2l8 APES AND MONKEYS 



sometimes claim to have something of the kind for sale, in 

 order to get a bonus from some trader, when in truth they 

 may not have anything of the kind. The only point north 

 of the Ogowe at which I have had any reason to believe 

 a gorilla was ever found was in the neighborhood of a small 

 lake called Inenga. This lake is nearly due west from the 

 mouth of the N^uni River and something more than a hun- 

 dred miles from the coast. Certain reports along that part 

 appeared to have a flavor of truth ; but there was no 

 evidence except the statement of the natives. 



In the lake region south of the river they are fairly 

 abundant as far south as the head-waters of the Rembo, 

 Nkamij and through the low country of the Esyira tribe ; 

 but they are very rare in the remote forests and unknown 

 in the highlands and plains of that country. South of 

 the Chi Loango they are quite unknown, and south of the 

 Congo they are never heard of. 



There are no possible means of estimating their number ; 

 but they are not so numerous as has been supposed, and 

 from the reckless slaughter carried on by the natives in 

 order to secure specimens for white men, they may ulti- 

 mately become extinct. Up to this time their ferocity 

 alone has saved them from such a fate. But the use of 

 improved arms will soon overcome that barrier. 



The skeleton of the gorilla is so nearly the same as that 

 of the chimpanzee — which has elsewhere been compared 

 to the human skeleton — that we shall not review the 

 comparison at length ; but we must note one marked fea- 

 ture in the external form of the skull, which differs alike 

 from other apes and from man. 



