20 THE GORILLA. 



MORE HUNTING STORIES. 



ONE morning, after a terrible night, during which an 

 awful storm had extinguished the camp fire and left the 

 travellers most uncomfortable, the roar of a gorilla was 

 heard, which revived the drooping spirits of M. du 

 Chaillu. He swallowed a cup of coffee and a biscuit 

 nothing more, for provisions were scarce and set out. 

 " We had not far to go," he writes. " We had 

 walked barely a quarter of a mile when we heard the 

 loud roar again ; this time quite near. We stood quite 

 still for fear of alarming the beast, which was evidently 

 approaching us, as we could see the bushes bent 

 towards us. The fear of alarming him, however, 

 proved needless. When he saw us he at once struck 

 aside the intervening bushes, rose to an erect position, 

 made a few steps, stopped, and seated himself; then, 

 beating his vast breast, which resounded like an old 

 drum, he advanced straight upon us. His dark eyes 

 flashed with rage, his features worked convulsively, and 

 at every few paces he stopped, and, opening his cavern- 

 ous mouth, gave ven(; to his thunderous roar, which 

 . the forest gave back with multiplied echoes. 



" He was evidently not a bit alarmed, and was quite 

 ready for a fight. We stood perfectly still. He advanced 

 till he stood beating his breast within six yards of us, 

 when I thought it time to put an end to the scene. 



