into life and sudden energy
Placing The knuckles Of his upper hands
upon The ground, he bounded lightly iuto
The air TO "A surprising height rising from all
his four hands together. aud coming down
upon all fours again. When the lion roar
ed, the gorilla seemed at once TO compre.
hend HE nature both of the challenge aud
the adversary, aud 10 resolve upon fighting
although it would have been easy for him
to escape by sprngiug into uee He
rose npOn his hinder hands Tor fret).
and standing erec,, looking very like a
Iarge.boded, long armed; short legged, pow.
erful negro, about six feet two inches in
height, he ut tered his tremendous accept.
unce OF the lions challenge beating bis
breast at the Same time with his huge fists
alternately, and producing sounds Ike
heavy blows on bass drum. Wien the
lion sprang into the incloSure aud stood
brlstllng before him, the gorilla dropped
upon all fours again, with his knuckltS on
the ground bis eyes, which famed like
lire seen through rubeS, fixed upon bis eye.
hroWs working up aud down with incun
ceivahle rapicily, giving to his countenauce
look Of such dCmoniac feroci'y. that it
seemed to make tue lion pause at least, If
he did not quail.
! Lashng his sides with his tail tntill he
reused himself to fury, the lion delivered
his second roar, as though his honor were
concerned il ou.roaring no less Than in
varqushng by bis prowesS all antagonists;
and, on his part, the gorilla, albeit ques
lions of honor seemed little likely 10 be
favored or considered by him. accepted
nevertheless the preliminary contest of
angry noise, end uttered another roar SO
utterly demoniac aud horrible, standing
up again in order to deliver it freely, that
the hon crouched at once to spring upon
him and bring the question of superior
proves TO the proof A few short, swift
bound of twenty feet-tRo or three sharp
snarling growls-and l expected DO see
the two combatants locked in fatal embrace
But it was not so.
As the lion rose in his long bound, the
gorilla Sprang also, but more lightly aud
higher, straight up into The air. The lioH
struck upwards to catch bin the action
turned himself over and he fell hea vier on |
his side, the gorilla dropping on him,
striking him twice, and then Springing off |
with a Siding, jumping ruui TO q distance
OF S4fcral yards. Instantaneous as had !
been the encounter, both were severely
wounded, The gorilla was bleeding from
the head and back. The lion had fear.
ful cash across his ribs and judging from
the crushing sounds of the two blows which |
be had received thought that some of
his ribs must have been broken. The lion |
rushed without moments pause at his
adversary, bat the agility of the gorilla
was too great tolpermit The lonto close at
his pleasure. For some minutes the move |
menIs of the lion in attack and of the GO
rilla in avoidance, were almost too rapid |
for the eye to follw evoutions A length |
the lion paused. bewildered by the speed |
and activity of his antagonist. Instnntly
the gorilla sprang upon aud rolled him
over with single blow Ipon the side of
The head. Again the chase and avoidance
NGIG ItSumGuI DuN lulS lltn6 lOi u tUuCU !
longer space lhnn before, he lion being
resolved to catch The nimble ape buu |
again he was Obliged TO pause, and again |
he VAS shocked over. When he rose he
Stagger, d, VIII rher from the Effects, of the
terrific lows which he bad received, or
from giddueSs resulting from the gyraiions
in pursuit Of the go lila, it was impossible !
10 decide but he reelrd, anu fell off ,1v. |
eral Steps to the right before he recovered I
Sufficiently TO prepare for another charge. !
Ia he meantime the gorilla was lodging !
round and bObbing up and down before |
him, as captured monkeys, may Ue often !
seen To do in their cages when persons
are teasing them. Both lion and goril-
la kept up an inCessant noise, growing |
snariTg, roaring aud screaming, varying
Their tones in accordance with their ac
lons or sufferings aud although nothing
like a close had taken place, both were
bleeding freely. The lions right eye was