Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-01-23
TO LEARN GORILLA TALK.
Prot Garner To Establish Himself In tn
African Forest in u stout Cage.

- Il
Prof. K. l.. Garner, who has achieved
a recent celebrity in connection with
the study of monkey language. is in
Washington consulting with scientific
men respecting an expedition to Africa
which he proposes to make. For some
years past he has devoted attention to
the analysis OF simian speech. his pur.
pose being to produce a lexicon there.
OF. Once having established an under
standing Of a few of the simpler words
used by these arboreal cousins of man
kind, he believes that it viii be easy
enough TO communicate with them in
telligently. Thus they may be cdu-
Gated in a limited degree aud may be
taught to be of some service 10 the
world.
Prof. Gamers present intention is
TO learn something Of the speech Of
gorillas. These great apes represent
an elevated type among the anthro-
poids; they are rapidly diminishing in
Plumbers, and ii Is desired to secure n
few last words from them. at all
events, before their kind becomes ex-
tinct. Accordingly he proposes to sail
- ~" Wins tCuGt " AuE Ht1t Jas
Of Africa. whence he will make his
way into the Gaboon country. where
are vast forests which afford n home
to the greatest numbers Of gorillas to-
day. He will take with him a large
iron cage, constructed in sections so
as to be readily transported.
This cage is not Intended to catch
gorillas in. On the contrary, it is
meant TO keep them out. Prof. Gar
ner proposes TO occupy it himself, hav-
ing it set up in the midst of the forest.
1t will be big enough to provide him
with room TO sleep and to study. The
sections will be conveyed by carriers
into the wilderness. where they will be
put together. Prof. Garner antici-
pales that the study he has already
made of monkey talk viii be a help.
After acquiring by guess the meaning
of a few words, he will make use OF
them by taking part in the hcwls him
self. BY day as we'll as by night he
will make responses to the yells and
cries of gOrillas that he hears in the
woods. and he thinks that ia this way
he will be able to attract certain lodi.
viduals about him. Presumably they
will be favorably prepossessed with so
agreeable an authropoid rs the p%rofes.
sor. and intimacieS may result which
will afford most profitable onportuni-
ties for conversation. He will not
venture out of his cage. however.
Prof. Garner will carry along with
him eight monographs and a gross OF
blank cylinders. The monographs
will be placed around the inside of the
cage, with large tin trumpets fixed to
their diaphragms aud pointing out.
ward. II any g%orillas approach the
barred Enclosure and have any remarks
TO make of n hostile or amatory IA
ture, the electric batteries controlling
the monographs can be turned on at a
seconds notice. and the words uttered
will be indeliblv recorded, for the
future ediiication Of civilized lecture
audiences. Electric lights will illumi.
nate the cage and its surroundings al
night, in order that the species of the
creatures which approach may be prop.
erly identified. 1t is hoped that thi:
may serve incidentally to attract goril'
las.
There are no monkeys in Africa,
The simian order is represented there
by two great families OF tailless ape:
the gorillas and the c~himpanzees
The latter are found all the way across
the continent 10 that latitude. For in
telligence they are celebrated. Prof
Garner proposes to try to learn some
thing of their language also. How
very desirable it would be if such al
object could be attained! Missionar'
societies might be organized for tn,
CHARACTERIZATION of ch~impanzees, an'
they in turn could be employed TO dis
tribute tracts among the gorillaS, whicI
have hitherto been so conspicuous,
intractable that they arc said TO be th
only animals which will invariably al
tack man on slightly. Y. SHgl.