MY FIRST GORILLA. 51 



" What is it ? " said I, quickly. 



" Did you not hear that cry ? " 



''Well?" 



" It was that of a young gorilla calling its dam." 



'' Are you sure ? " 



" Perfectly. Be ready to shoot. Either the old gorilla 

 is too far away to hear, or she does not suspect our 

 presence. I hear no rustling of the leaves. Come, but 

 be careful." We two had advanced hardly breathing. A 

 second cry, a little ahead of us, pierced the silence of the 

 forest. I was so excited that it seemed as though my 

 heart beat audibly. Thursday still preceded me. Sud- 

 denly I heard him pronounce the two words, '' Look 

 out ! " and I saw him raise his gun quickly and fire, 

 and before I had time to turn round, a shiny black. 

 mass covered with blood hurled itself upon my guide. 

 Quick as thought I drew my revolver and blew the 

 gorilla's brains out at the instant when he was about to 

 garrote poor Thursday. 



The guide, who was not hurt, with the exception of a 

 few scratches on his shoulder, had sprung up and, with a 

 triumphant shout, seized a little gorilla by the nape of 

 the neck and handed it to me. Imagine my pleasure, for 

 I had almost given up hope of ever getting a really young 

 gorilla alive. I could not resist reproving Thursday, 

 however, telling him that he had run a great risk ; for had 

 I not been within five feet of him I could never have 

 made my prompt shot before the gorilla would have 



