Empire - Sydney
July 20th, 1871
ANOTHER GORILLA - It is said by persons frequenting the neighbourhood of Belgrave, that a gorilla has made its appearance in that vicinity.
A short time ago a camp of blacks were so scared by the appearance of the alleged monster, that they left their camp, and hastened with all possible speed to Warneton, and refused to return. When asked for a description of the animal they saw, they said, That fellow run on four legs, and stand up and run on two legs ; him got plenty fellow hair all over.
Two young men are also said to have been riding along through the bush between Belgrave and Warneton, when the supposed gorilla rushed through the bush near them, and so frightened the horse (a very quiet one) which one of the young men was riding that it was with great difficulty that he could keep his seat, and prevent the horse from bolting.
A short time after, so the story goes, a person residing in the same neighbourhood, hearing his bull-dog barking and making desperate efforts to break his chain, evidently wishing to get at something he saw: in the bush, let the dog loose.
The dog, a very savage brute, immediately tore away in a furious manner, towards the bush; but in a short time he was seen beating a speedy retreat, with his courage evidently cooled. He took refuge in the house, and could not be persuaded to leave it.
A party of young men, it is said, formed a sort of expedition in pursuit of the alleged gorilla, but have not been able to test the truth of the statements respecting the ferocious creature of the woods.
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