Gorillas & ChimpanzeesGarner, R. L. (Richard Lynch)
Science
Gorillas & Chimpanzees
Garner, R. L. (Richard Lynch)
Chimpanzees; Gabon -- Description and travel; Garner, R. L. (Richard Lynch), 1848-1920 -- Travel; Gorilla
On one occasion I heard one in the bush not far away from the cage. I
called him with the usual sound and he answered, but did not come to
the cage. It is probable that he could see it, and was afraid of it.
I tried to induce Moses to call him, and he did once utter the sound,
but he appeared to regret having made the attempt. I called again and
he answered, and from the manner in which Moses behaved it was evident
that he understood it. He would not attempt the call again, but clung
to my neck with his face buried under my chin. It was probably jealousy
that caused him to refuse, because he did not want the other to share
my attentions. I gave the food sound, but I could not induce the
visitor to come nearer. I failed to get a view of him so as to tell how
large he was, but from his voice he must have been about grown. Whether
he was quite alone or not I was not able to tell, but only the one
voice could be heard.
Another time, while sitting quite alone, a young chimpanzee, perhaps
five or six years old, appeared at the edge of a small opening of the
bush. He plucked a bud or leaf from a small plant. He raised it to his
nose and smelt it. He picked three or four buds of different kinds, one
or two of which he put in his mouth. He turned aside the dead leaves
that were lying on the ground as if he expected to find something
under them. I spoke to him, using the call sound; he instantly turned
his eyes towards me, but made no reply. I uttered the food sound and
he replied, but stood where he was. He betrayed no sign of fear, and
little of surprise. He surveyed the cage and myself, and I repeated
the sound two or three times. He refused to approach any nearer. He
turned his head from side to side for a moment as if in doubt which way
to go; then turned aside and disappeared in the bush. He did not run or
start away as if in great fear, but by the sound of the shaking bushes
it could be told that he increased his speed after he once disappeared
from view.
One day I had been for a stroll with Moses and the boy. As we returned
to the cage we saw a chimpanzee about half-grown; he was crossing the
rugged little path about thirty yards away from us. He paused for a
moment to look at us, and we stopped. I tried to induce Moses to call
out to him, but he declined to do so. As the stranger turned aside
I called to him myself, but he neither stopped nor answered. This
one appeared to be quite brown, but the boy assured me his hair was
jet black, but his skin being light gave him this colour. To satisfy
myself, I had Moses placed in the same place and position, and looking
at him from the same distance I was convinced that the boy was right.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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