The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-03-20
A G0RlLLA'S COURTSHIP.
BATTLE BETWEEN GIANT APES IN
AN AFRICAN FOREST.

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, aud,
receiving an offer to go to Africa and
collect animals for menageries, L
jumped at it. My work took me iuto
the interior OF upper Guinea, which
was then about as wild country as
there was III the world.
Zone morning / left camp to make
a circuit of some traps we had set in
the night, and, as / wasn't on the
lookout for big game, l took only
light rifle with me. Trudging through
the woods, came on little clearing.
and there, not fifty feet away, l saw
a big male gorilla. He was on all
tours, half-squatting on the ground.
Equipped with only light rife, ]
had no ambition to meddle with the
beast. L 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
a monster, and second glance
showed me the reason for this. At
the right of the clearing was n second
gorilla, smaller, but equally ferocious-
looking, a fitting mate for the first big
brute. L had evidently discovered
gorilla courtship.
The male gorilla, trying to attract
the attention of the female by uncouth
motions, was beginning to advance
clumsily toward her, when suddenly
n dull boom! boom! sounded from far
away in the forest. Up to that in
slant the male gorilla, while savage
looking, had given no sign of being
angry, but now all was changed. His
huge jaws shut together with n snap.
Then through the silence which had
fallen on the jungle when the first
sullen challenge was heard came
sharp bark, followed by a deep hum
ming sound. 1t was the terrible bat
tie call of 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 ieal-
GUS rage.
Suddenly there was little furry
at the left end of the clearing, aud the
challenger broke through the bushes
into plain sight. He was worthy to
do battle with the first giant. / could
see he was 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 uugainly animal, he
struck iail-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 rs the big ar 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
gorilla's 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 go
rilla, held on like bulldog, tearing
his way through the knotted muscle
and sinews and shoulder blade of his
opponent. At the same time tho left
arm of the old fighter wrapped itself
about the younger gorilla in rib.
breaking grip.
at was only for an instant, how.
ever, that things looked so desperate
for the younger fighter. The FIRST go
rillG's splendid fighting ability aud
tremendous strength showed them
selves Whirling up his left arm he
fastened his long fingers about his an
tagonists throat and tried TO break
his grip and shove his head back. At
first the only effect Of this was 20
make the old fellow tighten his grip
ON the others shoulder. Then the
younger gorilla put forth all his
strength I could sec the muscles OF
his arm, shoulders and back gather
themselves into big knots and bunch
mp ns il they would breal, through the
skin. The murderous decp-set eyes
started forward, until tuey we're level
with the cheekbones. A last dcspcr-
ate effort aud the big head went back.
tho tightly closed Jaws Of tho old 90
rilla tearing tho flesh aud siuews ay
they were showed away, but not un-
gripped. Then the old fighters right
arm slowly and reluctantly uncoiIed
from tho others neck The younger
gorilla had broken the death grin.
Both big fighters were momentarilv
FREQ and stepped back to regain
breath
Although wounded, it was tho
younger gorilla that made the attack.
This time he did not waste any efforts
ON blows with his huge paws. When
they had approached almost within
striking distance tho younger Of the
fighters made n rush. Hc received n
blow on the head that would have
crushed q mans skull. 10 scarcely