The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-28
MONKEY TALK.
Prof. Gamers investigation of
Simian Language.

Prof. Il. l.. Garner, tho former resi-
dent OF Roanoke, who has but recently
returned from years stay in the
African bush, almost directly under the
equator, whore he had gone to learn the
monkey language, as spoken in the
native Businesses, arrived in this city
yesterday noon from Cincinnati, whore
mis- wife is now stopping. He will re-
main in the city several days, and, il
the NJ cessary arrangements can be
made, will open his lecture s-ason at
the Academy Of Music.
Professor Garner was busy all the
afternoon shaking hands with his many
friends, but he took time to give an in
terview to TIMES man and related an
interesting story Of his conception Of
his novel idea that monkeys, like their
human brethren, have a language Of
their own, which can be learned with
careful study, and how he carried out
this research in his iron cage in the
wilds Of darkest Africa.
1t was about ten years ago, said Mr..
Garner, that, noticing two small mon
keys In cage with mandril in the
Geological Gardens in Cincinnati. chat
tering to themselves, that he first got
the idea that they were uttering more
Vhoh ohO CElco VI dlbEu, anu
that in reality they were telling one
another something about their dreaded
companion.
1t was just before he came to Roa-
noke, he said, and from time to time he
never failed Of an opportunity to study
this chatter of the monkeys and to
make experiments in phonetics upon
Edisons photograph or graphophone:
AS his Investigations finally leaked out
through story published in the Wash
ington Star, ne THEN sought to explain
his suppositions apd make preparations
to study further in the line Of work he
had undertaken.
Realiz ng that this could hest be done
in the home of the highest types of the
ourapg outangs, gorillss and chimpan-
ices, he made the necessary arrange
ments, and finally landed on the south
west coast OF Africa at the French
colony in Lower Guinea, and made mis-
way to the interior, four days journey
up river, where he located IN the
heart of the monkey land
HIS cage, taken along for protection
from the wild beasts and rs security
for himself and his stores, was col
lapsible affair, built OF twenty-four iron
panels, which could readily be taken
apart and transported from place to
place. Inc cage was in the form OF
cube, 615 feet in imensions. In this he
stayed sometimes ID week, and from it
he would go forth to the nearby native
towns.
Gorillas and monkeys would cluster
about him and from them ne got good
insight into their language and methods
1t was his intention TO take along a
phonograph To take down the sounds
which they uttered, but through
failure Of Edison to fulfill mis- contract
to furnish one he WAS obliged to do
withoutit Professor Garner did, now
ever, succeed In learning eight words o:
the monkey language, which ne con
siders very good orginning. H. was
in Africa little over year in conduct
ing his researches and coun.s upon re-
turning again To Continue mis- inves.iga-
tion,.
Prof. Garner is OF curse a believer
in evolution, and In his line OF work he
main tains that he is carr, ing on an in
vestigation in very i'm portant branch
which Darwin, owing To the lsck OF
time, did not uoucu up;n. He has
found that the vocal organs in
the monkey lrioe are me- like
those Of human beings tuan any
other porison OF thrir ana,o,uy AID cites