240 IN BRIGHTEST AFRICA 
cast of the gorilla’s foot shown in the accompanying 
illustration is ocular evidence of what science has 
long known—that the gorilla has developed a heel. 
Moreover, the scientists who studied the body of 
John Daniel, the young captive gorilla that died 
in New York, discovered that, unlike any other 
animal, the gorilla has the same full complement of 
foot muscles which enables man to walk upright. The 
gorillas I saw in Africa always touched both their 
feet and hands to the ground in running but most of 
the weight was on their feet. Their legs are short, 
their arms long, and they carry the body at an angle 
of 45 degrees forward. They do not, however, put 
their hands down flat and rest their full weight on 
them. They seem to be evolving toward a two- 
legged animal. And if they spent most of their time 
in trees they would not have developed heels and leg 
muscles for walking upright on the ground. 
Not only has the gorilla developed a heel, but his 
big toe is much nearer like man’s than that of any 
other animal. This may seem a small matter, but a 
big toe that turns out from the foot as a thumb does 
from the hand can grasp branches and is useful in 
climbing. A big toe that is parallel with the other 
toes is useful for walking but not for climbing. 
But the gorilla has not lost all his arboreal char- 
acteristics by any means. The length, size, and 
strength of his arms are evidence of the tree-climbing 
habits of his ancestors. I know that a gorilla can 
now climb with more ease than the average man. 
But I only once saw gorillas in trees and that was 
