The Opelousas courier., 1900-05-12
My Fight With ''Jacko" The Ape.
The Author Is an Officer of a Well-Known Canadian Liner.
The Adventure Took Place Nine Years Ago.
BY SAM BOLTON.

GENTLY strong to make a fairly evel
match for 'Jacko," an Indian ape, il
the terrible fight we had, some eigh'
years ago, one moonlight night in thu
middle Of the Bay of Bengal.
Jacko, a fine specimen Of the larger
species of brown-haired Indian ape
had been presented to our skipper il
Calcutta by a friend Of his. Our shil
was the Queen of England fine full
rugged steel vessel of 2O7O tons, Their
sailing between Liverpool and Cal
cutta.
When standing upon his hind fest
the apes height must have been about
3 feet 6 inches. Not very tall, you
might say; but anyone who knows the
extraordinary strength/of these crea.
lures and their wonderful agility will
know that he was quite tall enough to
be a formidable creature for a 16-year-
old boy to encounter single-handed.
Somehow JACKIE, who was docile
enough with any of the other men,
seemed to nave taken an especial dis
like to Inc, and I could never pass him
without being treated to q vicious
"coo-ch," aud q succession of wild
leaps, any Of which would have lifted
him right upon me but for the sudden
%tautening of his chain, which, tugging
at his neck, invariably finished up"
his leap ip a ~disgraceful way, as it
twisted him suddenly round and
brought him sprawling ignominiously
on the(deck. He was, during the fine
weather, usually tethered to a ring
bolt at the fore end Of the No. hatch.
Between this hatch and the main fife
rail was a goodly space of open deck,
where was no other obstruction but
the main deck capstan-a high patent
purchase" affair, with a double top
which stood amidships.
On the night Of my set-to with
Jacko we were somewhere about the
middle of the Bay of Bengal. A light
monsoon just contrived to belly out
each sail and heel our ship over about
five degrees or SO. A fine, clear night
it was. with a bright full moon above
and a mill-pond ripple on the sea
around.
The watch on deck had coiled them
selves-as is the general custom in
fine weather-along the deck to the
lee side of the house, where, handy
for any call, they snored in their sleep.
The only hands aboard with their
eyes open were the lookout man, away
for'ard in the eyes of the ship on the
fo'c's'le head; the second mate, upon
the weather side of the poop, and my
self, on the lee side. At about five
bells 10. 80 p. nj the second sent me
for'ard to examine the side lights and
report upon them. He then went aft.
where, leaning over the taffrail, he
gave himself up sailor fashion to his
wakeful dreams.
/ went for'ard, passing JACKIE, who
was asleep. I then mounted the fo'c's'le
head, yarned awhile with the lookout,
examined the side lights, and finding
them burning satisfactorily, proceeded
leisurely aft along the weather side.
Arriving at the main fferail L turned
to go to leeward, and utterly forgetful
OF the presence of Jacko, walked
past the capstan. The ape
perceived me, gave his usual
vicious ''coo-ch" and sprang into the
air towards me. Accustomed to these
impotent leaps, I stood motionless,
hands in pockets, awaiting the usual
absurd ending of the performance.
This time, however, the chain
snapped close to his neck. and almost
before / was aware Of the fact, the
form, dark and shadow-like,
came flying through the air, and he
was upon me.
He alighted fairly upon my shout
aers; I staggered to leeward under the
sudden weight and fell into the soup
pers, at the same time warding off
my arm his ugly face from mine.
Bruts-like, he seized that part Of my
nearest his jaws and bit, fercely.
deep into my left shoulder; then,
springing suddenly from me, he leaped
into the main rigging, swarmed aloff.
and stopped, a dozen ratlins high, to
grin and "coo-ch" at me. During the
whole time of the extraordinary strug-
gle which followed I made no sound
with my lips-why, I do not know.
And Ut I was nightly scared OF the
ape. ut fancy it was the suddenness
If the Ettack, which gave me no time
sven t0athinhof calling for help and
weakening my s%hipmates.
Jumping to my feet excitedly, L
stood upon the deck, with fists doubled
Up and in q boxing attitude, awaiting
Jacko's next spring. Except for the
apes low chuckling "coo-ch," vel
made no sound. I was ba~refooted. so
hat even my footballs were n~oiseless.
Had I run, JACKIE in all probability
would have left me alone, but see ng
standing somewhat defantly in his
accustomed place, he accepted my at
'itude Is a challenge.
He came s~tealthily and cautiously
Town the rigging to the top-gallant
all, watched me awhile from there,
md then swarmed the royal back
'tay to a height of about Is feet
lever taking his eyes off me all the
line. Here he stopped and com.
to shake the backstay violent.
y. But apparently seeing the use
essness OF wasting his strength in
his way, he presently stopped, than
capped into the air, and T saw hia
Ihapeless body, extended arms and
doubled up legs outlined in the moon
light as he decended towards me.
Stepping aside TO avoid him, I lit
rim as he fell somewhere about thu
hest with my clinched fist. The blow
hanged the course OF his fight, and
us body struck with q fiand annina. [.