Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-04
AFRICAN PRlZE.FiCHTERS.
Danger OF Hunting the Gorilla in the For
ests OF the Dark Continent.

ests OF the DARK Continent
"The gorilla j. the prize-fghtcr Of
Africa" said Carl Steckc.man, who
has personal krow ledge of the Dark
Continent. He had been speaking Of
a leopard skin on exhibition in his
window. aud had been telling of the
danger encountered ia lighting with
the on 4ual owner Of the skin.
Contests with all wild animals pale
in comparison wit that in which one
must engage DO merling the gorilla
he said The guri.lis found in only
a comparatively small portion Of Vest
ern Africa. He turks in the woods
along the coasts for several hundred
miles north Of the mouth Of the Congo.
/ have never seen gorilla in the open
country, and, by the way, | think that
the fact that he stays in the woods ac-
counts for the fact that he is almost a
biped instead Of a quadruped. The
gorilla in passing through the forests
reaches ont with his long arms, and,
Selling the branches Of the trees, ris =
On hind legs and walks on them, sup
porting himself with his hold on the
branches
an upright creatures of him.
1.-The gorilla is as brave as brave
can be. The male gorilla does all the
fighting for the family If You APP
proach Il pair of gorillas the female
will run. screaming, through the
woods, or viii climb the highest tree,
uttering al the while cries not unlike
a woman in great fright. But the
male gorilla viii come straight at you.
He does not know what fear is. He
will hgut any number of men.
"How doyou fight them?
with pistols 1t is very unsafe to
trust to a gun or to n poor weapon of
anv kind. The gorilla is so fierce and
powerful that you have but one chance
at him at best The woods where he
is found is so thick that it is almost
impossible 10 see him accurately at
any distance. If you fire at him as he
comes at you down the tree a limb
may turn the course of the bullet. Be-
fore You can fire a secOud time he will
be upon YOU. He drops from limb to
limb, and comes at a rapid swinging
pace. The safest way is to hold your
fire until he is at arms length and
then fire steadily into him with a
pistol
The gorilla is easily killed. An
ordinary pistol shot will have about
the same effect upon him as it has up
on man. The hunters's danger is in
not making the shot tell. Once was
passing through the forest with a body
guard OF natives. Ice natives are
furnished by the Dutch traders with a
miserable gun, the barrel of which is
made of gas pipe. The natives have
learned TO be suspicious of their guns.
When they fire at anything thcy point
in the general direction, pull the tl1g-
ger and fling the gun at the object.
They throw the gun because they are
afraid it will explode in their hands,
as it very frequently does. Well, we
came upon gorilla. A native saw
him dropping from tree coming at
us. Aiming at the descending form,
he fred and missed. He had not
turned before the grim monster was
upon him. Standing and throwing his
arms around the negro's neck. the
gorilla seized his throat in his man
like Jaws, and was crushing the life
out of him when we came up and fired
a pistol ball into him at close range.
But the wounds inflicted were mortal,
and the native died in great agony"
Are the goliIIas numerous in the
stripof country where they are found?"
"Ihey are scarce. In making a trip
once saw two in one day, but that
was unusual. They are the fiercest
and brayest of animals. The male
gorilla, in going into battle, sounds a
tealful warning by beating his breast
and giving forth sounds that make the
dense forest resound. He is a danger
Gus antagonist. and you are all the
time reminded by his appearance that
Won ARE contesting with a creature
that has mans faculties and appear
uuce, a giants strength and a mon
keys agility. Indianapolis AeWs.