258 GORILLAS AND CHIMPANZEES 



implies the kind of ntyigo that lives towards the 

 great river of that name. The etymology of African 

 names is always difficult because there is no record 

 of them, but many of them can be traced out with 

 great precision, and some of them are unique. 



The name M'Bouv6, as given by Du Chaillu, I 

 have not been able to identify. In one part of the 

 country I was told that the word meant the ''chief" 

 or head of a family. In another part it was said to 

 mean something like an advocate or champion, and 

 was only applied to one ape in a family group. The 

 Rev. A. C. Goode, a zealous missionary who recently 

 died near Batanga, was stationed for twelve years at 

 Gaboon. During that time he travelled all through 

 the Ogowe and Gaboon valleys. He was familiar 

 with the languages of that part, and he explained 

 the word in about the same way. 



Whatever may be said concerning the veracity of 

 Paul Du Chaillu, there is one thing that must be 

 said to his credit. He gave to the world more 

 knowledge of these apes than all other men put 

 together had ever done before, and while he may 

 have given a touch of colour to many incidents, and 

 related some native yarns, he told a vast amount of 

 valuable truth, and I can forgive him for anything 

 which he may have misstated, except one. That is 

 starting that story about gorillas chewing up gun- 

 barrels. It has been a staple yarn in stock ever 

 since, and the instant you ask a native any question 

 about the habits of a gorilla he begins with this. 



In view of the fact that I have made careful and 



