~ HUNTING GORILLAS 195 
elsewhere in Africa, is never met in the land of the gorilla. Thus 
it was with no little emotion that I now turned again toward 
the prize at which I had been hoping for years to get a shot. 
We descended a hill, crossed a stream on a fallen log, and 
presently approached some huge boulders of granite. Alongside 
of this granite block lay an immense dead tree, and about this 
we Saw many evidences of the very recent presence of the gorillas. 
Our approach was very cautious. We were divided into two 
parties. Makinda led one and I the other. We were to sur- 
round the granite block behind which Makinda supposed the 
gorillas to be hiding. Guns cocked and in hand, we advanced 
through the dense wood, which cast a gloom even in midday 
over the whole scene. I looked at my men, and saw plainly that 
they were in even greater excitement than myself. 
Slowly we pressed on through the dense brush, fearing almost 
to breathe for fear of alarming the beasts. Makinda was to go 
to the right of the rock, while I took the left. Unfortunately, 
he circled it at too great a distance. The watchful animal saw 
him. Suddenly I was startled by a strange, discordant, half 
human, devilish cry, and beheld four young gorillas running 
toward the deep forests. We fired, but hit nothing. Then we 
rushed on in pursuit; but they knew the woods better than we. 
Once I caught a glimpse of one of the animals again, but an 
intervening tree spoiled my mark, and I did not fire. We ran 
till we were exhausted, but in vain. The alert beasts made good 
their escape. When we could pursue no more, we returned 
slowly to our camp, where the women were anxiously expecting us. 
I protest I felt almost like a murderer when I saw the gorillas 
this first time. As they ran—on their hind legs—they looked 
fearfully like hairy men; their heads down, their bodies inclined 
forward, their whole appearance like men running for their lives. 
Take with this their awful cry, which, fierce and animal as it is, 
has yet something human in its discordance, and you will cease 
to wonder that the natives have the wildest superstitions about 
these “wild men of the woods.” 
Both Savage and Du Chaillu and all succeeding 
authorities, including the standard works on natural 
