The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-23
THE CHEERING GORILLA.
Prof Garner Will Have Converse
With him in the Simian
Tongue.
Preparations for Some Wonderful
Experiments in the Study of
Languages.
Tho Philologist to Associate With the
Gorilla or His Native Hcath-Re-
markable Outfit.

10 on Ill tongues, uOu-SlHldu. IL rs cur
rently believed that one of the greatest q
the New York dailies is to send him t
Africa on this quest. His learned friend
In the scientific world are associating hir
in the most remarkable equipment eve
carried by an explorer. 1t will includ
monographs, telephones, Photographic ap
p~aratus, an electric telegraph and a com
plete outfit for taxidermy. For the pro
fessor himself there will be in a cage
eight feet cube, which he means to occupy
also a small gorilla, should he succeed il
capturing one alive. The armament to be
taken along for offensive and defensive
purposes will be extraordinary, and Of
character unheard of hitherto.
The expedition will enter the mouth o!
tho Gaboon river, just under the equator or
the west coast of Africa. Here an escort OF
natives will be secured. The party viii
then proceed up tho river 112 miles. Al
that point the first of a series of cntaracts
and rapids is reached, and there they will
disembarz, plunging southwark into the
tropical forests Of the gorilla country. A
locality particularly infested by these giant
apes will be the point sought out, and there
in the midst of the bowling wilds Of the
equatorial regions of Africa, the traveller
will set up his cage.
He will live alone by night and by day.
but his cnee will be connected by telephone
with his party. These will be established
at the distance of half a mile or more. 1t
is necessary that the animals whose Ian
guage he is to study should be as little dis
turbed by tho presence Of strangers as pos
sible. His conversations with them will be
solitary dialogues, unless he should prove
hin self so attractive as to- induce a good
many gorillas to visit him at once.
The cage is to be constructed in New
York. He is now in the city, making the
final arrangements for the journey. The
cage ia to be made of aluminium, for the
sake of lightness, and will be built in
eighteen sections. In this way it can be
easily transported. All the joints will be
locked automatically when it is set mp.
The floor will be of rubber. Strong steel
chains will make it fast to tho ground. lest
their heads to walk off with it. Every pos
sibility Of attack is provided against. A
powerful electric battery will be so arranged
that by touching the button, the entire
cage, the rubber floor alone excepted, will
be simultaneously ohargedFwith electricity.
Any animal grasping the cage will receive a
shock Of 800 volts, enough to kill q man,
who has In all experiments shown himself
able to survive more of such lightning than
any other animal.
The traveller will not resort to such mode
of defense unloss it prove necessary. for his
the gorillaH. Whether the gorillas will de-
sire to DO on peaceful terms with him re-
mains to be seen. They are said to be the
most ferocious and dangerous creatures in
existence, invariably attacking man on
sight. A short distance from the cage on
all sides will be extended copper wires SO
arranged that they can be drawn taut at
about two feet from the ground at a mo-
ment's notice, though ordinarily these will
lie slack in the grass. Should the ~gorillas
mass themselves and come on the solitary
occupant OF the cage to destroy him, he has
but to touch a button and every creature in
the advancing ranks on touching these
wires will receive a Tremendous shock of
electricity. The battery will be powerful
enough to sustain q voltage of 500 volts
during thirty minutes which is likely to be
sufficient for all purposes.
Tho explorer does not anticipate any diff
fculty in attracting the gorlllas. In the
frat plaza, their owQ fsrocity will make
them desire TO attack any intruder. Again,
they ha7s enough curiosity to draw them.
But he will have various devices; figures
resembling human beings or g~orillas, or
bota, will be taksn along, and placed in
natural attitudes near the cages, as decoys.
Ess y ens knows how monkeys enjoy look
ing az themssls in . mirror. SO, large mir
Eoss will form part OF the outfit, and any
gorilla catching e glimpse of himself in
fasss, VII! be induced to stay awhile, and
VILE PROBABLY give his views az to his per-
soma looks, presumably OF a compliment
sary character if he suspects tbs reflection
70 &c LIE oBz. GorIllas are fond of fruit,
s1t fhaE too will be scattered about as bait.
Bassaas all taIs. Prof. Garner hopes to ex-
e1ts zafsfsSt by learning ths meaning of
tie FEtaozs how!s Of his expected visitors.
sns Dr responding 10 them in their mother
toETus.
Asflag inalosc TIE goriIlas to come near
s1a LEX tie aeLt thing Of Importance is to
Aavs z shorthand writer in the shape of a
pnololE,tpn 70 record what they say in tbs
1IteTF-sws- HIS p~aonogIabh which Mr.,
LGlbou "a now making VIII be different from
Eny othsr thai lie has constructed. 1t will
AaFs iVo cylinders worked simultaneously
by ~ slsctr1e uoior. one cylinder receiving
RE recording goun6s while the other prinds
ont remarks. The object of thi. is readily
Suppose that the gorilla comes
bo lis cage and expresses him self in
wat sounds to tho uninitiated very like
gab5eflsh, the horn attached to the instru-
Msat sb6oFblng II and the revolving cylin-
DER taking it down. Presently another gsn-
tleIoan OF the same nation approaches and
1t Is desired to find out if his views CORE
spond with those Of the first speaker. By
the two it is hoped to get an
mixing OF what they said. So a blank CYL
lnder will be set going on the machine to
10 receive the words of the second
while at the same time the
trst cylinder ia kept going round repeating
the remsrks-polite words for bowls and
the first gentleman. Pop cam
eras Will be arranged outside the cage to
take photographs of the ''natives,' as well
as OF the cage and it's occupant. AS the
Evening Star says: Nothing more strik-
ing can we'll be imagined than such flash
light impressions at night of a cage set up
IN the mldst of n tropical forest, illuminsd
by electricity, with an enthusiast scientist
inside listening to the objurgatory remarks
an assemblage OF giant African apes"
Professor Garner anticipates some Ian
ger, but he goes prepared. He will take
With him not only rifles and revolvers but
olowguns and air guns, in order to kill
without making a noise. Some devices of
MS own are OF n surprising nature, and are
OF staying on the instant or of rem
lerlng insepsible the most formidable and
animals. He is not vet prepared
20 make public the nature of these weapons.
One purpose of the expedition Is to gathar
specimens of the fauna of this almost un-
country. An attempt will be made
70 secure alive specimens for the National
Geological park. Some strange beasts un-
to science roam through the forests
the Gaboon. From the Gaboon. Pro-
lessor Garner expects to make hia wav !
aeross Africa and thence around the world