APPENDIX. 583 



essays, I considered that I had a right to take up the pen in self- 

 defence ; and I have warmed his hide in the last five or six numbers 

 of the Gardeners Chronicle, edited by my worthy friend, Dr 

 Sendley. I herewith send you a copy of my last. Methinks some 

 of your societies in Philadelphia must take the Gardener's Chronicle. 

 It has a wonderful range throughout Europe. Pray get a few of 

 the last numbers, and then you will have all the correspondence. 

 Gray, of the British Museum, has flogged the adventurer soundly in 

 the Athenaeum of June the 8th. 



It is really astonishing that our learned doctors in zoology should 

 have been so gulled. Du Chaillu makes his gorilla a man in every- 

 thing but speech. It knocks down a negro with a single blow of its 

 fist breaks the gun-stock, bends the gun-barrel ; and smashes the 

 man's ribs, &c. Now our learned professors ought to know that 

 only animals with retractile claws, such as lions, and every in- 

 dividual of the cat family, strike down their prey with the forefeet ; 

 whilst animals with non-retractile claws, such as wolves, foxes, dogs, 

 and monkies, &c., make attack and defence by the mouth alone ; the 

 feet acting as mere props to steady their bodies. I am quite convinced, 

 in my own mind, that Du Chaillu's adventures in the land of the 

 gorilla are nothing but impudent fables. He always meets the 

 gorilla on the ground. It ought to have been in trees. I suspect 

 strongly that the traveller has been nothing but a trader on the 

 western coast of Africa ; possibly engaged in kidnapping negroes, 

 and that he has bought his skins of negro-merchants from the 

 interior. Be all this as it may, old Mr Bull is firmly persuaded that 

 your countryman is a nonsuch for veracity and adventures ; and if 

 he had only brought cotton in lieu of monkey-skins, ere long, he 

 would have a statue raised in his honour. I wish that I could 

 persuade you to step over to Walton where I have plenty to show 

 you and to amuse you. We are thinking of going as usual to Aix- 

 la-Chapelle. 



Edmond is in London ; we expect him daily. We are all in excel- 

 lent health ; and my sisters send their kindest love to you. Believe 

 me, my dear friend, ever most truly and affectionately yours, 



CHARLES WATERTON. 



