le meanings； including the obvious one that none of them should ever have e to the Congo in the first place。 It also meant that once established in a fortified camp or colonial town you were unwise to step out into the surrounding jungle； whatever the provocation。 Several of Munro's friends had bought it in the jungle because they had foolishly left home。 The news would e to them： 〃Digger bought it last week outside Stanleyville。〃 〃Outside？ Why'd he leave home？〃
Munro was leading the expedition outside now； and home was the little silver camp with its perimeter defense behind them。 Back in that camp； they were sitting ducks for the attacking gorillas。 The mercenaries had had something to say about that； too： 〃Better a sitting duck than a dead duck。〃
As they marched through the rain forest； Munro was painfully aware of the single…file column strung out behind him； the least defensible formation。 He watched the jungle foliage move in as their path narrowed。 He did not remember this track being so narrow when they had e to the city。 Now they were hemmed in by close ferns and spreading palms。
The gorillas might be only a few feet away； concealed in the dense foliage； and they wouldn't know it until it was too late。
They walked on。
Munro thought if they could reach the eastern slopes of Mukenko； they would be all right。 The gray gorillas were localized near the city； and would not follow them far。 One or two hours walking； and they would be beyond danger。
He checked his watch： they had been gone ten minutes。
And then he heard the sighing sound。 It seemed to e from all directions。 He saw the foliage moving before him； shifting as if blown by a wind。 Only there was no wind。 He heard the sighing grow louder。
The column halted at the edge of a ravine； which followed a streambed past sloping jungle walls on both sides。 It was the perfect spot for an ambush。 Along the line he heard the safeties click on the machine guns。 Kahega came up。 〃Captain； what do we do？〃
Munro watched the foliage move；； and heard the sighing。 He could only guess at the numbers concealed in the bush。 Twenty？ Thirty？ Too many； in any case。
Kahega pointed up the hillside to a track that ran above the ravine。 〃Go up there？〃
For a long time； Munro did not answer。 Finally； he said； 〃No； not up there。〃
〃Then where； Captain？〃
〃Back；〃 Munro said。 〃We go back。〃
When they turned away from the ravine； the sighing faded and the foliage ceased its movement。 When he looked back over his shoulder for a last glimpse； the ravine appeared an ordinary passage in the jungle； without threat of any kind。 But Munro knew the truth。 They could not leave。
3。Return
ELLIOT'S IDEA CAME IN A FLASH OF INSIGHT。 〃IN the middle of the camp；〃 he later related； 〃I was looking at Amy signing to Kahega。 Amy was asking him for a drink； but Kahega didn't know Ameslan； and he kept shrugging helplessly。 It occurred to me that the linguistic skill of the gray gorillas was both their great advantage and their Achilles' heel。〃
Elliot proposed to capture a single gray gorilla； learn its language； and use that language to establish munication with the other animals。 Under normal circumstances it would take several months to learn a new ape language； but Elliot thought he could do it in a matter of hours。
Seamans was already at work on the gray…gorilla verbalizations； all he needed was further input。 But Elliot had decided that the gray gorillas employed a bination of spoken sounds and sign language。 And the sign language would be easy to work out。
Back at Berkeley； Seamans had developed a puter program called APE； for animal pattern explanation。 APE was capable of observing Amy and assigning meanings to her signs。 Since the APE program utilized declassified army software subroutines for code…breaking； it was capable of identifying new signs； and translating these as well。 Although APE was intended to work with Amy in ASL； there was no reason why it would not work with an entirely new language。
If they could forge satellite links from the Congo to Houston to Berkeley； they could feed video data from a captive animal directly into the APE program。 And APE promised a speed of translation far beyond the capacity of any human observer。 （The army software was designed to break enemy codes in minutes。）
Elliot and Ross were convinced it would work； Munro was
not。 He made some disparaging ments about interrogating prisoners of war。 〃What do you intend to do；〃 he said； 〃torture the animal？〃
〃We will employ situational stress；〃 Elliot said； 〃to elicit language usage。〃 He was laying out test materials on the ground： a banana； a bowl of water； a piece of candy； a stick； a succulent vine； stone paddles。 〃We'll scare the hell out of her if we have to。〃
〃Her？〃
〃Of course；〃 Elliot said； loading the Thoralen dart gun。 〃Her。''
4。Capture
HE WANTED A FEMALE WITHOUT AN INFANT。 An infant would create difficulties。
Pushing through waist…high undergrowth； he found himself on the edge of a sharp ridge and saw nine animals grouped below him： two males； five females； and two juveniles。 They were foraging through the jungle twenty feet below。 He watched the group long enough to be sure that all the females used language； and that there were no infants Concealed in the foliage。 Then he waited for his chance。
The gorillas fed casually among the ferns； plucking up tender shoots； which they chewed lazily。 After several minutes； one female moved up from the group to forage nearer the top of the ridge where he was crouching。 She was separated from the rest of the group by more than ten yards。
Elliot raised the dart pistol in both hands and squinted down the sight at the female。 She was perfectly positioned。
He watched； squeezed the trigger slowly…and lost his footing on the ridge。 He fell crashing down the slope； right into the midst of the gorillas。
Elliot lay unconscious on his back； twenty feet below； but his chest was moving； and his arm twitched； Munro felt certain that he was all right。 Munro was only concerned about the gorillas。
The gray gorillas had seen Elliot fall and now moved toward the body。 Eight or nine animals clustered around him； staring impassively； signing。
Munro slipped the safety off his gun。
Elliot groaned； touched his head； and opened his eyes。 Munro saw Elliot stiffen as he saw the gorillas； but he did not move。 Three mature males crouched very close to him； and he understood the precariousness of his situation。 Elliot lay motionless on the ground for nearly a minute。 The gorillas whispered and signed； but they did not e any closer。
Finally Elliot sat up on one elbow； which caused a burst of signing but no direct threatening behavior。
On the hillside above； Amy tugged at Munro's sleeve； signing emphatically。 Munro shook his head： he did not understand； he raised his machine gun again； and Amy bit his kneecap。 The pain was excruciating。 It was all Munro could do to keep from screaming。
Elliot； lying on the ground below； tried to control his breathing。 The gorillas were very close…close enough for him to touch them； close enough to smell the sweet； musty odor of their bodies。 They were agitated； the males had started grunting； a rhythmic ho…ho…ho。
He decided he had better get to his feet； slowly and methodically。 He thought that if he could put some distance between himself and the animals； their sense of threat would be reduced。 But as soon as he began to move the grunting grew louder； and one of the males began a sideways crablike movement； slapping the ground with his flat palms。
Immediately Elliot lay back down。 The gorillas relaxed；
and he decided he had done the correct thing。 The animals were confused by this human being crashing down in their midst； they apparently did not expect contact with men in foraging areas。
He decided to wait them out； if necessary remaining on his back for several hours until they lost interest and moved off。 He breathed slowly； regularly； aware that he was sweating。 Probably he smelled of fear…but like men； gorillas had a poorly developed sense of smell。 They did not react…to the odor of fear。 He waited。 The gorillas were sighing and signing swift