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James, George Wharton : The Story of Captain, the Horse with the Human Brain

The Radiant Life Press, Pasadena, CA, 1917

Original publisher's white paper wrappers with staple binding. Full-page color illustration of W. A. Sigsbee riding Captain and Captain's groom, Jasper, on front cover. 6" x 9." Forty-eight pages, complete. Seven black-and-white plates, complete. List of Illustrations in the front. Pages are very clean and intact except for light age toning. Covers are very clean and intact except for light to moderate age toning and slightly bumped corners and edges. A Very Good copy. A fascinating account of Captain, "the horse with the human brain." Captain and his intelligence are described by George Wharton James (1885-1923), an English-American author, journalist, editor, lecturer, and photographer. Many of James's written works are about California and the American Southwest. James introduces readers to Captain as he had first seen him at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco and later at the Panama-California Exposition in 1916. James describes the horse's fascinating show of intelligence through the performance of tricks, following commands (sometimes while blindfolded), and completing tasks involving counting, memory retention, and color recognition. Captain is also described as being able to play simple songs on the chimes. Following James's introduction is a semi-fictional "autobiography" told by Captain, "Captain's Own Story." Captain, of course, did not write the story, but it contains biographical elements about his life. "How I Bought and Trained Captain" is an edited autobiographical account by Captain's owner, Captain W. A. Sigsbee who specialized in the training of horses as well as other animals. Sigsbee explains his methods and principles for training horses and animals. "A Scientific Investigation" contains the autobiographical notes from Dr. G. V. Hamilton, a veterinarian, who put Captain through a series of tests to ensure that his performances were the result of his intelligence and not trickery or secretive cues given by Sigsbee. Hamilton concluded that Captain was showing actual intelligence and that Sigsbee was not misleading viewers or audience members. A final part of this pamphlet is titled, "Captain's Prayer of Thanksgiving," which advocates for the proper treatment of horses, and by extension, all animals. Animal advocacy is a central part of this booklet, and James writes that he hopes that Captain and with his intelligence will compel others to respect horses and other animals more.. Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

1st Edition

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