The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-12-14
A GORILLA HUNT.
How the Fans Attack Their Pow
erful and Dangerous Foe.

erful and Dangerous Foe.
In my trading expedition into Centra
Africa i had at different times many ma
tive servants, and through them ha
opportunities to see the natives hun
according to the time-honored method
OF the tribes In this respect l did no
follow the practice of the ordinary trav
eler, who conducts his hunts after hi
own fashion, taking the horns or skin o
his quarry for himself, with the glory
of course, and leaving the carcass 70
his native help, who are we'll satisfied
with that and few beads for recon-
pense, and are willing to take a subor
dinate position in the hunt.
One of my men was named Oshupu
He was Fan, fine specimen of human.
ity, and, like most of his race, remark.
ably intelligent. In fact he was can.
nibal gentleman; that is to say, al
though he, like the rest his tribe, had
q liking for human nesh he never in
truded that horrible craving upon my
notice by word or deed, and from his APP
pearance and actions I should never
have imagined that it existed.
No matter where he was, even when
near the European settlements, he never
adopted the garb of the white man, but
adhered strictly to tho native dress,
which was complete when he had paint
ed his tattooed body red, hung a piece of
bark cloth around his loins, and decorat-
ed his head with the scarlet feathers of
the tauraco. His teeth were filed to
points and stained black, and his body
was hung about with charms and anu
lets.
His nation is a fierce and warlike peo-
pie, brave TO fault, and magnificent in
spirit and physique. Oshupu would
sometimes get tired of riding tamely in
the slowly-moving ox-wagon, and, seiz-
ing his spear, would dart off with it and
run for several miles in advance of the
team, or perform feats of dcxterity with
the weapon around the wagon for my
especial edification.
He was forever wishing that we had
reached his country, and he would talk
TO mo by the hour of elephant and
gorilla hunts, until / longed to get
away with him to join hunting party
of his people. Accordingly, when we
much persuasion to induce me to out
span the team for two weeks, and go
with Oshupu to his village.
Through this hamlet-as is the case
with most equatorial viiagcs-ran one
long street. The houses were square
frames, with sides of neatly woven
waffle, and were matched with the same
material coated with mud. The cave of
the roof was carried forward some dis
tance, and supported on two posts, form
ing a rude stoop. Under this welcome
shade the village people squatted, gos-
siping and waiting for something to in
terest them.
j was that something!
We entered the village from the side,
and were in the street before our coming
was perceived As if pulled by single
string, every native arose, and, quietly
forming ring around me, the population
gravcly inspected me. While Oshupu
was, as it were, introducing me, | felt
fingers touch my clothes, my rife, and
even go into my pockets, all of which ex
animation /, knowing the habits of these
people, pretended not TO notice. Tho
natives seldom steal until taught TO do
so by corrosive intercourse with the |
civilized whites.
When it was known that had come |
to hunt the gorilla, their joy was un-
bounded, for, strange as it may seem,
these warlike people. like those of many |
other tribes, are much afraid of this ami |
NAL, and the awe with which they re-
gard him prompts them TO mako q |
gorilla skall the principal ornament on
their fetish-huts.
After resting for two days, our hpnt-
ing party was formed, and wo journeyed
a long days march to the home of tho
gorilla.
What journey it was, and how vivid
ly / remember it! There were about
thirty OF us, the natives all armed with
long spears about seven feet in length,
terminating in an iron head, with large
barbs at either side. These spears are sell
dom thrown, except at very close quar-
ters. Although painfully afraid OF the 60
rilla at the commencement Of the hunt,
the natives, as soon as their blood gets
up, throw caution to the winds and rush
in upon him ON all sides, trusting to the
of the assailants and their
,wn agility to enable them to get away
Each native was armed with three
spears, and was armed with my heavy
loublc eight-boro express rife. About
noon we halted, and rested until nearly
lawn the next morning. Then we set
'ut in single file, Oshupu leading, my
elf second, and tho others Of the troop
ollowing in the order of their rank as
hunters.
In many places we could scarcely
move for the dense vegetation. On all
idcs Of MS stretched vast forest avenues,
n which tho height OF the trees was I
ost in the dense overgrowth that ]
like leafy clouds above us, in
ront tho stems grew close and thick, !
18th INTERVIEWING vines and creepers, J
tuntcd bushes, and pendant masses of I
ropes" that curled like snakes /
! coun tlcss thousands.
The stillnoss at times could almost be v
pit, and then again path would be