THE GORILLA. 533 



been proved to be incorrect, or at least as far as the young 

 animal is concerned, by tame ones having been exhibited in Europe, 

 and by the accounts given of several tame specimens by their 

 owners. Soon after Du Chaillu's book was published, a letter 

 appeared in the Athenceum, fi?om Mr. R. B. Walker, who was the pro- 

 prietor of a mercantile agency, situated near the Gaboon, in "Western 

 Africa, from which the following is an extract : " The statement 

 of the untamability of the young of the gorilla is untrue. In 

 proof whereof, let me ask Mr. Du Chaillu, whose memory, usually 

 so very good, seems to have failed him signally in this particular 

 instance, if he has forgotten the young female gorilla, of from two 

 to three years of age, called Seraphine, which lived at my factory 

 for four months in 1859, and which he repeatedly saw there ? I 

 assert, without fear of contradiction by Mr. Du Chaillu or any 

 other person (and I could name scores of Europeans who saw it), 

 that this animal was perfectly tame, docile, and tractable — far more 

 so, indeed, than many negro children of the same age. Not only 

 was she on perfectly good terms with all grown-up people in and 

 about the factory, but was exceedingly attached to her keeper, 

 Curtis, whom she could not bear to be out of her sight, but regu- 

 larly accompanied him about the factory and in his walks in the town 

 and neighbourhood. She was familiar and quiet with myself and 

 clerks, and was only displeased when children approached her; 

 and for these she seemed to have, in common with most large apes 

 and monkeys, a very great dislike. She was seldom tied up, and 

 even then only by a very small cord, which she could easily have 

 broken or cut with her teeth had she felt so inclined. She allowed 

 herself to be clothed, seeming to like it ; and actually went to 

 breakfast with a friend of mine, Mr. Barbotin, commandant of 

 the steam transport, Le Benaudm; upon which occasion she con- 

 ducted herself to the admiration of everybody. When at times 

 put on the table, or amongst vessels of glass or earthenware, she 

 was most careful not to break anything. She finally died from 

 dysentery and chagrin,— the latter caused by her keeper being 

 prevented by his other occupations from paying her so much 

 attention as she had been in the habit of receiving." 



Unfortunately all efforts to obtain a specimen of a live adult 

 gorilla for exhibition in Europe have so far failed. Some years 



