Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-07-14
A Japanese Tribe Of Hairy People
Who Possess Tails.


Swift libeled humanity by degrading it
dreadful fiction of the Yahoos he ever
imagined that there existed aught that
Appropriated toward the odious pict-
ure2 Yet such is the case. There are,
undoubtedly races whose attributes do,
in various degrees, suggest, if they do
not realize, the misanthropic fables of
the men-beasts of Houyhnhnms Land.
The Maintains of Africa, who live be-
tween the Gulf of Benin and Abyssinia,
are said to have tails, a statement con-
| firmed by DR.. Hubsh, of Constantinople,
in 1851. The hairy people" men,
| toned of old by Hanno seem to have a
real existence apart from the gorilla
| Judging from Miss Birds account of the
Amos of Japan, strange, savage, little
known race, supposed to be the aborig-
ines of that country, but now only to be
found in the Island of Yezo. They are,
she SAYS. of most ferocious aspect,
owing to the profusion of their thick, soft
| black hair and boards, and to the singu-
| lar fact that their bodies are commonly
covered with a vigorous growth of black
hair or fur, upward of an inch in length,
and incrusted with dirt, for the Amos
/ l.
abominable things" and "thick soup
made of putty-like clay, which is boiled
with the bulb of a wild lily" They
believe themselves to be descended
from dogs, but other characteristics OF
this strange people are not unamiable.
| Bevond these instances, and presenting
q far more striking resemblance to the
Yahoo type, there are the Yeddas OF
4 AL &c ~ +haf It1n N
Borneo and New Guinea, and kindred
varieties discovered in the Philippine
Islands. Terra del Fuego. and South
hateful as the creatures of Swift's inven
ton. 1t needed that fierce indignation
against his kind, which he has recorded
in his epitaph, to depict them. Tn,
Veddas and similar races In the island.
of the Asiatic Archipelago are described
as the aborigines of their respective
countries, who have shrunk into the
Jungle and forest to escape from civil
cation, and have lived there for upward:
of 1900 years. They construct no hab
itations, but lodge in caves or trees oil
under overhanging rocks. They are
stunted in size, seldom exceeding foul
feet eight inches in statue, and but feebly
built, except as regards their arms
which the constant use of the bow rend.
ers very muscular, notwithstanding theil
short, ape-like thumbs. With this weap'
on they kill animals for food; devour.
ing, besides, snakes, reptiles, wild hon
ey, ants, eggs, and carrion OF all kinds
They lack both memory and foresight
can not count or discriminate between
colors. are filthy in their habits, and in
TO- 10,
guage of uncouth cultural sound:
and some dim vestiges o.
religion and social order, ar,
as beasts of the field. Saddest per
haps of all. they never laugh. Wher
they die they believe they become devils
Yet this benighted and outcast race, SC
low in organization, habits and charac
ter as scarcely to be distinguished from
the monkeys of the jungle among whom
they live, practice by instinct virtues
which are not too common in civlliza
ton. They never lie, steal nor quarrel
Some of these unfortunate creature:
have been half-tamed by the Cingalese
and set to outdoor work, like the Iahoo
of the Houyhnhnms. When the Prime,
of Wales visited the island in 1876, GER
tain of the jungle Veddas were actual!
caught in snares and traps to be exhib
tied to him: and one of The number;
female-positively died of fright in be
ing secured. 1t was not humane
transaction, but the Veddas are regard
ed merely as animals. Finally, il may
be remarked, in connection with Swift
curious anticipation, that he place,
Houyhnhnms Land near the great island
continent of Australia. 1t appears il
the map of the first edition of "Guli
ver'' as due south of Nuyst's Land, il
about 50 degrees south latitude, and II;
degrees east longitude. Now, Ceylon i
but So degrees west of this locality
though above, as New Guinea is jus
below, the equator. The Yahoos could
not have been better accommodated
| All the Year Round.