Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-08-15
AsaIcAM eaIzs fIanrgRs.
Danxer Of Hunfine the Goslifa IN ne For
esfs Of the Dark cobsfaent

Danxer Of HHntine the Govffta IN The For
esfs Of the Dark Continent.
The gorilla is die prize fighter If
Africs. said Carl Steckclmann. who
has personal knowledge q the Dark
Continent He had been speaking Of
leopard skin On exhibition In his
window. and had been telling of The
danger encountered 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
acomparatively small portion Of West
ern Africa He turks In the woods
along the coasts for several hundred
miles north Of the mouth Of the Con
GO. have never seen gorilla III the
open country. and, By the way. !
think that the fact thai he stays ID the
woods accounts for the fact that be is
almost a biped instead Of quadruped.
You see the gorilla 10 passing through
the forests reaches out with his long
arms. ard. Selling the bSanchesof the
trees, rises on his hind legs and walks
on them, supporting himself with his
hold on lie branches. Habit has thus
almost made an upright creature 81
him.
The gorilla Is as brave as brave
can be- The male gorilla does sil the
fighting for the family. Ii You ap
proach pair Of goriIlas the female
VIII run. screaming, through the
woods. or Will climb the highest tree.
uftering 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 Isl He
will fight any number Of men. =
} How do you fight thernT'
Wish pistols. II is very unsafe To
trust to gun or 70 a 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
4 where he is found is SO thick that il II
impossible To see him accurately al
any distance If sou fire at him as
he comes at you down the tree limb
i may turn the course Of the bullet
Before you can fire second time he
viii be upon you. He drops from
limb TO limb, and comes al a rapid.
/ swinging pace The safest way Is ID
hold your fire until be is at arms
/ length, and then fire steadily into him
with a pistol
\ THE gorilla Is easily killed. an
ordinary pistol shot win have about
the same effect upon him as ii has upon
a man The hunters danger is In NOT
making the shot tell Once was pass
ing through the forest with body
guard of natives. The natives are
furnished BY the Dutch traders with q
miserable gun, the barrel OF which il
made Of gas pipe The natives have
When they fire at anything they point
In the general direction, pull the trig
4 ger and fling the gun at the object
They threw the gun because they ART
afraid it will explode in their hands,
as il very frequently does Well, we
came upon gorilla 4 native saw
him dropping FROM tree coming al
us. Aiming at tie descending form
he fred and missed. He had mo-
turned before the grim monster wa
upon him Standing and throwing
his arms around the negros neck. ths
gorilla seized his threat In his manliks
jaws, and was crushing the life out o.
s..siza Egsssca &c came up and fred 4
pistol ball into him at close range
But the wounds inflicted were mortal
and the native died in great agony
Are the gorillas numerous in tn,
stripof country where they are foundF'
They are scarce. In making a tril
once | saw two in one day, but tina
was unusual They are the fierces
and bravest of animals. The male go
rilla, IN going into battle, sounds /,
fearful warning hv beating its breas
and giving forth sounds that make lib,
dense forest resound. He is a danger
Gus antagonist, ard you are all tn
time reminded by his appearance tina
you are contesting with creature tina
ha mans faculties and appearance
e giants strength and a monkey s agil
ity. Indianapolis News.