44 APES AND MONKEYS. 



live in small families (as in our illustration), having young ones of various ages 

 with them ; and that they frequent the most gloomy recesses of the forest, vrhere 

 the light of day is reduced to a twilight so dim, that on cloudy days it might be 

 supposed that the sun was eclipsed. The climate of these forests is hot and damp, 

 suo-crestive of a Turkish bath or hothouse ; and, as in most primeval forests, signs of 

 animal life are extremely rare, although the stillness may be broken now and then 

 by the voica of a bird. According to the account given by Herr von Koppenfels 

 (although this does not appear to be supported by others) gorillas are in the habit 

 of making a kind of nest in the trees by bending the boughs together and covering 

 them with twigs and moss at a height of several yards above the ground. In this 

 nest the female and young pass the night, while the male takes his station at the 

 bottom of the tree, where he i-emains in a sitting posture during the night, ready 

 to protect his family against the attacks of prowling leopards. This writer like- 

 wise assures us that gorillas do not frequent the same sleeping-place for more than 

 three or four nights consecutively ; and this is but natural when we reflect that 

 these creatures must needs wander considerable distances in search of fre.sh supplies 

 of suitable food. 



Contrary to the custom of most wild animals, other than monkeys, goi-illas 

 appear to roam the forest in search of food solely during the daj-time, and are 

 totally stationary during the night. As a nile, they appear to walk on all fours ; 

 and while, in walking, the fingers of the hand are usually doubled on to the palm, 

 the whole sole of the foot is applied to the ground. They can, however, walk with 

 the fingers extended, and likewise with the toes bent ilovra. on the sole of the foot. 



Although in appearance male gorillas are somewhat unwieldy creatures, yet, 

 like all their kindred, they are most active and indefatigable climbei-s, and are said 

 to ascend to the very tops of the forest trees, where they will pass from tree to 

 tree almost as readily as the far lighter spider-monkej^s of Brazil. They also 

 appear capable of taking leaps from great heights to the ground without damage to 

 themselves, since Herr von Koppenfels tells us he even saw an adult spring from a 

 tree at a height of some thirtj' or forty feet, and on alighting rapidly disappear 

 into the scrub. 



Although when driven to close quarters the gorilla is doubtless one of the most 

 terrible of foes, yet it appears certain that very exaggerated accounts have been 

 given of the natural ferocity. Herr von Koppenfels, as quoted by Dr. Haiimann, 

 informs us that so " long as the gorilla is unmolested he does not attack men ; and, 

 indeed, rather avoids the encounter." And when these creatures catch sight of 

 men, they generally rush off precipitately in the opposite direction through the 

 underwood, giving vent at the same time to peculiar guttural cries. 



It apj^ears that many gorillas are killed by the natives with the aid of a 

 weighted spear suspended by a cunningly devised system of cords in the creature's 

 path. Others are, however, undoubtedly shot by the negroes, although it would 

 seem that, at least in many instances, such animals have been accidentally met by 

 the hunters as they travelled through the forest rather than deliberatelj' sought 

 out and tracked. As we have already seen, both the members of the German 

 Loango Expedition and Mr. Winwood Reade express their belief that up to the 

 dates of their respective explorations of the West Coast no European had ever shot 



