The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-23
A SAVAGE FIGHT.
Captain McKenzie's Encounter
With a Mandril.
The Brute Breaks Loose in Storm and At
tacks the Crew One Man Killed and
the Captain Badly Injured.
" How did I lose nv arm ?"

How did lose my arm?"
"W ell, l don't much care to talk about it,
but if you wish 10 listen l will tell you"
Tie speaker was Captain Aleck McKen-
ze, now on his way TO Victoria, b. c., to
join his ship. after few days visit to his
brother, who is chief officer of the ship
Iverna.
My brother was with me-" said the cap
tain, 'when 1 lost my hand aud had very
close call for my life. was master of the
bark Sea Drift of Sunderland at the time,
and was regular West Coast trader to the
GaboOn River and the Guinea coast. On the
trip l speak of we found our cargo waiting
for us, and soon we were ready for sea. My
men had worked pretty hard, and l gave
them day off before setting sail. At the
same time L went ashore myself to spend the
day with Mr.. Potter, our agent.
''As soon rs reached his house Mr.. Potter
showed me letter from the agent of the
big curio establishment of Nathan & Sons,
London, asking NE TO take passenger for
the trip home. l told Potter l had no ac-
commOdations for the purpose, as the cabin
was crowded with odds and ends | was
taking home on my own account. Then l
learned for the first time that the proposed
passenger would be n large blue-nose man
drill.
A SINGULAR ANIMAL.
"Whats q mandrIl?" said the captain,
"well, | did not know myself until the gen.
tlenan came on board. 1t is a species of
gorilla and the face is marked with blue
stripes. The true gorilla is taller but not so
stout and chunky us his cousin, the man
drill, who is regarded by those who knew
him as the true king of the African forest,
He has the courage of a bulldog, is as active
as a tiger and is endowed with enormous
strength.
"The day following my refusal, the agent
came off to the vessel and made me good
offer to take the big monkey off to London.
The mandril, he said, was very rare. and at
that time not living specimen was to be
found in Europe. He had bought the one
referred to some time before, but never had
a chance to send him home, and if We could
get him TO London alive, ne would be worth
IA big sum of money.
Accordingly went off to the coaster upon
which the brute was captive, and took
look at him. tell you, he was not dude
by any means. He stood about i've feet in
height when erect, his arms nearly reached
the bottom of his cage and showed vast
lunches of muscle. The hair was worn off
his immense chest, and his hideous face
made the chills creep through one. But 1t
was not until lie opened his delicate
MOhbu Iudl d pClouH SOb IL l1il iuCu Va ehO
nature of the brute, for he had teeth that
would Make Bengal Tiger turn green with
envy.
THE CONDITIONS ACCEPTED.
"WelI, to make long story short, l
finally consented to take him along, pro-
vided that the agent would put him III
strong cage. This he did and the brute was
soon on board and with his cage placed in
the main hatch and securely lashed. For
some time after we put TO sea the animal
was too sick to eat and remained rolled up
in the straw and blankets In his den.
I'VE had fine passage until the Bay of
BScay was reached ana then we got heavy
weather. Gale after gale struck the vessel
and the was terrific, often going clean
over her. that we had to heave to-. After
the gale had lasted a week and the big mon
Key still remained curled up in his bedding,
we concluded lie was going TO die. TINS
was on Sunday night. That night the wind
changed and the vessel was struck by
heavy Squall that threw her on her BEAM
ends, sea after sea struck her, and soon
everything on deck was adrift just then,
above the IOar of the gale, could be heard
the screams of the mandrIl.
THE BRUTE AT LARGE.
THE night was pitch dark, and all we
could do was to hold on for our lives.
After the vessel had slowly righted one of
the men came running aft, crying out that
the mandril was loose. The men forward
iOOk W luc IlESlEE, hHliG nttuo IOl tLO
cabin. intending to get light and my rifle,
as l knew we could never capture the
brute alive. The steward got the light and
we went on deck again. but we could see
nothing OF the animal.
'Just at that time we were again struck by
a heavy sea and again heard the roar Of the
terrified beast, and found that the sea had
carried it aft. The big monkey caught the
ladder leading to the poop deck and crawled
up, while We retreated TO the weather side.
"The monkey next made his way aft and
with terrible roar Sprang upon the man at
tue wheel. fired, but only wounded the
animal, which a once dropped the man and
made for me. Knowing that if l ran the
brute would likely kill some one else, |
dropped on my knee, took aim as well as l
could and fired.
A HARD FIGHT.
again the brute was hit, but he seemed
to have as many lives as cat Tor the bullet
did not even stop him, and before l could re-
gain my feet he was upon me. The gun
was knocked from my grasp and l was
seized by the arm. | struggled to get away
and yelled for help, but the more struggled
the more the beast tugged and pulled. He
had my hand in his mouth, and kept biting
like a dog, sending his big faRgS clear
through every time lie closed his jaws. The
crew were afraid to come near us, but the
carpenter seized his AK and stealing aft. got
close to us before the monkey saw him, and
then with all his power sent the heavy
weapon into the brute's skull.
The first blow settled him and was car
ried into the cabin fairt from pain. Ny
hand was chewed to pieces and two of the
fingers were. bitten clean off l fixed it up
as well as L could, and i've days after we
got into Falmouth, where the doctors, after
short consultation, decided that the hand
must be taken off. This was done and re-
mained there while my brother took the
vessel to London.
faIi thax hoo T. lad
instantly. his neck being broken, and he
was buried at sea.
mo, sir, the monkey was not thrown
overheard. One of the men skinned it and
the hide is now in the British Museum in
London"