The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-06-24
HUNTING AND BEING HUNTED

III NbbNs Avn nEINs ht NIED.
Once upon q time, as the primer
books say. while trading on the west
ern coast Of Africa, IN the equatorial
region. | ran my vessel about twenty
miles up one Of the rivers in that vicin-
ity and remained there several weeks,
having very profitable intercourse
with some Of the inland tribes OF na-
tlves. 4 portion Of my leisure time |
speLt 10 hunting through the thick
woods ard dark lungles for which that
coast rcgioa IL famous, and it va, onone
Of these excursions that / first met a
living gorilla
My guide was a native. OF the canDI
bal species black. low -browed, thick
skullsd, aud bat little removed from
the brute animal himself. He GOULD
make himself understood, however,
knew the country well, ard stood In
such salutary awe Of the wonderful
white man, that felt perfectly safe in
trusting myself With him far beyond
the reach of friends, and in places where
| would no. have ven,ured with any
single one Of my countrymeu.
One day we had thus veEtured off
into one Of t.e deepest recesses of one
Of the darkest and most tangled Of
juDgles. where the spreading branches
and leaves were - thick and dense
tina. scarcely ray Of the vertical sun
could find It's way down through them
u the damp, malarious earth beneath.
when we were both startled by q sac
cession of the widest and most dlsc0r-
dant shrieks bad ever he,rd-though
with something human in the sound
accompanied by a rustling of ard pluDg-
through the bushes ahead Of Us as If
the creature. whatever It was. was
hurrielly making its escape.
At the first sound we both stopped
the black trembling. frightened. and as
white as the nature of ,his skin would
permit and cooking my double
barrelled rifle. | stood on the defensive,
and at the same time anxiou'Iy inquired
what i. was.
NY guide replied il broken English
that hs had picked up in his Intercourse
with white traders that it was terrible
gorilla. and that unless we turned back
at once. and make goJ.i our retreat. We
should probably never haze the pleas
urc Of seeing ous frirntis nStin
had before heari some rather mar
vellous accounts Of an animal so called,
and said to bear n elo-e resenblance to
man, and l naturally felt a hunter ;
desire to seq with NY own eyes, and, II
possible. add the skin t. my collectior -
of curiosites Therefore | was rather
in favor OF going forward than back, be-
iievi.g that NY steadlness of nerve.
quickuess OF sight. aud the reliability
of my two loaded barrels, would be
sufficient TO protect me- from actual
harm, to say nothing of the assistance
IN strait OF my companion, who was
armed with spear that he could
throw with the force and precision Of
an old harpooner.
Cant think o. turning back for q
mere gorilla that has been SO frightens d
at cur approach as to have fled away
shrieking,' said l, in cool tone of
contempt. intended to reassure Iny
guide and induce him to 50 forward
"What, two brave hunters. armed rs
we are, to run away from any beast
that roams the forest we who have
killed the big snake, the leopard and
the crocodile Pshaw. Mocha that
will never do-ncvcr, lad -
"De snake him big" replied Mocha.
| with his teeth chatteriug. aud his eyes
glaring upon the thicket all arould
him; de leopard him sabage; dc
crocodile him bigger but the gorllla-
90 oo-0of hin awful y
l had by this time made up my miLd
to 90 forward through the thickc,, even
il | went alone and ordering Moch,,
in tone thst admitted Of no question.
to keep at NY heels, as he valued bis
life. resolntely advanced few PAGES
through. il truth must bs told. not half
so courageous in feeling as | seemed in
action.
But a. the end OF these fcw PAGES l
came TO another sudden stand, for
saw q denser thicket some fifteen or
twenty yards ahead, sgitated by the
moving Of some heavy body within 1t;
while almost immediately there ap-
peared, in plain view. monster OF such
hideous appearance that felt tie blood
freeze through my veiUs and gather
about my heart, As il appalled, 10y some
horrible visitant from the other world.
My powers of description are lin
tied but had the language of a
Milton or Dante. l could only hope 20
convey to your minds faint idea OF
the hideousness Of the living creature
that now stood before me. and as 10 its
voice--its tones of warning. anger and
detiance--I know not TO what they can
be likened unless You can imagine the
bark of Q dog, the growl OF a tiger.
the suarling of wolf. the trumpetin-
of an elephant. all united and combined
with sulphuros vomiting from the
regions of Pandemouium.
In shape he was like a man-bu;
like a man deformed with monstrous
big chest and body-small head.
planted down between his shoulders
large, long arms and huge hands-and
short. thick bow legs, terminating II
hands instead OF feet. He stood erect
like q man. was nearly six feet in hight
and was covered all over, face and all.
with short black hair. His head was
small in proportion to his body. and
had n shuman conformation. Fierce,
gli,tcr,ng gray eyes. set deep in the
hollow. cayernous sockets, rolled and
elared Economically The forehead Was
low and retreated sharply. There was
- sa.Nt