The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-03-17
Duel Betwesn The Giant APE and Lion

In the gloomy recesses Of the primeval
forests still to he found in Central Africa
there is vast nnexplored field still stretch
ing forth its unmeasured space to the
hunter and the naturalist. To those who
know the face of nature as it is before the
corrosive hand of civilization sweeps across
it, there is little ground for wonder that
the two are almost always in great or
lesser degree united Occasionally, then,
even the most ardent hunter will lose the
blood instinct that animates him, and,
lowering his rifle, perhaps in moment of
great personal danger, will forget his long
and laboriously sought quarry to watch
some new trait or fresh instinct in the
animal that, unconscious of his presence,
CANDLES before him. 1t is of such an cpl
sode that | now write.
My guide an I had been for two days
after big game with but little success, un-
til shortly after noon on the second day we
struck what appeared to be one of the
dense patches of impenetralia that cannot
be described, but must be seen to be un-
stood. Behind us stretched vast avenues
of trees, the height of which was lost in
the leafy clouds which shut out the fierce,
burning glare Of the sun, and rendered
even tho terrible noontide cool and pleas
ant In front of us came the closer stems
and thick, intertwining growth of vines
and creepers, with stunted bushes and long
pendant masses, impenetrable save where
some gigantic brute had crushed passage
through, leaving his tracks in broked bran
ches, crushed bushes and thickly-scattered
twigs. Birds of gorgeous plumage with
harsh, dissonant voices peopled the trees,
the chirp of grassbopper, the sharp hiss
of serpent, or the shrill sound Of a locust
rose from the matted grass, with OCCASION
ally the ho0t of an owl, or the chatter of a
stray monkey, which sounded strangely in
the peculiar silence of the forests As we
advanced along the track, slowly and with
great difficulty, we seemed to leave them
far behind, and entered Into region of
semi-daFkness, faint greenish black light,
as though the glorious sunlight overhead,
balked in finding direct inlet to the
ground, had been filtered through yards of
close growing foliage, and, unconquered by
all the forces of vegetation, had succeeded
in sending faint, subdued semhlanoe Of
itself, like that found in some vast cathe-
dral aisle. My eyes struggled with the
gloom and seemed to have an instructive
power to dilate their pupils sufficiently to
magnify or condense the attenuated rays
until they were able to illumine the sur
rounding Plutonian depths.
My guide suddenly paused and made a
sign to me with his open palm, which, in
the language of the hunter, said that he
had struck trail, or heard some token of
the proximity of game that had escaped
my less acute powers. l cauti iusly advan-
ced to his side, and following the direc-
ton of his finger peered through the brush,
and saw that we lay upon the edge of a
small clearing, overshadowed by an enor-
nous tree, whose foliage, without really
admitting greater volume of light, seem
ed to equalize the CLEAN, and so render OBJ
jects at distance Of thirty or forty yards
perfectly perceptible.
Right opposite to us, with his back
against a tree, was the sleeping form of a
huge gorilla, his hands hanging down by
his sides, his legs crooked in front of him,
aud his hoad listlessly lying sidewise on
his shoulder. Some distance from him
was the female, apparently busily engaged
in gathering nuts, swinging from tree to
tree, now disappearing into the surrounding
forest, but ever and anon returning to
keep watch and ward over the sleeping
lord and master. For some minutes |
hesitated as to what course to pursue,
whether TO attempt to get any closer, as
the distance was rather long one, in such
light, to attack an animal like the gorilla,
who, if only wounded, would in all proba
bility, with the female, charge right down
into us; or if | should take all risks and
rely upon the second rife of my guide.
At last | decided to take my chance
where | was, hut upon raising my rifle |
heard scream of agony from the female,
which caused the sleeper to start to its
feet, and as it did so the female literally
fell from a tree on the edge of the clearing
down to the ground, uttering the most
piercing cries that human imagination can
Then terrific roar that shook the very
ground broke upon the silence and told the |
history of the female gorilla's fright. 1t
was lion, aud at the sound Of his voice
she again fed into the trees, while the male |
uttered deep, savage, hoarse roar that was
the answer to the lions challenge. Imme-
diately a crashing sound was heard, and
full grown lion bounded into the open, and
stood, his head erect, his name bristling
like the hair on cat, the very personiica-
ton of brute strength and courage.
As his eyes lighted on the gorilla his tail
began to wave to and fro. Wider and wider
grew its sweep, until at last it struck its
ribs, first one side and then the other, with
blows, while roar upon roar
gave token of his increasing rage and anger
The gorilla placed his upper hands upon
the ground and bounded into the air fully
six feet, alighting on his four hands and
bounding up again and again, seemingly
for the purpose Of enraging the lion to the
greatest possible degree. He then rose to
his full height on his hinder hands, utter
ng tremendous roars and beating his breast
With his great fist, producing sounds like
hose made by heavy blows upon bass
lrum. Then he dropped upon all fours
lgain, remaining perfectly motioRless with
of his eyebrows, which worked
Up and down with lightning speed, giving
n expression of ferocity to his face that is
Fascinated at the sight, my rife dropped
rom my shoulder and my guide and lay
lat upon the ground, mute witnesses of the
ragedy about to be enacted. Suddenly
he lion uttered another ear-splitting roar
md bounded forward. A few short steps,
tremendous leap, two or three sharp, short
yrowls, and both combatants were in the
lir together, the gorilla having leaped high
md straight as the lion charged. In mid
lir the lion turned and struck apparently
,ainly at the gorilla, who, as the lion fell
IN his side upon the ground, alighted on
him, struck him two terrific blows and
pounded away with siding run to dis
ance of several yards. ] could now see