Account of the Nuremberg Boy, Caspar Hatiser. 137 



details of the narrative, and then mention what was repeated to 

 me of a conversation of which I heard only a part. 



" His manner of speaking and of pronouncing German was 

 that of a foreigner, who has exercised himself for some years in 

 it. The motion of the muscles of the face indicated an effort, 

 and was nearly such as is observed in deaf and dumb persons 

 who have learned to speak. The style of the written narrative 

 resembled that of a scholar of ten or eleven years, and consist- 

 ed of short and simple phrases, without errors in orthography 

 or grammar. The following is a brief account of it : — 



" His recollections disclose to him a dark dungeon, about five 

 feet long, four broad, and very low ; a loaf of bread, a pitcher 

 of water, a hole for his wants, straw for a bed, a covering, two 

 wooden horses, a dog of the same material, and some ribbons, 

 with which he amused himself in decorating them. He had no 

 recollection of hunger, but he well remembered being thirsty. 

 When he was thirsty he slept, and on awakening the pitcher 

 was found full. When he was awake, he dressed his horses 

 with the ribbons, and when his thirst returned he slept. The 

 man who took care of him always approached him from behind, 

 so that he never saw his figure. He remained almost constant- 

 ly seated. He recollects no feeling of uneasiness. He is igno- 

 rant how long this kind of life lasted ; and when the man began 

 to reveal himself and to speak to' him, the sound of his voice be- 

 came impressed upon his ear. His words are indelibly engrav- 

 ed upon his memory, and he has even retained his dialect. 

 These words ran exclusively on fine horses, and latterly on his 

 father, who had some, and would give them to him. One day, 

 (I make use of this word although it is improper, for to him 

 there were neither day, nor time, nor space,) the man placed 

 upon his legs a stool with paper, and led his hand in order to 

 make him trace some characters upon it. When the impulse 

 given by the man's hand ceased, his hand also stopped. The 

 man endeavoured to make him understand that he was to go 

 on. The motion being without doubt inopportune, the man 

 gave him a blow on the arm. This is the only feeling of pain 

 which he remembcis. But the stool greatly embarrassed him, 

 for ho had no idea of how he sliouid put it aside, and was ut- 

 terly unable to extricate himself from this prison within a pri- 



