Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-03-25
How raul n. Dn ChAnIa Met HI- IN.
Gorilla

Eaf
Gorilla
Du Chaillu was walking. as was his
custom, some distance in advance of his
companions, rang, a in single file, when
his ears were saluted by strange, hith-
erto unheard sound. 1t riveted his
attention at once. Could it be the noise
OF some cannibal tribe preparing for
combat, or of an elephant disturbed by
his approachl He cast himself down
and with ear pressed TO the earth list
ened breathlessls. Once more the OPP
pressive silence was broken, this time by
sound Of swapping timber, loud as a
gunshot, and then there came crashing
TO the ground great branch of a tree
so big that he said to himself, Good
nessl these must be giantsl" Another
bough was pitched down, and it was
plain, though he could not see the
enemy. the enemy could see him. Then
from somewhere aloft there issued a
prolonged, gutteral growl, full of mis-
chief. blood curdling sound never to
be forg tten.
Gr-r-r-r-r-rl Gr-r-r-r-r-ri
He stopped, and made the native sig
nal of danger--a peculiar clicking noise
Of the tongue against the roof Of the
mouth. He got his rifle i'm readiness
The bombardment of boughs had now
ceased; there was absolute silence, save
for the humping of his heart against
his ribs 1t bumped so loud that he
feared it would betray him to the un-
seen and unknown foe. "Wait little,
Paul wait littlei" he said to himself.
%You are not ready to fight quite yet
Peering into the twilight around and
above him, he was suddenly aware of
an object in his immediate neighhor-
hood. Ashort, hairy, manlike creature,
with a black, hideous visage, fierce,
staring eyes under low brows, an enor-
NOUS mouth with huge canine teeth;
this head set on an enormous chest and
paunch, mounted on short, crooked legs,
and furnished with pair of arms long
and muscular enough TO squeeze lion
to death This was the being he had
come so far to behold; this was the
creature that no white man, unless it was
Hanno 1900 years ago. had ever seen.
This was the gorilla.
The brute was near him before he saw
1t, and now it tbumped on its chest and
emitted another long drawn terrific yell
resembling the sound of thunder in the
sky. 1t advanced; its black lips curled
away from its long teeth in savage snarl.
1t was not going to wait to be attacked.
1t was eager for the fray, and advancing
beat its breast with sounds as from q
big drum.
Du Chaillu was alone.
He drew his rifle to his shoulder. He
said to himself that the nearer the crea-
ture came the better would be his
chance Of giving it fatal wound.
Savage though it looked, 1t must have
vital part He waited until its hairy
body was less than twice the length Of
his rife from the rifles muzzle. Then
he pulled the trigger, aiming for spot
of the heart. 1t was a shot upon which
a good deal depended for the young ex-
plorer-not to mention the gorilla. The
smoke hung in the still air; but he saw
that he had succeeded The animal
lifted its long arms and bent forward,
uttering groans that were human but
full of brutshness. 1t stumbled forward
and fell on its ugly face, and was dead
in few minutes. For" observed Du
Chaillu, "ett is lucky, though they are
so strong. they die very easy" Such
was the end of his first gorilla. Il" Round
Robin Talks, in Lippincott's.