CnAp. III. GROQP OF GORILLAS. 49 



almost cloudless, and all around was still as death, 

 except the slight rustling of the tree-tops moved by 

 the gentle land breeze. When I reached the place, I 

 had first to pick my way through the maze of tree- 

 stumps and half-burnt logs by the side of a field of 

 cassada. I was going quietly along the borders of 

 this, when I heard, in the grove of plantain-trees 

 towards which I was walking, a great crashing noise, 

 like the breaking of trees. I immediately hid myself 

 behind a bush, and was soon gratified with the sight 

 of a female gorilla ; but before I had time to notice 

 its movements, a second and third emerged from the 

 masses of colossal foliage ; at length no less than four 

 came into view. 



They were all busily engaged in tearing down the 

 larger trees. One of the females had a young one 

 following her. I had an excellent opportrmity of 

 watching the movements of the impish-looking band. 

 The shaggy hides, the protuberant abdomens, the 

 hideous features of these strange creatures, whose 

 forms so nearly resemble man, made up a picture like 

 a vision in some morbid dream. In destroying a tree, 

 they first grasped the base of the stem with one of 

 their feet and then with their powerful arms pulled it 

 down, a matter of not much difficulty with so loosely- 

 formed a stem as that of the plantain. They then set 

 upon the juicy heart of the tree at the bases of the 

 leaves, and devoured it with great voracity. While 

 eating they made a kind of clucking noise, ex- 

 pressive of contentment. Many trees they destroyed 

 apparently out of pure mischief. Now and then they 

 stood still and looked around. Once or twice they 



