WILD JUNGLE SEARCH

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11493, 21 November 1931, Page 12

WILD JUNGLE SEARCH

GORILLAS LIKE HUMANS

In the hope of discovering the “missing link” —the creature that , comes between monkeys apd man m the scale tof evolution— a 'young French explorer is shortly leaving on an adventurous journey into the Riazilian jungle. He is M. Roger Courteville, of Paris, who has already made several trips across unexplored Brazil. He is taking with him severaL wellknown French scientists. Another aim of the expedition is to attempt to discover what happened to Colonel 0. V. Fawcett, the British explorer, who with Us son Jack and Mr. Raleigh Rimell disappeared in the Amazonian- wilds six years ago. ' Nothing has been heard of the three Englishmen since, except that Roger Courteville met them about 100 miles north of Cuvaba nearly a vear after they had been reported missing. They were in good health. The hope of discovering the “missing link” is based on the experience of Francois de Loys, a French, engineer. who, while searching for oilbearing laud along the frontier of Brazil and Venezuela, was attacked by a pair of beasts of a kind lie had never before seen. They had the appearance of gorillas or giant chimpanzees, but their resemblance to human beings was terrifying. The animals walked upright, only grasping a branch now and then to swing along more quickly. Do Loys and his companions shot the female of the pair. The scientists in the party found that she was a gigantic monkey of a strikingly anthropoid appearance, more like the legendary “missing link” than any other specimen ever found anywhere.. This “link” was about five feet and a-half tall, measured from the heel, and six feet standing on its; toes. The extraordinary feature about it, howovex*. was the astonishing resemblance to the human visage. and particularly a high forebead. Unlike all other monkeys, it had uo tail whatever. The teeth were very similar to a mans. The body % and the arms were covered vith a rough, brownish hair. De Loys photographed the animal and cut off the head to bring it hack to France, hut, unfortunately, this head, a number of native porters, and most of the expedition’s supplies were lost during an Indian attack.