The record-union., 1891-04-26
year. One machine finishes the spool
from the rough wood, turning out about
100 minute
THE GREATEST FOREST.
Mountain Ranges Covered With Ire
~

| Mountain Ranges Covered With Trees
to the Very Top.
| Paul B. Du Chaillu, the celebrated ex-
plorer, writing about the great equatorial
! forest of Africa, says:
''As the mariner approaches the west
ern coast of Africa, above the River Cam
| DO, situated two degrees north of the
equator, and sails southwark along the
land as far as Gaboon Estuary, or River,
the southern shores of which run in a
parallel line with the equator, and only a
few miles north of 1T, he beholds all the
way, reaching down to the waters edge,
a dense, unbroken forest, and, far in
| land, several mountain ranges covered
with trees to their very top.
''TheSe mountains are known under
the name OF Sierra del Crystal They are
| gradually lost to sight as one nearS the
| Gaboon. This immense wooded country
forms the outskirts of the gigantic equa-
| torial forest, which i was the first to eX-
plore, and which has been entered and in
part traversed further inland by the heroic
| Stanley.
1.-The outer or western limit of this belt
of forest-clad region is the very sea
itself, for the roots OF the trees spread to
| the beach.
"a grand and magnificent sight greets
the traveller as he hnds himself in this
woody wilderness. | was awed by the
majesty OF the scene and lost in admira-
|
exhibited.
1.-The silence of this forest, as one
travels through it, is sometimes appall-
ing. Mile after mile is traversed without
even hearing the chatter of monkey, the
shrill cry OF parrot, the footstep of a
gazelle or antelope. The falling Of leaf,
the murmur of some hidden rivulet, the
humming of insects, and here and there
the solitary note of a bird, only come to
give life and bring relief in the gloom of
the vast solitude that surrounds you.
The feeling which seiZes you as you move
along in the silent path is indescriba-
| BILE,
"Once in awhile the silence is broken
by the heavy footstep of the elephant, the
grunt of some wild boar, or the light
footsteps of some other wild animals.
Gigantic trees, rising to hight of 200
or 800 feet, and even more, tower over
this sea OF everlasting foliage like giants
Of the forest, ready to give the first warn
ing of the coming tornado or tempest
which is to break the tranquility of their
domain.
"Under these enormous trees other
trees of less size grow, and under these
again others still smaller, of all sizes and
shapes, and finally Il thick jungle.
What jungle it is! Often the eye
tries in vain to pierce through it even a
yard or two. Lianas, like gigantic snakes,
stretch in profuSion from tree to tree and
twine themselves round the stems or
hang from their branches; thorny creep
ers, malacca-like canes, with their hook
like thorns resting on the edge of the
leaves; grass with edges as sharp as
razors cling to your clothes, or cut deep
into the flesh if they chance to touch any
exposed parts; or at times pineappleS run
wild are seen by the ten thousand-or
aloes-which on the bark of trees hang,
in large festoons, vast masses Of orchids.
wit n II
brilliant color and beautiful shape, re-
lieve at certain seasons of the year the
monotOny of the dark green. Other
trees and plants bear bountiful crop OF
nuts, fruit and berries of various sizes,
colOrs and shapes.
This forest, so rich in berries, nuts
and fruits is we'll adapted for the home OF
the ape. There lives the most powerful
OF all apes-the gorifla-a giant OF
strength, who roams to an fro in the great
solitude as the king Of the forest.
The male comes and attacks man
fiercely and without fear when disturbed
in its hauntS. One of my hunters was
killed by one of these monsters, which,
in its rage, bent the barrel of his gun, and
then left him TO die.
Besides the gorilla, there are other va
rieties of apes, or chimpanzees. One may
form an idea of the age and continuity OF
this great forest when one reflects that
survivors OF numerous species of far
past age.
1.-THE insect world is very abundant,
scorpions and centipedeS, MOSQUITOES
without number, and also a species OF
gnat, perhaps more troublesome than the
mosquitoes. The butterflies are at times
extremely numerous, fitting along the
paths their flight is as still as the forest
itself.
.'Of snakes there is great abundance;
a few are harmless, but bite Of most of
the species is deadly. There are tree,
land and water snakes.
There are great many species of
ants, some Of which are found in vast
numbers. The most remarkable and
most dreaded of all is the 6aShikOuau, and
is most VoraciOus creature, which car
ries nothing away, but eats its prey on
the spot.
at is the dread of all living animals OF
the forest-the elephant, the leopard, the
gorilla, and all the insect world-and
man himself is compelled to flee before
the advance of these marauders or to pro-
tect himself by fire and boiling water.
''It is the habit of the bashikouay to
march through the forest in q long, regu-
lar line, about two inches broad or more,
and often miles in length. All along the
line larger ants, who act as officers, stand
outside the ranks, and keep the singular
army in order. Ii they come to place
where there are no trees to shelter them
from the sun, the heat Of which they can
not bear, they Immediately burrow un-
der ground and form tunnels. 1t takes
often more than twelve hours for one
OF the armies to pass. .'-Gotden Days.