The morning times., 1897-01-22
MASSAcRED IN THE JUNGLE
The Fate Of a British Expedition
i'm Africa.
DEEDS OF A CANNIBAL KING
The Members Of the Party Were on
a Peace Mission When the Ma
tives Murdered Them-E England
Taking Steps to Avenge the Deed.
May Annex the Country.

London, Jan. 21.-Further details have
reached here OF the recent massacre OF
members OF a peaceable British expedi-
| { on by natives of the Benin country, and
the facts as low known have excited the
deepest indi2nat.on, even among the .lit-
tie Englanders,'' WHO declare that prompt
punishment sho1ld be meted out to the
murderers.
As reported at the time in dispatches to
the United Ass sociated Presses, an expedi-
| ton started from Bonny, in the Niger
coast protectorate, West Africa, FOR Benin
City, its object being TO ask the King OF
Benin to remove the obstacles he places in
the way of trade. The expeditino con-
sisted OF Acting Consul General Phillips,
Major Copeland rawford, deputy commits
son; Capt. Boisraeon, c0mmandant Of the
Nigercoastprotectorate force; Capt. Mailing,
wing officer of the same force; Messrs
Locke and Campbell, of the consular staff;
DR. Elliott, medical officer, and Messrs.
/ owls and Gordon, civilians, together with
at out $50 Kroomen and native carriers.
None OF the men were armed and We're
in no wise prepared TO meet an attack
81 ould one be made upon them.
The expedition left Bonny about Jan
uary / and two weeks later the yacht
Ivy, belonging to tie consul general, re-
turned to Bonny from SapeIe, where the
expedition had left il preparatory TO making
the land journey to Benin with the news
! of tie massacre OF the entire expedition.
| Later il was learned that seven OF the
! Kroomen escaped, and still later that
! Capt. Boisragon and Consular officer Locke
had also gotten away.
Now it is learned that after the eX-
! pedition left Sapeie it proceeded without
difficulty, save that experienced from [ he
nature of the country, TO within a few
miles of Benin City. Some Of he Hroo-
men had been sent forward to cut a
path through the jungle, ana when the
rest Of the expedition was almost within
| sight of the town il came upon the bodies
of these pioneers, who had been massa-
cred. Before the expedition could retreat
the Benin tribesmen attacked it, and
having 1t completely at disadvantage,
the party was almost completely ami
! hilated.
Capt. Boisragon and Consular Officer
Locke were wounded, as were also The
/ the coast. They managed, however, to
! crawl unobserved into the almost impen-
etrable jungle, and after days of horrible
! suffering from their wounds and the eX-
| haustion or their tcilsome journey, sue.
| ceeded in reaching New Benin, on the
| coast some 22o miles west of Bonny.
As soon as the news of the massacre
reached England orders were given for
the British officers stationed on the coast
who were home on furlough TO return to
| their posts, and instructions were given
! for the formation OF an expedition to punish
the King OF Benin. This punitive expedi
| ton will consist OF forces of the Niger coast
protectorate and contingcnts of sailors from
the vessels OF the West Africa squadron.
1t has been stated that such an expedition
would have to proceed to Benin City in
! short time, even had the massacre not oc-
Cured, as the whole OF the Niger coast
! protectorate was suffering from the cruel
I ties and eXactions OF the King OF Benin
! Slavery is rampant III that country, and
| human sacrifices and cannibaIistic heather
| rites are matters OF daily occurrence The
/ country is said to be very rich, and it
would not be surprising to find that one
result Of the punitive expedition would be
/ the annexation of the whole territory To
the British possessions in West Africa