(2)
giving him all my information, and informed him that I
would land a party to recover the prisoners and boats if
possible. He told me that he would land a party as soon
as possible. Both ships ("Somme" and "Yeung Shing")
proceeded close in-shore off the rocky beach a mile
south of BOLD BLUFF, where the lifeboats were seen to be
stranded, with some of the Chinese crews standing by
166
them. It appeared probable that the pirates had retreated
westward, so both ships rounded BOLD BLUFF and closed the
sandy beach 1⁄2 mile westward of it.
I landed an armed party under the command of
Lieutenant M.H. HARDCASTLE R.N. on the western side of the
beach, the Customs Cruiser landing two parties on the
eastern side of it: the latter were the first to land. It
was my intention that the primary object of the landing
party was to recover the captured Officers and crew.
One party of Customs men proceeded eastward over
the high land south of BOLD BLUFF, and the other party (under
the Commander) proceeded up the valley running southwestward
from the beach. This latter party came in touch with retreat-
ing pirates and fired on them at long range. No causualties
were observed and the pirates did not return the fire. H.M.S.
Somme's party at this time were proceeding up the valley some
few hundred yards behind the Customs men. The pirates, on
being fired on, abandoned the three passengers they had with
them. On recovering these, the Customs men returned towards
the sandy beach, the pirates scattering over the hills. Both
Officers and the Chinese crews of the life-boats had been
abandoned near their boats, and three more passengers on the
high ground eastward of the valley mentioned.
ว
H.M.S. Somme was standing close inshore at this
time, and I was prepared to open fire if I found a defi-
nite target. One or two men (who might have been pirates
or merely peaceful natives) were seen on the hillsides