The New York herald., 1921-04-17
GIRL CROSSING SEA
: : : : TO NURSE GORILLA
John Daniel Pining Away Up
in Garden for Companion
of Baby Days.
WAS ODD FRIENDSHIP
Broken Only When His Owner
Sold Him to Ringing Bro
theirs in London.

1t is in the hope of saving the life
of John Daniel. the African gorilla,
which has been on exhibition at Madi-
SON Square Garden since the Ringing
Brothers Barnum & Bailey circus
opened there two weeks ago, that Miss
Edna Cunningham of London is max
ing special trip to this country. Miss
Cunningham sailed from England yes
terday on the Celtic, and will take di-
fsction of the gorilla's keep and care
until he has become restored to his
normal state of mind and health, or
until 1t has become certain that human
aid can do nothing for him.
miss Cunningham had full charge OF
John Daniel when he was the property
OF Major John Penny of the British
army. who purchased him from the
German animal hunters who originally
captured him In the Kamerun. The
Germans captured him in infancy after
killing his parents and sold him to
Major Penny when, upon emerging
from the jungle, they found that war
had been declared and that they were
10 be interned for its duration in Brit
ish hands.
Ultimately Major Penny took the
baby gorilla to London and Miss Cum
ningham assumed charge of him. She
used no special methods, but the crea-
ture conceived q strong liking for her
and was always docile when she was
near. Gorillas exported from their ma
tive habitat to Europe or this country
have rarely lived long, but John Daniel
throve well in London. He used to play
with children In the garden of Major
Penny's home ana was more or less
frequent sight driving beside Miss Cum
ningham in Hyde Park. However, as he
grew larger and stronger Major Penny
concluded 1t was unsafe to keep him
longer as a pet and sold him to the
Ringing brothers.
He arrived in this country two days
after the circus opened In Madison
Square Garden and as soon as he was
placed on exhibition began to show
those signs of mental depression which
have always distinguished his tribe in
captivity. He refused to eat, took no
interest in the various playthings which
we're put in his cage, and climbing into
the bed which had been set up in his
quarters turned his back upon his au-
diences and the world.
Since then his keepers have been
changed and his food altered and every
other thing done which could be thought
of as a device for throwing sunshine
into his life. but he has remained ut
terly Indifferent and hardly ever leaves
! his bed.
tSltIueS ne WdS WAlliuihWIl lloIIi ca
hibition and quarters arranged for him
on the second floor of the Twenty-sixth
street side OF Madison Square Garden.
where. through a barred window, there
is excellent opportunity for him to OBJ
serve life in the street outside and In
. Madison square. He spent a few min
: utes at the window gazing languidly at
. what he saw and then went back to bed
again and pulled his blanket to his eyes.
1t Is hoped rather than imagined that
I Miss Cunningham may be able to rouse
! him out of his lethargy, as he was under
her care for more than two years, and
-uzd toward her an attitude of mind a
good deal like that of particularly
devoted dog. If she is unable to inspire
him with q fresh interest in life little
hope is entertained he will live. So far
esly four gorillas have been brought to
this country alive and the three others
afl died quickly. As the years of gorilla
life go John Daniel is still in early
childhood. He is about four and a half
..xears old. Gorilas do not mature much.
Before twenty. and so far as any one
sGnows and barring accidents. live to be
sSeventy or eighty years old.