Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1879-06-12
MISSOURI, THURSDAY, JUNE IL, 1879.

Q estA1 VA Sttct VIVA tfAS Aut51 HSt8,
producing hollow drum like sound,
that, combined with all the rest, was
truly terrific, and made me wish was
safe beyond his reach. Then he sd.
vanced few steps, with a sort Of
rolling, wa1dling motion, stopped
again, with bis cleaning eyes fixed
intently upon us, beat his breast as
before, and uttered that prolonged
and dreadful roar.
1 stood on the defensive, wisely de-
termined TO reserve my fire for the
approaching crisis of my fate, hoping
and praying / might be successful in
putting an end to the monster. / had
been in many perilous situations be-
fore, but none that ever affected me
With SO much terror. One moment
an icy chill would make me shiver
and the next, perhaps, I would feel 9
burning flush sending out the perspi-
ration in streams. Iglanced at the
African, and saw him firmly planted,
with his spear poised for the onset,
his breast heaving.
''No run now, master!' he said, In
low, thick, almost inarticulate tones ;
''no 'scape him by run. Him swift
as tiger-strong as elephant. Must
kilt"
''Shall I fire now, Mocha?"
''No fire him come nigh--den fire
through heart
He was coming nearer and nearer,
by slow degrees, few PAGES at a
time, with short, awful roaring and
breast beating interval between, and
/ thus had time to think over many
of my sins, and say prayers that had
too long been neglected.
''Mocha, be ready!" I said when
the monster had once more stopped
to roar and beat his breast within ten
PAGES. 81 am about to end this sus.
pense-I am about to fire. -
took deliberate aim, but, in spite
of all could do, my arms shook so
that was afraid to pull the trigger,
and twice / lowered the weapon
to get more steadiness of nerve. It
was as if some fearful spell were on
me !; and at the third trial it see med
as if the fingers of my right hand
were paralyzed and would not obey
my villa fact for which i have never
been able to account.
The monster again advanced, and
now not more than five or six PAGES
divided US, and he appeared as If
about to make has final desperate
rush. Delay now would be death
an awful death--and sunlmoning all
my will, pulled both triggers in sue
cession.
Only one barrel was discharged by
the act, the other missing fire. The
ball went straight to its mark, and
lodged in the breast of the gorilla. II
did not bring him to the earth, how
ever, but made him wildly furious !;
and gnashing his teeth, and uttering
Quick as lightning tie gallant nocna
threw himself before me and struck
with his spear-but it might as well
have been q reed. One blow Of the
ponderous arm of the brute turned it
aside all shivered, while the hand OF
n n other stretched the poor fellow
,a .n ling and senseless on the earth /.
"eeG =, all he came back agaist me
- :,,, h's s,.h l. force that / went down
wiz" "ian SUI 81. t moment had not a
I'soi 80 az sA~ 'ife, and knowing my.
S SnIs n,tariv n daea,s, "less, despair took
l. complete possession "a '
made no effort to rise. L.. ..
This, aud believe this 4. uI' .;,, Ia
my salyation-for seeing US b. daad
and probably thinking us both 'ni
the furious brute seized my gun, . ~
first fairly denling the barrels with
his teeth, he struck it against q tree
with force that shivered the stock
and bent the iron nearly double then
it down, putting his hands
over his breast, and uttering the most
terrible howlings and shriekIngs of
rage and pain, be hastily disappeared
in the dense jungle, leaving me to
thank heaven that had so miracu-
lousiy escaped unhurt.
Mocha had been stunned, and his
breast badly iacerated; but he was
neither killed nor mortally wounded /;
end dressing his wounds as well as !
could, / got the poor fellow upon his
feet and assisted him back 10 the ves-
sci, where our surgeons attended to
his case, and soon restored hlm to
health. did not forget that he had
save my life, and I assure you / made
him proud and happy of the heroism
he had displayed in my behalf.
Whether the gorilla died of his
wounds or not / never knew, and l
never felt the least curiosity to 60 and
see. Certain it is, he took his skin
away with him, and was only too
glad to see the last Of him. He was
the first of his kind / ever saw alive,
and, with heavens permission, he
will be the last / shall ever look upon
e., HE s.afsxs. ;,,anlo