153
to any
vitamiutolo notdoo
suoda ai ef
conic so relisti on quad et
Id ni bessent,eot of blind
An exentoðnað odloge,tad diet mary fil,afoor foald
„Iodaig a difźw beurs „Jõelaih alƐ add to,m2 na" ynî, qhla odt brood no mendoj sz
This akad lo dueza sild at „Joni zli mwinod,goda madd
Degrad Bonal
•
SOON LAI, 32 years, states:-
I was born at Ho Tim Kwan village of Swatow where I reside with my wife and family when on shore, I have been employed on the S.S. "Hong Hwa" for three years as a saloon boy. At 18.00 hours on the 7th inst. (13th day 12th moon) the S.S. "Hong Hwa." left Singapore for Hongkong with 300 deck passengers. At about 08.30 hours on the 15th inst. (19th day 12th moon) I was standing at the saloon door aft, when I heard several shots being fired from the direction of No.4 hatch aft, at the same time 4 men with revolvers in their hands ran towards me; I immediately closed the saloon door. A few minutes later 7 men came down into the saloon from the poop deck. They were all armed with revolvers and daggers and were shouting in the Punti dialect "don't move". There were several of the crew in the saloon at the time: they then asked me for the keys of the cabins in the saloon. The cabins were not occupied by the passengers. They were for the use of the crew the passengers sleeping on the tween-deck. After the cebins had been searched, I, with others of the crew were driven to No.5 hatch tween-deck where I saw a number of other passengers collected together. We remained at No.5 hatch for over an hour and after being searched, as I had nothing in my possession, I was told to go back to my work by one of the pirates. From that time until the 16th inst. (22nd day 12th moon) the pirates made their headquarters in the saloon, and they spoke in several dialects whenever I was present. At about 06.00 hours on the 16th inst. (22nd day 12th moon) I was asleep on the poop-deck, 3 of the pirates awoke me, saying, where is the kerosene oil stored. I said there was none on the ship but they did not believe me. One of the pirates then said there must be some oil in the engine room, and with that left, but returned shortly afterwards saying we have sighted land and we will not need the oil now. At about 09.00 hours the same date the pirates were rowed ashore by some of the ship's crew in the ships boats. I counted 30 men. I have never seen any of the pirates before, either as crew or passengers, but I feel sure I could recognize some of them. They appeared to be
Swatow men.
(Sd.) P. J. Shannon,
Lance Sergeant Å97.