The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-28
KNOWS SIX GORILLA WORDS.
Result Of -Four Months Sojourn il
q Steel Cage.


From the New York Sun.
Prof. Richard L. Garner, who went Il
Africa two years ago TO confirm his ides
that the gorilla and the chimpanzee each
has a language. and incidentally to OBJ
serve their habits, returned on the Etru
ria yesterday, and said that he is con
WINGED he was right.
Prof. Garner lett New York IN July
1892. and early in 1898 landed at Gatoon
north of the Ogowe river, on the west
coast Of Africa. Just north OF the equa
tor. He made several expeditions in
land, and finally decided to make his
headquarters near Lake Eernan Vac
about two degrees south of the equator
and about days march in 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 gorillas as was
consistent with his safety and for this
purpose he set up stout cage, open on
all sides.
This cage was six feet six inches square
and was made of stout steel rods five-six-
teenths of an inch in diameter. Over the
outside of the cage was stretched a stout
steel wire network, so that the gorillas,
if so inclined, could not get at him.
This cage was placed on a solid founda-
tion about three feet from the ground
and was anchored by three chains to the
ground. In the cage were all his camp
necessaries. For defense he had two re-
vOlvers, a magazine rife, and some arrows
filled with prlssic acid. designed to be
shot at the gorillas if necessary.
Then, too. he had a bag shaped like an
exaggerated canteen filed with COM
pressed ammonia and provided with a
short rubber hose and nozzle, with which
he intended TO make the immediate Vi
cinity of the cage unpleasant for the go
rillas.
He had expected to have photograph
for recording the different sounds which
he hoped 10 formulate into a sort Of Ian
guage, and he had also expected to have a
camera. This apparatus did not arrive in
England in time, however, and so he left
without it.
Prof. Garner said he went into the cage
late in April, and lived there until early
in August He left the cage frequently,
going out for short expeditions into the
Jungle, and also TO a native village and a
Roman Catholic mission not far away.
A part of the time ne had native boy
living in the cage with him. For other
company he had dog Not far from his
cage he built a shelter for young chin
panzee named Moses. He soon got ac-
quainted with Moses and then began to
study the sounds Moses uttered. This he
was able to do very well, for he had
Moses in his cage a good deal and they
took dinner together Moses made some
progress in table manners, and in turn
Prof. Garner studied the sounds Moses
gave voice 10. AS a result of his observa-
tions Prof. Garner says he learned six or
eight words 10 the chimpanZee language.
He believes that the vocabulary of the
'chimpanzee may include forty or fifty
words
Prof Garner said he could not put
these words into tangible form for the
public They are gnspellable in any
alphabet, and an attempt to spell them
results only in confusion.
The gorillas were not slow in finding
Prof. Garner and his cage. They fire.
quently approached the cage, and Prof
Garner says he saw more than any white
man has ever seen. All told, he saw
twenty-three or twenty-four.
His first eXperien with the gorillas
was about 4 O'Clock one morning A that
time a gorilla came within about 100 feet
of the cage and began a loud series OF
screams. They aroused Prof. Garner and
his native boy.
He got up, aud about that time hap
pened TO send his hoy out to get some
water. The boy left the cage and disap-
peared so rapidly and thoroughly that
/ Prof Garner never saw him again. He
did not learn much from this gorilla,
except the terrific quality Of a gorilla's
scream.
After the gorillas b ad become somewhat
accustomed to the CAGE they got in the
habit of going quite close to it. AT times
they came within few yards, and sitting
in his cage with his weapons close at
hand, Prof. Garner says he was able TO
observe all their movements and express
sions and TO pick out the distin tive
sounds which he says are the words in
their language. As a result of his sitting
in the cage for nearly four months he
says he learned five or six of the gorillas'
sounds.
The gorillas never gave him any serious
trouble and only on one occasion did he
attempt TO shoot one, ana that was when
. gorilla got after his dog.
Prof. Garner said that many of the
things about goriilas that are recorded in
BOOKS DO not tally with his o Observations.
Much has been based on assertions made
by natives. and the natives statements
about gorillas are in line with what he
considers the explorer wants TO know.
The gorilla is polyra nous, Prof Gar
ner says, and has way of retaining a
number of females .ot several years
They are seen in groups one adult male
with several d0ulL females. Prof. Gar
ner said they seemed to have a sort of
patriarchal way of keeping order.
One man told him that twice he had
seen king gorilla, sitting on the ground
eating plantaius which We're brought to
him by other gorillas. Prof. Garner did
not think that was true
During his stay in the Jungle Prof Gar.
ner co. possession of a young gorilla
about year old, whom he named Othello
. He kept him chained, for the beast was
inclined 10 be vicious for several weeks.
Before he left Africa Prof Garner Sc
cured the brains and vocal organs of sew
eral gorillas and chimpan4ees, some oi
which he presented TO the University
College at Liverpool A brain which he
lett there is to be examined at Oxford.
Prof Garner says he may go back tC
Africa to continue his studies.
He had thrown himselfat the feet OF
the girl he owed and on Bonded knees be
pleaded his cause.
win sou be my wife}" he urged pas
sionately
Certainly she responded with fas-
tidious frankness, but fCr goodness sa Ike
don't scrouch down that way. ! don't
like 70 accept man whose pantaloons
bag at the knee. Detroit Free Press.