Evening star., 1909-03-09
GETTING A GORILLA.
Story of Vicious Struggle in the
African Jungle.

From Hamptons Magazine.
Capt. Fritz Duquesne. the Boer ivory
hunter was commissioned by German
naturalist society to capture one of each
species of African quadrumana. He was
entirely successful in the work, except
that he could obtain no gorilla. Finally
pigmy pointed out a portion Of the dank
jungle in which a gorilla had been seen.
"For four days" continues the captain.
I'VE camped in this hotbed of disease.
Beaters went out in all directions search
ing for the gorilla. AT last some deep.
wide scratches were found on a cluster
of vines. On close examination the un-
miStakable hair of the gorilla was found
on broken twjg. After some hours We
found the tree where the gorilla lived.
We could tell 1t by the greasy appearance
of the bark. made SO by the repeated
rubbing of the gorilla's body. We could
tell by the fresh marks. with sap still
wet, that the animal had recently ascend
ed the tree: The scratches were short
and deep, showing that it had lifted itself
up and not slid down, which would have
made a long. shallow scratch.
I'VE spread strong net around the
tree In a circle sloping upward on the
outer side. Around the top Of the net
there were drawn ropes from four drec-
tions held by half a dozen natives hidden
in the bush. These were to bring the top
of the net together and thus bag our
game.
After waiting some hours the leaves
above rustled and then opened. as a six
foot male gorilla descended unSuspectingly
and entered the trap. l signaled. the four
ropes were pulled at once, and We had
our animal-for a moment. He roared in
fury, twisting. jumping and biting the
rope into pieces. The natives We're pulled
about like dolls as he tried to reach first
one and then another The professor
jumped about in excitement, trying To
infllrldtpd,
NAL.
AT last the mighty arms of the gorilla
broke hole through the net and he tore
the rest from him as though it were a
rotten rag Most of the natives fled In
dismay. The professor dropped his cam
era and tried to escape; in a moment the
gorilla grasped him in its terrible hands.
Il seized my rifle and fired in the air to
frighten the animal In my position
could not shoot at him without hitting
my friend. For moment the gorilla
stood still. holding the now unconscious
man as though he We're baby. the
brute's lips drawn back from his giisten-
ing teeth. I thrust another cartridge in
my rifle. AS ! did so there was buzz
in the air, and an arrow, shot by 4
native, pierced the gorilla's side. A roar
burst from his red throat and he dropped
his victim. Like fash, before l could
shoot, a native sprang from the leaves.
and, half throwing. half thrusting. drove
an assagai into the gorilla heart. With
a groan the brute fell dead.
Examining the professor, 1 found that
his right arm was broken and that some
of his ribs were crushed into his lungs.
We gave up the effort to get live gorilla.
and, placing the injured man in ham
mock, carried him back toward the east
coast. He died on the road. Out on the
veldt beside q native village a lonely little
slab marked Carl Bloch sticks up above
the grass. 1t is the professors grave.
Hunting is not all exciting adventure and
laughing victory. 1t has its tears. like
other things