68 THE MAN-LIKE APES I 



this greatest of all the man-like Apes, Mr. Ford 

 remarks : 



"This animal inhabits the range of mountains that traverse 

 the interior of Guinea, from the Cameroon in the north, to 

 Angola in the south, and about 100 miles inland, and called by 

 the geographers Crystal Mountains. The limit to which this 

 animal extends, either north or south, I am unable to define. 

 But that limit is doubtless some distance north of this river 

 [Gaboon]. I was able to certify myself of this fact in a late 

 excursion to the head-waters of the Mooney (Danger) River, 

 which comes into the sea some sixty miles from this place. I 

 was informed (credibly, I think) that they were numerous 

 among the mountains in which that river rises, and far north of 

 that. 



" In the south, this species extends to the Congo River, as I am 

 told by native traders who have visited the coast between the 

 Gaboon and that river. Beyond that, I am not informed. This 

 animal is only found at a distance from the coast in most cases, 

 and, according to my best information, approaches it nowhere so 

 nearly as on the south side of this river, where they have been 

 found within ten miles of the sea. This, however, is only of 

 late occurrence. I am informed by some of the oldest Mpongwe 

 men that formerly he was only found on the sources of the river, 

 but that at present he may be found within half-a-day's walk of 

 its mouth. Formerly he inhabited the mountainous ridge where 

 Bushmen alone inhabited, but now he boldly approaches the 

 Mpongwe plantations. This is doubtless the reason of the 

 scarcity of information in years past, as the opportunities for 

 receiving a knowledge of the animal have not been wanting ; 

 traders having for one hundred years frequented this river, and 

 specimens, such as have been brought here within a year, could 

 not have been exhibited without having attracted the attention 

 of the most stupid." 



One specimen Mr. Ford examined weighed 

 I701bs., without the thoracic, or pelvic, viscera, 



