PIRACIES
(Contd.)
787
Mention has been made in these articles, on several occasions to piracies in these waters: there is one, however, which must always stand out owing to various special features in its committal as well as the wholesale execution at Kowloon City (then Chinese territory) which followed. This was the Namao piracy.
The truly horrible affair took place on December 10, 1890. In the morning of that day the steamer Namao of the Douglas Steamship Company left Hong Kong for Swatow with five saloon and 220 Chinese deck passengers on board. The Chinese were chiefly returned emigrants from San Francisco and the Straits Settlements on their way to their homes with their savings. Early in the afternoon, after leaving Hong Kong and while passing the island of Ping Hoi, a band of between forty and fifty Chinese armed with revolvers and cutlasses suddenly made their appearance on deck. They had all changed their dress and wore a kind of uniform not unlike that worn by Chinese soldiers.
Before any of the officers and crew could realise their position, the pirates had divided themselves into several gangs and made a simultaneous attack on the saloon (where the Captain and passengers were at tiffin), the engineers and officers' quarters, the bridge and the engine-room.
The attack was so sudden that resistance was impossible, apart from the pirates having taken steps to prevent anything of the kind by first taking possession of the arms and ammunition belonging to the ship. The engineers' and officers' quarters were first opened fire on.
The second engineer and second officer were sitting at tiffin when several shots were fired and stinkpots thrown in upon them. The second engineer, Ramsey was shot through the arm, but wounded as he was he made his escape to the engine-room.
The second officer was made a prisoner and ordered, under threats of instant death, to show where the treasure and valuables were.
Another gang had attacked the third officer, Eddy, on the bridge. He also received a shot in the arm.
The third engineer who was in the engine-room when the attack commenced, was joined by the second engineer and second officer, both seeking refuge in the same place. The three men concealed themselves under the boilers and for some time eluded the search of the pirates.
In the meantime another group had attacked the saloon. Some of them pointed their revolvers through the skylight, and called on the Captain to come on deck, one man speaking pidgin English saying "We are going to rob the passengers, and we want to settle with you."
Captain Pocock after some parley left the table and walked towards the door of the saloon. He had hardly reached the deck when one of the pirates who was standing at the door, fired at him, the bullet taking effect on the right breast. Captain Pocock, staggering into his stateroom, sank dying on his bed, blood flowing profusely from his fatal wound. He expired about half an hour afterwards.
Meanwhile the pirates pursued their fiendish work. The saloon passengers had rushed from the table and concealed themselves in their cabins, into which shots were fired and stink-pots thrown. The second mate surrounded by a party of pirates with revolvers and drawn cutlasses, was compelled to go into the saloon and tell the passengers to come out of their rooms and go into the Captain's stateroom and stay there if they did not want to be killed. The passengers thereupon came out and went into the stateroom where Captain Pocock was dying. Here they were locked in and a watch of ...
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PIRACIES
(Contd.)
787
Mention has been made in these articles, on several occasions to piracies in these waters: there is one, however, which must always stand out owning to various special features in its committal as well as the wholesale execution at Kowloon City (then Chinese territory) which followed. This was the Namao piracy.
The truly horrible affair took place on December 10, 1890. In the morning of that day the steamer Namaa of the Douglas Steamship Company left Hong Kong for Swatow with five saloon and 220 Chinese deck passengers on board. The Chinese were chiefly returned emigrants from San Francisco and the Straits Settlements on their way to their homes with their savings. Early in the afternoon, after leaving Hong Kong and while passing the island of Ping Hoi, a band of between forty and fifty Chinese armed with revolvers and cutlasses suddenly made their appearance on deck. They had all changed their dress and wore a kind of uniform not unlike that worn by Chinese soldiers.
Before any
of the officers and crew could realise their position, the pirates had divided themselves into several gangs and made a simultaneous attack on the saloon (where the Captain and passengers were at tiffin), the engineers and officers' quarters, the bridge and the engine-room.
The attack was so sudden that resistance was impossible, apart from the pirates having taken steps to prevent anything of the kind by first taking possession of the arms and ammunition belonging to the ship. The engineers' and officers' quarters were first opened fire on.
The second engineer and second officer were sitting at tiffin when several shots were fired and stinkpots thrown in upon them. The second engineer, Ramsey was shot through the arm, but wounded as he was he made his escape to the engine-room.
The second officer was made a prisoner and ordered, under threats of instant death, to show where the treasure and valuables
Another gang had attacked the third officer, Eddy, on the. bridge. He also received a shot in the arm.
were.
*
The third engineer who was in the engine-room when the attack commenced, was joined by the second engineer and second officer, both seeking refuge in the same place. The three men concealed themselves under the boilers and for some time eluded the search of the pirates.
*
In the meantime another group had attacked the saloon. Pome of them pointed their revolvers through the skylight, and called on the Captain to come on deck, one man speaking pidgin English saying "We are going to rob the passengers, and we want to settle with you."
Captain Pocock after some parley left the table and walked towards the door of the saloon. He had hardly reached the deck when one of the pirates who was standing at the door, fired at him, the bullet taking effect on the right breast. Opatain Bocock, staggering into his stateroom, sank dying on his bed, blood flowing profusely from his fatal wound. He expired about half an hour afterwards.
The
Meanwhile the pirates pursued their fiendish work. saloon passengers had rushed from the table and concealed themselves in their cabins, into which shots were fired and stink-pots thrown. The second mate surrounded by a party of pirates with revolvers and drawn cutlasses, was compelled to go into the saloon and tell the passengers to come out of their rooms and go into the Captain's stateroom and stay there if they did not want to be killed. The passengers there upon came out and went into the stateroom where Captain Pocock andying. Here they were locked in and a watch of
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