The suburban citizen., 1900-02-03
A GORlLLA'S C0URTSHIP,
BATTLE BETWEEN GIANT APES IN
AN AFRICAN FOREST.

OF the Oldefs
after the Civil War;" said Cap
tain Jack Benton to a New York Sun
man, 81 drifted back into civil life.
1t seemed monotonous, however, after
the excitement of campaigning, and,
receiving an offer to go to Africa and
collect animals for menageries, 1
jumped at it. My work took me into
the interior of upper Guinea, which
was then about as wild a country as
there was in the world.
Zone morning left camp to make
a circuit Of some traps we had set in
the night, and, as l wasn't on the
lookout for big game, took only a
light rife with me. Trudging through
the woods, came on little clearing,
and there, not fifty feet away, saw
J big male gorilla. He was on all
/ fours, half-squatting on the ground.
Equipped with only light rife, 1
had no ambition to meddle with the
beast. slipped back into the under
brush, and was about to make off as
quietly as possible when the peculiar
ity of the gorilla's actions attracted
me. He seemed to be trying to look
as amiable as was possible for such
monster, and q second glance
showed me the reason for this. At
the right of the clearing was second
gorilla, smaller, but equally ferocious-
looking, q fitting mate for the first big
brute. had evidently discovered a
| gorillp courtship.
'Elhe male gorilla, trying to attract
the attention of the female by uncouth
motions, was beginning to advance
olumsily toward her, when suddenly
a dull booml BOOM sounded from far
away in the forest. Up to that in
stant the male gorilla, while savage
looking, had given no sign of being
angry, but now all was changed. His
huge jaws shut together with a snap
Then through the silence which had
fallen on the jungle when the first
sullen challenge was heard came a
sharp bark, followed by a deep hum
ming sound. 1t was the terrible bat
tie call of a full-grown gorilla, the cry
sent out when he is about to fight to
the death for a mate At the end of
each echoing challenge the hairy
giant beat with his big hands on his
chest, while at the other end of the
clearing, waiting to bestow her hand
on the victor, sat the female gorilla
whose charms had inspired such jeal-
GUS rage.
Suddenly there was little furry
at the left end of the clearing, and the
challenger broke through the bushes
into plain sight. He was worthy to
do battle with the first giant. could
see he was a veteran, with the scars
of many battles on him. His big lips
were rolled up in grim snarl, show
ing broken teeth and great gaps, the
result of former battles.
Neither of the big animals wasted
time in preliminaries; they had worked
themselves up into such an insanity
of rage that only killing would satisfy.
Each advanced on his hind legs until
within six feet of tho other. Then the
younger gorilla began to fight. Step
ping forward with marvellous quick
ness for such an ungainly animal, he
struck Aail-like blow with his huge
paws Had the blow gone home, no
mere flesh and blood, not even the
big-boned frame of his antagonist,
could have withstood it, But the old
gorilla had been in too many death
grapples to be caught so early in the
fight. Even as the big arm swung
around he sprang forward, coming in
close SO as to miss the full force of the
swing. The next instant he had
swung his own arm around the younger
gorillas neck, encircling it with four
feet of steel muscles and holding his
enemy's head stiff upright, so that he
could not bring the terrible teeth into
play. Then the old gorilla opened his
heavy jaws, and getting a firm grip on
the right shoulder Of the younger 60
rilla, held on like bulldog, tearing
his way through the knotted muscle
and sinews and shoulder blade of his
opponent. At the same time the left
arm of the old fighter wrapped itself
about the younger gorilla in a rib
breaking grip.
eft was only for an instant, how.
ever, that things looked so desperate
for the younger fighter. The first 60
rilla's splendid fighting ability aud
tremendous strength showed them
selves Whirling up his left arm he
fastened his long fingers about his an
tagonist's throat aud tried to break
his grip and shove his head back. At
first the only effect of this was to
make the old fellow tighten his grip
on the others shoulder. Then the
younger gorilla put forth all his
strength. L could see the muscles Of
his arm, shoulders and back gather
themselves into big knots aud bunch
up as if they would break through the
skin. The murderous deep.set eyes
started forward, until they were level
with the cheekbones. A last desper-
ate effort and the big head went back,
the tightly closed Jaws of the old 60
rilla tearing the flesh and sinews as
they were showed away, but not un-
gripped. Then the old lighters right
arm slowly and reluctantly uncoiled
from the others neck. The younger
gorilla had broken the death erin.