St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR.
GORII.LAS IN BATTLE


time and hunting stories. and the talk
had drifted around to fights in general when
Capt Jack Benton entered the smoking
room.
After the adjustment OF our little nn-
pleasantness with the SOUTH remarked
Capt Jack, Il drifted back into civil life
1t seemed monotonous, however, sitter the
excitement of campaigning, and, receiving
an offer to go to Africa and collec. apsmals
for menageries, jumped at it. My work
took me into the interior OF Upper Guinea,
which was then about as wild country aa
there was in the world.
"0ne morning left camp to make cir
cult of some traps we had setsin the night,
and, as wasn't on the lookout for big game,
took only Light rifle with me. Trudglng
through the woods. came on little clear
ing, and there, not so feet away, | saw big
male gorilla He was on all fours. half
sluatting on the ground.
He seemed to3be trying TO look as amia-
| Bile as was possible for such a monster. and
q second glance showed me the reason for
this At the right OF the clearing was sec
ond gorilla, smaller, but equally ferocious-
looking, fit mate for the first big brute. /
had evidently discovered a gorilla court
ship.
The male gorilla, trying to attract the
attention of the female by uncouth motions,
was beginning to advance clumspy .oward
her, when suddenly dull boom, boom!'
sounded from far away in the forest.
up to that instant the male gorilla, while
savage-looking, had given no sign of being
angry, but now all was changed. Ills huge
jaws shut together with snap.
'.Then through the silence which had
fallen on the jungle when the first suliens
challenge was heard came sharp bark fol
lowed by a deep humming sound 1t Waa
the terrible battle caM Of afullgroWn CO.
rilla, the cry sent out when he is about to
fight to the death for 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 be-
stow her hand on the victor, sat. the female
gorilla whose charms had inspired such
jealous rage.
Suddenly there was little furry at the
lsssel of the clearing, and the challenger
broke - ughsshushes into plain sight.
could See he was veteran, with scars
of many battles oD him. Both gorilias were
taller than the average man as they stood
on their hind feet for battle, but their enor-
NOUS breadth Of chest and shoulders made
them look like squatting, hairy giants.
.Neither of the big ANIMALS wasted time
in preliminaries; they had worked them
selves up into such an insanity OF rage that
only killing would satisfy. Each advanced
on his hind legs until within six feet OF the
other.
"Then the younger gorilla began to fight.
Stepping forward with marvellous qulekness
for such an ungainly animal, be struck
hail.like blow with his huge paws. Had the
blow gone home, not even the hig.bened
frame of his antagonist could have with
stood it. But the old gorilla had been in
too many death grarples to be caught SO
early in the fight.
Even as the bi, arm swung around no
sprang forward, coming in close 50 as TO miss
the full force of the swing. The next IN
stant he had swung his own arm around the
younger gorilla neck, encircling it with tour
feet Of steel muscles and holding the enemy,s
head stiff upright, SO that be could not bring
the terrible teeth into play.
"Then the old gorilla opened his heavy
jaws, and, getting firm grip on the right
shoulder of the younger gorilla, held on nike
bulldog, tearing his way through the knot
ted muscle and sinews and shoulder blade OF
his opponent. At the same time the aeft
arm of the old fighter wrapped itself about
the younger gorilla in riblbreaking grip.
1T vas only for an instant, however, that
things looked so desperate for the younger
fighter The first gorina's splendid lighting
ability and tremendous strength showed
themselves, Wliirling up his left arm. he
fastened his long fingers about his antag-
onist's throat and tried to break his grip
and shove his head back | could see the
L ,nofy
gather themselves into big knots and bunch
up as if they would break through the skin.
A last desperate effort and he Dig head
went back; then the old fighters right arm
slowly and reluctantly uncoiled from the
Others neck.
'.The younger gorilla had broken the death
grip. Both big fighters were momentarily
free and stepped back to regain breath and
repair injuries.
Although wounded, it was the younger
gorilla that made the attack. This time he
did not waste any efforts on blows with bic
huge paws When they had approached al
most within striking distance the younger
of the fieS ters made rush.
"The older gorilla was taken by surprise
at this sudden rush and change of tactics by
his opponent. Bat, though at a disadvan-
tdRe, ne WAS 100 oPu tlSulSE W ue sdslly Q4sr
mayed
First he secured grip Oh his opponents
throat, and, straining every muscle, tried to
tear himself free from the infuriated grasp
of the younger beast. He might rs easily
have broken steel cable. al the strangling
hold Of his enraged opponent, Then the
older fighter relaxed his grip on the others
throat, and, placing both his big human
like paws on the younger's face, tried to
force his head back.
IF the old gorilla could force the others
head back he would be free and might per.
haps break his enemy's neck. Each of the
two huge fighters seemed to know this, and
put forth all of their giant strength The
snaring growls which marked the beginning
of the fight had died away. Each animal was
silent.
For what was probably half minute,
but seemed an hour, the two seu1ihuman
shapes stood there, putting forth every en-
ergY. At last the younger gorilla made .
supreme effort, twisted his head suddenly,
and before his opponent could dodge had
fastened his teeth in a. death grip on the
throat Of the veteran fighter.
Up TO this time the battle had been
fought in silence. but as the old gorilla gave
up the contest and felt the teeth of his
antagonist sinking deeper and deeper into
his throat the pain was greaterthan he could
bear. He broke into wailirg cry ti1at
echoed through the jungle. lifted my rife
and then lowered it, for could not help the
old gorilla, and to meddle in that fight with
= t.I -