A BRAVE ENGLISH LIEUTENANT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1843, 22 January 1889, Page 3

A BRAVE ENGLISH LIEUTENANT.

Letters have been received furnishing particulars of the engagement with a slave dhow off the Zanzibar coast on the night of October 17th, resulting in the death of NavigatingLieutenant Myler Cooper, of the Griffon. A volunteer crew of six, all told, under Lieutenant Cooper, were in the ship’s steam-cutter off the island of Pemba. The dhow was sighted, and the steamer gave chase. As she got alongside the Arabs fired a volley from their rifles right into her. Lieut. Cooper was fatally wounded, but be at once gave orders for the attacking master-at-arms to take command, saying, “ Never mind me; take the dhow at all hazards.” The Arabs continued firing, and the caulker’s mate was seriously wounded, and soon after the sailmaker’s mate fell. The remaining three of the cutter’s crew kept up a gallant fight for an hour. Then the Arab crew of fourteen or fifteen ran the dhow ashore and escaped, taking dead and wounded with them. The dhow contained ninety-eight slaves—men, women and children—several of them having been wounded in tbe engagement. When the capture of the dhow was reported. to Lieutenant Cooper he said, “Then securely anchor her and make the best of our way to the ship.” This was done, hut the gallant officer died just before reaching the Griffon. The other two wounded were in hospital at Zanzibar. The sailmaker was doing well, but the caulker was in a critical condition, The sad affair created a profound impression among officers and men engaged in the suppression of the slave trade.