ge of those regions; which, from
very obvious affinities of a physical nature, there was some reason to
believe might have had a common origin with the monikin species.
The academy would at once see how desirable it was to learn all the
interesting particulars of the habits, language, customs, marriages,
funerals, religious opinions, traditions, state of learning, and general
moral condition of this interesting people, with a view to ascertain
whether they were merely one of those abortions, to which, it is known,
nature is in the practice of giving birth, in the outward appearance
of their own species, or whether, as several of their best writers had
plausibly maintained, they were indeed a portion of those whom they
had been in the habit of designating as the "lost monikins." He had
succeeded in getting access to a family of these beings, and in passing
an entire day in their society. The result of his investigations was,
that they were truly of the monikin family, retaining much of the
ingenuity and many of the spiritual notions of their origin, but with
their intellects sadly blunted, and perhaps their improvable qualities
annihilated, by the concussion of the elements that had scattered them
abroad upon the face of the earth, houseless, hopeless, regionless
wanderers. The vicissitudes of climate, and a great alteration of
habits, had certainly wrought some physical changes; but there still
remained sufficient scientific identity to prove they were monikins.
They even retained, in their traditions, some glimmerings of the
awful catastrophe by which they were separated from the rest of their
fellow-creatures; but these necessarily were vague and profitless.
Having touched on several other points connected with these very
extraordinary facts, the Doctor concluded by saying that he saw but one
way in which this discovery could be turned to any practical advantage,
beyond the confirmation it afforded of the truth of their own annals.
He suggested the expediency of fitting out expeditions to go among these
islands and seize upon a number of families, which, being transported
into Leaphigh, might found a race of useful menials, who, while they
would prove much less troublesome than those who possessed all the
knowledge of monikins, would probably be found more intelligent and
useful than any domestic animal which they at present owned. This happy
application of the subject met with decided commendation. I observed
that mos