Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-27
Mjseslhnsuus Rading.
PIRACY IN THE PACIFIC STILL.

PIRACY IN THE PACIFIC STILL.
Praetised BY White Men As Well A.
BY Savages.
Piracy, as most people are aware, 1,
not yet quite extinct in China and Eas
Indian waters, despite the efforts tina
have been made to stamp 1t out utter.
ly. But 1t is not generally known tha
along the shores Of Dutch New Guines
on both sides Of the great island, ant
also on the German side, there are still
vigorous communities Of native pirate.
armed trading vessels.
| These savages combine the bushes.
of head hunting with piracy, and al.
though they do not possess moderr
firearms, and their craft are simply
huge canoes, they show the most deter.
mined courage, even when attacking g
vessel manned by Europeans. The an
nual reports of the governors Of Dutch
German and British New Guinea de.
failing the murderous doings Of these
head hunting pirates are as interesting
reading as any fiction, but they seldom
attract more than few lines Of COM
ment in the public press.
In writing Of pirates of the twentieth
century / shall not go beyond my own
beat of the North and South Pacific
and shall speak only of events within
my personal knowledge and observa-
ton. Before entering into an account
Of scme Of the doings Of the New GUM
ca Tugera, or head hunter pirates,
shall tell the story Of two notable acts
Of piracy committed by white men In
the South Pacific less than ten years
ago.
The English newspapers gave some
attention to one case, for the two prin-
cipal criminals concerned were tried al
Erest a few years ago, and the case
was known as the Rorique tragedy
Much comment was made on the fact
that the king of the Belgians went tc
France after the prisoners had been
sentenced to death-they were Bel
gians-to intercede for them.
The story of the Roriques, and the
tragedy Of Niuroahiti. which was the
name of the vessel they seized, is one
of the many grisly episodes with which
the history of the South Seas Is prolific
About the end Of 1891 the two broth
ers, who were Belgians, arrived at Pa
peete. the capital Of Hahiti, from the
Paumotu group. where, 1t was subse-
quently learned, they had been put on
shore by the captain Of an island ira
der, who strongly suspected them OF
plotting with the crew to murder him
and seize the ship. Nothing Of this
incident, however. was known at Ia
hiti among the white residents, among
whom they soon ingratiated them
selves; they were exceedingly agree
able hammered men, and the elder
brother, who was remarkably hand
some man Of about thirty-flye, was ar
excellent linguist, speaking German
French, italian, English. Dutch, Span
ish and Zulu fiuently.
Although they had with them nc
property beyond firearms. their bon
homie and the generally accepted be.
lief that they were men of means made
them the recipients of much hospitality
and kindness. Eventually the younger
man was given a position as a trader
on one Of the pearl shell lagoon islands
in the Paumotu group, while the Other
took the berth Of mate in the schooner
Niuroahiti a smart little native built
vessel owned by Tahitian prince.
The schooner was under the COM
mand Of half caste. and her compile
ment consisted, beside the captain. Of
William Gibson. the supercargo; Rori-
que, the first mate: a second mate. foul
Society Islands natives, and the cook
a Frenchman named Hippolyte Miret
The Niuroahiti traded between Tahiti
and the Paumotus, and when she sail
ed on her last voyage she was bound to
the island of Kaukura, where the
younger Rorique was stationed as
| trader.
She never returned, but 1t was as
certained that she had called at Kau-
kura and then left again with the Sec
ond brother as passenger. Long. long
months passed, and the Australian rel
atives and friends of Gibson. Il CHEEKY
adventurous young fellow. began Il
| think with the owner Of the Nuroahit
that she had met fate common enough
in the South Sea trade-turned turtle
in a squall and gone to the bottom
with all hands.
About this time 1 was on a trading
cruise 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 the Niuroahiti affair, OF
which had heard a month before.
BY Jove," he exclaimed, II met q
schooner exactly like her ten days ago
She was going to the w. N. W.-Po-
nape way-and showed French colors
| tore up to speak to her; but she evil
IDENTIFY didn't want It, hoisted hei
squaresail, and stood away"
From this I was sure that the vesse
was the Niuroahiti, and sent letter
to the Spanish government at Ponape
relating the affair. 1t reached him just
in time.
The Nuroahiti was lying in Jakoits
harbor: and was to sail on the follow
ing 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.
Hippolyte. the cook. confessed to the
Spanish authorities that the brothers
Rorique had shot dead in their sleeI
the captain. Mr.. Gibson, the SECOND
mate and the four native sailors. The
trial was long one. but the evidenct
was most damning and convincing, al
though the brothers passionately de.
clared that Miret's story was a pure
Il