The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-03-27

locating the animals. l sent out other
men 10 watch, and after three or four
days 1t was found that the thicket had
several paths by which the gorrilas left
and returned. 1t got sight of them my
self, and / found the male to stand
about five feet eight inches high when
erect. He was terribly broad and heavy,
had muscles like whip cords, and l saw
that he had the strength of any four of
us. In about a week we found that one
path led to a spring where the beasts
quenched their thirst, and another to
several trees loaded with peculiar sort
of pea or bean enclosed in pods, of which
the gorillas sec very fond. 1t
was while they re eating this
fruit that / saw , the little fellow
was just learning to 80 alone, and the
mother carried him much of the time.
The old fellow maintained pretty sharp
watch, though he did not appear to be
particularly suspicious, and now and
then he unbended his dignity and played
with the little one in manner to make
us laugh.
About twenty days from the time we
located the gorillas we set our traps, one
on each path. The one on the path lead
ing to the spring was within thirty feet
of the water and carefully concealed just
below the surface. The beasts, as near
as our scouts could determine, visited
the spring only every other duy, and it
was on the off day we set that trap.
There were seven of us, being the only
white man, and as we returned to camp
we took different route from the one
we had come. 1t was very hot day,
and when half way back we stopped to
rest. 1t was in a beautiful grove, pretty
clear from underbrush, and most of the
natives at once fell asleep, as is their
custom when making halt, even if only
for ten minutes. Only one of them, so
far as saw, was awake when l rose up
and walked away about hundred feet
to examine a curious excrescence on the
side of tree. From where | stood l
thought l could distinguish the figures
"56" standing out on the tree, but when
1 reached it found only a wart or knot.
This tree was to the right of the party,
and as started for 1t one of the natives
sleepily cautioned me not to go too far
alone. Twas standing beside the tree,
looking upward and around, when |
heard shout OF alarm, followed almost
instantly by a shrek of pain and terror.
l saw the men spring up, each uttering
a yell, and then came the sounds of
blows and screams and the angry and de-
fiant roar of a gorilla. 1t was all over in
a minute, and before had time to ap-
preciate the situation two of the natives
came running toward me, half dead with
fright, and heard another roar and saw
a dark object moving swiftly away.
AS well as could be ascertained a big
gorilla had been passing through the
grove, and he had stun bled upon the
men Just as the one who had spoken to
me rose up. This action was sufficient
to arouse the ire OF the beast, and he had
seized the native and flung him ten feet
away. The second one received blow
which knocked him fiat, and the gorilla
then let himself out to kill. The other
four men were dead when we approached.
One had his neck broken, a second had
half his face torn off and his breast
crushed in, and the other two had their
skulls crushed as if by blows from the
hand. My rifle and the muskets of the
natives had not been meddled with.
The two natives who escaped were lit
tie better than jabbering idiots for the
next hour, and it was only after our re-
turn to camp that l learned all the par
ticulars 1t all happened in fifty or sixty
seconds, and the attack had come so
suddenly that no one thought of de-
fence. The adventure so ratified the
camp that had great difficulty next day
in persuading any one to accompany me
to the trap. | got tve men at last, by
arguments and threats, but when we
came to examine the path we found that
the beasts had not travelled it, They
had either decided to skip day, not be-
ing thirsty, or else had suspected some-
thing and avoided the path. On the
next day, however, the natives having
meantime recovered their pluck to some
extent, party of ten of us set out, and
when within a mile of the spring we
had reasons to believe that one of them
had put foot in the trap. Yells, roars,
and screams reached our ears, and at the
distance of half mile several small ami
mails passed us in alright.
"We have got the big fellowW whis-
pered my head hunter to me as we pressed
forward. "We must be careful now, for
the sight of us will make him strong to
break away, and he will want all our
lives to pay for the insult"
The pow-wow grew louder as we
neared the spot, and the cries and walls
of the mother and offspring mingled
with tile snarls, growls, barks and roars
Of the father. When we finally crept
forward to a spot whence we could OBJ
tain view, we found the sold man"
fast in the trap by the right hind leg.
The trap was a toothless one, with the
faces of the Jaws covered with felt, but
it was strong enough almost to hold an
elephant We had to bend down the
springs with levers, and it was a good
weight for two men TO carry. The chain
attached could not have been broken by
a horse, and we had securely fastened il
to tree. 1t was well we had and il
was well that the beast had been caught
by a hind leg.
do not tn nix he had been in the trap
long when we first heard him, perhaps
not over five minutes. lie was, doubt
less surprised and frightened for time,
but by the time we had reached point
where we could see him his terrible
anger was fully aroused. His mate and
offspring stood by, wailing and growl.
ing, and Just as we got settled in our
places the female lifted up the trap and
wrenched at it with all her strength.
Then both selzed the chain and tugged
4 4 I