Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-04-08
VESSEL MANNED BY
A GORILLA CREW
A Remarkable Sight Witnessed
During a Storm in the
Red Sea.
CRAFT SAVED BY SIMIAN SAILORS
Tale OF Captain McLauchlan, OF thu
British Steamer Nyanza-.Ad-
miral Schley and HE
Orang-Outang.

Philadelphia, Pa, special: Prof.
GARNER, whose startling theories re-
garding the possibility of gorillas be-
ing trained for useful occupations
caused so much comment last year in
scientific circles, would doubtless be
much pleased could he have the pleas
ure of a talk with Captain McLauchlan
OF the British steamer Nyanza, which
arrived from S~ourabaya yesterday.
Captain McLauchlan brings an ac-
count of a violent storm in the Red
sea, during which he observed a dhow
saved from destruction by her crew,
nearly all of which were gorillas.
The Nyanza left Sourabaya, Java,
on January 4 for the Delaware break
waters. Her course was through the
Indian ocean,, Straits of Babel.Mandeb
and the Red sea. When on the latter
unacceptable sheet of water the Incl
dent occurred which has been the
source of unbounded wonder 10 Cap
tnin McLauchlan and his crew.
I'VE were well up the straits said
the former. when the barometer fell
rapidly, and there was every indica-
ton of the approach of one of those
tempests so dreaded In hat vicinity.
Between 4 and 6 o'clock In the even
ing OF February 2 there was only one
sail in sight, an Egyptian dhow, with
lateen sails, on the same plan as the
generality of craft in those waters.
She was Of large size and was appar-
emily endeavoring to make port at
Colina ahead Of the brewing storm.
Soon we were within one-half mile
Of her. To my surprise, | saw but
three men on deck, and no other sign
of life anywhere. The hurricane was
almost upon us, and l called the mates
attention to the dhow, implying hat
she was In a very dangerous position.
He had better get some of his rags
in he replied, and in short order, too,
IL he wants to stay afloat.'
Scarcely had the words left his
mouth when a most remarkable exhi-
bition took place on the decks of the
dhow. One of her men raised the fore
hatch cover, and in the twinkling Of
an eye eight big gorillas swarmed out
into the daylight. In an instant they
had assembled the rigging, each to his
appointed station, and in less time
than il takes to tell il the odd looking
vessel was stripped of every sail and
snugly hove to awaiting the coming
cyclone.
"The tempest broke over the Nyanza
and her strange c~onsort. The latter
disappeared into the foam and mist
and was lost to sight for nearly forty
minutes. When the sun %reappeared
she was seen riding TRANQUILITY only O
mile or SO off and apparently unin-
jured."
Captain McLauchlan, scarcely be-
lieving the evidence of his senses, re-
solved to further investigate the crew
of the Egyptian vessel. Luckily, he
had an interpreter on board and
sought an interview with her captain.
It only served to verify the facts as
related. Several photographs were
taken by Mate Walker, but all at
tempts to solve the mystery attending
the methods pursued in training the
odd crew failed.
Imagine a crew of docile chimpan-
gees OF gorillas," said Captain Me-
Lauchlan. II don't know which they
were, but each more powerful than q
couple of men. No need of donkey
engines to help hoist sails, double top.
sail yards or other labor-saving de.
vices. One of those fellows on the tail
end of a brace or sheet would make q
'bucko' mate with a Delaying pin laugh
with glee, while there would be no
charges of murder as a result of col
lisions which might occur between Of
ficers and crew."
The idea of employing big monkeys
as sailors is not without precedent.
Even Admiral Schley has had an ex-
perience with them, which furnishes
n of his most interesting stories. 1t
vas when he was executive officer OF
the Benicia, in the East Indies in 1868,
that he had a highly intelligent orang-
outang as a member Of his crew. 1t
was educated by the boatswain's mate
and picked up a remarkable degree OF
culture, audacity and the faer trim
mings of humanity among the men. 1t
learned it's hammock number, slept in
it regularly and picked it out Of the
bunch unerringly every evening. Its
services in shortening sail, or other
work aloft, the admiral says, were
worth those of any five men in the
crew.