The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-04
A MONARCH IN EXILE.
Once a Canibel King on the Coast Of
Atrica-Ja Jas Story.
From the Neto York tribune.

From the NetC York Tribune.
The steamship Barracuda Of the Atlantic
and West Indies Line sailed last week for
the Windward islands. While the last Of
the cargo was being safely slowed below.
Capt. Hubbard, hale, hearty and genial, sat
on the quarterback and told Tribune re-
porter a story of an exile king, which is all
the more interesting because it is true
The monarch to whom the captains story
applied is ia ia, King of Opobo, whose
dOminions are on the west coast of Africa
ia ia violated his commercial treaty with
the British, and year ago he was seized
and carried away into exile on the Island of
st. Vincent, West Indies, where he has re-
manned ever since. On his regular visits TO
st. Vincent, Capt Hubbard has met the
king, who has conceived great liking for
the bearded and bronzed mariner. By
degrees the king has told the captain the
history Of his life-incuding his reign and
deposition. The captain tells the story as
follows:
'The British carried on an extensive
trade with Opobo in palm oil and ivory.
ia ia was friendly king, and he made
treaty with the British, providing for Ger
tain import dues and export taxes. BY and
by ia ia became afraid that other kings
further up the Opobo river had made better
terms than ne, aud he grew very angry.
be sent to Germany for two big Krupp
eannons, and when they arrived he erected
formidable battery at the mouth of the
river so that he could prevent vessels from
going up the river to trade The British
did not like that, for ia ia could sink their
ships at will, so they told the king that they
must regard his action az in violation Of
the treaty. ia ia laughed in his sleeve, for
he was now apparently master OK the situa-
ton. But the British finally sent man-of-
war to Opoho, and its appearance fright
ensi ia ia so much that ne HID himself
away and could not be found.
THE British officers then sent ia ia a
letter inviting him to come to big palaver,
assuring him that if he did not agree to the
terms to be proposed for new treaty
he would be allowed to return in
peace to his palace and his wives.
Believing in the honor of the British
consul, q Mr. johnson, ia ia went
to the palaver and found none of the pro-
posals submitted much to his liking.
When he turned to go away he was seized
and carried on board of the man of-war
which proceeded with him to ST. Vincent,
where he was condemned to remain in exile
for five years. ia ia exclaimed much
against the treachery which had made him
a prisoner, but the capturers evidently
knew how willy ia ia was, and they resorted
to the easiest method in their power to
make him prisoner
ia ia has now been at st. Vincent eleven
months. Shortly after he was taken there
the British government expressed to the
fallen monach desire to mako his lot as
pleasant as possible and gave him an in
come of $4,000 year. Being asked If there
was anything else he wanted he indicated a
longing for the presence OF his wives. He
was told that he might have but one, and
was asked to make as choice. He selected
one just turning II summers, and sac Is was
brought to him in u British ship. They are
now living as happily as possible. The
government provides them with a house.
aud the pension enables them to live well
They are both black, but not bad looking.
ia ia, who is 81 years Old, has the distinct
i've features of the African without the
thick lips and, although not above medium
hight, looks every inch king-in Africa
AT first ia ia was confined in Fort Char
lotte, at ST. Vincent, which is 900 feet above
the level Of the sea. but he found it 50 cool
up there taat he was at length allowed to
roam over the town at will. His son,
Prince Sunday, was brought out to him
some months ago. but was afterward sent
to England to be educated.
ia ia has become disguised with the
barbarism by which he has always been sur
rounded, aud while he has not become a
christian himself, he has approached so near
to it that he compels his wife to 20 to church
to rather like the new life, for she arrays
herself for church with a gorgeou5ness t. at
might well strike envy to the nearC of a less
dusky belle. ia ia expects to return to his
kingdom some day, but never again to its
barDarism
Horrible to relate, ia ia has been a
cannibal. He told me one day that the
most delicious morsel of food that could be
served to a cannibalistIc king-a royal dish
lndeed-was a mans left ankle In ia JAS
Kingdom, at one time, when slaves were
captured from other tribes, all who were
not sold into captivity were fattened for the
royal table. The whits feather that ia ia
wears in his hat is the insignia Of the hign-
est order in OpObo. Only those who have
taken more than 100 lives can belong IT, this
order, and wear the decoration Of the white
feather. Three Of ia JAS sons wear the
feather, having killed 100 mon each ia ia.
when the boys were growing up, became
anxious for them TO have the decoration
50 he used t. take twenty slaves at
time, all Of the same hight. and tie them
very close together in row, side by side
The son, with sharp sword in his hand,
would run along the row, cutting the
twenty threats with a single slash. ia ia
don't approve of these things any more,
and if he could go back to his kingdom he
would make good king He is an i'm
portrait figure in his new home, however,
and may be content to remain there
Among his most priced possessions is an adj
mlraPs uniform ana a sword presented by
Queen Victoria as reward for his assist
ance to the British in the Ashautee war.
He is quite a swell when he is dressed in his
uniform, which becomes his broad shout
ders we'll"