An Unpleasant Passenger.

Manawatu Herald, 15 May 1894, Page 3

An Unpleasant Passenger.

The captain and crew of the steamer Nairnshire, which arrived at Victoria Docks, London, on March 24th from New Zealand, had rather an exciting time in the latter part of the voyage, during which a large and savage hyena held complete possession of part of the vessel. The animal, which came from Cape Juby, on the north-west coast of Atrica, and was consigned to the London office of the West Africa Company, was taken on board when the Nairnshire was coaling at Las Palraas. It was . originally confined in a wooden box, but at the end of two days, finding its movements restricted by its narrow prison, it broke open the front of the box, which was insufficiently nailed together, and sought more roomy quarters among some casks of fruit, skins, &c, underneath the forecastle deck, a spaoe of 85ft by 15ft Sin. There, we learn, it remained, to the alarm and danger of all on board, for it moved about freely, and no one knew when he might meet it. " Captain Olsen's first impulse was to shoot the dangerous brute, but he finally decided, as it was a valuable animal, and properly consigned, to endeavor to deliver it alive. In order to feed it Captain Olsen, carrying a loaded shotgun, -and havidg on either side of him a man' armed with a revolver at fuli cock, escorted into the forecastle hold one of the seamen, who threw, within convenient reach of the beast, choice chunks of New Zealand mutton. Nothing untoward occurred during the five days, but on arriving at Gravesend on Good Friday a telegram was sent to the West Africa Company to send for and fetch the hyena, otherwise it would be shot. The Company's office was, however, closed for the holidays. When the Nairnshire arrived in Victoria Dock on Saturday morning it was decided to make an attempt to capture the hyena, and Mr Samuel Lowe, dairy expert of the New Zealand Government, who had boarded the steamer in the exercise of his official duties, pluckily volunteered to take charge of the operation." It might have been thought that this was rather out of Mr Lowe's line, but he is evidently a man of resource, and with the assistance of Captain Olsen and some others the capture of this unwelcome passenger was safely accomplished. 11 By Mr Lowe's directions the forecastle hold was gradually cleared of its cargo, while a number of the sailors stood by with nets, sacks, and boards. The hyena resented these operations by snarling and showing his teeth, and occasionally crouching as though to spring upon his intruders. Finally, however, he was got into a corner behind a large cask, and a seaman, making a dexterous blow, managed to get a rope round its neck. While the beast was struggling in the toils, a second rope was thrown round him, and, the cask being then rolled away, the hyena was dragged into his cage amid the cheers of his amateur hunters."