CO129-508-4 Cases of attacks by pirates 6-11-1927 - 23-11-1928 — Page 198

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2.

have some knowledge of seamanship. The ship arrived

at the above-mentioned Inlet at about 19.00 hours on the

15th April, 1928. The master was then allowed to go

At

to his bunk where he remained for the night. At about

05.30 hours on the 16th April, 1928, he was awakened by

the Chief Officer who informed him that the pirate

wanted the ship taken further in towards the Inlet.

this time a launch was sighted coming from the West,

and the pirates appeared to think that they were caught and at once got into a ship's life-boat and sampan, taking with them the master, chief officer and 5 deck

passengers. After arriving on shore and seeing that the launch took no notice of them, the pirates decided to return to the ship to get some of the cargo. They took

the chief officer with them and left the master on shore. About 2 hours later, a Chinese gunboat was sighted steam- ing from the West and on seeing this, the pirates took the ship's lifeboat further up the Inlet and jumped ashore. During the excitement the master got the ship's boat and rowed to the ship. He made a signal to the gunboat and told them that he had been pirated. Two of the ship's boats were sent off to the gunboat and were loaded up

with sailors who went ashore but returned 2 hours later without effecting any arrest or recovering any cargo. The anchor was then raised and the ship steamed to Hong Kong where it arrived at about 21.00 hours on the 16th

April, 1928. The gunboat escorted the ship as far as Tuniang Island. No shots were fired by the pirates

and no one was injured.

The