During this time ships often employed young boys to carry gun powder to the cannons. These boys were known as powder-monkeys. So there's quite a strong school of thought that they just killed a French 12 year old who survived a shipwreck, which is far less funny but arguably more likely.
I've always doubted the hanged monkey story to be true as wouldn't it just climb up the rope making it impossible?
Anyway Reading fans seem gutted to lose this lad and if Gana goes he seems like a direct replacement in a vital position so I'm pretty happy about it.