The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-24
A TALK WITH MONKEYS.
TIE CONVERSATION THAT LASTS
FOR THREE RUORs.

FOR THREE HUORs.
What the Monkeys Said-"Please
Give Me Another Piece of Carrot
Misterr'-There Was Lively and In
teresting Early Morning Sesnce In
Central Park.
From the Nesc York Herald.
'"Can monkeys taIkl or course thew can
Didn't you ever hear thema Meet me at
O'Clock tomorrow morning at the Central
Park menagoris If you have any doubt
about it. You can see my experimsnts.
Robert L. Garner, who lie trying tc sif,
out language from the chattering of the
apes, spoke these words TO me on Tuesday
evening when questioned him about bis
work among the simians. Mr.. Garner Is In
New York making arrangements Tor visit
to Central Africa. the place where the
monkey is FREQ, uptrammeled and laxative
Epsconoed in an iron bound cage in the for
est. he will make friends with the little an.
castor Of man and try and learn more about
bis methods Of speech than he can in the
menageries OF the United States.
For many years he he's been an enthusi-
asst on tnis subject. When Mr.. Crowley.
the chimpanzse. was holding receptions in
In the old Arsenal in the park, Mr.. Garner
was frequent visitor. He watched and
watched, but said nothing.
Keeper Jake may have wondered who
this Observation-Disclosures, earnest-looking,
brown-eyed man was who had about him
so little Of the air Of one who came from
mere idle curiosity.
Don't you think that Crowley talks
sometimesr he asked Jake one day.
"Crowley can't talk" answered the mat
ter-of-fact keeper, "but every now and
then he chatters to Kitty, and she seems to
understand what he means.n
Kitty, IL Will be remembered, was Door
Crowley's chimpanzee wife.
What Is talkings Is it not a series of
sounds which stand for iceas9 If a monkey
makes noise and that noise has definite
meaning TO another monkey, isn't that talk
ingi Mr.. Garner thinks it is
But to make a list of these sounds and
translate them; there's the rubl Mr, Gar
ner has been at 1t many years, and he has
not found out more than half dozen. He
thinks the most highly developed monkeys
vocabulary does not number more than
fifty or sixty words. All his experiments
convince him that the species of sinian
called the capuoin has the most speech at his
command. .
WHAT DO MONKEYS TALK ABOUT?
Half-forgotten stories of uncanny chill
dren who had escaped to the woods and be-
ccme associates of monkeys, learning the
language Of their new-found friends, came
to my mind as entered the park soon after
daYbreak yesterday morning.
What will the monkeys sayl Have they
any new ideas to give to the world? Can
they vouchsafe facts supporting the OAR
winian theory3 Perhaps, after all, their
views are limited, and they think only of
the carrots and bread and milk that Keeper
Jake gives them day by day.
As | enter the monkey house see Jake
himself, red-faced and jolly, cleaning out
the cages. He is inside one of them, and
ten little simians are clustered at the top Of
the cage each one trying to hide behind an
other. They are swearing away at lively
rate. Surely they are saying something
They're scared to death this morning"
says Jake, pleasantly. "They have been
looking at those boxes down there. They
think they're going to be killed and carried
away In them"
He points to a couple of boxes of poll
ished wood, which have been in che monkey
house all night. They contain a phonograph
and an electric battery. They will make
immortal the speech Of some one of these
little fellows.
occupants look very much relieved Then
he enters another cage. A plump little
baboon looks up at him inquiringly, as il
uncertain of his mood.
"Come, Susie, my dear" he cries out, and
the big-fRced animal runs up his arm and
nestIes against him. "See how tickllsh she
is.n he says, aud the monkey giggles.
's'Sha's to be taken away from me to-
\ day." he added. THAT'S always the way
Just as soon as l begin co care for an ami
NAL lose 1t. Her owner is coming for
herr
just then the door opens and in comes
Mr.. Garner, brisk and business-like. He
dives under the railing opposite G cage con-
tanning dozen monkeys. There are sew
eral of the genus rhesus, some cspucins and
Jake's baboon Susie. He leans against the
cage aud utters a sort of piping whistle
something like this: "Wh-u-u-h, wh-u-
u-h." He repeats it a dozen times. At the
sound three little monkeys put their feet
and arms through the network, and the
man caresses them. They seem eager to
get near him.
'They evidently know you" observe.
mot at ALL says Mr.. Garner. ''They
are strangers to me"
He continues making the whistling sound.
Presently the monkeys take it up and re-
peat 1t evidently with much pleasure. They
understand this word, surely, whatever it
may be.
''FooD," THEY CRIED.
What are you folks talking aboutf" 1
inquired.
llaE WO15bllnR SOuDu uebu5 7lOOu. NAT.
Garner explains 81 have found that out
definitely. They utter the cry when they
are hungry and they think there is some
thing eatable about, and some one who will
give it TO them"
The Investigator has won the hearts of
his nimbIe little friends and they watch his
every move. He has ladder brought and
placed like a bridge between the top rail
and the floor of the upper cage. On this he
rested his photograph and turning the
switch that completes the electric circuit
he starts the wheels.
Now, boys" he says. "I'm going to give
you concert"
Then, turning to me-:
II mean to play them little music to see
how they'll take it."
A wax cylinder, marked 'Banjo solo," Is
placed in the photograph. and soon merry
''pliukity PUNK" is ground out The mon
keys cluster 10 the front and try TO grab the
the trumpet attachment to the machine.
One Of them steals the rubber speakine.
tube, but can't get it through the bars. He
drops it, and retreats badly scared as MIR.
Garner makes a dive for 10.
You aren't mechanic enough to improve
that" he observes, picking 10 up.
The monkeys do not seem very much
elated at the banjo solo. but they like to see
the wheels revolving, It's great fun for
them. Evidently they think the park COM
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