IN WOLVES LAIR

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1926, Page 13

IN WOLVES LAIR

TWO GIRLS LIVE WITH ANIMALS. BISHOP TELLS AMAZING STORY. Loudon, Oct, 22. The Westminster Gazette presents its readers with the following remarkable story on its merits, which it baa received from India. It tells of two native children being reared in a wolves’ lair. When consulted on the subject, anthropological experts in the laboratories of Professor G. Elliott Smith, at University College, London, were disinclined to give the story credence, beyond admitting that humans can subsist os any form of animal milk. Dr. G. M. Vevers, superintendent of the London Zoo, was also sceptical, and gave it as his opinion that the wolves would probably has eaten the children. The story, however, is vouched for by the Rev. J. A. L. Singh, of Midnapur. Bengal, and in part by Bishop H. Pakenham Walsh, of Bishop's College, Calcutta, and. is accordingly reproduced for its intrinsic interest. Bishop Walsh’s narrative is as follows: “At the end of August, 1921), I visited the orphanage run by the Rev. J. A. L. Singh and his wife at Midnapur, West Bengal. Mr. Singh used to be a student of Bishop’s College, Calcutta. HAUNTED BY DEMONS. “When visiting a distant part of his district, the villagers told him there was a certain path which they never used because it was haunted byq Bhuts (demons). They had seen these Bhuts. they declared, enter a hole at the foot of a big ant-heap. “Mr. Singh asked them to show him the pla e, and they pointed out the hole. They saw nothing, and at his suggestion sixteen of them started digging. “After some time two wolves darted out of the hole. Then a sue-wolf came to the entrance and snarled, growled, and refused to move, and they were obliged to shoot the poor brute. “Digging on, they came to the den, and found there two wolf clubs and two girls, one aged two, the other about eight. “The girls were very fierce. They darted away on all fours, going faster than anyone there could run, and i.ttering guttural barkings. They took refuge in a bush and were eventually caught. Their finger-nails were worn into a consave shape through constantly scratching the ground. “It is not an uncommon thing in that locality for children to be exposed when infants, especially if they are girls and not wanted. It is probable that the mother wolf had found one such baby and taken it home, carrying it by its clothes. Six years after the she-wolf must have found another baby, and, having found pleasure in having a ’cub’ that remained small and did not leave the den, adopted it too. PUT IN ENCLOSURE.

“Both girls were Bengalis, and it is not likely they were sisters. Mr. Eingh said that he would return and take away the children, and the villagers made an enclosure for them, and threw them food, not meat, because they would not touch it.. “By the time Mr. Singh returned they were almost dead, very weak, and covered with sores, and offered no resistance. He took them to his orphanage m Midnapur, where his wife did her best to nurse them to life. The younger, however, developed dysentery and died. The elder shed a few tears, the only sign of emotion she ever made. “The elder child grew up. She is of normal size, aud there is nothing peculiar about her except that she sits ani-mal-like and does nothing for hours together. Her face has a vacant appearance, but when she says one of the thirty words she has learnt, especially when she gives the Bengal greeting and says, *Namasker,’ she smiles sweetly and has a pleasing face. “For a long time she could not keep clothes on. They stitched some strong cloth tightly round her body which she could not tear off, and in course of time submitted to clothes. ATE LIKE AN ANIMAL. “Another thing she resented was being washed. For a long time she ate with her mouth down to the dish, but eventually they taught her to use her hands. “She- takes no interest in ether children or in toys or games. When they gave her a doll, she bit it. At first the other children were inclined to tease her, but they soon gave it up, because she eould bite and scratch. "She has no fears usual with children, and prefers the dark to the light. She was not afraid of fire till she felt it burn her, and since then sbe has given it a wide berth. WEAK MIND. “Her hearing and sight are extra acute, but her touch does not seem to be developed, but her memor is very weak. “She was baptised some time ago, and is called Kalama, which she says very prettily. Mr. Singh says she has developed much more rapidly since. “When the two children were alive, they slept huddled on on top of the other, like puppies. She never barks now. or utters noises, except the words she has learnt. She does not laugh or cry. “She is very gentle with animals, and will follow them about. When a pariah dog eame in and all the other children ran away, she made friends with it.”