262 APES AND MONKEYS 



alleged to be. I will give some reasons for being a sceptic 

 on this subject. 



Almost every yarn told by the novice is about the same 

 in substance, and much the same in detail, as those related 

 by others. It seems that most of them meet the same old 

 gorilla, still beating his breast and screaming just as he did 

 forty years ago. The number of gun-barrels that he is 

 accused of having chewed up would make an arsenal suffi- 

 cient to arm the volunteers. What becomes of all those 

 that are attacked by this fierce monarch of the jungle? 

 Not one of them ever gets killed, and not one of them 

 ever kills the gorilla. Does he merely do this as a bluff 

 and then recede from the attack ? Or does he follow it up 

 and seize his victim, tear him open, and drink his blood* 

 as he is supposed to do ? How does the victim escape ? 

 What becomes of the assailant ? Who lives to tell the 

 tale ? 



The gorilla has good ears, good eyes, and is a skillful 

 bushman. One man walking through the jungle will make 

 more noise than half a dozen gorillas make. The gorilla 

 almost always sees and hears a man before he is seen or 

 heard bv him. He is shy and will not attack a man unless 

 wounded or provoked to it. He is always on the alert for 

 danger and rarely comes into the open parts of the bush 

 except for food. He can conceal himself with more ease 

 than a man can and has every advantage in making his 

 escape. I do not believe that he will ever approach a man 

 if he can evade him. but I quite believe that he will make 

 a strong defense if surprised or attacked. I do not believe 

 it possible for any one to see a great number of gorillas in 



