2io A Gorilla Hunt. 



30. Here is one : " One day, I remember well, we were 

 out for Gorillas, which we knew were to be found there- 

 abouts by the presence of a certain kind of fruit of which 

 the animal is fond. 



"We beat the bush for two hours, when suddenly an 

 immense Gorilla advanced out of the wood straight toward 

 us, and gave vent, as he came up, to a terrible howl of 

 rage, as much as to say, ' I am tired of being pursued, and 

 will face you.' 



" It was a lone male, the kind which is always most 

 ferocious. This fellow made the woods resound with his 

 roar, which is really an awful sound, resembling very much 

 the rolling and muttering of distant thunder. 



" He was about twenty yards or steps off when we first 

 saw him. We at once gathered together, and stood in 

 silence, gun in hand. 



" The Gorilla looked at us for a minute or so out of his 

 evil grey eyes, then beat his breast with his gigantic arms 

 and what arms he had ! then he gave another howl of 

 defiance, and advanced upon us. How horrible he looked ! 

 I shall never forget it. 



"Again he stopped, not more than fifteen steps or 

 paces away. Again he advanced. Now he was not twelve 

 yards off. I could see plainly his ferocious face. It was 

 distorted with rage ; his huge teeth ground against each 

 other, so that we could hear the sound ; the skin of his 

 forehead was drawn forward and back rapidly, which made 

 his hair move up and down, and gave a hideous expression 

 to his face. Once more he gave out a roar which seemed 

 to shake the woods like thunder. Looking us in the eyes 

 and beating his broad breast, he advanced again. 



" ' Don't fire too soon,' said one of my hunters ; ' if you 

 do not kill him, he will kill you.' As the Gorilla came up, 



