The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-13
A BANQUET In HIS HONOR
Paul Du Chaillu the Guest of Ma
tional Geographic Society.
4 Brilliant tssembIngc Greets Him
The Noted Explorer and Writer
Relates Personal Experiences of
His Travels The List of Guests.

The Noted Explorer and writer
Relates Personal Experiences of
His Travels - The List of Guests.
Paul Du Chaillu was the guest Of honor
at the annual reception Of the National
Geographic Society, held last night at the
Arlington distinguished assemblage.
representing all lines of research and in
vestgation in the arts and sciences, gath
cred to greet him The parlors Of the
Arlington were t3stefully decorated in
red. white and blue. and an ample supplT
of cut flowers. mingling with greer~ and
palms. heightened the effect in charm
ing manner.
3Tr. Du Chaillu at the request of the
President of the society. Alexander Gra-
ham Bell, briefly addressed the society. In
introducing him, Mr.. Bell remarked that
MIR. Du Chaillu had consented to tell
few things about his past. to which, on
rising. Mr.. Du Chaillu demonstrated My
past l keep to myself" he remarked. but
few of the things l have done l am
willing to tell you about.
Il was born in Louisiana. but I did not
stay there long. | had the desire to
travel, and when / was about seventeen
years of age and weighed only ninety
away. and I did SO.
When ! started for Africa In The little
ship Dolphin ! had filed her up with pots.
Kettles, beads, and cloth for / knew L
should need such things when l got to
my destination. l did. The chief whom
met on arrival thought l wanted to buy
slaves, but he became friendly when l
told iiim / only wanted to shoot few
wild beasts in his juugles and capture
few butterflies. He became so friendly
that when l wanted to move farther on
into the country he offered to give me an
escort and send me to his best father-in-
law. 1t took him nearly three days to
make up his mind which of his half hun
dred was his best father-in-law.
Il was passed on from king to king in
this way until L came to the cannibal
country, where / thought they were going
TO cat me up. The natives had told me
great deal about a 'n'sina.' which l
thought was a kind of huge elephant.
Later / learned it was the gorilla. and
then | wanted to shoot one. / asked for
men to go hunting the 'n'gina' with me,
and they all seemed to be afraid. Finally
l persuaded three of them, but II was only
after they had gone through all sorts
OF bloody ceremonies before their Idols
that they consented to go.
We went three days in the Jungle be-
fore we saw any trace of gorillas, put
about noon of the fourth day We heard
growls like thunder, and the sound of
great cracking of branches. My guides
were off in an instant They did no. wait
even TO see what was coming. But ! got
down on the ground and waited. With
low growl the great beast with his beady
eyes set far back in their sockets, his
thin lips, his short legs. and his long
arms, came out through the trees.
Il felt uncomfortable when he sat down
dozen or more yards in front of me
and inspected me. My only comfort was
my trusty sixteen-pound rife. loaded with
a steel-pointed bullet and held in my
right hand The immense beast rose and
came toward me with roar that shook
the earth. AS he was about to spring l
fired and the bullet went right through
his heart AS he fell forward. his heavy
arm fell almost upon my head.
When they were sure the beast was
dead the natives came back That was
the first gorilla killed by white man
since the time of Hanno, the Carthage
nian, who 2,0G4 years ago is said to have
had an encounter with man-eatinG ape.
Mr. Du Chaillu continued. relating in
teresting experiences in Scandinavia and
other portions of the globe, concluding
with a few remarks upon his intended
visit TO Russia and Siberia, where. he
says, he viii spend about four years max
ing a thorough investigation Of the people.
from the peasant to the duke and from
the lowest to the highest classes OF So
ciety.
Mr. Du Chaillu's remarks which were
made with refreshing and most in
formal good humor. were received with
great applause. The guests were also en-
tertained with music. Refreshments were
served and dancing closed the evening.
The receiving party consisted of the Sec
retary of State. the French Ambassador,
the Russian Ambassador. David ]. Hill, |
A. Graham Bell, 5. +. Langley. General
Greedy, W MCGEE. David T. Day. Gif-
Grosvenor Charles J. Bell. Mrs. David ]. |
Hill, Mrs. Foraker. Mrs. John w. Foster, |
Mrs. Hearst, Mrs. Thomas F. Walsh. Mrs. |
Charles J. Bell, Mrs. Greely. Mrs. G. II. |
Grosvenor. Mrs Willis Mo9re, Mrs c. |
Hart Merriam, Mrs. Anita Newcomb Nc |
Gee, Mrs. Henry Gannett. Miss Wilson, |
ard Miss Aileeu Bell
Those present were Admiral Higginson. |
Admiral Bowles. Commissioner Macfar- |
land. Prof. Willis l.. Moore. Miss An
Loinette Greely. Mr.. Romero, John Hyde, |
Mrs. Hyde. and Miss Hyde. General and
Mrs Forsythe, Mrs. Frank Hume Miss
Hume. Robert Hume. Mrs. Steele, MIR and
Mrs. Jules Guthridge. William de Cain
Try. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas f. Walsh, Ru-
lOlph Kaufman, Mrs. NutaH and Miss
Nutall, Secretary and Mrs. Wilson, Mr. |
aud Mrs. Leland Howard. George Totten,
iifford PinChot. Mr.. and Mrs Knapp. Mr. |
nd Mrs. Joseph HornblOwer. Major Simp-
son, Or. and Mrs. G. Hart Merriam w ] |
McGee. the Turkish Minister, the Swiss
l.. .. Howard, .. II. Gilbert |
Marcus Baker and Mrs. Baker. W H
Jall. Mr.. and Mrs. o. T. Crosby, DR..
George Welch, NJ. T. Campbell, W. II.
seaman, Robert Chapman, c. A. King.
rot. G.. r. Dewitt NJ II. SaviIle, DR.. |
Thomas Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. q. H. Judd.
ellis II. Roberts. Prof Sidwell. and