One peculiar thing happened at this stage which alarmed the officers considerably. They saw that the pirates ordered the crew to bring out a coffin which the vessel always
carried in case of a death on board during a voyage. It later appear- ed that the coffin was brought out for a pirate who was accidentally shot by the gang.
The captured officers went about the watches as usual and while Mr. Thompson and the chief engineer were resting in their own cabins, their guard asked them to produce whatever
money they
had with them. This was done and, after the money had been produced, the pirate gave it back to their respec- tive owners. Instructions were given by the chief pirate not to rob the personal property of the offi- cers, and this order was carried out. All the pirates had from the officers was cigarettes, and these they consumed freely.
A Cornered Man. Reverting to the story of the man who was eventually killed by fall- ing off a cliff at Bias Bay, Mr. Thompson said that the man was a returned emigrant from Aus- tralia. Evidently he was marked down by the pirates from the very beginning, but somehow he man- aged to elude the robbers. He made himself known to Mr. Thomp- son while the latter was on watch at the engine room. son said that the man sudden- | ly came outfrom a stokehold and offered $1,000 if Mr. Thomp- son could hide him and bring him to Hong Kong safely.
The Officers' Plans.
I must also tell you this. The very day the pirates captured the ship, they asked for kerosene oil and they got it. We did not like this because we feared that they
might set fire to the ship," Mr. Thompson said.
The Tean was nearing Bias Bay and the pirates had expressly told the officers that they would fire the ship and shoot everyone on board if they should British gunboat
come across a
The officers then planned to keep watch throughout the night. The Captain, mate and second officer decided to remain on the bridge and Mr. Thompson took up his watch in the mess room.
He was to warn the engine room if any- thing untoward happened. They would then go down below where they could get a better chance to put up a fight as the ladder leading to the engine room could only admit one man at a time, so that if the pirates were to come down, those down below could account for each one of the robbers as they came alone. No- thing, however, happened. But the officers who were down below had taken the precaution to arm them- selves with bolts and nuts.
At Bias Bay.
The Tean then arrived at Bias Bay and the pirates ordered two life-boats to be lowered. They also took a number of the crew to row the boats and placed the chief in one and the second officer in other. While the two officers, pirates, crew and some of the pas- sengers captured for ransom were being rowed ashore, the remaining officers and the passengers went up to the bridge to watch for develop- ments.
They then saw H.M.S. Somme, Mr. Thomp who, scenting that something was wrong, steamed up to the Tean. The Somme came alongside and a lieutenant and some men boarded the Tean. At the same time the Customs cruiser Yung Shing also hove into sight. When the situa- tion was explained to them, the Yung Shing at once despatched a pursuit party after the fleeing robbers.
Mr.
Thompson while feeling sorry for the man, dared not do anything as he knew that pirates were watching him from different points and once they knew that he was aiding a passenger, he would probably be shot. He therefore told the man "No savvy."
The hunted emigrant returned to the stokehold.
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Mr. Thompson went off duty and while he was in his cabin, he again saw this man passing outside his cabin door. The cornered man looked very pathetic. My heart went out to him, but I was not able to save him," Mr. Thompson said. That was the last time he saw the man alive.
The pursuers returned after some- time with the chief and second officers, a Chinese passenger who had been taken for ransom, the crew taken by the pirates to man the boats and a corpse. This was later identified to be the man who had offered Mr. Thompson $1,000 to hide him. The poor man's head was battered beyond recognition. Coming back to Hong Kong, the Team met with H.M.S. Wanderer who escorted the pirated vessel back here.
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