The Gorilla Hunters

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

  WE GET INTO "THE THICK OF IT"--GREAT SUCCESS.

  In a few minutes we came upon a female gorilla, which, all unconsciousof our approach, was sitting at the foot of a vine, eating the leaves.There were four young ones beside her, engaged in the same occupation.In order to approach within shot of these, we had to creep on all foursthrough the brushwood with the greatest caution; for gorillas aresharp-sighted, and they have a remarkably acute sense of hearing, sothat sometimes the breaking of a dry twig under one's foot is sufficientto alarm them.

  We did not venture to speak even in whispers as we advanced; but by asign Jack told Peterkin to take the lead. Jack himself followed.Makarooroo went next, and I brought up the rear.

  In all our hunting expeditions we usually maintained this arrangement,where it was necessary. Peterkin was assigned the post of honour,because he was the best shot; Jack, being next best, came second; and Icame last, not because our guide was a better shot than I, but becausehe was apt to get excited and to act rashly, so that he required lookingafter. I was at all times ready to lay hold of him by the hair of hiswoolly head, which, as he was nearly naked, was the only part of himthat one could grasp with any degree of firmness.

  After creeping in this manner for some distance, we got within range.Peterkin and Jack took aim and fired together. The old gorilla and oneof the young ones fell instantly, and from their not struggling it wasevident that they were shot quite dead. The guide and I firedimmediately after, but only the one that I fired at fell. The other tworan off as fast as they could. Sometimes they ran on all fours; and Iobserved that while running in this fashion the hind legs passed betweenthe arms, or, as it were, overstepped them. Occasionally, however, theyrose and ran on their hind legs, in a stooping position.

  When they did this I was particularly struck with their grotesque yetstrong resemblance to man, and I do not think that I could at that timehave prevailed upon myself to fire at them. I should have felt like amurderer. In truth, my thoughts and sensations just then were anythingbut agreeable. Nevertheless I was so excited by the chase that I amquite certain no one, to look at me, could have guessed what was passingin my mind.

  We ran as rapidly as was possible in such a tangled forest, but we hadno chance with the young gorillas. Peterkin at last ran himself out ofbreath. Stopping suddenly, he said, pantingly--

  "It's--o'--no use whatever. Ho! dear me, my bellows are aboutexploded."

  "We've no chance in a race with these hairy men," responded Jack, as hewiped the perspiration from his forehead.--"Why did you miss, Mak?"

  "'Cause me no could hit, s'pose, massa."

  "Very justly and modestly said," remarked Peterkin, with an approvingnod. "'Tis a pity that men are not more generally animated with yourspirit, Mak. Most people, when they do wrong or make a mistake, are tooapt to try to excuse themselves."

  "Yes," I added, with a laugh; "particularly when they blow the tails outof ostriches."

  Peterkin shook his head, and said solemnly, "Ralph, my boy, don't taketo joking. It don't agree with your constitution. You'll get ill ifyou do; and we can't afford to have you laid up on our hands in theseout-o'-the-way regions."

  "Come, now, let us back to the gorillas and secure them, lest theircomrades carry them away," said Jack, turning to retrace our steps.

  I was anxious to shoot as many gorillas as possible, in order that Imight study the peculiarities of, and differences existing between, thedifferent species--if there should be such--and between variousindividuals of the same species in all stages of development. I hadmade an elaborate examination of our first gorilla, and had takencopious notes in regard to it. Being desirous of doing the same as faras possible with the female and the two young ones we had just killed, Ihastened back with my companions, and we fastened them securely amongthe branches of a conspicuous tree, intending to send out some of ourmen for them on our return to camp.

  After this we resumed our search for more, but wandered about forseveral hours without meeting with any, although we observedrecently-made footprints in abundance. We went as nearly as possible ina direction parallel to our camp, so that although we walked far we didnot increase our distance from it to any great extent.

  Presently Makarooroo made a peculiar "cluck" with his tongue, and we allcame to an abrupt stand.

  "What is't, Mak?"

  The negro did not speak, but pointed eagerly in front of him, while thewhites of his eyes seemed to sparkle with animation, and raised his gunto shoot.

  We came up at the moment, and through an opening in the bushes saw whathe was about to fire at. It was a female gorilla, with a baby gorillain her arms. Fierce and hairy though she was, there was a certain airof tenderness about this mother, as she stroked and pawed her littleone, that went straight to my heart, and caused me almost involuntarilyto raise my arm and strike up the muzzle of Makarooroo's gun, at themoment he pulled the trigger. The consequence of this act was that theball passed close over their heads. The report of the piece wasinstantly followed by a roar of consternation, mingled with rage, fromthe mother, and a shriek of terror from the baby, which again wasimmediately followed by a burst of laughter from us, as we beheld thelittle baby clasp its arms tightly round its mother, while she scamperedwildly away from us.

  Mak looked at me in amazement.

  "What for you be do dat, massa?"

  "To prevent you from committing murder, you rascal," said I, laughing."Have you no feelings of natural pity or tenderness, that you couldcoolly aim at such a loving pair as that?"

  The guide seemed a little put out by this remark, and went on reloadinghis gun without making reply. He had received enough of moral educationat the mission stations to appreciate to some extent the feelings bywhich I was actuated; yet he had been so long accustomed and so earlyinured to harsh, unfeeling deeds, that the only idea that probablyoccurred to him on seeing this mother and her baby was, how near hecould get to them in order to make sure of his aim.

  "Ah! Ralph," said Jack, as we resumed our march, "you're tootender-hearted, my boy, for a hunter in Africa. There you've lost achance of getting a gorilla baby, which you have been desiring so muchthe last few days, and which you might have stuck in a bottle ofspirits, and sent home to be held up to universal admiration inPiccadilly, who knows."

  "Ay, who knows?" echoed Peterkin. "I think it more probable, however,that it would be held up to universal ridicule. Besides, you forgetthat we have no spirits to preserve it in, except our own, which I admitare pretty high--a good deal overproof, considering the circumstances inwhich we are placed, and the unheard-of trials we have to endure. I'msure I don't know what ever induced me to come, as a Scotch cousin ofmine once said, `so far frae my ain fireside' to endure trials. I dobelieve I've had more trials since I came to this outrageous land thanall the criminals of the last century in England put together have had."

  "Peterkin," said I seriously, "trials are a decided benefit and blessingto mankind--"

  "Oh, of course," interrupted Peterkin; "but then, as you have oftenretorted upon me that I am of the monkey kind, I think that I could geton pretty well without them."

  "My opinion is that they are good both for man and monkey," said Jack."Just consider, now: it must have been a terrible trial for yongorilla-mamma to hear a bullet pass within an inch of her head, and haveher sweet little darling frightened almost out of its wits. Well, butjust think of the state of satisfaction and rejoicing that she must bein now at having escaped. Had it not been for that trial she would nowhave been in her ordinary humdrum condition. I quite agree with Ralphthat trials are really a blessing to us."

  "I declare it is quite refreshing to hear that you `agree' with anybody,Jack," rejoined Peterkin, in a tone of sarcasm.--"Perhaps Mr Rover willkindly enlarge on this most interesting subject, and give us the benefitof his wisdom.--And, Mak, you lump of ebony, do you keep a sharp lookoutfor gorillas in the meantime."

  The guide, whose appreciation of
fun was very considerable, said, "Yis,massa," grinned from ear to ear, in doing which he displayed a doublerow of tremendous white teeth, and pretended to be gazing earnestlyamong the bushes on either side in search of game, as he followed us.The moment we began to talk, however, I observed that he came close upbehind, and listened with all his ears. If eager expansion indicatesanything, I may add that he listened with all his eyes too!

  "I shall have much pleasure in obliging you, Peterkin," said I, with asmile. "And in the first place--"

  "O Ralph, I entreat you," interrupted Peterkin, "do not begin with a`_first place_.' When men begin a discourse with that, however manyintermediate places they may have to roam about in and enlarge on, theynever have a place of any kind to terminate in, but go skimming alongwith a couple of dozen `lastlies,' like a stone thrown over the surfaceof a pond, which, after the first two or three big and promising bounds,spends itself in an endless succession of twittering ripples, andfinally sinks, somehow or nohow, into oblivion."

  "Ahem! Shakespeare?" said Jack.

  "Not at all," retorted Peterkin. "If anybody gave utterance to thesentiment before, it was Shelley, and he must have been on the sea-shoreat the time with a crotchet, if not a crab, inside of him.--But pray goon, Ralph."

  "Well, then, in the _first place_," I repeated with emphasis, whereatPeterkin sighed, "trials, when endured in a proper spirit, improve ourmoral nature and strengthen our hearts; the result of which is, that weare incited to more vigorous mental, and, by consequence, physicalexertion, so that our nervous system is strengthened and our muscularpowers are increased."

  "Very well put, indeed," cried Peterkin. "Now, Ralph, try to forgetyour `secondly,' omit your `thirdly,' throw your `fourthly' to thewinds, and let your `first place' be your `last place,' and I'll giveyou credit for being a wise and effective speaker."

  I gave in to my volatile friend at that time, as I saw that he would notallow me to go on, and, to say truth, I thought that I had exhausted mysubject. But, after all, Peterkin did not require to be incited eitherto good thoughts or good actions. With all his exuberant fun andjocularity, he was at bottom one of the most earnest and attachedfriends I ever possessed. I have lived to know that his superficiallightness of character overlaid as deeply earnest and sympathetic aspirit as ever existed.

  While we were thus conversing and wandering through the forest, we againcame upon the fresh tracks of a gorilla, and from their great size weconjectured them to be those of a solitary male. It is a remarkablefact that among several of the lower animals we find specimens of thatunnatural class of creatures which among men are termed old bachelors!Among the gorillas these _solitaires_ are usually very large, remarkablyfierce, uncommonly ugly, desperately vindictive, and peculiarlycourageous; so much so that the natives hold them in special dread. Itis of these wild men of the woods that their most remarkable andincredible stories are related.

  "I don't think it's a gorilla at all," said Jack, stooping down toexamine the footprints, which in that place were not very distinct; "Ithink an elephant or a rhinoceros must have passed this way."

  "No, massa, them's not deep 'nuff for dat. Hims be a gorilla--a berybig one, too."

  "Don't let us talk then, lest we should scare it," whispered Peterkin."Lead the way, Mak; and mind, when we come close enough, move your greatcarcass out of the way and let me to the front."

  "No, no, lad," said Jack. "Fair play. It's my turn now."

  "So be it, my boy. But get on."

  The tracks led us a considerable distance deeper into the wood, wherethe trees became so thick that only a species of twilight penetratedthrough them. To add to our discomfort, the light, we knew, would soonfail us altogether, as evening was drawing on apace, so we quickened ourpace to a smart run.

  We had not proceeded far when we were brought to a sudden standstill byone of those awfully loud and savage roars which we at once recognisedas being that of a gorilla. It sounded like what we might term barkingthunder, and from its intensity we were assured that our conjectures asto the creature being a solitary male gorilla were correct.

  "Dat him, massas!" cried our guide quickly, at the same time cockingboth barrels of his rifle. "Look hout! we no hab go after him no more.Him's come to fight us. Most always doos dot--de big ole gorilla."

  We saw from the deeply earnest expression of the negro's countenancethat he felt himself now to be in a very serious position, which woulddemand all his nerve and coolness.

  Again the roar was repeated with terrible loudness and ferocity, and weheard something like the beating of a huge bass drum, mingled with thecracking of branches, as though some heavy creature were forcing its waythrough the underwood towards us.

  We were all much impressed with this beating sound, and, as is often thecase when men are startled by sounds which they cannot account for, wewere more filled with the dread of this incomprehensible sound than ofthe gorilla which we knew was approaching us. We might, indeed, haveasked an explanation from Makarooroo, but we were all too much excitedand anxious just then to speak.

  We drew together in a group.

  Jack, who stood a little in front of us, having claimed the first shot,was whispering something about its being a pity there was so littlelight, when his voice was drowned by a repetition of the roar, soappalling that we each started, feeling as though it had been utteredclose to our ears. Next instant the bushes in front of us were tornaside, and the most horrible monster I ever saw, or hope to set eyes on,stood before us.

  He was evidently one of the largest-sized gorillas. In the gloom of theforest he appeared to us to be above six feet high. His jet-blackvisage was working with an expression of rage that was fearfullysatanic. His eyes glared horribly. The tuft of hair on the top of hishead rose and fell with the working of his low wrinkled forehead in amanner that peculiarly enhanced the ferocity of his expression. Hisgreat hairy body seemed much too large for his misshapen legs, and hisenormous arms much too long for the body. It was with the fists at theends of those muscular arms that he beat upon his bulky chest, andproduced the unaccountable sounds above referred to. As he stood thereuttering roar upon roar--apparently with the view of screwing up hiscourage to attack us--displaying his great canine teeth, and advancingslowly, step by step, I felt a mingling of powerful emotions such as Ihad never felt before in all my life, and such as cannot by anypossibility be adequately described.

  I felt quite self-possessed, however, and stood beside my comrades withmy rifle ready and my finger on the trigger.

  "Now!" whispered Peterkin. But Jack did not move.

  "Now!" said he again, more anxiously, as the immense brute advanced,beating its chest and roaring, to within eight yards of us. Still Jackdid not move, and I observed that it was as much as Peterkin could do torestrain himself.

  As it took the next step, and appeared about to spring, Jack pulled thetrigger. The cap alone exploded! Like a flash of light the othertrigger was pulled; it also failed! some moisture must have got into thenipples in loading. Almost as quick as thought Jack hurled his piece atthe brute with a force that seemed to me irresistible. The butt struckit full in the chest, but the rifle was instantly caught in its irongripe. At that moment Peterkin fired, and the gorilla dropped like astone, uttering a heavy groan as it fell prone with its face to theearth--not, however, before it had broken Jack's rifle across, andtwisted the barrel as if it had been merely a piece of wire!

  "That was a narrow escape, Jack," said I seriously, after we hadrecovered from the state of agitation into which this scene had thrownus.

  "Indeed it was; and thanks to Peterkin's ever-ready rifle that it was anescape at all. What a monstrous brute!"

  "Much bigger than the first one," said Peterkin.--"Where is yourmeasure, Ralph? Out with it."

  I pulled out my measure, and applying it to the prostrate carcass, foundthat the gorilla we had now shot was five feet eight inches in height,and proportionately large round the chest. It seemed to be a mass ofsinews a
nd hard muscles, and as I gazed at its massive limbs I couldwell imagine that it had strength sufficient to perform many, at least,if not all of the wonderful feats ascribed to it by the natives.

  Shortly after the death of the gorilla, night settled down upon thescene, so we hurried back towards our camp, where we arrived muchexhausted, yet greatly elated, by our successful day's sport.

  I spent a great part of that night making entries in my note-book, bythe light of our camp-fires, while my companions slept. And, truly, Ienjoyed such quiet hours after days of so great mental and physicalexcitement. I observed, also, that the negroes enjoyed those seasonsexceedingly. They sat round the blaze, talking and laughing, andrecounting, I have no doubt, their feats of daring by flood and field;then, when they began to grow sleepy, they sat there swaying to and fro,making an occasional remark, until they became too sleepy even for that,when they began to nod and wink and start, and almost fell into thefire, so unwilling did they seem to tear themselves away from it, evenfor the distance of the few feet they required to draw back in order toenable them to lie down. At last nature could hold out no longer, andone by one they dropped back in their places.

  I, too, began to nod at last, and to make entries in my note-book whichwere too disjointed at last to be comprehensible; so I finally resignedmyself to repose, and to dream, as a matter of course.