The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1894-01-06 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE LANGUAGE OF MONKEY LAND.  The return of Professor Garner and his story of the sympathetic chimpanzees recalls the fact that he had the late Sir Richard Burton as his precursor in the serious study of the simian language. In fact, Lady Burton records in her recent biography how, growing weary of the manners and conversation of the regimental mess, her husoand sought refreshment in the society of forty monkeys, who sat down to dinner with him daily, and were honoured with  various  official titles suited to the appearanoeand capacity of each. One of them—a pretty little silken creature. as sbe assure us. without a sign of jealousy —was called his wife, and had a lovely pair of pearl ear-ringe. Burton declared that he had quite mastered the elementa of their speech, said was able to keep up a tolerably fluent oonvensation with his loquacious friends. He made a list of some sixty of their most valuable words, but, unhappily the valuable document was lost in a fire. Since these days Professor Garner hes constituted himself  INTERPRETER OF THE CHINFAHREE LANGUAGE, into the nature of which he has recently made a very exhaustive study. Professor Garner, in a lecture delivered in Liverpool, stated that it wee in 80131011 where ha first began to study the monkey speech, where a new thought struck hint. Having committed some of the monkey sounds to memory, he thought that through the instrumentality of the phonograph he would be able to arrive at something like a comprehemtive idea. He therefore arranged to go to Africa, where he expected to get a phonograph sent after him. AN. however, he was disappointed in this respect, his mission had not been as successful , an it might have been. In the bush, the monkeys showed only slightly superior grains of intelligence , to other animals. Subjected to altered conditions, they evidenced a considerably greater amount. He thought at one time that anthropoids were so closely related to mankind that if there was such a thing LS monkey language it would be found 1 among them. The greatest resemblance to man, he believed, was to be found in the ringtailed monkey, whose language was equal to that of the apse. He described what might be called  .• A CHINIYANZIOS for those animals in one part of the country dad not speak the same language as their brothers in another part; but the sounds were very similar, and they could be easily imparted one With, other. In one portion of the country, five days inland from the east, and 300 south of the Equator, the natives gave the name of Knoloo Kamba to one I description of monkey. He did not know that I they were Justified in making a species of this Iparticular animal, bet the natives certainly well , defined four species. The vocal organs of these animals were substantially the same a. those of a human being. He never could understand what purpose they were intended for, unless it were for speech. But it was amid they only made sounds. He replied to that by observing that that was all that humus beings did, and by these sounds they conveyed ideas to one another, and the animals did the same. He gave several , illustrations as to how, by these sounds, animals conveyed warnings to each other, and always in such a way as to avoid the danger on the side opposite to that on which it was impending. Ile never knew them make a mistake as to the side on which they should flee. That could not be instinct, and he did not believe in anything of the kind. The Professor then gave an interesting account as to how he had suceeeded in getting gorillas in the bush to photograph themselves. This he did by arranging the apparatus at a certain distance from the cage, and attaching a cord on which was strung some food that the gorillas liked. They pulled the cord, and a trigger went off, with the result that he obtained some piotures, though they were faint.  Hoffman, of the Neillwille Press, is one of the lucky editors. Where other editori have to hunt fur riches, riches come to him. Everything he touches turns to money. Subscribers never beat him. Ile Foes into branches of businees that others fail in, and he makes money. For years there had been not a death in Jackson County, but Hoffman etarted a tombstone hictcry there at Black River Falls. and now you can hardly pick up a per without seeing a notice that somebody has died. Other editors have , to go and hunt for items, but items come to him. The other day Hoffman was sitting in his office trying to think of something to write to fill his column. He did not know what to do, and as he ant with his head buried in his hands a man named Lemon came in and said he was going to commit suicide, and would take it as a special favour if Hoffman would let him die there and write the affair up Hoffman grasped the man by the hand and told him to sit down and take the poison. The man did VI directed, and in a short time Hoffman had on his hands the sickest raan in the county. Re sent for several daai mi. _but they couldn't alive the man. and he died. lis disoMrs sill iiremest their bibs to Hoffman. Some man an Imes bee*. Bus auswelems leak dee so..nair