The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-02-03
STRENGTH OF THE GORILLA.
How II Kills Human Beings-lts Attacks
on Other Animals.

Of all the existing man apes the
gorilla is beyond question the
most formidable, a large male
standing not infrequently over
five feet six inches in height, and
bones being known of one which
eo'earently measured in life no less
4 six feet two inches. 1t is
L >.9.se now know from experience
in the gardens and elsewhere, al
ways when young so utterly un-
tamable BEAST and so entirely
and constantly an enemy of man"
as DuChailiu represented, but it
is savage and morose enough.
1t is still uncertain whether in
a wild state, except in the immedi-
ate moment of attack it ever ac-
tually walks erect without either
resting ITS knuckles on the ground
or supporting itself by abranch
overhead, but that it does beat it's
fists upon its breast when enrag-
ed (Du Chalillu says that he heard
the noise like great bass drum"
at distance of a mile) is estab-
hshed, and when the male gorilla
turns, as seemingly it does, to
confront fearlessly when attacked
with its huge size, its great hairy
limbs, and hideous head set al
most down into its shoulders, we
can believe that description can
exceed the horror of its appear
ance. Add that the gorilla usu-
ally lives in the depth of forests
where the light is so dim that it is
difficult to see any object clearly
at a distance of more than a few
yards, and it is not to be wonder
ed at that the natives have invest
ed it with attributes even more
horrific than those which it pos
SeSSeS.
Many believe the gorilla to be
human; others hold that though it
self beast, it is often informed
with the translnigrated spirits of
the human dead. 1t is said 10 lie
In wait crouched on the lower
branches of trees overhanginy a
path and when a human being
passes to drop one of its long hind
limbs and clutching the victim bv
the throat so suddenly and in so
terrible a grip that hardly a sob is
heard, to drag it-man or woman
-up to its lurking place. 1t is
credited with capturing and steal
ing women and carrying them off
TO keep them in the forest. and
armed with clubs, is said to attack
and beat off elephants. The for
midableness of the great apes as
compared with other beasts, how
ever, is not an easy matter to pass
upon. In Africa it is noteworthy
that the lion and the gorilla do not
occur together, and it h:.s been
conJectuIed both that the lion has
exterminated the gorilla within it's
territory and that the gorilla has
driven out the lion.
In Borneo the most serious neiplt-
bors of the orang are the python
and the crocodile and the natives
say that the ape oVerComeS them
both. the python by seizing and
biting it, and the crocodile by leap
ing on its back, clutching it by the
upper jaw and by sheer main
strength tearing it open. The
name orang" is in itself a title Of
honor meaning roughly wise
{ one" the Malays giving it alike to
their chiefs, to elephants and to
the wild men," Perhaps, how
ever, no native myth or story
eclipses in wonder the staten, mt
of Emin Pasha, made seriously,
that in the Mbongwc forest the
chimpanzees used to come to rob
the banana plantations in troops,
bearing torches to light them ON
the way! Had I not witnessed
this extraordinary spectacle pers-
onally,," he is reported as saying,
/ should aot have believed that
any of the simians understood the
art of making re. :" Unhappily
we personally did not witness it.
London Times.