112 Musings by Camp-Fire and Wayside 



some examples of their reasoning out and solving 

 problems. There are touching instances of sym- 

 pathy and affection recorded in the book. The 

 advent of the white man has started a war upon 

 them by the natives, which will result in their ex- 

 tinction. The white man offers large pay for 

 "specimens," which leads the natives to hunt and 

 kill them. Mr. Garner has therefore not entered 

 upon an investigation of this subject any too soon. 

 He regards his work so far as preliminary. 



Recognition of the facts in regard to the minds 

 and sensibilities of the lower animals is necessary 

 to enlightened morality, even if we take only the 

 selfish view of its effect upon men's conduct in deal- 

 ing with each other. The old apothegm that a 

 merciful man is merciful to his beast is a principle 

 of general application. It applies to the whole 

 code. The teaching of metaphysical theorists and 

 dogmaticians is responsible for no end of cruelty to 

 beings which are subject not only to physical pain, 

 but to all the varieties of mental suffering of which 

 man is capable. They die of homesickness. They 

 experience depression and despair. They find exit 

 from an intolerable life by suicide. They have a 

 keen sense of wrong done to them, and some of 

 them seek satisfaction in revenge. They are pos- 

 sessed of domestic virtues, and of affection for each 

 other and for their young, and where they are gre- 

 garious, a patriotism for their tribe. 



The war upon the wild birds and animals is 



