The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-29
THE GORILLA.

Those who have read Du Chsillu's Afri-
Can travels will be Interested in seeing the
stuffed hide of the terrible gorilla that was
killed by the plucky little Frenchman in an
encounter which he graphically describes.
1t is exhibited with the Ohio arcba illogical
collection, in the mineral annex of the
main building. The exhibitor is the
Mount Union College, of Alliance, Stark
County, Ohio, for the museum of which it
was obtained at a cost of $4,000. When
| this formidable beast was attacked by Du
Chaillu and two negroes he wrenched the
guns out of the hands of the latter, beat
| them in the shape of u horseshoe, killed
both of the Africans, and then rushed
towards Do Chaillu, screeching horribly
and beating his breasG with his fore hands,
as the gorilla always does when enraged.
The little Gaul however, finished his Goril-
laship with bpllet through the heart, the
mark of which may be seen. This affair
occurred on the banks of the Gaboon River,
in Africa. The stuffed hide-generally
known in Centennial circles as " DR.. Oar.
win stands erect, graspin with one has d
the limb Of a tree. Assuming to be still in
flesh, he weighs over $50 pounds, and is an
excellent specimeB of The nearest approach
in the brute kingdom to man, from whom,
in outward appearance, he differs but little
except in the formation of the head, the
length of the arms and legs, and in being
covered, except on tho face, ard palms,
with dark brown hair, which is long and
bushy on the head, shorter, but equally
thick, on the arms, legs aud back, ana very
light and spare on the breast and on the
back of the bands. His height is fl We feet
eleven inches. Belonging to the order of
quadrumana, he has tour hands twice as
large and three times as powerful az those
of an ordinary man, from which those
the arms do not not differ in form, while
those on the legs are shaped like q mans
foot, but have longer digits and are used
both as hands and feet. The animal walks
on all fOuls as readily as on bis hind legs
only. The legs are about six inches shorter
and the thighs much thinner than those
of an ordinary developed man of the same
height the gorilla. TIE bones of the
animal are, however, one aud half times
as thick and strong as those of such man,
The fist is veritable sledge hammer, and
the arm hardly less than battering ram.
AS he never carried a pocket knife his
finger nails appear to have been in mourn
ing since birth. The circumference of his
chest is fifty four inches, and that of his
waist about forty. When erect his arms
reach three inches below hisknees. 1t is in
the head that his animal nature is mainly
displayed. IL is twice as long as that of an
ordinary man, forming in the rear an almost
straight line with the back of his head. The
forehead is scarce half an inch high, flat on
top and recedlng almost horizontally to the
immense bump behind. The upper half of
the race ID HAT aud square. the eyes being
very large, brown, g aring, about i've inches
apart, and located near the top and sides
of the face. The lower half is the bump of
q monkeys pbyeiognomy, chinless, but
haviug a mouth, the corners of which are
four inches apart N straight line, and
nine if the measurement is made around
the lips. Where the social and intellectual
" bumps" are in d man there is next to
nothing in the gorilla, although, corporaly,
he is only one step lower than man. In spite
of his great yawning mouth, horrible grin,
and four immense canine teeth, the ladies in
spect him with great interest -Philadel
pAi0 Times.