| Natives
near the Virunga volcanoes of eastern Africa had long rumored about their
highland forest encounters with the biggest of all apes, a monster-ape
they called the "Ngagi" or "Ngila." Much larger and more
fearsome looking than their lowland cousins, the white crested males were
said to be able to beat a man to death in a terrifying instant to only disappear
into the mists that veil the rich, green, volcanic highland forest.
The native's reports were ridiculed as products of imagination, fevers or ritual related hallucinations, very much the same way that the general public responds to modern reports of encounters with other anthropomorphic hominoids such as the mysterious Bigfoot, Sasquatch or the Abominable Snowman. The scientific community announced that, because they had not yet found physical specimen yet, that it simply did not exist. In 1902, Von Beringe, a Belgium army captain, managed to shoot two of these 'impossible" monster-apes. His good hunting skills on Mount Sabinio that day resulted the updating of Earth's biological catalogue. Today, we call these large, wonderful, great apes.....Mountain Gorillas. |
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During the turn of the twentieth century, natives living near remote volcanic islands of Indonesia whispered amongst themselves of the dangers of going to certain islands nearby. There, ancient and fearsome dragons were said to ruled the land and lived off a diet of large wild pigs and goats (and curious visitors if given the chance!) Of course, upon hearing such warnings, western anthropologists and scientists wrote off the reports saying that it was nothing more than a case of natives repeating stories based upon images associated with their ancient mythologies and oral traditions.
Can you imagine, two large, dangerous and fearsome looking animals, eluding our detection far into modern history! Makes one wonder what other animals are out there, lurking in the darkened perimeters of farms, small country towns and people's homes?
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Between 1910 and 1912, however, these
mythological beasts were suddenly realized to be products of reality and not fanciful
imagination when, on two occasions, pilots sighted some and
a Dutch army officer finally shot and killed one. 