The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-12-08


One king seemed to take a liking
70 the, speaker and insisted upon his
getting married. As the party enter
ed one of the villages the people all
withdrew, and presently they saw ar
immense crowd approaching. The
speaker did not know but they were
preparing to kill him, but when he
discovered that the crovd was compo-
sed of women he felt better, Laugh
ter. The king approached him and
told him they wanted him to stay
with them. He had gathered togeth-
er all the pretty girls in the neighbor
hood, to the number Of seven hun
dred and eighty three, from whom he
might select a wife. he hardly knew
how he was going to get out of it but
At length a happy thought struck him
and he told the king that if he should
choose one all the rest would be jeal-
Gus and unhappy. Thereupon the
king and the GRAY boards" withdrew
for consultation. Returning, they
told:him that what he had said was
true, and he began to breathe freely
guns. and other articles, and gave the
party safe conduct up the river.
The houses are about eight by ten
feet in size and four feet. high. There
are no windows and but . single hoer
and one bed. Here they eat. sleep,
quarrel and fog their wives. Before
lying down q. person must always
look for ceDtipedes, scorpions and
snakes. The largest snake the epea-
ker killed was thirty-thres feet long.
These large snakes are not as danger
ous, as the small ones, some of which
will kill a man by their poisonous bite
in two minutes.
CHANCE To ear MARRIED.,
again. He was astounded, however
when they said he might avoid any
such difficulty BY taking them all
fGreat lmsBrintenl] The chief liked
Elm 30 we'll that he issued n order
that any person who should steal any
thing from him should have his head
cut of or be sold into slavery.
rHEs GoKILLA.
The speaker said that during his n
YEARS and fifteen thousand miles of
travel IN Africa he had killed over
thirty gofillas, and had brought home
the skeletons Of. twenty. The natives
are all afraid of this wonderful beast,
having traditions that they carry hu-
man beings Il into the jungles. They
believe that gorillas were once nen
and also that men were nee gorillas.
They live in mortal: dread OF them,
and believe that they cannot he killed
The speaker related several incidents
of his experience with these animals
A gorilla killed one of his party VINO
had fred his gun at the ferOcious o
ster as it approached him, but missed
his aim. He had time to reload but
as he was in the act of firin the second
time the gorilla seized his gun and
dealt him a terrific blow with it, then
bending the gun almost double, with
his strong ms, as if it were lead, he
fed into the forest for the gorilla is
not a carniverous animal. The next
day the speaker started upon the trail
of this gorilla, and at length succeeded
in .o~yertaking him. As soon as it dis
covered him it approached with a fright
full roar, beating its chest with its i'm
mense fists, making a-noise. like that
Ola, bass drum. He said he knew
he must kill him or he would never go
home. Waiting until the monster
was within four yards, he fired, and
the animal fell dead without groan.
It was six feet in height, seyenty-iFe
inches around the body, and its arms
measured nine feet four inches from
tip to tip. Its largest fingers were
over seven inches in circumference.
The female gorilla never attacks, but
always runs away at sight of q human
being. 1t is the "man gorilla" as the
natives call it that Ia! dangerous, and
the terror of the natives. In this part
ofthe country elephants abound, but
they found no lions?-
5. THE WHITE ANTS,
Of central Africa, are n of the most
marvellous creatures in animated ma
ture. The speaker gave a most inter
estung account of their appearance and
habits, His first experience with them
was, one day when he saw the ante
lopes, g~azelles and other animals ali
running toward him and Disappearing
in the forest. Then came the snakes
and the grasshoppers, all making their
hest ime-in the same direction. He
did 10 ;at first understand the cause
ofsfhs flight ofthe animals but soon
discovered it He found himself in the
midst of an immense host of white
ants Fhey attacked him vigorously,
biting IN the most vicious manner and
he only found relief bp flight, leaving
fragments of his clothinginthe jungle.
He plunged into the 4 liver to rid HIM
self of his prosecutors, but was fright
enedou by. a crocodile.
These ants are halEan-inGh to-an
inch,oin length. They seem almost
possessed of sense. Travelling In
countless .myriads, when son the war
path" they drive everything before
them. Nothing that has life can with
stand their attacks, and they are COM
pIete .monarchs Of the forest" In
making a peacible march they move
in a column generally three OF four
inches wide. They march with all
the regularity of soldiers, keeping in
ranks and having their captain march
ing upon the TANKS. The speaker
said that he onee saw a column pass
ing and noted it for twelve hours, and
still no end. Their number was in
conceivable-millions on billions.
When1heF- get-the order to attack
they scatter in every direction, We
ing large space Everything mus
then get out of their way or fall
victim tn their yoracity. They viii