THE ATLANTIC SLOPE NATURALIST. 



*9 



unknown country. He killed and stuffed 

 2000 birds, including many new species, 

 and many gorillas, of which he brought 

 the first accounts to Europe. It was his 

 vivid and eloquent description of these 

 huge and ferocious apes that excited the 

 incredulity of critics. 



In 1859 he returned to New York, bring- 

 ing with him a valuable collection of 

 natural specimens, native arms and im- 

 plements, etc., many of which found their 

 way finally to the British Museum. Two 

 years later he published his "Exploration 

 and Adventure in Equatorial Africa." 

 The accuracy of many of his statements 

 was again assailed. Professor Gray, of 

 the British Museum, being one of his bit- 

 terest critics. As his observations had 

 been made from compass bearings only, 

 he was unable to confute the testimony of 

 existing maps, and therefore resolved to 

 make another expedition, for which he 

 prepared himself by a course of scientific 

 study. But in the meanwhile his original 

 story was confirmed by a French expedi- 

 tion exploring the Ogobai river, and by 

 Captain Burton, who verified his account 

 of the cannibalism practiced by the Fan 

 tribe. He started on his expedition, how- 

 ever, but lost all his outfit by the swamp- 

 ing of his canoe at the mouth of the 

 Ogobai river, and was obliged to send 

 home for a new supply. While awaiting 

 this he again hunted the gorilla with suc- 

 cess. When his instruments arrived he 

 again penetrated into the unknown inter- 

 ior, but unfortunately had an encounter 

 with the natives and was compelled to 

 retreat. He published an account of his 

 adventures in "A Journey to Ashango 

 Land," the district where he was the first 

 discoverer of the pygmies. 



After spending some time in the United 

 States, where he was in great request as a 

 lecturer, he paid an extended visit to 

 Sweden, Norway, Lapland and Finland, 

 the fruits of which were manifested in his 

 books, "The Land of the Midnight Sun," 

 "Ivor the Viking," and "The Viking 

 Age." He declared that the latter of 

 these cost $56,000 before it was published, 

 the information in it being the result of 



the excavation of many hundreds of 

 mounds on the coast of Norway. 



In 1901 Du Chaillu started for Russia, 

 where he had since been. 



One of the grievances of Du Chaillu's 

 life was the failure of Henry M. Stanley 

 to give the weight of his authority to the 

 support of the stories, which when first 

 told were denounced as fabrications. 

 When Stanley rediscovered the pygmies 

 and wrote about them, he did not refer 

 to the earlier discovery by Du Chaillu, or 

 betray any knowledge that he had been 

 anticipated. 



The versatility of the nian and his mar- 

 velous ability to adapt himself to all sorts 

 of conditions of environment was very 

 exceptional. He was equally at home 

 with children, of whom he was very fond; 

 or with an African savage; or before a 

 geographical society meeting delivering 

 an address upon some technical subject. 



The body of Du Chaillu will arrive in 

 America about June 30th. Arrangements 

 to receive it are being perfected. Details 

 of his last hours and death are given in a 

 letter from W. R. Holloway, the Ameri- 

 can Consul General there, to Henry R. 

 Hoyt, of New York City. 



Du Chaillu was eating breakfast in the 

 restaurant of the Hotel de France, St. 

 Petersburg, on April 30, when two gentle- 

 men near him heard him exclaim: 



"I can't see. There must be something 

 the matter!" 



In attempting to rise he exhibited signs 

 of feebleness. To a close personal friend, 

 a brother of the great Russian military 

 painter, Vassili Verestchagin, Du Chaillu 

 said, "I am dying!" and was taken to his 

 room. He soon expired. 



Ambassador McCormick received a 

 cable message from Charles Robinson 

 Smith, asking that the body be sent to his 

 home, 34 West Sixty-ninth street, New 

 York; another of the same character from 

 John Anderson, publisher of The Scandi- 

 navian, Chicago, and a third came from 

 Senator P. P. Somenov, President of the 

 Imperial Geographical Society, who 

 offered interment in the Novo-Dievitchy 

 Cemetery, which is reserved for eminent 

 literary men. 



