The daily Alaskan., 1907-05-23
THE END
 OF MATE0

l than King Mateo, who reigned over three ! of the New Guinea Islands thirty years ago.
 Nateos father had made the mistake
 of murdering the crew of d trading vessel aud when word had been pass ed around the white men would trade with him no more. The son sent word far and wide that an traders should bo safe with him, and In time many yes sels called at his islands. He had c0pru aud oil and other things to sell, but he wanted guns and ammunition In exchange.
 He hired white men to drill hIs war riors and build forts for hlm. He even got hold Of a number of cannon and had them mounted. He had the largest fleet Of war canoes on the big island. If his men could have been made sail ors of, the old chap could have gone luto the pirate business in first class shape
 For five years King MateO eucour aged traders and whalers and got ,eady for d grand coup, and then be struck u blow that made his name in- famous in every eastern sea. In his principal hurbor were lying two Eng ush whalers and five trading vessels when he gave a grand feast. It was his wish that the crews of all the yes sels be present, aud only two or three men were left aboard when the feast began. By druggmg the liquor and food NIate0 made about a hundred men helpless, and when they had their senses again it was to find all their vessels captured and every person a prisoner. When the various craft had been robbed and stripped they were lowed to sea and scuttled. By this 5troke the king secured many more firearms and barrels more of powder. as well as other things to increase his wealth aud arrogance.
 Three months after the attack Cap, ,alu Williams of an Australian trader managed to escape to sea in a canoe but had neither food nor water. He was picked up by 8 vessel q hundred mlIes away. It was four months later before a British war vessel started from Singapore to convince King Ma. geO that there Were other uouarcLs on the face of this earth. During these seven months Mateo had grown so ar cogaut that he dcded the world. Tweu. ty-0ue of the white slaves had sue. rumbed to thr climate and the hard work and scaUty food
 No more traders had called in, aDi being angry at this, the king had deter mined on a grand feast at which the last of his white prisoners should be slain for the amusement Of-hjs people. This feast would have been held two weeks before her mujesty's man-of-war Revenge reached the Islands had not the ruler had a spell Of sickness. He had Issued his royal proclamation when the armed craft came sailing into his harbOr. She was an auxiliary, but was not using steam. For once the British captain rcsOrted to a trick. He made the Revenge look as much as possible like whaler after a long voyage, and sbe few men Of her crew allowed on deck were rIgged out any old way. She had six guns, but these were so well covered that the spies who were sent aboard did not notice them. They re turned to the king to report an Ordi nary whaler. and be Invited the crew to a feast His invitation was refused He thereupon ordered the craft out Of hls harbOr. She refused to go.
 The British captain had been In structed to move carefully and let Ma. teO take the lead lu overt acts He did not have to wait long. In broad day light on the third day. and after send. Ing of word Of what he was going Co do, lIateO attacked the BriJisher with seventy war canoes, each one holding tea men. They padded out from shore singing their war songs and lndulging in many boasts. The Re. yeugo had furied her sails and got steam up. and she steamed down to the mouth of the harJ0r and waited. When the first musket was fired at her. her crew leaped on deck and began to work the big guns. She was provided with round shot, shell and grape and canister. and the sea fight lnsted only fifteen minutes. Fifty of the seventy canoes were destroyed and most of their crews killed.
 This was the first licking King Mateo ever received, and it set him frantic. He was game. however. He was lick ed, but he wouldn't give up yet. He rallied his b0tyalions and challenged the Britlsher to come ashore and have 1t out fair and square. This was eZ- actly what the captain of the Revenge wanted to do. He had come after those white prisoners, and he must go ashore to get them He had a crew Of 2JO men, and bN landed 200 of them, divided them Into three bodies, and when the natives advanced, still five 10 one. they wete bOwIed over by the score, fiauked right and left and licked out of their boots In half an hour
 King MateOs reign was at an end forever Of the white prisoners only about thirty were left Of the natives 800 had been killed and as many as 800 wounded. Two trading vessels