The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-30
The De Rougemont Controversy.

7 ONDON, Oct. 24.-For two months
the great controversial question in
England has been: rs the man
who calls himself Louis de Rouge
IL mont. and who claims to have
| lived for something like thirty
! years among the cannibal blacks Of AUS
tralia, a great traveller or a great i'm
postor?''
The Daily Chronicle asked this question
early in September, and since that time
has kept up a continuous fire of denial,
criticism and ridicule against the mod
| ern Crusoe. But De Rougemont has
| not been without warm supporters, and
| the public has seemed disposed to listen
| with interest to his story and to believe
1T until it should be proved untrue The
/ world at large has watched this paper
war with interest, too, for the account
OF De Rougemont, or at least such part
| of it as he has related thus far, has been
repeated IN every quarter of the globe,
and 1t certainly has fulfilled the claim
OF the Frenchman's hackers as being
,, the u. most si, ;, marvellous story man ever
When Louis de Rougemont, or Louis
Grin as his name is now reported to be,
some months ago for. an introduction to
some London editor it is doubtful if he
looked upon himself as in any way
wonderful man. He had recently worked
his way from New Zealand to London on
a trading vessel and was out of money.
He modestly explained that he had been
tralfan blacks, and had had some adj
ventures which he believed might make
an interesting story. Until he became
stranded in London, he claimed, it may
be truthfully,. he had had no thought Of
writing about his experiences.
Through Mr.. Heaton, who is interested
In all affairs AUST ALASKAN, the traveller
was introduced to Mr.. w. G. Fitzgerald
of Sir George Newnes' Wide World mag
azine. His story must have impressed
the managers of that publication, for
they shortly announced that they had
discovered a new Robinson Crusoe''
whose actual experiences were even more
remarkable than those of Defoe's mag
mary hero, and that his own account of
his wonderful adventures would begin
publication in the. August number of their
Public curiosity, which had been mildly
stimulated by the advertisements Of
the the new s,,rnr Prodgy received gen
stallment of De Rougemont's story
appeared in print. 1t is putting it
mildly to say that his adventures were
the most remarkable ever related under
the guise of truth. The $50 900 cargo of
pearls, the giant octopus, the wreck on
the lonely sandspit, the turtle-back rides,
inception of De Rougemont's tale, are ia
miliar to the reading public. They proved
a large dose to swallow at one gulp and
it is not surprising that they were re-
ceived with establishment and incredulity.
But Crusoe and his publishers were not
abashed. 1t was announced that the
and checked by DR.. Scott Kettle and DR..
Hugh Robert Mill of the Royal Geo
# was true. The most incredible Incident
of the first portion of the story was that
in which the narrator told how he had
beguiled the weary hours on the sand
turtles, keeping them at the surface by
leaning far back on the shell and guiding
B fnT Admiral % Mark s sGyS Who had had
long experience among the South Pacific
islands, came forward and said that he
had known of this feat being accom-
plished by natives there, and. that it was
by no means impossible.
Then De Rougemont enjoyed a genuine
Bristol Congress of the British Associa-
ton for the Advancement of Science, He
read two papers before this dignined
body on his geographical and anthropo-
logical observations among the Australian
natives. More than this, he was the lion
of the hour, and his papers were the great
feature of the meeting. The worthy and
distinguished gentlemen WHO compose the
British Association are now greatly
enthusiasm over the man who, according
TO recent revelations, was In service as
a footman and courier during a consider
able portion of the time when he was sup.
posed to be lording 1t over tribe OF
TIE enemies of De Rougemont acknowl-
substratum of truth in his stories 1t is
known that he was at one time engaged
in the pearl industry, and 1t is believed
that Peter Jensen, who figures in the
narrative as his partner IN this enter
prise. is still living in New Guinea. 1t Is
acknowledged. too, that he may have
lived for some years among the blacks
iS75 to 1880 has been found.
With important notifications 1t is like
ly that his story will be proved TO nave
At any rate, in spite of the damaging
revelations that have been made regard
ing his credibility, De Rougemont still
sticks to his story.