The New York herald., 1867-04-17

N. do Chaaltu.
One or The most remaykabls Of the men who have
engaged in the work Of geographical explorations In
dav n the seutsnan Of the above nams Who recently
arrived here By the Great Eastern Although known 10
The scsnsinc world BY his works. brief OF him
NAV not BE- unacceptable 10 the great body Of our
readsrA
n du Challu was born in Paris in the year 1884 Hs
came 70 the United States whom quite boy. and
.. he was OF age took out his letters OF natuzaton
His love OF natural history and for chronological
studies developed themselves early and hs became .
regular attendant q the msstngs OF New York geo.
graphical and chronological societies In October 1885,
he ls New York his nrst journey Of exploration in
Western Africa He selected for his researches the
region Of the equator, whore was supposed white
man had previously penetrated 10 covered With dense
forests from the shore % Ar he succeeded in
reaching and 10 inhabited BY more than forty tribes
Of them cannbas and all speaking different dia
lecta He travelled between latitude two degrees north
and two degrees south Of The EQUATOR distance Of some
four ave hundred miles or the dinlculties OF this
journey idea may be formed from the fact that
there no beasts Of burden the country and that
everything has TO bs carried mems backs II rains,
moreover for eight nine months the coast and
al the year round In the mountainous region Of the In
terror NJ du Chaillu measured in the twelve months
fall Of two hundred and twenty i've inches Of rain, the
degrees During his soourn in this unhealthy region hs
repeatedly prostrated BY fever and owed his pre-
ssrvation 70 naturally strong constitution. and not 70
careful nursng having been unable to induce single
white person 10 accompany him on his journey.
Classical readers may remember that IN tho Perplus,
or voyage Of Hanno tho Carthageniau, written more
than two thousand years ago. he makes auson to the
animal known as the gorilla ION the third day, no
ays i've q bay called the Horn Of the South
In the island like the drst, having lake.
and in this there another island full Of wild men,
But much the greater part Of them were womon with
hairy bodies whom tho Interpreters called gorillas
But pursuing them We were not able to take
the men they all escaped from by their great agility
being cremaobots that Is to say, climbing precpltous
rocks and trees, and defending themselves by throw
ing stones at We took three women who bit
and tore those who caught them, and werc unwilling
to follow. We we're obliged therefore to kill them
and take their skins off, which skins were brought 70
Carthage for did not navigate farther, provisions
becoming scarce"
According to Plipy tho skins Of these c,ptives were
hung the temple OF juno and the name gorillas was
changed to gorgones Two OF these skins were yet in
the temple at the time Carthage was taken.
the perusal Of these traditions, coupled with
the reports among the Of the coast that
led NJ du Chailu venture upon this dangerous jour.
ney into the interior. Ths discoveries which he made
then amply rewarded him for tho pers which he en-
countered In ornothoogy he added upwards Of sixty
now species to the existing ciassinca and to that
Of quadrupeds more than thirty, among which were
three new varieties Of apes On getting TO the head
waters OF the Ntawbounay, about five thousand feet
above the level Of the sea- he made bis first acquaintance
with the gorilla We cannot do better than to give the
account Of the meeting Ia his own words
Suddenly, as We were creeping along in silence
which made heavy breath seem loud and distinct the
woods once sc we
IDLY just ahead and presently before US stood an Inn
mense male gorilla he had through the jungle on
his all four but whom he party he erected him
sen and looked us boldly IN the face He stood about
dozen yards from us, and was sight think shall
inches Shorser With imcnss body huge chest and
great arms with ncrcey garng large, deep
eyes, and heish expression of face, which seemed 70
me some nightmare vision; thus stood betoro US this
king Of the African forest He was not afraid Of US
He stood there and his breast with his huge nsts
till II resoundcd like immense bass drum which Is
their mode Of offering defiance, meantime giving vent 10
roar after roar. sAs
This monster NJ du Chalnu shot and the body when
measured proved be i've feet eight inches in height
sixtytwo inches round the chest and mine feet from
the extremity Of outstresched arm TO the other BE
subsequently killed this trip twenty one Of these
creatures the measurement OF Of which proved to
be larger than that have just given. The skins and
skeletons were brought TO this country and were
hbited for short time In New York and Boston Strange
10 say they ELECTED but very little interest except among
few Of our scientific mon. They were then taken TO
Chsillu became one Of tho lions OF the day. This differ
ence Of appreciation OF the importance OF these dis
by sns publication .S Of his ss book
Equatorial Afrca which made its Appearance shortly
Even nj IL England there were persons NO. disposed to
accept them facts and violent controversies followed
in regard to them; Men Of high scientific reputation,
SON and Professor Altman, OF Edinburgh, manfuy stood
BY NJ dc Chalu, and maintained by incontrovertibe
geological and anatomical analoies the probable correct
ness OF his sateuenta few discoveries subsequently
made by Captain Burton and other travellers the
section Of the African coast served 70 corroborate their
But not satisfied that there should remain particle Of
Sp fact: 50 Ss Soaa Ssss1
Of astronomy, and also mado himself acquainted with
three years thus spent part being passed 10 the United
states and part in England for the advantages Of the
the 9th Of August 1Soa There being NO commercial
intercourse with the point for which he was bound the
the south Of she equator he had 70 specially freight
vessel for the expedition. In disembarking on the
coast be met with disaster In the upss.:ing Of canoe
his journey was delayed fcr upwards Of eight months
another set Of Instruments which had 70 Be- despatched
70 him by weasel again chartered for tho purpose II s
but hight 70 add that in these two expeditions H.
Chailu received no cid from any quarter. They were
| undertaken at his individual expense, and whatever
advantage may have accrued from them TO the interests
| OF science he Is entitled TO the sole credit or
On the arrival Of bis second batch Of instruments he
At once started INTERIOR two degrees south OF the
equator with the idea OF reaching, possible Of
the conusnces Of the Nile He had scven natives from
the coast a. body guard who accompanied him TO the
end OF hrs Journey For the transportation Of bis outfit
he was obliged hire additional men from the different
tribes a. he along the number Of one hundred
and nfty. This journey lasted upwards Of two years.
and was attended with greater dangers than those
which he had encountered in Equatorial Africa In the
Ashra country he detained for Eve months By the
plague, which broke out about fortnight after his
| arrival The natives attributed the visitation
10 the influence OF his presence; and, 70
make matters worse, tho King, who had steadily
one who escaped the maady fact which induced the
natives to invest him with the attributes and title Of
can Evil Spirtu This proved 70 him the OF in
Vulnerable dculties and delayed his progress greatly
the chiefs refusing 70 see him or listen to his repre-
sentatons In one district they Get rc 70 the prairie
rrass n order TO prevent him his passing that
II reax xonld unaka fhia ariicla long 70