The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-01-18

By a Gorilla.
BY CHARLES b. LEWIS.

and although we had heard much from
the natives about gorillas we had been
continually disappointed in meeting one.
The four white men of us had about ten
servants apiece, thus making up quite u
large party. One Of the black men had
lost his wife by death just before we
started from the coast. They had Il son
about 10 years old. and sooner than leave
him behind the father took upon himself
a double burden-that is, in addition to
the pack he had to carry for us he lifted
the boy to his back whenever the liltle
fellow got tired.
We called the father "Tintop" and his
boy Joe and we made no objections to
the lad coming along. He proved himself
to be quite handy at building fires, gath
ering fuel and helping the cooks. When
we reached the lion country. plenty OF
the men showed timidity whenever they
heard the king of beasts roaring around
our camp ut night, but Joe didn't betray
the slightest fear.
The men tried to brighten him with
stories about big Serpents and mad Gle.
plants, but they did not succeed. The
greatest trouble we had with him was to
keep him out of danger by keeping him
in camp. Whenever we started out with
our guns he wanted to follow and be pres
ent at any killing. On two or three oc-
casions he ran away to follow us, and |
am going to tell you how he was cured Of
this little trick.
We had discovered herd of elephants
and sent men to drive them in Il certain
direction. | was posted on a path alone
AMI was listening and waiting for one Of
the elephants to come my way when |
caught sight of little Joe.
The path ran straight for quarter of
q mile. and he came out of a thicket and
toward me on the run. He did not know
that | was posted there, but he was us
ing the path in hopes to overtake us. |
rose to my feet as soon as he appeared
and was about to whistle to attract his
attention and send him back when GO
rilla suddenly appeared between us.
The beast had probably heard our beat
ers and was travelling ahead of them.
Had he known of my presence he would
not have done what he did. Joe stopped
short in his tracks, but don't think he
was afraid. Never having seen gorilla
before, he did not realize what terribly
strong and savage beast he had before
! him.
! The gorilla looked at the boy for a mir
! ute as if wondering whether he had not
met one of his own kind, and | could
| have shot him if | hadn't feared to hi
the boy.
! | had my rife to my face when the
beast leaped forward and seized the lad
with one of his big paws, and next in
slant Joe was tucked under his arm and
being carried off The only thing | could
! do was to run down the path and meet
I the hunters and beaters and tell them
what had happened. We gave up looking
for the elephants and turned to the go
4 rila. But he had long start of us.
Joe's father was like a crazy man, and
I he started off at such speed that no one
could keep up with him. 1t was vain
7 chase, however. We were in the forest,
] and there was no such thing as tracking
the gorilla. Even had we got sight Of
4 him he could easily have outrun us or
taken refuge in a tree top. We beat the
country for ten miles around. but found
no sign of him. and the boy was given up
Z for lost. That night a native belonging
to the locality came to visit us, and of
course we told him about the boy and
asked if there was any hope that we
would ever find him alive.
IF he had been a white boy. he would
have been killed ut once" replied the
man, but as he is black the gorilla may
have spared him. | have known them to
carry off child to make pet Of There
is only one fear-when thunderstorm
comes up, the gorilas get excited and
angry and even fly at each other. The
gorilla who carried the boy off will take
him to his nest in some tree top. and as
you continue the search tomorrow you
must keep your eyes on the trees"
When the morning came we started
out anew. and every tree top was care
fully inspected as we passed along. Noon
had come, and no trace of the boy or the
gorilla had been discovered, when group
of the scarchers suddenly came upon
them. They were both drinking ut
water hole AT the first sound of foot
steps the gorilla picked up the boy and
dashed away, but it was reported to us
that Joe seemed to be all right.
1t was believed that the gorilla had
nest within mile of the water hole, and
now we sent all the natives back to
camp, and the four OF us set out in diff
ferent directions to make "A careful
search. Nothing came of it. and when
darkness fell we were tired and in de-
spair. Even If the gorilla should spare
the boys life for a week we could not see
how we could rescue him. We had a
long talk among ourselves that night
but no one could propose any plan which
promised success. All we could do was to
keep on searching.
An hour after midnight there was an
alarm in camp. and what was our sur
prise and satisfaction to see Joe walk in
without scratch on him. He had come
back to us safe and sound. and after TIN
excitement had somewhat subsidized he
told us his story.
When he was seized by the gorilla, he
took the beast to be black man. He
was carried through the woods at a swift
pace for two or three miles, but received
no hurt. Arriving at great banyan
tree, the gorilla swung himself up with
his burden and was at home. His nest
or house was made of broken limbs, mud
and grass and was patterned after the
huts made by the natives. The gorilla
was very curious about the boy, feeling
of his hands and feet and hair and jab-
bering at HIN as if asking questions.
BY and by the animal went of for a
quarter Of an hour. aud when be returned