The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-25
GRABBED BY A GORILLA.
An American Travellers Thrilling FIX
perience in Africa.

An American Travellers Thrilling Ex.
perience in Africa
Cincinnati Enquirer: A Cincinnatian
who has lately returned from tour of
South and Eas- Africa told reporter of
thrilling encounter he had with go
rilla while in that far off country He
said:
The evening train had arrived ut Lor-
enco Marques Delago Bay, ON schedule
time But what night it was. The rain
came down Is if the very heavens were
falling, the wind blew terrific gale and
the darkness which overspread the whole
scene WAS such as | had never witnessed
before. 1t was however, II fitting night
to the experience which followed Step
ping from what the Netherlands Railway
Company term first class carriage,
accosted il heavy-set individual on the
platform. Can you tell me sir, which is
the best hotel in this place. asked.
We'll stranger, he remarked, that is
Il hardly fair question to ask me, as owl
both the hotels in this place.
81 turned over my grip to him, and fol-
lowed II crowd Of Africans through that
tropical storm Dinner was served Mt the
international Hotel, but my permane mt
quarters We're to be at the Central, both
of these being owned by Jim Carpenter,
IL.
dinner an employe of the hotel asked me
if | was ready to go to the Central.
replied in the affirmative. He went to
the door, and above of the din of the wind
and rain could be heard his voice yelling
'SiXpencer
MY belief was that this Individual
WAS singing ont to- some of the natives
that IL siXpence job was awaiting for any
of them who take me to the Central
Hotel, but ii proved to be the peculiar
name of an East African negro. Six
pence with zap. boas.' 1t seemed rs
he came that IA section of that black night
was moving bodily toward me- The in
struction was to keep close to 'SiXpence. ;
The route was through II large gar
den. We had hardly entered the garden
nclosure when terrific scream was
heard, and AT the same time | was struck
on the head. IN an instant had my re-
volver ont and fired at my unknown .as-
sailant. Ny enemy grappled with me-
but before losing my hold of the revolver
| managed 70 fire two more shots. But it
WAS an uneven fight | received another
blow on the head. rendering me uncon-
scious. When regaincd consciousness
which was three days later | learned that
my firing of the revolver had attracted
the attention Of an American who was
known at De!ugoa Bay as Texas Wilson. ,
He told me that he ran out of his house
with his gun and lantern, and had hardly
gone 200 yards when he came across IL
huge gorilla carrying me on his back
The gorilla scowled at him. but he was
determined to try to rescue me from that
brute. After taking IA careful aim, he
managed to shoot the animal without hit
ting me, and killed him. Then he
brought me TO the hotel, where | after
ward was informed that big gorilla had
been sent TO Jim Carpenter about three
days prcvioS. He had been tried to IL
tree in the garden but somehow must
have broken his chain, and was waiting
for the first conner 1t was Carpenters
intention To send the gorilla to the Man
chester England Geological Garden as II
present.
This was my first visit in December
1894, to the sleepy, dirty and sickly town
of Delagoa Bay, on the east coast of
Africa