Year: 1863

tue VeTunpt gloom. Ihey seemed TO reel a
power within them TO bee eome accustomed


to IT, and to diate their pupils sufficiently
to magnify the few attenuated rays which


had iloated into and lost tn emselves in that


leaty'roofed dungeon until they should be
made to illuminate its depths aud unfold its
secrets.


The pause which my guide now rnnde


was longer than the first one, but to me


was not so painful The oppression was
necessarily great but my nerves were strung
more perfectly to endure it, and my expect.
/ alton was higher, more assured aud calm.


The Fan looked round 10 see where |
was. The movement gave me pleasure, be-
cause l was then certain that Try progress


was so completely noiseless that even The
quick eur of my savage friend had foiled
TO oetect the crushing Of withered stick
or leaf beneath me. As the black turned,
his eyes were The only features that were
distinctly visible. They appeared to be
lighted up bya lnrid fire within them


and when his, head was sufficiently brought
round to look upon me fully, his eyes glar-
ed brightly aud fercely as those of Il royal
| Bengal tiger Niue must have looked
similarly upon him, for he made II gesnre
OF surprise with his hand aud couutenance
then grlnned, showing his brilliant white
teeth from eur to ear, aud formed al O with
bis mouth, which | interpreted rs an inti
nation that gorilla, it not a whole family
OF those delicate monsters, was within
view and bringing forward his ride so as
TO see that the cup was right, he resumed
his cautions advance. Turning little TO
he left he made room for The 10 draw up
alongside of hun, and l then discovered
that We had reached the inner edge of the
bru>hw0Od and that a clear Space forming
u small amphlheatre in the forest was be
fore us. An enormous tree, which seemed
to bave overshadoNed and. destroyed every
plant aud shrub within its range, occupied
the ceutre, aud formed the dense canopy of
this opening. A slight gesture from the
black hunter directed my attention to the
foot of lhe giant Of the woods tut he at
the same time placed one hand above his
eyes, thereby lutiInaIug to me that must
shade thine before looking, lest the glare oi
them 10 the darkness should attract the ut.
tentIon of our game. Laying myself along
my dOuble-barreled rife, shaded my ewes
with botn hands, aud looked towards lhe
great tree. sSI,tiGg on the ground, cross


legged, with his back against he trunk,
his hands lying ctrelessly as tie palms
turned up, and his head sunk down be.
ween his shoulders, in doing, if not
| sleeping state, was huge malr gorilla


His profile was towards us. At The op.
pOSlte side OF the amphii hentre, the tree
! mn hat 10
were female aud young male, feeding,
and gathered some kind of huts, which the
female occasionally carried and threw ON
The ground close to her doing lord and
master | watched their proceedings for
some time with intense interest AT length
the Fan made sign OF Interrogation which
recalled me TO a sense. Of our position. We
were too far from our dangerous gnme to
risk shot at him, which, if it only wound.
ed without killing, would bring not only
himself bat possibly his wife aud a young
hopeful upon US before we could draw an.
other trigger. If we startled him oply,
without hitting him, he might plunge into
the jungle and escape. We could not lie
there all day looking a, him without do
lug anything, aud we dare not attempt
to hold council with one another as the low
est whisper would reach either the sleeping
or the waking members of the family. A
few moments of irresolution terminal ed in
my laying my rifle 4 taking long steady
aim at the side of paterlamillas. It was
difficult TO cover my object, for hickering
eXhalaton was rising from the entire sur
face of the earth, through which the gorilla
seemed to he in perpetual uotion in and
out Of the sight Of my rife, up and down,
flashing and waving, raising and falling,
until lost all confidence iu my power of
taking aim so near the ground and being n
crack shot under ordinary circumstances,
had just resolved TO risk everything by
standing up and taking an open shot at
him from the sholder when turn was civ
en- 10 my thoughts (and l must confess
got rather turn myself by the sudden
appearance Of new sportsman 10 the form
of black python, some thirty feet in length
which was collected round a small tree close
to me, but which my wrapt attention to
my game had prevented me from obsel wing
previously. The python had unwouned u
few coils. aud having thus freed about ten
or twelve feet Of his body to enable him to
examine me and my proceeding more close.
ly, he was hanging within yard of my
face, his long black forked tongue darting
from his mouth, waving aud reliring again
with The rapidny of lightning, and his gilt
Iering eye glnnciug from me TO the fife as
though be wondered what sort of an animal
il was, and whether it might prove 10 lie
more dainty mor,el than | myself might be
had Persian scimitar as keen as a razor,
in my hunting belt The snake in his wav
ings TO and fro, brought his neck at times
within foot Of my. shoulder. l slid my
right hand down TO feel for the hamlle of
my sword, keeping my eyes fixed upon the
python. | grasped aud was drawing the
weapon, wondering whether the snake or |
would strike first, when both Of us were
startled by terrific shrek, or rather Sc
ries of shrieks, as if strong rough woman
was rending the air in mingled rage aud
pain. The python vanished as my sword
Few out. The shrieks were uttered by the
female gorilla, who had gone some distance
into the woods while | was engaged. FIRST