The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-26
KNOWS SIX GORILLA WORDS.
RESULT or a rom MONTHS SoJoURN
Nv A STEEL CAGE

ProG Garner Tells OF His Inauirr I.to tie
Language OF An,msI--Bi. Preparation.
for Dereuce-Found that the Chi,Pnnres
Has Forty Words IL Hts Vocabulary.
Prot Richard l. Garner. who went to Africa
two years ago to confirm his idea that the
gorilla and the chimpanzes each has Lam
guage. and incidentally 70 observe their
habits. returned on the Etruria yesterday. and
said that he Is convinced he was right
Prof Garner left New York in July. 1892. and
early in 1893 landed at Gaboon. north OF the
Ogowe River, on the west coast OF Africa. just
north OF the equator. He made several expe-
ditlons inland. and finally decided to make his
headquarters near Lake Fernan vaz. about
two degrees south OF the equator and about .
days march In a direct line from the coast.
He settled about mile back from the south
side Of the lake. Prof. Garner said last night
that he wished to come into as close contact
with the gorilas as was consistent with his
safety. and for this purpose he set IN q stout
cage, open on all sides.
This cage was six feet six inches square. and
was made OF stout steel rods i've sixteenths
Of an inch In diameter. Over the outside OF
the cage was stretched q stout steel wire net
work. SO that the Rorillas. II SO inclined. could
not get at him.
This cage was placed on q solid foundation
about three feet from the ground. and was
anchored By three chains to the ground. In
the cage were all his camp necesssries. For
defence he had two rovolvers. . magazine
rife and some arrows filled with prussic acid,
designed to be shot at the Eorillas II necessary.
Then, too. he had a bag shaped like an ex-
agRerated canteen filled with con pressed am
monia and provided with o short rubber hose
and nozzle with which he intended to make
the imm ediate vicinity Of the cage unpleasant
for the gorillas.
He had expected to have Q photograph for
recording the different sounds which he hoped
to formulate into q sort OF language and he
had also expected to have . camera This APP
paratus did not arrive IN England In time.
late n lived there wHaa 4u
Tor a short eTpsditions into the Jungle. and also
al part art Of the time he had native boy living
had DOG FAR from his cage Rs sat
shelter for young chimpanzes named Moses.
began to study the. sounds Moses uttered.
This he yas able l.. to do very vel,
tSs he and n ,Se, sSSs dinner IL
sIS Tsd. q ps.s q H. MSss
words !, IL tSs s6lIH,nzso a1EuaSs He e:
n fsg. ssrss1 ssia - sSua no. put these
tempt to spell them results only in confusion.
eanss sna HIS srs Ss r.G
preached the cage. and Prot Garner says he
al toS ts be @ @ s1 W & Sen
:ssS as: sSsst Ssnd%ss I'M
IS ID .ssss sSs iSs
send bis boy out out to 9 get some water; The boy
@s than 30 .spsy
gorilla except the terrific quality OF eoriiIa's
eastemsd g the cage they got n shs habit 81
Il his. ssG. With his U ses 1o6 eiess
expressions and to Diet out the Sistineti9s
Hn2Ss shss he as . Sitting II IN h sss
cage for nearly four months he says he learned
!f 81: xorss the ,Su Sn serou.
tempt tempt to shoot one, and that was when GO
about ,Soriiiss that are recorded in books DO
been based on assertions made by natives.
and the natives. statements about gorillas are
wants to know.
The gorilla Is polygamous. Prof. Garner
says and has way OF retaining number OF
apoups,oHe siuit male with seYe9a1 sdnIt
fsmAles. Prof Garner said they seemed TO
have . sort OF patriarchal way OF keeping
order.
One man told him that twice he had seen a
king gorilla. sitting on the ground eating
plantalns which were brought to him By other
gorillas. Prof. Garner did not think that was
trueL
During his stay in the Jungle Prof. Garner
got possession OF q young gorilla. about year
old. whom he named Othello, He kept him
chained. for the beast was inclined to be
vicious. for several weeks.
Before he left Africa Prof Garner secured
and chimpanzess some OF which he presentsd
to the University College ~ LIVERPOOL A brain |
which he left there Is TO be examined at OK
ford.
Prot. Garner says he may go back to Africa
to continue bis studies.