Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-08
OUR COUSINS, THE APES.

IL Is hard lines, indeed, that Just
now, when we had almost forgotten
1t, we should be reminded anew that
we are descended from the ape family.
It has been some time since, DIR. OAR
wins theories have kept many Of us
awake nights, worrying. The time
has been devoted with more pleasure
to consideration of arts, sciences
(dodging Africa,) race suicide, high
finance, worlds fairs automobiles and
yachts. William Sunday, j. Wilbur
Chapman and others who are sweep
ing the country with religious revivals
must even stop and listen to the new
voice that comes from Africa, via
England, and declares that we are,
whether we like it or not, defendants
of the monkey family and have no
souls to save, unless there might be
monkey heaven.
The new astonisher, an Englishman,
is Colonel Harrison and he has just
returned from the heart of Africa
bringing with him, as exhibit A in his
chain of evidence, six dwarfs whom
he In luced to accompany him back to
civilization. These dwarfs belong to
the tribe which was discovered by
Stanley in the heart of the great for
est. Four of Colonel Harrison's little
travellers are males and two are
females. Their height varies from
three feet eight inches to four feet
six inches, which is as tall as they
ever grow Lille their cousins, the
monkeys, they mature at an early age,
are old at 80 and die before 40. The
men are exceedingly we'll formed and
the women are very comely. One of
the women, who is about 20, is
described as being beautiful. Her
figure is exquisitely proportional and
her features are clearcut, except for
little too much thickness of nose
and lips. These dwarfs have dark
complexion and curly hair, although
not kinky like the negroes. They are
described as being intelligent and
good natured.
The striking features Of these
pygmies, however, is that facially
they are strongly suggestive Of simian
relationship. In fact their physical
and mental characteristics are curl
Gus blending of the attributes OF apes
and human ,eings. They are very
close to the missing link" which Oar
win vainly sought in his descent of
man. While 1t is not pretended that
t.-ey actually supply this hiatus N the
chain of evidence these dwarfs furn-
ish some new and curious data for
anthropological studies.
1t is needless to say that any evil
dence that will ten>. to shed new light
upon the origin of man will be heartily
welcomed by the world, no matter
what the outcome may be- 1t will be
great relief to some persons to learn
that they have no souls. Such a
thought would be an unspeakable
comfort to nan Patterson, Johann
Hoch, and few others of minor note
1t would also add to the usefulness
not to say agreeableness, of many per-
sons to know that they have no an
cestry worth boasting about They
would be enabled to come down off
the perch, SO to speak. and get busy
AS for the rest of mankind, the ques.
ton is of little Importance. If we
have souls there is always the hope of
salvation, and if we have not, the end
will be logical and fitting conclusion
Of life which may be SUNNI ed up as
yet a little sleep, little slumber, a
little folding of the hands to sleen''