He never gives a tremendous
blow with his immense open paw; doubtless, a native legend found
in Battel and Bowdich; nor does he attack with the arms. However
old and male he may be, he runs away with peculiar alacrity:
though powerfully weaponed with tigerish teeth, with "bunches of
muscular fibre," and with the limbs of Goliah, the gorilla, on
the seaboard at least, is essentially a coward; nor can we be
surprised at his want of pluck, considering the troubles and
circumstances under which he spends his harassed days. Finally,
whilst a hen will defend her chicks, Mrs. Gorilla will fly,
leaving son or daughter in the hunter's hands.
Chapter XII.
Corisco--"Home" to Fernando Po.
On April 22nd, after some five weeks in the Gaboon River, I found
myself once more in her Majesty's steam-ship "Griffon," which had
returned from the south coast, bound for Corisco (Gorilla
Island?) and Fernando Po. It was "going-away day," when
proverbially the world looks prettier than usual, and we enjoyed
the suggestive view of the beaded line which, seen from the sea,
represents the Sierra del Crystal.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289