, 1873-02-23


The amherst Student contains letter from
Professor j. f. Seelye, dated Alfalfa lad, India,
Nov. Is, 1872, detailing . strange fact which
came under his observation in his recent travels.
The Professors story recalls the tradition in 1e-
gard to the infancy Of Romulus and Remus, aud
suggests that Darwin's theory of the Descent Of
Man may be superseded By another, taking
the ground that the lower creation is mans
descendant rather than his ancestor. The letter
is As follows:
s'Not far from Agra, in northern 1ndia, ia
mission station OF the Church Missionary Socie-
tv, connected with which is an orphanage with
several hundred children, now under the efficient
care Of the Rev. E. G. Erhardt. The region
around ia infested with wolves, by which, every
year, numbers OF children are carried OF and do.
youred. But In two instances, at least, instead
OF being killed and eaton, the children hare been
kept alive and nourished with, II not BY these
beasts. Whether the story Of Romulus and
Remus be myth OF not, this is an actual reality,
for the children themselves have been cap
to the orphanage above mentioned. They
some or years of sge when taken. They were
found at different times the last one in March
Of the present year. Some hunters, smoking
wolves appeared BY the appearance among them
Of a creature looking strangely human, but run
ming rapidly on a1l fours like the wolves. though
not so rapidly as they. He WAS caugh: with
difficulty, and there was no uistasing that he
was child Of human ParentaSe, but with the
habits, and actions, and appetites Of wild
beast. The hunters brought him to the orphan
age, where he was received and cared for.
Though his physical form and features vera
sufficient to show that he WAS Hindoo
about him Of anything human. In all other re-
spects, in the language Of Nr. Erhardt, 'sper-
feet animal He had no speech but i whine.
He would wear no clothes. tearing from him ey-
erything Of the sort, whenever put On. Ha
would eat nothing but law flesh. and when ha
drank be Tapped the water with his tongue Left
to himself, be would hide in some dark spot dur
ing the day, from which. he would come out At
night, and prow1 about the enclosure, picking
up bones, il any were to be found, and raven
possible for him to walk erect, but .ftez
much difficulty he was taught to do -
so, and also to use q fork md spoon,
and to drink like human being. Though
treated with the utmost care and with great
patience and kindness By the Christian hands
and hearts which received him, be pined aws9
and died, after he had bsan in the orphanage
little over four months. In al this time he
could not be made to utter word he rsa
never ssen to smile, nor chow any signs OF Joy,
gaze me this account, assured me that his face
looked more intelligent than the average o: Hin
doc children. and that his color and features it,
dicated that his parentage must hava been in =
family Of high caste. Thu other boy
''s4 It the '1n spnsnsge, f'T where s' he @s:
brought. about years ago, having been then
captured, much as was the aforementioned bog,
and having shown precisely the same habits ss
belonged to him. he has not get spoken
word, but has exchanged the whine, which Tas 4:
first his only urtc1ance,. for sounds expressive
of n1e,arYA and nnnsrent1v nf crntitrde Heuo
longer prefers raw flesh for food, but eats bre.d
and fruits with r67enous nviditv. He walks
erect, but with 4 strangely awkward gait, throw
ing out his hands with every step. His hands ~
pieca Of bread tossed to him from q little dr.
tance, which be vas eager to get, m
could not catch, but let it fall clunaily to the
ground. He wears clothes, to which he VIZ, y
first, as ave1se as the other boy. His forehe1a
is low, but his fscs would hardly bo called dnu
and restless, but not aa iuquiriuE look ~ ~
jawa arc not protruding,. and his teeth are Tea
formed and thoroughly human. On bis le1s
cheek are scars bearing plainly the 1n1rn ia.o o.
teeth, where he must hayo been fea1fullT M1tea;
He has been taught to do some kinds o. o.
have lost all desire to escape7 he ulnglss
freely with the other children, amone
whom be has his faVorites. When the boy r. r.
mentioned VAS brought to tho orphanagc, ~
oue was maze 70 undetetano tnaI ue 1Qu5s .J
The other how to eat, and drink, and walk, ~
much OF the improvement Of the younger ofe ~ ~
these fespectp seemed due to the efforts o. "
older one The inference from these ext1solH
nary instances is strangely 1t variance NTH msn3
at1iznations now current. It does not pom! ~
the least to mans derivation from tho loTerc1s1.
E:ion, but exactly to the reverse. II We on3
look accurately and think closely We snsu ~ -.
much moro evidence, both in natu1s and IN "
tory, tha. tho lower creation is mans desesn'S
aat rather than his ANCESTOR"
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