6 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



for strength or courage. As we left the camp, the men and 

 women left behind crowded together, with fear written on 

 their faces. Miengai, Ngolai, and Makinda set out for the 

 hunt in one party; myself and Yeava formed another. We 

 determined to keep near each other, so that in case of 

 trouble we might be at hand to help one another. For the 

 rest silence and a sure aim were the only cautions to be 

 given. I confess that I was never more excited in my 

 life. For years I had heard of the terrible roar of the 

 gorilla, of its vast strength, of its fierce courage when only 

 wounded. I knew that we were about to pit ourselves 

 against an animal which even the enormous leopards of the 

 mountains fear, which the elephants let alone and which 

 peihaps has driven away the lion out of his territory ; for the 

 king of beasts, so numerous elsewhere in Africa, is not met with 

 in thie land of the gorilla. We descended a hill, crossed a 

 stream on a fallen log, crept under the trees, and presently 

 approached some huge boulders of granite. In the stream 

 we had crossed we could see plainly that the animals had 

 just crossed it, for the water was still disturbed. Along side 

 of the granite blocks lay an immense dead tree, and about 

 this the gorillas were likely to be. Our approach was very 

 cautious. With guns cocked and ready we advanced through 

 the dense wood, which cast a gloom even at mid-day over 

 the whole scene. I looked at my men and saw that they 

 were even more excited than myself. Slowly we pressed on 

 through the dense bush, dreading almost to breathe for fear 

 of alarming the beasts. Makinda was to go to the right of 

 the rock, while I took the left. Unfortunately he and his 

 party circled it at too great a distance. The watchful 

 animals saw him. Suddenly I was startled by a strange, dis- 

 cordant, half human cry, and beheld four young and half-grown 

 gorillas running towards the deep forest. I was not ready. 

 We fired but hit nothing. Then we rushed on in pursuit; 

 but they knew the woods better than we. Once I caught 



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