NEW VARIETY OF MONKEY. 389 



the simplest arts of life requiring the exercise of the 

 least reasoning powers, then there might have been 

 some reason to accord to the Doko the dignity of 

 belonging to our species ; but when we are fully 

 acquainted with the character and manner of living 

 of an animal that coincides exactly witli the chief 

 characteristics of the habits of the Doko, it would 

 have been more philosophical to have classed them 

 at once with monkeys. In that case, no reasonable 

 objection could have been made to the supposition 

 that they were a new and distinct variety of that 

 animal, and which, perhaps, admitted of domestica- 

 tion to a much greater extent than any with which 

 we are at present acquainted. It is probable, 

 indeed, that this will be found to be the foundation 

 of the whole story, for we are told that " their 

 docility and usefulness, added to very limited wants, 

 render them in high demand. None are ever sold 

 out of the countries bordering the Gochob, and 

 none, therefore, find their way to Shoa." This I 

 consider to be another evidence of their being 

 monkeys, for had they been real men and women, 

 slave-dealers would most certainly have conveyed some 

 of them either into northern Abyssinia or to Zanzibar. 

 The plea of humanity, which has been stated to 

 actuate these traffickers in human flesh not to 

 separate the faithful and affectionate Doko from 

 his master, I am glad to observe is too absurd not 

 to be suppressed ; but it is no reason why I should 

 not mention this part of the statement as an 



