68 START FOR THE INTERIOR. Chap. IV 



witt, and myself administered quinine and a little 

 wine. In a few days he was much better, and finally 

 recovered. Thus Rabolo was disappointed in his 

 little skull-dealing transaction, but in compensation 

 saved his slave. 



Besides these collections I embarked a live gorilla, 

 our little friend Tom, and had full hopes that he 

 would arrive safely and gratify the world of London 

 with a sight of this rare and wonderful ape in the 

 living state; unfortunately, he died on the passage. 

 He did very well for a few weeks, I am told, as" long- 

 as the supply of bananas lasted which I placed on 

 board for his sustenance. The repugnance of the 

 gorilla to cooked food, or any sort of food except the 

 fruits and juicy plants he obtains in his own wilds, 

 will always be a difficulty in the way of bringing 

 him to Europe alive. I had sent him consigned to 

 Messrs. Baring, who, I am sure, never had any such 

 consignment before. I promised the Captain that he 

 should receive one hundred pounds if he succeeded in 

 taking the animal alive to London. 



During the few days Tom was in my possession 

 he remained, like all the others of his species that I 

 had seen, utterly mitractable. The food that was 

 offered to him he would come and snatch from the 

 hand, and then bolt with it to the length of his 

 tether. If I looked at him he would make a feint of 

 darting at me, and in giving him water I had to 

 push the bowl towards him with a stick, for fear of 

 his biting me. When he was angry I saw him often 

 beat the ground and his legs with his fists, thus 

 showing a similar habit to that of the adult gorillas 



