The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-07
PIRACY IN THE PACIFIC STILL.
PRACTISED ny WHITE MEN As
HELL As BY SAVAGES.
Two Notable Cases IN che Last Ten Years
IN which white MCn Have Seized YES
sells AFTER Doing Murder "A visit 10
Head Hunting Pirates OF New Guinea

Ausor Of M reef ana PAIN" &c.

SH2CN, as InOhb ItOIAO Z oWoAS N NV
-, .rirte. extinct in China and East Indian
waters, despite the efforts that have been
mad, 10 stamp It out utterly. But IL IL not
generally known that along the shores OF
Dutch New Guinea on both sides OF the
ucat island, and also on the German side,
there ere still vigorous communities OF
native pirates who will not hesitate to at
tack even armed trading vessels.
These slvagcs combine the business OF
lead hunting with piracy, and although
they do not possess modern firearms, and
,h.i- craft are simply huge anoes they
sbow the most determined courage, even
when attacking a vessel manned by Euro
rcars. The annual reports Of the Gov
e-nors Of Dutch, German and British New
Guinea detailing the murderous doings
of these head hunting pirates are as inter-
est ing reading as any fiction. but they sell
dom attract more than a few lines Of COM
ment in the public PRESS.
In writing Of pirates OF the twentieth
century | shall not go beyond my own
heat Of the North and South Pacific and
sball speak only Of vents within my personal
knowledge and observation. Before enter
ing into an account Of some Of the doings OF
the New Guinea Tugera, or head hunter
pirates. | shall tell the story Of W notable
acts of piracy committed by white men in
the South Pacific less than ten years ago.
The English newspapers gave some at
tertion to one case, for the two principal
criminals concerned were tried at Brest a
few years ago, and the case was known as
the RoIique tragedy. Much comment was
made on the fact that the King Of the Bel
glars went to France after the prisoners
had been sentenced to death-they were
Eelgiars-to intercede for them.
The story of the Roriques, and the tragedy
of Eiuroahiti, which was the name Of the
vessel they seized, is n Of the many grisly
episodes with which the history Of the
South Seas is prolific.
About the end of 1891 the two brothers,
who were Belgians, arrived at Papeete,
the capital of Tahiti, from the PaUmotu
group, where, il was subsequently learned,
they had been put on shore by the captain
of an island trader, who strongly suspected
them of plotting with the crew to murder
him and seize the ship. Nothing Of this
incident, however, was known at Tahiti
among the white residents. among whom
they soon ingratiated themselves; they
were exceedingly agreeable hammered men,
and the elder brother, who was a remark
ably handsome man OF about IS. was an
excellent linguist, speaking German, French,
Italian, English, Dutch, Spanish and Zulu
Guently.
Although they had with them no property
beyond firearms, their bonhomie and the
generally accepted belief that they we're
men of means made them the recipients
-. I-z-gAoI ia. .-l ls&ln.,- 4,-S
uGl!y the younger man was gwen a position
es a trader on ore Of the pearl shell lagoon
Islands in the Paumotu group, while the
ether took the berth Of mate in the schooner
Nuroahiti, a smart little native built vessel
owned by a Tahitian prince.
The schooner was under the command
of a half caste, and her complement con-
sisted, besides the captain, OF William
Gibson, the supercargo; Rorique, the first
mate; a second mate, four Society Islands
natives, and the cook, a Frenchman named
Hippolyte Miret. The Niuroahiti traded
between Tahiti and the Paumotus, and
when she sailed on her last voyage she was
bound TO the island Of Kaukura, where the
younger Rorique was stationed as trader.
She never returned, but it was ascertained
that she had called at Kaukura and then
left again with the second brother as pas
senger. Long, long months passed, and
the Australian relatives and friends OF
Gibson, a CHEEKY, adventurous young
fellow, began to think with the owner OF
the Niuroahiti that she had met a fate
common enough in the South Sea trade
turned turtle in a squall and gone to the
bottom with all hands.
Aba,,K THE ttpon uuaa On a fHadtnH Nr1IiGA
in the Caroline Islands, and one day we
spoke a Fiji schooner. / went on board for
a chat with the skipper and told him Of he
Niurolhiti affair, Of which l had heard a
month before.
BY Jove. he exclaimed, I meta schooner
exactly like her ten days ago. She was
going to the w. n. W.-Ponap6 way-and
showed French colors. / bore up to speak
her but she evidently didn't want it, hNsted
her sGuaresail, and stood away.
From this l was sure that the vessel was
tho Niuroahiti, and sent a letter to the Span
ish Governor at Ponape, relating the affair.
II reached him just in time.
The Niuroahiti was lying in Jakoits Har-
hOr. and was to sail on the following day for
Macao. She was seized, and the brothers
Rorique put in irons and taken on board the
Spanish cruiser LIE Gaspi for conveyance to
Manila.
HippoIyte, the cook, confessed to the Span
ish authorities that the brothers Rorique
had shot dead in their sleep the captain. Mr..
Gibson, the second mate and the four native
sailors. The trial was a long one, but the
evidence was most damning and convincing,
although the brothers passionately declared
that Miret's story was a pure invention.
Sentence of death was passed, but was after
ward committed to imprisonment for life,
and the Roriques are now in chains in
Cayenne.
The second case was Of a very dreadful
character, and has an additional interest
from the fact that out Of all the participators.
the pirates and their victims, only one was
left alive to tell the tale, and he was found in
a dying condition on one Of the Galapagos
Islands. and only lived a few days.
The story was told to me by the captain Of
che brigantine, Isaac Revels Of a Fran
cisco. who put into the Galapagos to repair
his ship. which had started n butt end and
was seriously leaking. He had just anchored
between Marlborough and Albemarle islands
when he saw a man sitting on the shore and
waving his hands to the ship.
A boat was lowered and the man brought
on board. He was in a ravenous state Of