Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-01-23

triL Africa L had at different tunes
many native servants. and through
them l had opportunities to see the
natives hunt according to the time
honored methods OF the tribes
One OF my men was named Oshupu.
He was Fan, fine specimen OF hui
mainly, and, like most OF his race, re-
markably intelligent. In fact he was
cannibal gentleman that is to say,
although he, like the rest of his tribe,
had a liking for human flesh, he never
intruded that horrible craving upon
my notice by word or deed, and from
his appearance and actions | should
never have imagined that it existed.
He was forever wishing that we had
reached his country, and he would
talk to me by the hour OF elephant and
gorilla hunts, until 1 longed to get
away with him TO join a bunting party
OF his people. Accordingly when we
neared the Gaboon River it did not
need much persuasion to induce me TO
outspan the team for two weeks, and
go with Oshupu to his village.
We entered the village from the
side. and were In the street before our
coming was perceived. AS IL pulled by
u single string. every native arose,
and, quietly forming a ring round me,
the population grave4y inspected me.
When it was known that | had come
to hunt the gorilla. their joy WAS I'M
bounded. for. strange as it may seem,
these warlike people, like those OF
many other tribes, are much afraid OF
thi animal.
After resting for two days, our hunt
ing party was formed. aud we jour-
neyed long days march TO the home
Of the gorilla What a journey it was,
and how wildly l remember it! There
were about thirty Of us, the natives all
armed with spears about seven feet in
length, terminating in an iron head.
with large barbs at either side.
am an old stalker, yet my skill was
sorely tried in that labyrinth, in which
dead branches lay thickly about under
foot. After time the undergro - tn
became less dense, and Oshupu whis-
pered TO me that this circumstance in
dictated the presence OF water, and that
the animals coming in all directions
kept the underground more or less
trodden down.
Suddenly my guide stopped short,
and holding up his finger, crooked it
over his head, pointing to the left.
turned my head in the direction indi-
Gated. and at distance OF about three
hundred feet away saw an immense
ape slowly moving through the trees
on all tours, swinging to aud fro in q
manner not unlike the plantigrade
movement OF n grizzly.
Oshupu reached his hand behind as
n signal for me to move up to him, and
when | had done so, he said, The
gorilla has fed, and is lazy. II he
sees us, he will run, and we shall |
never catch up with him in this tangle.
We must rest here. and he will drum
for his mate and sleep. Then we shall
catch him."
After time, at a given signal, the
natives spread themselves out, and
making a long detOur, surrounded the
spot where it was believed the gorilla
had stopped to rest. They were not
mistaken, for on the edge OF small
glade the big brute sat fast asleep,
with his back against tree.
1t was deputed to young chief to
open the encounter, and after pause
he emerged from cover as near as he
could get to the gorilla. He 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. when suddenly the animal
rolled his head from one side to the
other.
The ape was thoroughly aroused,
and leaning forward raised itself into
an awkward, partly erect altitude. II
the young chief had lain still, all
would have been we'll; but he was
DESTROYS OF showing of before me, and
accordingly rose TO his feet dashed
his spear at the brute and made for
the cover OF the thicket. The spear
went through the arm OF the gorilla,
which instantly tore the weapon out
bodily, savagely bit the wound, and
dashed on all tours after his assailant,
with terrible scream OF rage.
All the Fans on the opposite OF the
clearing now boldly dashed in, throw
ing their spears, or, as they got close
enough to him, thrusting them into the
brute's body, Wounds inflicted with
such weapons could not prove immedi-
ately fatal, and could only kill the
creature by causing loss OF blood. as
the vital power OF the gorilla is SC
great that even a rife ball seldom ar
rests at once his headlong course.
IL it 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 crouched or lodged. and the ape
backed slowly away from them, max
ing horrible grimances and gradually
working himself up into blind fury.
This state of affairs did not last more
than minute, and then the ape wa
of the edge Of the clearing, about for
ty feet from where | stood. Here an
other volley of spears met him, anC
after standing amazed for a second, he
rushed headlong mt the first assailant
seized him by the leg, and before I
hand could be raised, he swung hin
around his head, bringing the poo
fellows skull in contact with a ire,
trunk and cracked il like nut.
1t was terrible sight, but it wa
done before had the power to proven
it. l raised my rifle and quick a
thought sent two bullets ploughinl
through the ape's head, tearing tn,
ton of tho al,,ll clean off He reelet