Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-08
AFRICAN PIRATES.
What the Captain Of an Ameri'
eau Bark Learned at the
Mouth fthe GabOOn River.
Nsu Ynrk Hsrnld. 3D..

Inc DARK Oar0enaS, OApIaln IhVeS,
Fifty six days from Gaboon, on the
west coast OF Africa, consigned to
Yates, Porterheld & Co., lis Wall
street, laden with a cargo of bass
wood, ebony, rubber, and ivory, ar,
rived in port yesterday. Captain
Yates has been for years trading with
Africa, and running along the west
coast for thousand miles or so above
and below the equatorial line and
picking up trade with the natives. He
has seen many strange sights in his
time, but they became so familiar to
him that he seldom cared to
relate anything about them when
be returned to New York. This trip,
however, he was tempted to tell the
story he heard at the French settle
ment at the mouth of the Gaboon
river Of how cutter flying the French
flag was boarded by lot of pirates
and Quilted of everything she pos
sessed. 1T was in the latter part Of
February" said the captain, that the
pirates belonging to the tribes known
as the Pangawys and the Bakellas
sailed out from the coast settlement
and started up the Gaboon river in
canoes. Some miles up they sighted a
cutter flying the French flag, and
being strong in numbers and with guns
sold them by the colonists they made
an attack upon the vessel, boarding il
with a fierce and savage demonstra.
ton Of voice and manner and com
pletely overwhelming the crew. Wher
news Of the outrage reached tbs
French colony force was sent out Il
capture the pirates and take revenge
| They went up the Gaboon river as IA
as its junction with the River Como
encountering on the way an attael
from the natives of the banks, VIII
were no doubt in sympathy with tn
pirates. In this attack the surgeon Q
the French force was killed and tire
soldiers wounded. A iruitless attemp
was made to penetrate the dense wood
| in which the pirates took refuge, an
in their evaporation the French set t
work and burned down the village Z
Ninga Ninga,a sort OF trading depot o
the Gaboon river. The result Of thi
destruction was to ruin the trade {
the river for some time to come, an
the natives fully realize this fact an
are consequently down on the pirate
so that the thing is not likely to be Oh
OF common occurrence.
The French colony has been estal
lished at the mouth Of the GabOon f
the past thirty years. Other nation
alities are also represented there an
I of course, they all take a common i
I terest in preserving themselves fro
7 attacks such as that which has ju
been related. While not making
= regular practice of cannibalism, h
J, natives invariably eat up such victim
y as fall to them in war. There is a XII
2 or Chief at frequent intervals, the I
: moval Of one or the other being {
= fected by instant decapitation. TIL
- can easily take refuge from the We
= geanee of government like Fran
= or England by retreating to the il
u penetrable forests back Of the 81
- Elements, where they can live
u plantains and bananas and the frl
. Of the mango tree, growing ready
o. their hands, for a whole year. 1t
IL really impossible, except at gre
n trouble and expense, to exact PROF
- reparation for an outrage Ike Il
~ perpetrated on the French. The W
disposed natives, however, don't Ii
it, for it breaks up business, and t
~ supplies they have been accustomed
" rely on are not forthcoming, and Ii
~ feel the lack greatly" Captain Vat
s in the course of his narrative, mi
~ toned the fact that he brought ba
~ from Africa the preserved body o
o young gorilla, and also Of Sun
az az chimpanzee, whose face so rosembl
q. II that OF little human infant that
~ gave a peculiar shock 10 his feelin