GORILLAS AND THEIR HABITS . 
13 
Gorillas had been recently seen in the neighbourhood of a plantation on the Fernandez Yas river, just 
south of the equator and not far from the West African coast, he got up early and went into it. He 
writes : “ The plantation was a large one, and situated on very broken ground, surrounded by the 
virgin forest. It was a lovely morning ; the sky was almost cloudless, and all around was as still as 
A FAMILY OF GORILLAS. 
death, except the slight rustling of the tree tops moved by the gentle land breeze. "When I reached 
the place, I had just to pick my way through the maze of tree-stumps and half-burned logs by the 
side of a held of casada. 
“ I was going quietly along the borders of this when I heard in the grove of plantation trees 
towards which I was walking a great crushing noise like the breaking of trees. I immediately hid 
myself behind a bush, and was soon gratified with the sight of a female Gorilla ) but before I had 
time to notice its movements, a second and third emerged from the masses of colossal foliage ; at 
length, no less than four came in view. They were all busily engaged in tearing down the larger trees. 
3 
