Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1905-06-15
THUMPING A KING

~AAAhNa tNChtN IulltS river.
In the year 1862 was born the kingdom
OF King Oyampoo. The British had
had possession OF that coast for thirty
years. but more i'm name than i'm fact.
Their authority was supreme wherever
settlements had been made or ports
opened. but up. the numerous rivers
and back from the coast the native
chiefs held full sway.
Oyampoo WAS n man about forty
years old and chief OF the Adamawa
tribe. He began making war OH other
tribes rs soon as he had been elected
chief. and at forty he was cock of the
walk for 800 miles around. I'm twelve
years he had licked nine tribes and
brought them under his rule
Traders had visited him aud sold him
firearms and taught him how To use
them. and deSerters from whale siiips
and men-Of-war had found refuge with
him and taught his troops the white
mans drill ami built forts 10 defend
his capital on the water side. Cannon
AMI ammunition We're wanted Cor those
forts. ami SO one day when Il French
survey brig came up the river she was
seized AMI disarmed and her crew
made II shift the guns and instruct the
natives in their Use
Cyampoo wasn't cruel. but he was
ambitious. He had just got iiis forts
i'm working order when the British gov
eminent sent u gunboat up the river to
knock them about his ears and humbl.
his pride. 1t wasn't success. lie
sank the craft in half an hour. AMI
such of her crew ais survived We're held
prisoners for IN 0ntlis.
lie expected the British 10 fight. anil
there WIS u glad SONG in his heart
rs lie saw their ships i'm imagination
sailing Up the muddy old Calabar to
give him battle. Within a distance OF
seven miles he erected nine forts and
five or six carthworkS. lie counted up
AMI found that he hadn't cannon
enough. and he sent u fleet OF war
canoes down To the gulf to see what
could he scoOped i'm. As luck would
have II. "a mcrchantman laden with
military supplies for Cane Coast Castle
had put i'm there I'm distress. and her
capture WAS an easy job. There were
twelve cannon among her supplied AMI
these went up the river To bc mounted.
while her 1000 muskets went To arm
2.c00 more Of the kings fighting men.
According tn Oyampoo. things were
coming his WHY and he was leading the
process ion. but there was little cloud
forming OH the horizon which was be-
yond his ken. The British had their
hands full elsewhere on the coast just
then. but they finally got around To
f.al- III Il.
All needed particulars were learned
from traders AMI dcSerters. and when
an expedition finally set out II knew
what il WAS UP against.
Oyampoo had posed as 4 stratcS;st.
and he had had the advice of other
pnsers. and Yet they made n fatal mis-
take. All the forts had been built on
narrow islands i'm the river. with
deep channel flowing Oh each side. and
the batteries I'm front Of the town were
protected only 10y fiimsy carfhworks
and could he taken i'm reverse The
depth Of the river was well known.
and the exact location of each fort was
mapped out. Four men-of-war, accom-
panied by two transports carrying
1000 infantry. made UP the expedition.
ana when IL had gathered ut the mouth
of the river Oyampoo sent worl down
that he would dcmolish IL OH sight As
matter OF form he was asked To sur
render. and he returned word that he
would have the ears Of the commander
OF the expedition.
IL WAS thought best to make an OBJ
ject lesson Of OyaInpoo and To make
fair stand UP fight OF IT, The ex-
petition. therefore. advanced up the
river with wind and tide one morn
ing about s o'clock. and wor,l was
sent 10 the king of its coming. SaIvos
were fired AMI hurrahs given. and by
AMI 10y the head OF the line appeared.
Two OF the fighting ships took one
channel ami two the other. and i'm this
way all the forts were taken i'm re-
verse The transports did the same,
AMI the rifle fire poured into the EN-
brasurcS. and the roar OF the forts was
enough alone to- drive the natives from
the guns. Z.
or tn fifteen mounted cannon not
more th:n three were fred more than
once. The big shells from the fighting
ships knocked the carthworks TO pieces
and dismountcd the guns. and the rifle
fire moved the defenders down by the
score. The mcn-of-war sailed up to
the city without a halt and with only
three men killed. and. anchoring i'm
front Of the capital. they knocked IL
into smithcrcens within half an hour.
What huts were not knocked TO pieces
were reduced to ashes In the conna-
grafton.
The natives did not run away like
towards. ON the contrary. they fought
In way TO compel admiration and yet
without show. When 1esh and blood
could stand IL no longer they broke
and fed. and the victors landed and
finished the chapter. IL was three days
before Oyampoo could be induced
to como forward and take n little
faiherly advice. He had lost his king
dom. his capital and his armament.
md he had had 800 OF his army killed.
Il ELL ..-l.. -.