The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-12

and hung down from the smooth,
black, smoke-like vines. e1haling from
their hearts a hundred Intoxicating
odors which mixed with the sickening
efiuvia of decay.
Insects resembling flowers and
leaves crawled over everything, twigs
apparently walking up the trees and
leaves apparently splitting and flying
in ell directions. Beetles with big,
hypnotic eyes and bronze backs
buzzed noisily around our heads. and
beautiful birds vying with one an
other In brilliance Of plumagc sailed
through the air, filling the dismal for
est with their passion-laden songs,
The constantly dripping sap spattered
from leaf to leaf, soaking into the
Doxious earth. 1t was scene, dread
and fascinating, clamorng Of life in
viting one to death.
For four days We camped in this
hotbed OF disease. Beaters went out
in all directions searching for the CO.
Tilla. At last some deep. wide scratch
es were found on cluster of vines.
On close examination the unmistak.
able hair OF the gorilla was found on
q broken twig After some hours we
found the tree where the gorilla lived.
We could tell 1t by the greasy appear
ance of the bark, made so by the re-
peated rubbing OF the gorilla's body.
We could tell by the fresh marks. with
sap still wet, that the animal had re-
Gently ascended the tree. The scratch
es were short and deep. showing that
1t had lifted itself up and not slid
down. which would have made long,
shallow scratch.
We spread a strong net around the
tree In circle sloping upward on the
outer side. Around the top OF the net
there were drawn ropes from four d.
rections held by half 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 un-
suspectingly and entered the trap
signaled. the four ropes were pulled
at once. and we had our animal-for
a moment He roared in fury. twist
ing, jumping, and biting the ropes into
pieces. The natives were pulled about
like dolls as he tried to reach first one
and then another The professor
Jumped about In excitement. trying to
focus a camera on the infuriated ami
NAL.
At last the mighty arms OF the go
rilla broke hole through the net and
he tore the rest from him as though
1t wore a rotten rag. Most of the ma
tives fed In dismay. The professor
| dropped his camera and tried to es-
cape; in a moment the gorilla grasped
him In It's terrible hands.
/ seized my rife and fired IN the
air TO frighten the animal. In my po-
hitting my friend. For moment the
gorilla stood still. holding the now un-
conscious man as though he were a
baby, the brutes lips drawn back from
| his glistening teeth. / thrust another
cartridge in my rife. AS / did so
there was q buzz in the air. and an
arrow. shot by native, pierced the
gorilla's side. A roar burst from his
red throat and he dropped his victim.
Like a flash. before | could shoot.
native sprang from the leaves and,
| halfthrowing half-thrusting. drove
an assagai into the gorilla's heart.
| With a groan the brute fell dead.
| Examining the professor. found
that his right arm was broken and
| that some of his ribs we're crushed
into his lungs We gave up the effort
to get live gorilla and. placing the
| injured man In hammock. carried
him back toward the East coast He
died on the road. Out on the weld be-
side native village a lonely little
slab marked Carl Bloch" sticks up
above the grass. 1t is. the professors
grave Hunting is not all exciting ad-
venture and laughing victory. 1t has its
tears. like other things.
! Copyright, 1909. by Benz. B. Hampton)