This welcome capture meant another two months' cruising for us! The
_Corbridge_, therefore, was not sunk, but received the order to follow
in our wake, after which we jointly returned to the spot where we had
abandoned the _Farringford_.
In spite of a brilliant moon, there was nothing to be seen. Our shells
had done their work well, and the ship was at the bottom of the sea.
We felt justly elated at the success of our double capture on the very
first day of our hunting expedition.
The next twenty-four hours brought us nearer to the usual shipping
route, but nothing untoward occurred. The crew of the _Corbridge_ was
reinforced and put under special orders. Then she was released. I shall
have more to say about her later on.
The second morning after the sinking of the _Farringford_ another cloud
of smoke was signalled. On this occasion, too, we commenced by acting
very cautiously, for fear of the new-comer suspecting our _bona fides_
and signalling our presence by wireless. Having ascertained that the
boat had no wireless on board, however, we steered straight for her.
The captain, however, seemed to have smelt a rat, and tried to evade
us. Our intimation to stop, accompanied by a shell, soon convinced
him of the futility of such an attempt. Sadly, he brought his ship to
a standstill. From the prize-crew I sent on board we learnt that the
boat's name was _Dromonby_, three thousand six hundred and twenty-seven
tons, and that she belonged to the British Government, and was on the
way to South Africa with a cargo of coal. The crew of fifteen men was
transferred to the _Moewe_, and the ship blown up.
Another cloud of smoke being signalled, the _Moewe_ got ready again.
This time also the boat was an "Engländer"--a specially fine steamer,
_Author_ by name, three thousand four hundred and ninety-six tons
register, and worth three to four million marks. After the usual
formalities, the crew, consisting of four Englishmen and forty-five
Indians, was taken on board our ship. We also transferred sheep,
chickens, and eggs, and our larder was thus renewed in a most
satisfactory way. There were also many valuable race-horses on board,
but unfortunately they had to be shot.
The weather remained calm. We worked busily, without any fear of
interference, until still another cloud of smoke appeared on the
horizon to the south. Completing the transfer as quickly as possible,
we turned all our attention to the sinking of the _Author_. In
the general hurry, a mishap occurred. Three patent life-buoys had
inadvertently remained on board the _Author_, and, just as we thought
all was over, these buoys caught fire from their contact with the water
and suddenly exploded. Had this noise been heard by the approaching
steamer, she would certainly have got alarmed, and might possibly
have escaped us. We therefore pretended to be looking for a man
overboard, and meanwhile secured the buoys. The boat came towards us
unsuspiciously, and it is easy to imagine the painful surprise of her
captain when he received the brusque order:
"Stop at once and abandon your ship!"
After a moment's hesitation he complied.
We ascertained, in the usual way, that the ship's name was _Trader_,
three thousand seven hundred tons, and that she was bound with a cargo
of raw sugar to Liverpool. We sank her in a quarter of an hour, by
opening her valves and applying a few bombs. Practice makes the master!
I summoned the three captains of the sunk boats to the bridge, and made
the seriousness of the situation clear to them. I impressed upon them
that, provided the prisoners complied with all our regulations, they
could count on fair treatment, but that the slightest insubordination
would be followed by the severest punishment.
I must say that our prisoners observed my warning in the most
praiseworthy fashion, and in return they were allowed, on favorable
occasions, to air themselves on deck, which they greatly appreciated,
for the accommodation set apart for them, where a hundred and fifty men
were huddled together, was insufficiently ventilated and altogether
inadequate.
The housing of the prisoners presented at first considerable
difficulties and caused the first officer no small trouble and
perturbation. Finally, the space where the mines had been kept was set
apart for the whites, while the Indians were accommodated in the stern.
Fortunately we had sufficient wood to improvise makeshift tables,
benches, and so on. Gradually things began to look more shipshape,
but nevertheless we were very anxious to get rid of this superfluous
humanity at the earliest possible opportunity, and before long the wish
was gratified.
Though we were close to a much-used trade route during the whole of
the following day, we did not catch sight of a single vessel, and we
utilized the time to repaint once more the _Moewe's_ sides, which sadly
needed a fresh coating.