44 
APES AND MONKEYS. 
live in small families (as in our illustration), having young ones of various ages 
with them; and that they frequent the most gloomy recesses of the forest, where 
the light of day is reduced to a twilight so dim, that on cloudy days it might be 
supposed that the sun was eclipsed. The climate of these forests is hot and damp, 
suggestive of a Turkish bath or hothouse; and, as in most primeval forests, signs of 
animal life are extremely rare, although the stillness may be broken now and then 
by the voice of a bird. According to the account given by Herr von Koppenfels 
(although this does not appear to be supported by others) gorillas are in the habit 
of making a kind of nest in the trees by bending the boughs together and covering 
them with twigs and moss at a height of several yards above the ground. In this 
nest the female and young pass the night, while the male takes his station at the 
bottom of the tree, where he remains in a sitting posture during the night, ready 
to protect his family against the attacks of prowling leopards. This writer like¬ 
wise assures us that gorillas do not frequent the same sleeping-place for more than 
three or four nights consecutively; and this is but natural when we reflect that 
these creatures must needs wander considerable distances in search of fresh supplies 
of suitable food. 
Contrary to the custom of most wild animals, other than monkeys, gorillas 
appear to roam the forest in search of food solely during the daytime, and are 
totally stationary during the night. As a rule, they appear to walk on all fours; 
and while, in walking, the fingers of the hand are usually doubled on to the palm, 
the whole sole of the foot is applied to the ground. They can, however, walk with 
the fingers extended, and likewise with the toes bent down on the sole of the foot. 
Although in appearance male gorillas are somewhat unwieldy creatures, yet, 
like all their kindred, they are most active and indefatigable climbers, and are said 
to ascend to the very tops of the forest trees, where they will pass from tree to 
tree almost as readily as the far lighter spider-monkeys of Brazil. They also 
appear capable of taking leaps from great heights to the ground without damage to 
themselves, since Herr von Koppenfels tells us he even saw an adult spring from a 
tree at a height of some thirty or forty feet, and on alighting rapidly disappear 
into the scrub. 
Although when driven to close quarters the gorilla is doubtless one of the most 
terrible of foes, yet it appears certain that very exaggerated accounts have been 
given of the natural ferocity. Herr von Koppenfels, as quoted by Dr. Hartmann, 
informs us that so “ long as the gorilla is unmolested he does not attack men; and, 
indeed, rather avoids the encounter.” And when these creatures catch sight of 
men, they generally rush off precipitately in the opposite direction through the 
underwood, giving vent at the same time to peculiar guttural cries. 
It appears that many gorillas are killed by the natives with the aid of a 
weighted spear suspended by a cunningly devised system of cords in the creature’s 
path. Others are, however, undoubtedly shot by the negroes, although it would 
seem that, at least in many instances, such animals have been accidentally met by 
the hunters as they travelled through the forest rather than deliberately sought 
out and tracked. As we have already seen, both the members of the German 
Loango Expedition and Mr. Win wood Reade express their belief that up to the 
dates of their respective explorations of the West Coast no European had ever shot 
