10 THE GORILLA. 



himself suddenly vis-a-vis with an immense elephant, 

 who said to him, 



"Let me pass, gorilla, for these forests belong to 

 me." 



"Oh, oh!" said the gorilla, "how do these forests 

 belong to thee ? Am I not the master here ? Am I 

 not the man of the woods?" So saying, he ordered 

 his wife and his little boy to stand aside. He then 

 broke off a large branch of a tree, and arming him- 

 self with it, he so belaboured the elephant that he was 

 killed by his blows, and some days afterwards the car- 

 case of the elephant was found on the ground, and the 

 club lying beside him. 



One fact believed by all the tribes who know a little 

 of the gorilla is, that this animal conceals himself on 

 the lower branches of trees, and that when any one 

 passes his ambuscade, he seizes the unhappy wretch 

 with his large and powerful hands, lifts him into the 

 tree, and quietly chokes him. 



They are quite persuaded that if a woman about to 

 become a mother, or if only the husband of the woman 

 should see a gorilla, or even a dead gorilla, the woman 

 will give birth not to an infant, but to a little gorilla ! 

 "I have remarked this superstition," says M. du 

 Chaillu, " amongst all the tribes r and only a propos 

 of the gorilla." 



But this superstition does not prevent them from 



