Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-27
THE BABY GORILLA.

The baby gorilla is a strange little Great
ure, with jet-black face and hands, and
gray coat. de is not pretty to look at-ac-
cording to our notions-w:th his big mouth,
flat nose and head sunk in his shoulders /;
but he is very interesting. This is partly
because we haven't known much about
him till lately, and partly because he be-
longs TO the largest and strongest of the
monkey race.
OF course this baby is of the greatest in
terest to his mother, who pets him, ca
resses him and takes the best of care of
him, letting him ride on her back till he is
old enough to look out for himself He
never has nursery, and his mothers back
or arms are his only cradle. With her he
sleeps in the trees, anywhere they happen
to be when night comes on.
As soon as he is big enough he eats fruit
and leaves, and runs about on the ground
on all tours. He looks very odd running
about, for he turns his foot over and treads
upon the side, and doubles his hands to
tread on the knuckles where the skin grows
thick and hard.
The truth is, he is not at home in the
trees, and one of his favorite amusements
as a youngster, at home, is to swing on the
branches, leap or fling himself from one
tree to another in games with his play
mates, shouting and screaming like so
many playful girls and boys.
He is full of life and fun, and has gay
times till he grows up and looks on the Sc
rious side of life. Then he grows strong
and fierce and savage; at least toward men.
1 don't think he can be blamed for that,
however, for the men he knows are either
hunters, trying to kill him, or keepers, fore
ing him to live in a cage, which of course
he hates, as does everybody with any spirit.
There's only one way that men can catch
this baby, and that is by shooting his moth
err When she falls he falls with her, for
the first thing he learns in the world is to
hold on well; for, of course, as she travels
about in the trees she wants her hands as
well as her feet, and he must hang on for
himself Well, he does, and not until his
mother is dead can he be secured, and then
he cries and screams like baby when he
is taken away.
If the gorilla baby is kindly treated he is
gentle and affectionate, very fond of play,
and as pleased to be petted as any human
baby, as well as dainty and neat in his
manners. He will sit on ones knee and
lean against his breast, and become so
much attached to kind keeper as to pine
away and die if he leaves him.
Then, too, he is very fond Of a frolic,
clapping his hands, thrusting out his
tongue, romping about a room, swinging
and leaping, and galloping around on
knuckles and feet. very much like one of
our own little folk. He's very good to
mind what he is told-when he under
stands-and quick TO learn what is wanted.
The thing he likes best to play with is a
gentleman's long beard, and that you know
our babies like too.
One of these little fellows that was
IL L. l..
cross so long as he was shut up, but after
he reached the ship to go to England he
was let out, and then became as good tenn
pered and amiable as anybody, played with
the sailors, romped and frolicked to his
hearts content. But his special favorite
was a dog, bull terrier, who was not very
good-natured, but happened to like the 60
rilla baby, and they were great playfellows.
Our writer who knows a good deal about
gorillas said that even in babyhood this an
imal is always ill-tempered and savage. No
doubt all that he knew were so, for every
one that he had was either chained up,
shut in cage, or wore a split stick over
his neck; probably, too, they were beaten
by servants. This is enough to make any
body cross especially little wild baby
frightened out of his wits at being stared at.
One baby that this writer told about was
perhaps two years old, and so strong 1t
took four men to hold him. When he
broke loose from his cage no one dared go
into the room to catch him, he was so saw
age. They opened the door carefully and
threw a net over him, and when he was
well tangled in it they rushed in and shut
him up in spite of his kicks and struggles.
If any one came near this very naughty
baby he rushed at his visitor with yells,
tried to seize him, and acted as if he would
tear him to pieces.
Shall I tell you what the gorilla baby is
called when he grows up? He is an an
thropomorphous Cor man-shaped) ape, and
his name is Troglodytes Gorilla.-Olive
Thor7le Miller ia The Christian Union.
RED STAR COUGH CURE supplants harm
fr,l f,ntr1ros, Af nthnr nn1ttrh No