Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-04-20
THE APES MUTINIED.
ON A VOYAGE FROM AFRICA THEY
 CAPTURED THE SHIP.

Was Fatal to Their Plans, if They Had
 Any-A Useful Bunch of Bananas.
 'sI have had some strange crews in my experience, said old Captain Ben- son, "but the funniest kind of ships company that I ever sailed with was one of big African apes, and it happen ed in this way
 It was during that period of the lifetime of the great snowman P. T. Barnum, when he had his museum on lower Broadway ill New York city, that my vessel was chartered by him to go out to Africa and to bring back a cargo of wild animals that his agents in that country had collected. We had three big and two baby elephants in the hold, also rhinoceros and a giraffe, while ill wooden houa- on deck we car ried several zebras, 6 number of ante- lope and deer, also ten huge apes as la-ge as men and looking in the face exactly like the cartoons of the Emer- aid Isle natives found in the humorous papers. The apes were very intelligent and were capable of being taught many amusing tricks.
 "On our voyage home I had occasion a number of times to advise the officers and men against teasing these creatures, telling them that they were known to possess a good memory and were re- vengeful and would surely make it point to get even with their tormentors at the first opportunity, but as the boaxrx1 hsa, fiixYiAal fhaae, f.a,aa the hairy faces that scowled at their funmaking they felt safe enough to give no heed to my warnings. The mates and sailors took good care how ever, to pass at safe distance from the cage in going about their work, for on two or three occasions the alert occu- pants had been known to suddenly thrust forth long muscular arm and grip the unwary seaman ill such saw age way as to elicit howl of pain on Jacks part. I could go among them without the slightest fear and several times entered their cage for the purpose of caring for sickly little baby ape that had been born just after leaving Africa, and for which the ocean voyage subsequently, proved too heroic, as it died before we reached New York.
 'sOne morning the crew were all aloft on the yards furling sail, for it was blowing strong and the ship had been obliged to reduce her spread of canvas. I had taken the wheel, and the two mates were going from mast to mast helping the work along by haul ing upon the gear as it was required. The apes had been fed short time be- fore, and it must have been that had earelessly fastened the bar that secured the cage door, for while was looking aloft I heard startled yell from my two officers, and tho next moment they were climbing up the rigging like mon- keys themselves, while the crowd of apes came leaping aft ill pursuit of them.
 "Then the funniest scene that I ever witnessed was presented. Six of the apes took stations at the foot of the shrouds, so that each mast was guarded on both sides, and the other four mount ed the shrouds with all the agility of sailors and sought to reach the men. The apes followed the men as they mounted higher and higher to escape; then, when the latter could climb no farther, they would grasp a stay that led to some place of temporary safety and slide down it, sometimes going from one spar to another in this way For nearly an hour this impromptu ex- hibition continued, and during all this time the sentries on deck hopped about in excitement, uttering guttural yelps, which I Lave no doubt were cries of en- couragement and advice to their friends aloft.
 "At last the big monkeys gave up the chase and came down on deck, where they joined the others, and all sat on their launches, gazing up at the crew, occasionally showing their rows of wicked looking teeth, as much as to say All right, my fine fellows. You stay where you are if you know what's good for your health.
 "I had been thinking out plan tc recover possession of my ship, and now put 1t in execution. Apes are very fond of bananas, and in my room I had fibe bunch that had been green when placed on board, but which had ripened perfectly since that time It gave me something of heart spasn to part with them, but I considered that if the scheme worked the sacrifice would not be great one. So I lashed the wheel to keep the ship steady, then brought the fruit from below, carried it forward in full view of the apes and placed it with in their cage standing beside the door