ALONE WITH THE GORILLA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 273, 16 November 1881, Page 1

ALONE WITH THE GORILLA.

STANDING ON THE STAIRS OF A BURNING MDSUEM. We heard from a straggler in the street that the fire was in Barnum's Museum. This gave renewed force to our feet, and we fairly flew along the street. When we reached the spot what a sight was before us ! The great building was ablaze on the two top floors, and several streams were already pouring water on it. The night, or rather morning, was bitter cold, and every bit of water that struck on the lower part of the street would freeze at once. Even long stalactites of ice were beginning to form on the adjoining buildings where the hose was played on them, and the red glare of the fire, now under strong headway, lit them up like .gold. The suffering animals within, imprisoned and caged, began to moan and roar. The fire, the ice, and the wild cries of the poor animals, made the night one of horror indeed. Just at this moment, with a great crash, right through a plate glass window on the first floor, a splendid | tiger sprang. He lit in the street, and stood for a moment at bay, and many a voice in the crowd cried : " Shoot him! shoot him !" We had given our hose to a steamer, and the water being just let into it, the fireman with the nozzle put the stream full against the animal. Its force and wash carried him off his feet, and a moment afterwards " one of the finest," with a revolver, put two balls into his body and finished him. I then made my way into the burning building from the basement and gained the first floor. A flight of steps was before me, and at the top I could, through the smoke, make out a door. I mounted the stairs to render what aid I could. As I got about, the middle the heat warped and cracked the door, and it fell to one side, and there beyond, making right for these steps, was the big gorilla. Oh, I shall never forget that dread moment. The big flames began to lick the walls, and

the whole space beyond that dreadful beast was a blaze of fire. The heat and smoke were awful, and I felt my limbs shake as palsied, as I looked spell-bound at that awful hairy mass at the top of the steps. I could hear the heavy thud of his huge foot as he moved or glided to the stairs. I could see his huge body writhe almost with heat. The stairs were narrow, and, great heavens ! when he reached me what would become of me ? I stood transfixed, spell-bound with an awful terror. One hand clasped the banisters and one the wall, and I could not have moved one finger on either of those hands to have saved my life. I heard still the shouts of the now maddened animals within the building, I heard the axes of the firemen breaking through the floors ! I thought a thousand things in a second, but I could not move a hair's breadth ! I even counted the steps between the monster and myself. There were but six — only six little short steps between me and grim death ! The beast came slowly on. glaring horribly at me — there were but four steps. Will he seize me in those fearful arms of his, thought I, from which the matted, coarse hair hung, and toss me into the burning, seething mass, of fire and flame beyond us? Another step he- came. Oh, heavens ! but one little short step now. I made a superhuman effort to move if but a muscle ; but, alas ! I could not. The loathsome body of the brute touched me. My breath came in gasps | and my heart stood still, awe stricken. One dead claw-like hand gripped upon my shoulder, as the other arm of the wild beast was raised to his neck. He tugged there a moment as if for breath and strength. Now I sickened and shuddered as he threw the great mass of hair and hide over his head, and revealed a rough Celtic face within, and asked in hurried, frightened, and strong Hibernian tones : " For the love of St. Patrick show me the way out of this !"

Tbe wills of two West-end tradesmen have just been proved The personal estate of Mr Mantle (Stagg and Mantle, Leicester square) was valued at £280,000, and that of Mr Broadwopd, the pianoforte maker, at iWQQQ. ' ' • . ';*;■ *