In African Forest and Jungle

by Paul B. Du Chaillu

While listening, Rogala's quick sense of hearing caught another noise in the far distance, this time on the left, somewhat similar to the one on the right. He listened attentively and then said, "Ngina." It was another ngina, who was answering the talk of her mate.

Then he whispered to me: "Oguizi, there are two nginas talking to each other, the one on our right is the man ngina, the one on our left is the woman ngina, and she answers him."

They were a few miles from each other, and we were about midway between the two. We followed the path which seemed to be half-way between them, looking at our guns carefully in order to be ready for any emergency.

As we walked, we could hear them talk to each other, one answering after the other stopped. It was a real ngina conversation. I could detect the different intonations.

We walked several miles, all the time hearing the two gorillas continuously talking to each other. Rogala said to me: "There is not food enough for the two together, so they have separated in order that each may have enough to eat."

After a while their voices came nearer and nearer, and our position became, I thought, dangerous.

Rogala said in a very low tone: "The nginas are going to meet before night; for they will sleep very near together."

Louder and louder their guttural roar-like sounds came. At last they seemed to be abreast of us, one on either side. I asked Rogala in a very low tone: "Have the nginas scented us?"

"No," he replied in a whisper; "they are talking to each other, and will gradually meet as they come along picking berries and fruits. The nginas can see wonderfully well through the jungle. So let us stand perfectly still.

"The female ngina always runs away," continued Rogala. "It is the male ngina that fights, but both are afraid of noise, and when they hear it they go in an opposite direction. It is only when the male is suddenly surprised by the appearance of a man that he attacks him, or when he is tired of being followed or tracked. Then he makes a stand. Then it is a fight for life."