Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1867-07-12
ChTCHING GORILLAS.

"ASo o"No VI SAio SoAhi.'j III LID ASN
book on tho Ashango Land, thus
writes Of his experiences in catching
this animal.
The natives of all tho neighboring
country wero now SD we'll aware that
I wanted live gorillas, and was will
ling to give high price for them,
that many wero stimulated to search
with great perseverance the good
effects Of this wero soon mado owl
dent.
Ono day as was quietly dining
with Capt. Holder Of tho Cambria, Il
vessel Just arrived from England, one
of my men came in y startling news
that three live gorillas had been
brought, one of them full grown. l
had not long to wait; in they came.
First a very largo adult female bound
hand and foot; then hor fomalo child
screaming terribly; and lastly, Wig
orous yonpg male also tightly bound.
The female bad boon ingeniously Sc
cured by the negroes to strong stick,
the wrist bound TO tho upper part and
the ancles to tho lower, so that she
could not reach TO tear tho cords
with her teeth. 1t was dark, and the
eccrc was ono SO wild and strange
that sl.a:' never forgot it. Tho fen
dish ccuntcnanccs of the Caiibanish
trio, ono Of them distorted by pain,
for tho mother gorilla was severely
wounded, were lit up by tho ruddy
glare Of native torches. Tho thought
struck mo what would I not give to
have the group in London for a few
days.
The young malo I secured by q
chain which [ had in readiness and
gave him hcrceforth the namo of
Tom. We united his hands and feet;
to show his gratitude for this act CT
kindness, nc Immediately made u
rush at me, screaming with al his
might; harrily tho chain was made
fast, and / took caro- aflcrwarI to
keep out Of his way. Tho old mother
gorilla was in an unfortunate plight.
She had an arm broken and O wound
in the chest, besides boing droadfully
beaten on tho head. She groaned
aud roarcd many times during the
night probably from pain.
1 noticed next day, and on many
occasions, that the vigorous young
male, whenever he mado a rush at
any one and missed MS aim, iinmcdi-
ately ran back. This corresponds
with what Is known of tho habits of
the large Waies n their Datlvc woods;
whom attacked they make furious
rush at their enemy, break an arm
or tear his bowels open, and then boat
q retreat, leaving their victim to shift
for himself.
The wounded female diod in tho
course of the next day; her meanings
were moro frequent in tho morning,
and they gradually became weaker
as her life ebbed out. Her death was
like that of human being, and af1lic-
ted me moro than 1 could havo
thought possible. Her child clung to
her to the last, aud tried to obtain
milk from her brcst aftor sho was
dead. I photographed them both
when the young one was resting in
its dead mothers lap. I kept tho
young ono alive for three days after
its mothers death. It moaned at
night most piteously. fed it on
goats milk, for it was too young to
eat berries. 1t died tho fourth, hay
ing taken on unconquerable dislike
to the milk. 1t had, 1 think, begun
to know me little. AS to the male,
I made at least dozen attempts to
photograph the irascible little demon,
but all in vain. The pointing of tho
camera toward him throw him into o
perfect rage, and I was almost provok-
ed to give him a sound thrashing.
The day after, however, I succeeded
with him, taking two views, not very
perfect, but sufficient tor my object.
I must now relate how these ami.
mails are caught, promising that. the
oapture Of the female was the first in.
stance that had come to my knowl-
edge Of an adult gorilla being taken