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Volume 2154
Georges Dodds'
The Ape-Man: his Kith and Kin
A collection of texts which prepared the advent of Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Presents

APES KIDNAP MIDSHIPMAN Troop of Hundred Simians Carry Young Sailor Into Jungle. WAS KING OF BABOONS Girl Baboon Feeds Captive Until Youth’s Comrades Effect His Rescue by Burning Red Pepper.

• 1911. Apes Kidnap Midshipman.  The Washington Post. (Nov. 7, 1911), p. 1
• [Boston Transcript]. 1912. Was King of Baboons.  The Washington Post. (July 28, 1912), p. M3

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Apes Kidnap Midshipman

Special to The Washington Post.
New York, Nov. 6. — The unique adventure of two merchant midshipmen aboard the British steamship Kasenga, of the Bucknall Line, which docked today after a trip from Africa, was related by the mate of the freighter and confirmed by the midshipmen, Harold H. Griggs, who offered his photograph as evidence, and Clarence W. Horne.

 In the seven days the Kasenga was anchored off Mombasa, the midshipmen decided to go into the jungle. They had penetrated the wilds several miles when a troop of more than a hundred big baboons rushed at them. Horne fired a few ineffective shots and ran. In a moment Griggs, who was only 19, was surrounded by the troop.

 Griggs says he noted that the baboons were not inclined to molest him so long as he made no effort to leave them. The moment he attempted to follow his shipmate they barred his way and made uncanny noises, showing their teeth. Their leader, an enormous ape, made signs to the troop and they started into the jungle.

 That night Griggs slept in the jungle with the troop around him. They made no effort to harm him. In the morning the troop set out again with Griggs.

 A good-looking girl baboon who had taken a fancy to the midshipman supplied him with fruit.

 When Horne got back to the ship and told how the baboon had carried away Griggs, Chief Officer Wallace Webster organized a searching party.  They were equipped with roman candles, skyrockets, and cayenne pepper. The fireworks were to scare the baboons, and the pepper was to be burned to make them sneeze. When they came across the troop they burned the red pepper, and while the baboons were sneezing Midshipman Griggs rejoined his friends.

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Was King of Baboons [Boston Transcript]. 1912. Was King of Baboons.  The Washington Post. (July 28, 1912), p. M3

The unique adventure of two midshipmen or apprentices aboard the British steamship Kasenga, of the Bucknall Line, which docked yesterday after a trip from Africa, was related by the mate of the freighter and confirmed by the midshipmen, Gerald H. Griggs, who offered his photograph as evidence, and Clarence W. Horne. They asked respectfully for copies of the newspapers that might print the picture and spin the yarn, which they suspected was a pretty good one.

 In the seven days the Kasenga was anchored off Mombasa the midshipmen  had little or nothing to do, and they decided to go into the jungle and capture a few wild creatures to sell in this port. Horne had a rifle and Griggs was unarmed. They had penetrated the wilds several miles when a troop of more than a hundred big baboons, some seemingly four feet tall — or long — rushed out at them. Horne fired a few ineffective shots and ran. In a moment Griggs, who is only 19, and had had theretofore only sea adventures, was surrounded by the troop. He shouted for his friend, but the latter was out of hearing, bound for the shore to get help.

 Griggs says he noted that the baboons were not inclined to molest him so long as he made no effort to leave them; the moment he attempted to follow his shipmate they barred his way and made uncanny noises, showing their teeth. Their leader, an enormous ape, nearly as big as a gorilla, made signs to the troop, and they started marching into the jungle. Griggs decided, inasmuch as he was surrounded, that he had better move with the procession, and thus one of His Majesty’s merchant midshipmen was abducted.

 That night Griggs slept in the jungle with the troop around him. They seemed to regard him as a superior sort of baboon and made no efforts to harm him. They picked at his clothing occasionally and that was the only thing they did do except to block his way when he tried to shape a course towards the coast. He began to wonder whether he might not be able to get along as the king of the baboons. In the morning the troop set out again with Griggs in the midst of them.

 A good-looking girl baboon who had taken a fancy to the midshipman supplied him with fruit. He says it is not true that the girl baboon by the light of the moon had a habit of combing her golden hair. In the first place, old chap, the baboon has no golden hair, and in the next place she has no comb, and there you see the statement is absurd on its face.

 When Horne got back to the ship and told how the baboon had carried away Griggs, Chief Officer Wallace Webster organized a searching party, including a band of natives, and they got on the trail of Griggs.  They were equipped, the mate says with roman candles, skyrockets, and cayenne pepper. The fireworks were to scare the baboons, and the pepper was to be burned to make them sneeze. When a baboon sneezes, it appears, it loses all interest in life except the enjoyment of the achoo — God bless you. It was daylight when the searching party came across the troop, so it was not necessary to set off the fireworks.  They burned the red pepper, and while the baboons were making the welkin tremulous Midshipman Griggs walked off and joined his friends.  They wanted to shoot a few baboons, but Griggs asked them please not to, as he did not like the idea of killing the kind little baboon, the golden hairless one, that had fed him with bananas. To all of which the mate will certify.

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