Gorillas & ChimpanzeesGarner, R. L. (Richard Lynch)
Science
Gorillas & Chimpanzees
Garner, R. L. (Richard Lynch)
Chimpanzees; Gabon -- Description and travel; Garner, R. L. (Richard Lynch), 1848-1920 -- Travel; Gorilla
While I was present with the sick one, Aaron appeared to feel a certain
sense of relief from the care of him, and frequently went climbing
about as if to rest and recreate himself by a change of routine. While
I would take Moses for a walk, or sit with him on my lap, his little
nurse was perfectly content; but the instant they were left alone,
Aaron would again fold him in his arms as if he felt it a duty to do so.
It was only natural that Moses, in such a state of health, should
be cross and peevish at times, as people in a like condition are;
but during the time I never once saw Aaron resent anything he did,
or display the least ill-temper towards him, but, on the contrary,
his conduct was so patient and forbearing that it was hard to forego
the belief that it was prompted by the same motives of kindness and
sympathy that move the human heart to deeds of tenderness and mercy.
At night, when they were put to rest, they lay cuddled up in each
other's arms, and in the morning they were always found in the same
close embrace; but on the morning Moses died, the conduct of Aaron was
unlike anything I had observed before. When I approached their snug
little house and drew aside the curtain, I found him sitting in one
corner of the cage. His face wore a look of concern as if he was aware
that something awful had occurred. When I opened the door, he neither
moved nor uttered any sound. I do not know whether or not they have any
name for death, but they surely know what it is.
Moses was dead. His cold body lay in its usual place, but was
entirely covered over with the piece of canvas kept in the cage for
bed-clothing. I do not know whether Aaron had covered him up or not,
but he seemed to realise the situation. I took him by the hand and
lifted him out of the cage, but he was reluctant. I had the body
removed and placed on a bench about thirty feet away, in order to
dissect and prepare the skin and skeleton to preserve them. When I
proceeded to do this, I had Aaron confined to the cage, lest he should
annoy and hinder me at the work; but he cried and fretted until he was
released.
It is not meant that he wept or shed tears over the loss of his
companion, for the lachrymal glands and ducts are not developed in
these apes; but they manifest concern and regret which are motives of
the passion of sorrow, but being left alone was the cause of this.
When released, he came and took his seat near the dead body, where he
sat the whole day long and watched the operation.
After this he was never quiet for a moment if he could see or hear me,
until I secured another of his kind for a companion; then his interest
in me abated in a measure, but his affection for me remained intact.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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