The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-14

A streak of good luck, as the sailors
say, was all that saved from cannibals
the crew of the Yankee ship State
of Maine She is lying at the Gin ton
street pier, says the New York World
1t was in October of last year when
the Damariscotta clipper, bound from
Philadelphia for Hiogo, entered the Om-
bray Strait il the Malay Archipelago
hoping for scorohing breeze TO shoot
her through the pass into the Banda Sea.
10 Capt. James FL. Parke's great
grief the wind sulked and sneak ed away,
leaving the heavily laden ship helpless
The State of Maine was three weeks in
covering about 60 miles. The next day
the freak breeze would turn and jam the
clipper ba ok ten miles.
During the delay Captain Parke, a
prudent skipper of the old school and a
splendid navigator, was in state of
nerves. The description in the ships
"Book of Directions" of the natives in
habiting the Islands bounding the Strait,
their habits and tastes, added to the cap
tain's apprehension.
"They are q race treacherous and
bloodthlrsty almost beyond belief" read
the captains guide book. "Many Euro
peans have paid with their lives the PEN
atty for their rashness in lying to for
barter with these savages.
1T is seldom safe to meet at one time
more than three of these thugs and pi-
rates. They are race OF idolaters and
oanntbals. who first roast and then de-
YOUR thetrsoaptives. They are head-hunt-
ers, but are generally salts fed with the
lower jaw"
The State of Names second mate was
D. Ryan, who has been before the mast
40 years and had sailed In every ocean,
sea, bay, gulf. strait and estuary. To
him Capt. ParSe appealed for more in
formation about these murderers of the
Malay seas.
"To tell the truth, SIR" said the SEQ
ond mate, II was told that two ships
had kno Wedge of, the Willing Winds
and the Ramkitiki, were taken by thes.
ooarse-haired. copperhued devils in these
very straits. sir. AS the story goes, the
captains of both those ships made un-
common fine frioasses for the head-hunt-
erS.
"But cheer up, Capt. Parke. You
stand in no danger. IN thinking your
lower jaw is too spare, sir, asking your
pardon. If you were Jordan, the bo'sun
now, who is very fat, it might be differ.
ent, sir. F"
Capt. PArke, the sailors say, was much
reassured by this speech.
On the last day of the three weeks the
State OF Maine had nearly reached the
narrow pass between the further ex-
trsmities of Ombray and Timor islands
when two proas containing natives were
seen approaching the ship.
90
deck Second Mate Ryan advised claDping
the fat bo'sun under matches and turning
loose on the oannibals Seaman Patrick
Kelly. who had been put in irons for cut
ting with razor one of his shipmates.
Kelly bit off the thumb of Boarding
House Baker in Philadelphia, said
Ryan, "and will match him, sir,
in these parts"
There were eight cannibals In the
proas, headed by the chief, Nang Bang.
The Grew standing By with sheath
knives, Delaying pins, capstan bars
and pistols, made signs to the savages
to leave their weapons in the proas be-
fore climbing on board. Foo Ching, the
breed. acted as interpreter. Nang Bang
said that he had come to barter coral,
beeswax and goat for garments for his
five wives.
Mate Ryan says that the cannibals
critically sized up Capt. Parke. Nang
Bang seemed disappointed as he took
critical note of the skipper's Iaillike
figure and spare lover jaw. AS Nang
Bang went over the side with his staff
be informed Foo Ching that in the morn
ing he would return with IA proas and
100 followers.
Before there was time to prepare for
defense against the peril Of the morrow
a breeze whistled through the rigging.
and the State of Maine sailed through
the pass into the Banda Sea and safety.