62 APES AND MONKEYS 



next. There were none of the former in captivity, and 

 but few of the latter ; and those few were kept under con- 

 ditions that forbade all efforts to do anything in the line 

 of scientific study of their speech. As the gorilla and the 

 chimpanzee could both be found in the same section of 

 tropical Africa, that region was selected as the best field 

 of operation ; and, in order to carry out the task assumed, 

 I prepared for a journey thither. 



The locality chosen was along the equator and about two 

 degrees south of it. This region is infested with fevers, 

 insects, serpents, and wild beasts of divers kinds. To 

 ignore such dangers would be folly ; but there was no way 

 to see these apes in their freedom, except to go and live 

 among them. To lessen in a degree the dangers incurred 

 by such an adventure, I devised a cage of steel wire woven 

 into a lattice with a mesh one inch and a half wide. This 

 was made in twenty-four panels, each three feet and three 

 inches square, set in frames of narrow iron strips. Each 

 side of the panels was provided with lugs or half hinges, 

 so arranged as to fit any side of any other panel. These 

 could be quickly bolted together with small iron rods, and 

 when so joined they formed a cage of cubical shape, six 

 feet and six inches square. 



Any one or more of the panels could be used as a door. 

 The whole structure was painted a dingy green, so that 

 when erected in the forest it was almost invisible in the 

 foliage. 



While this cage was not strong enough to withstand a 

 prolonged attack, it afforded a certain degree of immunity 

 from being surprised by the fierce and stealthy beasts of 



