The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-02
HERR PONGO.

Among the prizes brought home by PruS'
sian scientific expedition to the interior OF
Africa, two years ago, was an infant gorilla.
The creature has been carefully taken care Of
at Berlin, has made surprising progress for
one so young IN lis education, and is about
to be taken to London TO astonish the Brit
ishers a Berlin correspondent Of the Y. y.
WORTH, who has been on terms of great init
macy with the creature for year or Two,
gives the following interesting account OF
lis habits and sttalnmens:
90 Pongo' is now, the writer believes,
nearly three years old, and he is about three
feet high; his body is covered with soft, silky
hair, mixed with gray, and reddish on the
hea1 He has powerful form, muscular
arms, smooth polished black face, with well.
shaped ears, and large, sharp and malicious
feye, which gives him strikingly human ap.
pearance. When one has the pleasure, as
had this week, of spending morning with
him in his apartment, he strikes yOu-aiter
having got over the slight feeling Of disap.
pointment which is produced by the absence
of any bridge on his DOse-as being singular
ly like very amusing, playful and good-na.
tured negro boy, rather awkward In some OF
his gestures, and in his mode OF progression
sometimes distinctly apclike. As lie sis,
looking solemnly round him, he appears to
be thinking of what the next joke shall be,
until presently something in your gestures
or voice rleases him, ana then suddenly he
claps his hands together and mods with an air
of great delight. He is very sociable, and
distinguishes young from old and male from
female visitors. He Is exceedingly attached
to the society of children of two or three years
old, plays about with them as through recog.
nizlng them as playfellows Of his own age,
chases them round the cage, allows them Ia
pull him about drag him by the leg, and roll!
him oyer and over, swings with them on the
trapeze, kisses them If they Will allow him,
and permits them 10 take every kind OF liber
~ with hi:l, without making any unfair use
OF his superior strength With older children
he seems 10 understand that he may be more
rough, and, when he Is racing about with
them, he slyly upseis a chair, and takes the
opportunity OF giving them friendly boxes on
the ear When ladies visit him in his large
cage which Is suitably furnished with sofas,
chairs and table, trapeze, and all kinds o'
gymnastic appliances, they have nothing "a
fear except from his somewhat impoTtunate
amiabiliiy. He Is particularly delighted II
they take HIM up in their arms; he embrace:
them and leans his head against their should
ers with grateful and graiiiied air; he Is by
no means willing 10 be set down again. The
Berlin aquarium. IN which hc now holds
| court, Is rich in varieties Oi the larger mon
keys, and when he goes into the monkeys
cage lac rules there supreme. Even the chin
| panZcc, who resembles very much in las
clever human waysan old faYori,e OF London
/ al the Geological Garuens, treats him as dis
inctly his superior. The gorilla, however
appears 20 recognize the chImpanZce a. near
| ly his equal, chooses him almost exclusively
/ for his playmate, and besiows friendly bu
rather rough cArcsscs on him. lie Is fond o
getting hold Of the chimpanzcc, keeping hin
down and rolling over hIm on the ground
Sometimes Tschego manages 20 slip from un
der him, and then P0ngO spfaHls awkvardiy
on the floor on both hands. and looks up Will
an expression Of accepted defeat He walk
on The solcs Of his feet, leaning o. the same
time on The outside ~ the hand. bat be turn
cut bis toes far mo!c than The chimpsnzee
and be- carries hIs ; cad nofc graniiy erect
tn. secmi. - D. ihe mark ~ hlvh social
/ ,,aldi3g. When Co L.sA sIi'i's De- Has a "a,