DO BEASTS HAVE IMMORTAL SOULS?
Mr. Wood claims that all animals have a distinct language of their own by which they can distinctly convey ideas one to another. After arguing the case very conclusively he gives the following illustrations of it:— “Looking at the nervous system of insects, in which there is no definite brain, but merely a succession of ganglia united by a double nervous cord, many physiologists have thought that reason could not be one of the attributes of the insect race. Yet nothing is more certain than that they are able to converse with each other and communicate ideas, this fact showing that they must possess reason. As far as we know, the hymenopterous insects—namely, the bees, wasps, and ants—are the best linguists of the insect race, their language being chiefly conducted by means of their antennæ. A good example of this was witnessed by me in the summer of 1872. “At breakfast time, some pieces of the white of an egg were left on a plate. A wasp came in at the window, and, after flying about for awhile, alighted on the plate, went to the piece of egg, and tried to carry it off. Wishing to see what the insect would do, I would not allow it to be disturbed. After several unavailing attempts to lift the piece of egg, the wasp left it and flew out of the window. Presently, two wasps came in, flew directly to the plate, picked up the piece of egg, and in some way or other contrived to get it out of the window. These were evidently the first wasp and a companion which it had brought to help it. “I had a kind of suspicion that when the wasps reached their home they would tell their companions of their good fortune, and so I put some more egg on the plate and waited. In a very short time, wasp after wasp came in, went to the plate without hesitation, and carried off a piece of egg. The stream of wasps was so regular that I was able to trace them to their nest, which was in a lane about half a mile from my house. “The insect had evidently reasoned with itself that, although the piece of egg was too heavy for one wasp, it might be carried by two; so it went off to find a companion, told it the state of things, and induced it to help it in carrying off the coveted morsel. Then the two had evidently told the other inhabitants of the nest that there was a supply of new and dainty food within reach, and had acted as guides to the locality. Here is positive proof that these insects possess a very definite language of their own, for it is impossible that human beings could have acted in a more rational manner. “Every one knows that wasps carry out one of the first principles of the military art by always having the gate of their fortress guarded by a sentinel. Should there be danger, the sentinel gives the alarm, and out dash all the inhabitants at the offender indicated by the sentinel. “It is clear that, out of the many hundred wasps which form a full-sized nest, the individual who is to act as sentinel must be selected, and its task appointed. We do not know how the selection is made, but that such is the case is evident; for the rest of the wasps acknowledge their sentinel, trust to it for guarding the approaches of the nest, while they go about their usual task of collecting food for the young and new material for the nest. “As for the ants, some of their performances are absolutely startling, so closely do they resemble the customs of human civilization. “They have armies commanded by officers, who issue their orders, insist upon obedience, and on the march will not permit any of the privates to stray from the ranks. There are some ants which till the ground, weed it, plant the particular grain on which they feed, cut it when ripe, and store it away in their subterranean granaries. There are ants which are as arrant slaveholders as any people on earth ever were. They make systematic raids on the nests of other ants, carry off the yet unhatched cocoons, and rear them in their own nests to be their servants. “There are ants which bury their dead—a fact which was discovered by accident. “A lady had been obliged to kill some ants, the bodies of which lay about on the ground. Presently a single ant found its dead companions, and examined them and went off. Presently it returned with a number of others, and proceeded to the dead bodies. Four ants went to each corpse, two lifting it, and the other two following—the main body, some two hundred in number, following behind. The four bearers took their office in turns, one pair relieving the other when they were tired. They went straight to a sandy hillock, and there the bearers put down their burdens, and the others immediately began to dig holes. A dead ant was then placed in each grave and the soil filled in. The most curious part of the proceedings was that some six or seven ants refused to assist in grave-digging. Upon which the rest set on them, killed them, dug one large hole, and tumbled them unceremoniously into it.” “Some time ago a couple of shepherds met in a market-place, each, as a matter of course, accompanied by his dog, one of which had been suspected of sheep-worrying. After the manner of dogs, the animals accosted each other, and soon assumed so remarkable a demeanour in their conversation that their owners consulted together on their own account, and agreed to set a watch upon their dogs. On that very evening, both dogs started from their homes at the same hour, joined each other, and set off after the sheep. “Here we have a direct example that dogs have a sufficiency of language to convey ideas. The old offender had invited the young and innocent dog to go with him sheep-worrying, and had even managed to tell him the time when he was to start on his expedition.” “Two very remarkable instances of language and combination are given by Colonel W. Campbell in his ‘Indian Journal.’ The writer is, perhaps, better known by his nom de plume, ‘The Old Forest Ranger.’ He was at Ranee Bennore on a hunting expedition:— “‘I witnessed this morning a curious instance of wolfish generalship that interested me much, and which, in my humble opinion, goes far to prove that animals are endowed to a certain extent with reasoning faculties, and have means of communicating their ideas to each other. “‘I was, as usual, scanning the horizon with my telescope at daybreak to see if any game was in sight. I had discovered a small herd of antelopes feeding in a field from which the crop had lately been removed, and was about to take the glass from my eye for the purpose of reconnoitring the ground, when, in a remote quarter of the field, concealed from the antelopes by a few intervening bushes, I faintly discerned in the grey twilight a pack of six wolves, seated on their hind quarters like dogs, and apparently in deep consultation. “‘It appeared evident that, like myself, they wanted venison, and had some design upon the antelopes; and, being anxious to witness the mode of proceeding adopted by these four-legged poachers, I determined to watch their motions. I accordingly dismounted, leaving my horse in charge of the sowar, and, creeping as near the scene of action as I could, without being discovered, concealed myself behind a bush. “‘Having apparently decided on their plan of attack, the wolves separated, one remaining stationary, and the other five creeping cautiously around the edge of the field, like setters drawing in a shy covey of birds. In this manner, they surrounded the unsuspecting herd, one wolf lying down at each corner of the field, and the fifth creeping silently toward the center of it, where he concealed himself in a deep furrow. “‘The sixth wolf, which had not yet moved, now started from his hiding-place and made a dash at the antelopes. The graceful creatures, confident in their matchless speed, tossed their heads as if in disdain, and started off in a series of flying bounds that soon left their pursuer far behind. But no sooner did they approach the edge of the field than one of the crouching wolves started up, turned them, and chased them in a contrary direction, while his panting accomplice lay down in his place to secure wind for a fresh burst. Again the bounding herd dashed across the plain, hoping to escape on the opposite side; but here they were once more headed off by one of the crafty savages, who took up the chase in his turn, and coursed them till relieved by a fresh hand from an opposite quarter. In this manner, the persecuted animals were driven from side to side and from corner to corner, a fresh assailant heading them at every turn, till they appeared perfectly stupefied with fear, and, crowding together like frightened sheep, began to wheel around in diminishing circles. “‘All this time, the wolf which lay concealed in the furrow near the center of the field had never moved, and although the antelopes had passed and repassed within a few feet of him, and had, perhaps, even jumped over him, his time for action had not yet arrived. It now became evident that the unfortunate antelopes must soon be tired out; when it appeared probable that the surrounding wolves would have made a combined attack, and driven the terrified herd toward the center of the field, where the wolf which had hitherto been lying in reserve would have sprung up in the midst of them, and secured at least one victim.’51 “‘At this period of the proceedings, the spectator shot the nearest wolf, whereupon the other five decamped and allowed the antelopes to escape. “‘Here we have reason and a power of combination for mutual action that would have done credit to human beings. “‘The anecdote shows also that there is much more detail in the language of animals than is generally supposed. Each had its different work assigned, so that the wolves must have possessed some means of indicating that locality; and each undertook to play its own part in a scheme of small intricacy, so that their language must have been capable of expressing abstract ideas.’” “Most persons have heard of the celebrated rook parliaments, though very few have seen them. I have an account written by a lady who was at the time in bad health, and was reclining among some shawls behind a window curtain, where even the sharp-eyed rooks could not detect her. “The account much resembles those which have already been given by other writers, but introduces one additional circumstance. The rooks (called crows by the spectator) assembled in a circle, and in the middle was one bird lying very downcast and wretched. Two more rooks took their places at its side, and then a vast amount of chattering went on. At last, two birds, which seemed to act as accusers, pecked the central bird and flew off. All others then set on the condemned bird, pecked it nearly to pieces, and went away, leaving the mangled body on the ground. “The lady who witnessed this remarkable scene was much struck by the variety of expression employed by the birds, and their great expressiveness.” “The following anecdote of a rat shows how expressive and intelligible is the language of gesture: A gentleman living in Kent had a fancy for taming animals, and among others had some rats, which were on the most friendly terms, and used to run about him as he sat in his room. One of his rats had a litter of young, and, in order to insure their safety, they were placed in a bird-cage, and hung on a wall. “One night, after their master was asleep, he was awakened by something patting his cheek, and found it was one of his tame rats. He tried to sleep again, but the animal would not allow it, and was evidently disturbed about something. As soon as he obtained a light, the rat went to the door, and looked at him as if it expected him to follow. He did so, and it led him down the stairs into his room, and took him to the spot where one of the young was lying, having fallen from its cage. “Suppose that we substitute for the rat a deaf-and-dumb man or woman, the action would have been almost exactly the same, as would have been the ideas that were so lucidly conveyed by the language of gesture. The animal found that it was unable to put back its fallen young one, and must have calculated that its master was taller and stronger than itself, and so was able to replace the young rat. So it went in search of its master, traced him to his bedroom, which it must have done by the sense of smell, awoke him from his sleep, and showed him where his assistance was needed.” “How completely animals can make themselves understood by man, especially when they wish to help each other by the aid of man, may be seen in many of the anecdotes narrated in this work. Here is a case where a gander managed to convey ideas to human beings:— “‘I was once sitting at my window reading, when a gander came up and stood at the window, uttering the most discordant screams, and making the strangest gestures with his head. I was aware that he was a knowing bird, but had no idea what he wanted. “‘As soon as my wife and I came out, he waddled away round the stables and out-houses until he came to the mill-wheel. Then he stopped, went forward a few paces, and kept looking round at us. We could see nothing wrong; but in a short time we heard the plaintive voice of some young goslings which had fallen through the mill-lade, which had been left open. “‘There was no possibility of rescue except by putting on sufficient water to wash them through the conduit. I did so, ran to the end, caught them as they were washed out, and stored them to their delighted parent. The gander seemed overjoyed, as could be seen by his action as he strutted off to a place of safety, conscious that he had done great things. So he had.’” “There was a parrot, well known to our family, which was able to speak in two languages; and, when addressed, always replied in the language used by her interlocutor, speaking English or Portuguese, as the case might be.” “There was another parrot—a green one—that I did not know in life, having only seen her preserved skin in a glass case. None of the family had the slightest doubt that Polly was quite as well acquainted with the meaning of the words which she spoke as any of them could have been. Sometimes, before her feeding time, she would call out, ‘Cook, cook, I want potato.’ She knew what potato was as well as the cook did, and if anything else was put in the pan, she would take the vessel in her beak, throw out all the contents, and then cry, ‘Won’t have it, turn it out!’ “The few scraps of language which she had learned on board ship were occasionally produced just where they ought to have been omitted. On one occasion, the remarks were so singularly inopportune that one of the family offered52a remonstrance, saying, ‘O Polly! Polly! who could have taught you such language?’ Whereupon the bird at once replied, ‘You did.’ It is impossible, or, at all events, in the highest degree improbable that the bird should not have understood the language of its interlocutor as well as herself.” “The following anecdote, related by the late Rev. Cæsar Otway, who produces vouchers for the exact truth of the story, affords a remarkable instance of the capability possessed by the lower animals of understanding the language of man:— “‘A gentleman of property had a mastiff of great size, very watchful, and altogether a fine, intelligent animal. Though often let out to range about, he was in general chained up during the day. “‘On a certain day when he was let out, he was observed to attach himself particularly to his master. When the servant came, as usual, to fasten him up, he clung so determinedly to his master’s feet, showed such anger when they attempted to force him away, and altogether was so peculiar in his manner, that the gentleman desired him to be left as he was. “‘With him the dog continued the whole day; and when night came on, still he stayed; and on going toward his bedroom, the dog resolutely, and for the first time in his life, went up with him, and, rushing into the room, took refuge under the bed, whence neither blows nor caresses could draw him. “‘In the midst of the night, a man burst into the room, and, with dagger in hand, attempted to stab the sleeper. But the dog sprang at the robber’s neck, fastened his fangs in him, and so kept him down that his master had time to call for assistance and secure the ruffian, who turned out to be the coachman. He afterward confessed that, seeing his master receive a large sum of money, he and the groom conspired together to rob and murder him, and that they plotted the whole scheme leaning over the roof of the dog’s kennel.’ “‘The foregoing statement does not assert that the dog understood human language as completely as the men themselves did. But it is evident that the animal did gather from the conversation of the men that they intended to injure his master. The narrator does not state whether the conspirators mentioned any particular time for the murder, which was probably left to opportunity. The companionship of the dog during the day (which the intended murderers knew) might have prevented them from attacking their master by daylight, while his presence at night (which they did not know) effectually counteracted their plot.’” “‘My own dog, ‘Rory,’ perfectly understood much of our conversation, and if told by any of us to fetch the slippers, to shut the door, to wipe his feet, or to put the cat down stairs, he always performed the right act, showing that he knew the ideas represented by different words.’”