Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-28
A MYTH REVIVED.
A True Romulus and Remus in Ind


Prof. ]. H. Seelye, in letter dated ALA
babad, India, Nov. %, 1872, and pub
lished in the amherst College Student, tells
the following strange story:
"Not far from Agra, in Northern India,
is a mission station of the Church Mission
arv Society, connected with which is an or
pnanage with several hundred children, now
under the efficient care of the Rev. E. g.
Erhardt. The region around is infested
with wolves, by which, every year, num-
bers of children are carried of and devour-
ed, But in two Instances at least, instead
of being killed and eaten, the children have
been kept alive and nourished with, if not
by these beasts. Whether the story of Ro-
mulus and Remus be myth or not, this is
an actual reality, for the children them
selves have been captured from among the
wolves and brought TO the orphanage above
mentioned. They wera both boys, and ap-
parentlv of some seven or eight years OF
age when taken. They were found al diff
ferent times, the last one in March of the
present year.
"Some hunters smoking wolves ont of
cave, were startled when the wolves appear
ed by the appearance among them of
creature looking strangely human, but run
ming rapidly on all feQrs lihe th6 ""''--
though not so rapidly 3. ~ n -,gs,
e"us-' - v,IncuIty, and there was no
mistaking that he was a child of human
parentage, bat with the habits and actions
and appetites of a wild beast. The hun
ters brought him to the oiphanage, where
he was received and cared for. Though his
physica. form and features were sufficient
4 Il - 10 ~
were no other indications about him of any
thing human. In all other respects, in the
language of Mr.. Erhardt, g perfect animal
He had no speech. but whine. He would
wear no clothes, tearing from him every
| thing of the kind, whenever put on. He
| would eat nothing but raw flesh, aud when
! he drank he Tapped the water with his ton
| CUE. Left to himself he would hide iu
some dark spot during the day, from which
he would come Out at night and pFowl
about the enclosure, picking up bones, il
any were to be found, and ravenously gnaw-
| ing them. 1t at FIRST seemed Impossible fol
/ him to walk erect, but after much difficulty
he was taught to do so, and also to use q
| fork and 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 Eaich re.
ceived him, he pined away and died, aftel
had bSeu 10 the oTphanage little over foui
iaenths. In all this time he could not be
made to utter a word; be was never seen to
smile, nor show any signs ofjoy, or shame,
or gratitude. But Mr.. Erhardt who gave
me this account, assured me that his fact
looked more intelligent than the averagt
Hindoo children, and that his color and fea
lures indicated that his parentaee mus
have been of family of high caste.
"The other boyI saw myself, few day
since, at the orphansge, where he was
brought about six years ago, having beel
when captured much as was the tirst-men
toned boy, and having shown precisely th'
same habits as belonged to him. He ha
not vet spoken word, but has exchanged
the whine, which was his only utterance
for sounds expressive of pleasure, and az
parently, also, of gratitude. He no longer
prefers raw flesh for food, but eats brea
and fruit with ravenous aVidity. lie walk
erect, but with strange awkward gai
throwing out his hands with every step. Hi
hands are perfecly formed ,ibut he uses theI
awkwardly. A piece ofbiead tossed to hin
fiom little distance, which he was cage
to get, he could not catch, but let it fal
clumsily to the ground. He wears clothes
to which he was at first as averse as tn
other boy. His forehead is low, but hi
face would hardly be called dull, and Gel
tainly rot idiotic. His eyes have a vii
and restless but not an iEquiriDg lool
His Jaws are not protruding, and his teet
are well-formed and thoroughly human
On his left cheek are scars bearing plainl
the Marks of teeth, where he must hay
been fearfully bitten. He has been taugl
TO do some kinds ofwork, but not faithful.
He seems to have lost all desire to escape
He mingles freely with the other children
among whom he has his favorites. Vine
the boy first mentioned was brought
the orphansge this one was made to under
! stand that hs must teach the other how
eat and drink and walk, and much of Il
Improvement of the younger one in thes
respects seemed due to the efforts OF Il
, older one.'