Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-05-28

either became stronger, or my eyes be-
came more accustomed TO the gloom,
and I could see better than before. My
guides, apparently, had found no din.
Guilty In seeing we'll all the time. The
greatest caution and silence wore OBJ
served. for our aim was to catch go
rilla asleep. | wished tho natives TO
hunt him in their own style, and held
my double eight" as reserve force TO
use in case Of accidents
am an old stalker, yet my skill was
sorely tried in that labyrinth. in which
dead branches lay thickly about under
foot. After a time the underground be-
came less dense, and Oshupu whispered
TO mo that this circumstance indicated
the presence of water, and that the ami
mails coming and going in all directions
kept the underground more or less trod-
den down.
Suddenly my guide stopped short,
and holding mp his finger, crooked 1t
over his head. pointing TO the left /
turned my head in the direction indi-
Gated, and at a distance of about three
hundred feet away saw an immense ape
slowly moving through the trees on all
fours, swinging to and fro in a manner
not unlike the plantigrade movement OF
. grizzly.
Oshupu reached his hand behind as a
signal for me TO move up TO him, and
when 7 had done so. he said: The
gorilla has fed. and is lazy. n he sees
US, he will run, and We shall never catch
up with him in this tangle. We must
rest hero, and We will drum for his mate
and sleep. Then We shall catch him"
Accordingly we all sank down, only
Oshupu watching. Presently the muf-
fed sound OF drumming was heard, as
II hand we're beating a hollow tree.
The natives say that the male makes
this noise TO call his mate; this theory
naturalists do not authenticate, but az
firm that Il is only when the gorilla Is
excited and angry that he drums, and
the natives say that hc drums upon q
hollow tree-trunk, and not upon his
chest az IL currently believed. am not
able TO give an opinion on this sub
ject. All know Is that | heard the
sound.
After a time, at a given signal, the
natives spread themselves out, and max
ing long ddour, surrounded the spot
where II was believed the gorilla had
stopped TO rest. They were not mis-
taken, for on tho edge of a small glado
the big brute sat fast asleep, with his
back against tree. With his head
fallen 10 one side on his shoulder, his
legs crooked in front of him, and his
long arms hanging by his side, he looked
like drunken, missbapen satyr. There
was no female gorilla to DO seen.
We waited patiently for some min
utes, until my attention was drawn TO
some bright spots on the edge Of tho
small clearing, which proved TO be the
spear-heads OF the Fans, who had made
the circuit and we're ready for the at
tack.
II was deputed ~ young chief to
open the encounter, and after pause he
emerged from cover as near as he could
get to the gorilla, but the thick under
growth compelled him TO enter the
glade at point farther away from the
brute than he wished. lie poised his
spear in his hand in readiness TO throw
it, and, step by step, approached until
he was within thirty feet Of the gorilla,
NntH wv duiIldl MS
head from one side to the other.
Quick as fash the young chief
dropped to the earth and lay motionless
among the rank grass The beast
breathed heavily, opened his eyes for
one second, in dreamy, leery way, see-
ing nothing, hearing nothing, but dimly
conscious that mischief was around.
Slowly the chiefs head rose above the
grasses, and his leg was drawn up under
him TO move, when crack" went rot
ten twig beneath his hand or foot
The ape was thoroughly aroused, and
leaping forward raised itself into an
awkward, partly erect attitude, with
knees bent, body STOPPING and feet
turned in, and balanced himself in this
position by swinging his heavy arms as
a rope-walker does with his pole. The
gorilla invariably charges on all-fours
and not in an erect attitude, as so many
authors have said, and this ape had
| raised himself TO look around, and not
with any idea Of charging just then.
n the young chief had lain still, all
would have been we'll; but he was de-
sirous Of showing of before mo, and ac-
cordingly rose TO his feet, dashed his
spear at the brute, and made for tho
cover Of tho thicket The spear went
| through the arm Of the gorilla. which
instantly tore the weapon out bodily,
ssvsgely bit the wound and dashed on
all-fours after his sssailant, with hor-
rible scream Of rage.
All the Fans on the opposite side Of
the clearing now boldly dashed In,
throwing their spears, or, as they got
close enough 10 him, thrusting them
into the brute's body. Wounds inflicted
with such weapons could not prove inn
mediately fatal, and could only kill tho
creature by causing loss of blood, as tho
vital power Of the gorilla is sogreat that
oven a rife-ball seldom arrests ut once
his headlong course.
n H. had not been for the danger, this
spectacle OF the contest between the
Fans and the ape would have been
amusing, as the men threw spears, and
crouchcd or lodged. and the ape backed
slowly away from them, making horri-
BILE grimaces, and gradually working
himself up into blind fury. This stats
| 81 affairs did not last more than min
ute. and then the ape was at the edge Of
the clearing. about forty feet from
where stood. Here another volley Of
| spears met him, and after standing
amazed for a second. he rushed head
long at his first assailant, seized him by
the leg. and before hand could be
raised. he swung him around his head,
bringing the poor fellows skull in con-
tact with tree-trunk, and cracking it
like nut.
IL was terrible sight, but IL was done
before had the power to prevent it.
raised my rifle, and was about to shoot,
but Oshupu said, Not yet" and sprang
into the arena. right in front of the
blood-stained beast, who came at him
with terrible roar.
Oshupu leapcd to one side. and shorten