The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-07-05
NEA6T-MEN.
fCinc.unati Enquirer

and raised by wolf, an animal that he
has heard and read of as being one of the
most ferocous Of all the carnivora, thinks
to himself what a terrible lot of liars
those old classical authors were. But of
late wears scientific investigation has I'M
travelled much that renders it not improb.
able that the old Roman historians spoke
the truth, for children have been dis
covered in caves possessing animal habits
and tastes-wolf Observation-Disclosures
have led naturalists to assert that wolves
do raise children. The beast-men and
wolf-childrcn of India and Europe resem-
bic savage races on the one hand, and
many wild animals on the other, in the
possession of other shelter than that
which is afforded by the caves and for
ests. They have no proper dwelling, and
no capacity for constructing any. In
India they live in caves just as do the
wolves with which they associate, and by
which il is believed in some instances
they are brought up. Cebhardt says that
at the Lucknow madhouse was an elderly
fellow who had been dug out of a wolves
den by a European doctor. These wolf
children, as they are called, tear and eat
raw flesh, gather and gnaw bones like
dogs, catch and swallow flies, bite the
heads of live fowls, lap water with
their tongues. One of them is thus de-
scribed: He drank water like dog, and
liked bone ard raw meat better than
anything else. His civilization has pro-
gressed so far that he likes raw meat less,
though he viii still pick up bones and
sharpen his teeth on them. Then there
are others who, before they eat or taste
food, smell it, aud when they don't like
the smell they throw it away. A boy
found in company with a female wolf and
her cubs rejected cooked meat with dis
gust, but delighted in raw flesh and
bones, putting them out on the ground
like dog, under his paws, says Colonel
Sleeman. Professor Max Muller, who
saw the same boy, says the wolf-child
would devour anything, but preferred
raw meats He even ate half lamb
without any effort. Even quilt stuffed
with cotton, given him in cold weather,
was torn by him and partly swallowed.
These children have number of ami.
NAL characteristics that have puzzled the
scientists, such as the squirrel-like habit
of climbing trees, as Peter of Hanover
and Victor OF Aveyren did; providing al
night and hiding in solitary places, and
sleeping by day; tapping or sucking watel
like an OK, horse or dog, which the Alvey
rem wild boy did: eating raw flesh, snap
ping at flies and cannibalism, smelling
food before eating it, and eating acorn'
and raw fruits, such as seeds, roots, bark
leaves, grass, both OF which character
istics were peculiar to the two boys abov,
mentioned. Feroclous biting--the DO,
found with the wolf and her cubs flew
at and tried to bite children. Such chill
dren never smile. are insensible to kind
ness, and show no signs Of JOY, and hav
no sense OF shame. They have an abso
lutte repugnance to clothing OF any sort
and do not have spoken language, onl
yell, howl and whine. Hanoverion Pete
uttered no sound, while V;ctor's voic
was imperfect and cultural. They cannc
be educated any more than an idiot. D.
Arbuthnot, at the request of George l
attempted to educate Peter, the wild DO,
but he conld not be taught to do til
simplest act without superintendent,
One Of a couple of wolf.children of Oud
India, is described by Professor Seele.
which died in the midst of Anglo.India
civilization, but the child considered !
was in captivity all the time. His habi
in the woods had been those Of the VOL
and despite all the reformatory effects
died as he lived, a beast.child.
There are some scientific men wi
claim that these children are abandon'
idiots, who have been left to perish, b
this would not account for the traits tn
are so peculiarly wol6sh. 1t is not il
possible that the common people are CT
rect, aud that their foster mothers q
Involves.
There are many savage tribes who Ii
as animals do, by grubbing up roo
, Some relish lice, like monkeys. T
} Digger Indians eat lizards raw, OF
pulling out their tails. They eat de
: horses and moldy meat, while I
Apaches love dead horses and asses. 7
, Dokos and Mencopics eat raw food, u
the fierce Zulus cat carrion. Bruce q
Baker says that the Hamram Arabs
e steaks cut raw from live oxen, and
!, Nadaa Of Ceylon eat wild honey, de
IL