24 THE GORILLA. 



gorilla dashed it out of his hands, the gun going off in 

 the fall; and then in an instant, and with a terrible 

 roar, the animal gave him a tremendous blow with its 

 immense paw, frightfully lacerating the abdomen, and 

 with this single blow laying bare part of the intestines. 

 As he sank bleeding to the ground, the monster seized 

 the gun, and the poor hunter thought he would have 

 his brains dashed out with it; but the gorilla seemed 

 to have looked upon this also as an enemy, and in his 

 rage almost flattened the barrel between his strong 

 jaws* 



" When we came upon the ground, the gorilla was 

 gone. This is their mode when attacked to strike 

 one or two blows, and then leave the victims of their 

 rage on the ground, and go off into the woods. 



" We hunted up our companions and carried our poor 

 fellow to the camp, where all was instantly excitement 

 and sorrow. * * * He had to tell the whole story over 

 again ; and the people declared at once that this was 

 no true gorilla that had attacked him, but a man a 

 wicked man turned into a gorilla. Such a being no 

 man could escape, they said ; and it could not be killed 

 even by the bravest hunters." 



He was killed, nevertheless, the following day ; but 

 his victim succumbed some hours afterwards. 



