The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-21
THE GORILLA.
A Fighter from Way Sack, and Tough
Customer to Handle.

| SIsA'iici w
'The gorilla is the prize fighter of
Africa, said Carl Steckeln,2nn, who has
personal knowledge of the Dark Conti-
rer* He had been speaking of leop-
ard skin on exhibition in his widow, and
had been telling of the danger encoun-
tered in fighting with the original owner
of the skin.
Contests with all wild animals pale
in comparison with that in which one
must engage in meeting the gorilla" he
said "The gorilla is found in only IL
comparatively small portion of western
Africa. lie turks in the woods along the
coasts for several hundred miles north
of the mouth of the Congo. l have
never seen Il gorilla in the open country,
and, by the way, think that the fact
thatphe stays in the woods accounts for
! the fact that he is almost bipcd instead
of quadrupcd. You sec the gorilla in
passing through the forests reaches out
with his long arms, and, sciZing the
branches of the trees, rises on his hind
legs and walks on them, supporting HIM
self with his hold on the branches. Habit
has thus almost made an upright Great
ure of him.
"The gorilla is as brave as brave can
be. The male gorilla does all the fight
ing for the family. If you approach a
pair of gorillas the female will run
screaming through the woods or will
climb the highest tree, uttering all the
while cries not unlike woman in great
fright. But the male gorilla will come
straight at you. He does not know what
fear is. He will fight any number of
men,"
"How do you fight them?"
"With pistols. 1t is very unsafe to
trust to gun or to poor weapon of
any kind. The gorilla is so fierce and
powerful that you have but one chance
at him at the best. The woods where he
to see him accurately at any distance. If
you fire at him as he comes at you down
the tree limb may turn the course of
| the bullet. Before you can fire second
time he will be upon you. He drops
from limb to limb and comes at rapid,
swinging pace. The safest way is to
hold your fire until he is at arms length
and then fire steadily into him with Il
pistol.
The gorilla is easily killed. An Or
dinary pistol shot will have about the
same effect upon him as it has upon a
man. The hunters danger is in not
making the shot tell. Once was pass
ing through the forest with bodyguard
of natives. The natives are furnished by
the Dutch traders with miserable gun,
the barrel of which is made of gas pipe.
| The natives had learned to be suspicious
of their guns. When they fire at any
thing they point in the general direction,
pull the trigger 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.
VIC came upon gorilla. A native saw
him dropping from tree coming at us.
Aiming at the descending form he fired
and missed. He had not turned before the
grim monster was upon him. Standing
and throwing his arms around the ne
| gros neck the gorilla seized his throat in
hismanlike 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"
care the gorillas numerous in the
strip of country where they are found?"
They are scarce. In making trip
oncc l saw two in one day, but that was
unusual. They are the ficrcest and bray
est of animals. The male gorilla in going
into battle sounds fearful warning by
beating its breast and giving forth sounds
| that make the dense forest resound. He
is dangerous antagonist, and you are
all the time reminded by his appearance
that you are contesting with creature
that has a mans faculties and appear
ancc, giants strength and a monkeys
agility. y."-ndianapolis News.
Improving the Eyes.
The trials of changing committees" in
determining the places to be held by pie
lures at any exhibition, arc great and
manifold. An English artist says that
when he once served as "hangman," pre-
| paratory to an exhibition of the Royal
Academy, his greatest embarrassment
was connected with a picture sent in by
an old Academician who had once done
| good work, but whose hand had now lost
! its cunning.
1t was the portrait of a clergyman, and
was not so desperately bad but that it
might be admitted, if onc peculiarly
could in any way be dealt with. His
eyes were exactly like those of an owl;
the eyeballs were intensely black, with
circle of light, bright blue cncompassing
them about.
I'VE tried him on the WALL" says the
artist, "but distance lent increased ter
ror to his expressions; he glarcd at lis so
fcarfully, that. in regard for the conse-
quences that might ariscto unwary visi
tors, we hastily took him down again.
Now said to a brother hangman,
what is to be done? It's of no use ask
ing the old gentleman to withdraw the
picture-he won't
"'No,' replied my friend, but think
we might take some of the enthusiasm
out of those eyes.
No sooner said than done. A finger
was wetted, little backing taken from
n shoe Of one of the conspirators, the
bright blue circle received u glaze of
backing, and the glare of terror inspir
ing fury was changed into n softened,
appealing expression. With that little
alteration the picture took its place among
the rea:.-Youth's Companion.