Sandokan: The King of the Sea (The Sandokan Series Book 5)

by Emilio Salgari

  Ignoring the old man’s protests and the cries and curses rising from the crowd, the lieutenant asked:

  “How did you end up this far from Sarawak, Captain? Your men reported that you’d been gravely wounded when the Tiger destroyed your ship.”

  “It looked more serious than it was. And you, Leyland? What brought you to Mangalum?”

  “We’re searching for Sandokan and his men.”

  “You’ve arrived too late, and I wouldn’t advise you to measure yourself against that ship! You’ll need a lot more than a cruiser! Take my advice, my friend. Set sail immediately; best to avoid the King of the Sea and the Tigers of Mompracem if you can. Take us to your ship and I’ll give you a full report, but first allow me to present you to two of my friends: Miss Darma Pratt and her guardian.”

  At the sight of the lieutenant shaking the Portuguese’s hand, the governor exploded in rage.

  “They’re making a fool of you!” he howled. “That’s the pirate that robbed us! Hang him!”

  “Silence, old crow,” said Sir Moreland. “This isn’t any business of yours; the coal didn’t belong to you.”

  “What about the livestock?”

  “Cash the draft in Pontianak,” Yanez said ironically.

  “What’s all this about, Captain?” asked the lieutenant.

  “I’ll explain later,” replied Sir Moreland. “Place this young lady and her guardian under your protection.”

  “Hang them!” the governor howled fiercely. “They’re all pirates!”

  “Silence!” thundered the lieutenant, growing impatient with the old man. “If, as you state, these gentlemen are indeed pirates, they will be judged by a war tribunal. Men, form a square; we’re going back to the ship.”

  “Lieutenant!” the old man shouted.

  “Enough. You have my word; they will be judged. Close ranks! Forward, march!”

  The lieutenant’s escort, about thirty men or so, closed about Sir Moreland, Yanez, and the young woman then set off toward the beach, followed by the governor and the crowd of islanders. They cursed and pleaded with every step, trying to convince the lieutenant he was making a mistake.

  Three launches waited along the shore, while further out towards the mouth of the bay, a small black cruiser had dropped anchor between the promontories, her engines still under steam.

  The captain, the lieutenant, Yanez and Darma climbed into the largest launch with ten men while the rest of the escort were divided among the other two.

  A few strokes later the launches drew up beneath the cruiser’s starboard ladder.

  “Captain,” said the lieutenant, once Sir Moreland had climbed on deck and been greeted with thunderous hurrahs from the crew, “my ship is at your disposal.”

  “I’d be grateful if you could find us each a cabin. Now, we have a few things to discuss; as commander of this ship, you’ll decide what to do with my friends after you’ve heard my full report. Miss Darma, Señor de Gomera, please await my return.”

  As the ship set off, the captain and the lieutenant went below deck. When they returned a short while later, Sir Moreland was smiling happily.

  “Miss Darma, Señor de Gomera,” he said as he approached, “you won’t be taken to Labuan; the ship has orders to sail to Sarawak immediately.”

  “Where we’ll be handed over to the rajah,” said Yanez.

  “It’s not as I desired, but it’s the best I could do,” sighed the captain.

  “What did you have in mind, Sir Moreland?” asked Darma.

  The captain merely shook his head then offered the young woman his arm and led her towards the stern.

  “I want you to promise me something, Miss,” he said nervously.

  “Yes, Sir Moreland?” asked Darma.

  “Stay in Sarawak. Do not take to sea again.”

  “As a prisoner I doubt I’ll have much choice.”

  “The rajah will set you free shortly after your arrival.”

  “Then I’ll make every effort to return to the King of the Sea. You ask the impossible, sir. My father is still aboard that ship; he’d never abandon the Tigers of Mompracem and neither would I.”

  “It won’t be long before I’m given command of a new ship. Then I’ll set off to find Sandokan and his men. Who knows, it could fall to me to sink the King of the Sea and all those aboard her. Miss Darma, I’d give my life for you, do not force me to kill the woman I love.”

  “Neither of us can escape our fate, Sir Moreland,” the young woman replied.

  “Do you love me?”

  Their eyes locked, the young woman’s were welled with tears.

  “Do you love me?” he repeated.

  “Yes,” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

  “Do you promise not to forget me?”

  “Yes.”

  “I have faith in our destiny, Darma.”

  “Our love was doomed from the start, Sir Moreland,” the young woman said sadly. “Our destiny is to die on these waters.”

  “Do not speak so, Miss Darma.”

  “It’s the truth, Sir Moreland, we both know it. Sandokan will never surrender; he’ll fight the British to the very end.”

  “Yes, perhaps, but you can still escape that fate, Darma.”

  “How?”

  “Stay in Sarawak; leave the King of the Sea to her destiny.”

  “No, Sir Moreland. I’ll be alongside the Tigers of Mompracem, wherever they make their final stand. Sandokan and Yanez saved my life once; I would never abandon them.”

  “Don’t you realize the mightiest ships of the British navy are speeding towards these waters determined to put an end to this foolish war? The King of the Sea may win a few more battles, but sooner or later she’ll fall beneath our artillery. No one will escape their wrath.”

  “We’ll die bravely, to the cry of ‘Long Live Mompracem!’”

  “Beautiful and courageous, a true heroine!” Sir Moreland exclaimed admiringly.

  Yanez rushed over at that moment.

  “Sir Moreland!” he exclaimed. “The commander has spotted a steamship heading towards us.”

  “The King of the Sea?” exclaimed Darma.

  “They suspect it could be a warship. The men are preparing for battle.”

  A frown appeared on Sir Moreland’s brow and his face turned pale.

  “The King of the Sea,” he murmured hoarsely, “Fate begins to unfold.”

  The lieutenant came up beside him, holding a pair of binoculars.

  “Sir James,” he said. “There’s a very large ship heading towards us.”

  “One of ours?” asked the captain.

  “Unlikely, sir, she’s coming from the northeast, our squadron is heading towards Sarawak; we thought we’d find the pirates in those waters.”

  A black speck capped by two thick plumes of dark smoke had appeared on the horizon, heading towards Mangalum, moving at great speed, growing larger with each passing minute.

  Sir Moreland pointed the binoculars and slowly scanned the ship.

  “The King of the Sea!” he exclaimed sadly, casting his eyes upon the young woman as he brought down his arm.

  “Sandokan!” exclaimed Yanez. “Looks like I’ve escaped the noose once again!”

  “Is that the pirate ship?” asked the lieutenant.

  “Yes,” replied Sir Moreland.

  “We’ll give battle and sink her.”

  “That would be suicide. You wouldn’t stand a chance. You’ll need more than a third class cruiser to face that ship, she’s the fastest, most powerful vessel in these waters.”

  “I won’t let them take us without a fight,” the lieutenant replied.

  “Neither will I, my friend; but I’m certain it won’t come to that.”

  “You have a plan?”

  “Have a launch readied; I’m going to parley with the Tiger of Malaysia. You’ll have to surrender your two prisoners, but they’ll spare your crew and your ship.”

  “I’m at your orders, Sir James.”

/>   As several crewmen were dispatched to lower a whaleboat, the King of the Sea continued to advance, barrelling towards the cruiser at twelve knots.

  Her fore-chasers were trained upon her enemy, her crew at their posts, ready to unleash a shower of fire and steel at her captain’s first command.

  A long red war pennant flew atop her foremast, another flag fluttered from her stern, a tiger’s head emblazoned on a sea of red, the legendary standard of the Tigers of Mompracem.

  Seeing the British cruiser come to halt, hoist a white flag and put a launch in the water, Sandokan ordered his men to reverse engines. The King of the Sea immediately began to slow, ending her advance twelve hundred metres from her adversary.

  “It appears the British do not wish to measure themselves against us,” he said to Tremal-Naik who had joined him on the bridge. “Are they surrendering? I wouldn’t know what to do with that ship.”

  “We’ll take her coal, artillery, and ammunition,” replied the Bengali. “They could be of great use to our allies in Sarawak.”

  “Yes, yet I’d hate to waste more time,” said the Tiger of Malaysia. “We have to find Darma and Yanez.”

  “Do you think they survived the storm?” Tremal-Naik asked anxiously.

  “I have no doubt. Yanez has been through much worse. I’m sure he found them some shelter on that bit of rock. Look! Her captain’s in the whaleboat, probably coming to offer us his sword. This was almost too easy; I would have preferred a fight.”

  “Tiger of Malaysia,” said Sambigliong, having pointed his binoculars at the launch. “Is it possible? It’s him! Look! Sir Moreland!”

  “Moreland!” exclaimed Sandokan, his face going from pale to red as a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes. “Moreland aboard that ship! Then Yanez… Darma… But… how? It’s impossible, you must be mistaken, Sambigliong.”

  “No, look, he’s spotted us and he’s waving his hat.”

  Sandokan rushed out of the turret.

  “Yes, it is, Sir Moreland!” he howled happily.

  The whaleboat, propelled by twelve oarsmen, advanced rapidly.

  Standing at the stern, the captain continued to wave his hat, his other arm clasped about the tiller.

  “Lower the ladder!” shouted Sandokan.

  The order had just been executed when the whaleboat drew up beside them. Sir Moreland quickly climbed aboard.

  “I’m happy to see you again, gentlemen,” he said coldly. “I bear good news.”

  “Yanez? Darma?” shouted Sandokan and Tremal-Naik in unison.

  “They’re aboard that ship.”

  “Why didn’t you bring them with you?” Sandokan asked with a frown.

  The captain’s face grew hard.

  “I’ve come to open negotiations, sir,” he replied coldly.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The commander of that vessel will deliver Miss Darma and Señor Yanez on the condition that you do not attack.”

  Sandokan paused for a moment, then replied:

  “Very well, Sir Moreland, I’ll find her again later if need be.”

  “Lower your pennant, her commander will know you’ve accepted his terms; he’ll send the prisoners over immediately.”

  Sandokan signalled to Sambigliong to lower the flag and a few minutes later a second launch left the cruisers’ side carrying Darma and Yanez.

  “Sir Moreland,” said Sandokan, “where did that ship find you?”

  “On Mangalum,” replied the captain, his eyes fixed upon the rapidly approaching launch.

  “You made it back there after the storm?”

  “Yes,” the captain replied dryly, his agitation increasing as the tiny boat drew nearer.

  The second launch pulled up beside the ship. Yanez and Darma quickly climbed the ladder, the Portuguese rushed to embrace Sandokan as the young woman ran into her father’s arms.

  Sir Moreland, extremely pale, looked on sadly. Once the greetings had ended, he turned toward Sandokan and asked:

  “Am I still your prisoner?”

  “No, Sir Moreland, you’re free to go,” said Yanez, quickly interjecting before the Tiger of Malaysia could reply.

  Though surprised by his friend’s words, Sandokan merely nodded and remained silent.

  “Gentlemen,” said the captain his voice grave as he looked the renowned pirates squarely in the face, “I hope we meet again in battle.”

  “We’ll be waiting for you,” Sandokan replied coldly.

  He came up beside Darma and offered his hand, saying sadly:

  “May Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu protect you, Miss.”

  Deeply moved, the young woman squeezed his hand but remained silent.

  Sir Moreland pretended not to see the hands that Yanez, Sandokan and Tremal-Naik had extended to him, saluted and quickly went down the ladder without looking back.

  However, when the launch transporting him to the small cruiser passed before the King of the Sea’s bow, he raised his head, and, spotting Darma and Surama on the forecastle, waved a final goodbye.

  “Yanez,” said Sandokan, drawing the Portuguese aside. “Why did you let him go? He could have been a precious hostage.”

  “He’s a danger to Darma,” Yanez replied. “They’re in love.”

  “I thought so. He’s brave and handsome, worthy of our Darma. Who knows? Perhaps once this war has ended…”

  He remained silent a moment as if deep in thought, then added:

  “Time to put our plans into action. Since the squadron is looking for us off Sarawak, we’ll head for the shipping lanes and do as much damage as we can.”

  Chapter 11

  The First Attacks

  FORTY-EIGHT HOURS LATER, the King of the Sea, having sailed west to prey on ships plying the trade routes between India, Java, Sumatra, China and Japan, came within sight of smoke a hundred and fifty miles from the Burguram islands.

  “A steamship!” yelled Kammamuri, keeping lookout at the foremasthead.

  When word came to Sandokan in the mess hall, he immediately ordered the engines to full steam and the gunners to their stations as he hurried up on deck.

  At the Maratha’s cry, the entire crew had rushed to their posts, all eyes anxious to catch a glimpse of the King of the Sea’s first victim.

  The cruiser was still fairly close to the shores of Borneo, and it was quite possible that she could suddenly find herself face to face with a warship heading for Sarawak or Labuan.

  The Tiger of Malaysia, armed with a powerful pair of binoculars, slowly scanned the sea. A plume of smoke was rising over the horizon; the ship would soon be within sight, the King of the Sea having increased her speed to twelve knots.

  “Well, Sandokan?” asked Tremal-Naik, coming to his side.

  “A little patience, my friend,” the formidable pirate replied.

  “What if she isn’t a British ship?”

  “We’ll greet her and let her pass; we’re not at war with the entire world.”

  “Can you make her out?”

  “She’s just coming into view. A merchant steamboat by the look of her; I don’t see any pennants. There, you can just make out her masting on the horizon. A warning shot should stop her advance. Arm sixty men and prepare four launches with mitrailleuses.”

  “Are we going to board her?” asked Kammamuri.

  “Only, if she’s British.”

  The distance separating the two ships quickly disappeared, the King of the Sea increasing her speed to prevent the steamship from escaping. The lookouts had spotted the flag flying on the jackstaff and the news was greeted with a loud cry.

  “I knew it,” said Sandokan. “She’s flying the Union Jack.”

  The launches had been lowered to the gun ports. His eyes swept over the sixty Malays aboard them waiting to attack. Satisfied, he gave the order to intercept.

  That ship, which had probably come from India, was a large, two- thousand-ton, double-masted steamer with twin smokestacks. Her crew had gathered about the bulwarks, drawn by
the sight of that warship racing to meet them. When the King of the Sea had come to within a thousand metres, Sandokan ordered his flag hoisted up the mizzenmast and fired a warning shot.

  Curiosity instantly gave way to fear. Passengers and crew rushed to the bow, their cries carrying to the advancing ship. The sight of the Tiger’s emblem, known throughout the South China Sea, had filled them all with the certainty that their voyage was about to come to a tragic end.

  The steamer tacked to port then to starboard, uncertain of where to flee, until a shell fired from one of the chasers thundered over her deck and stopped her in her tracks.

  “Reverse engines!” commanded Sandokan. “Launches in the water and boarding party at the ready. Yanez, take them out.”

  The Portuguese sheathed the sabre that Sambigliong had brought him, tucked his pistols in his sash and descended into the larger launch followed by Tremal-Naik.

  Realizing there was no hope of escape, the steamship had stopped eight hundred metres from them.

  Deafening cries arose from the passengers crowding about the deck, believing their final hour was at hand.

  The four launches, manned by sixty men armed with carbines and kampilans, had quickly set off toward the steamship, while the King of the Sea’s gunners aimed the two pieces in the port turret, ready to unleash a barrage of steel at the first sign of resistance.

  When the launch was thirty paces from the ship, Yanez ordered the British crew to lower the ladder, threatening to open fire if they did not comply.

  At first several crewmen appeared on the bulwarks armed with rifles, intending to ignore that command, but the passengers, having glimpsed the pirate ship’s formidable artillery, quickly shouted them down and the ladder was quickly lowered.

  Yanez rushed onto the deck and unsheathed his sabre, followed by Tremal-Naik, Kammamuri and twelve men.

  The commander of the steamship and his officers awaited them, the passengers, about fifty in all, crowded behind them, looking on in silent terror. He was a handsome man, taller than average, with brown hair, a short curly beard and an energetic face bronzed by the tropic sun.

  As Yanez drew his sabre, he turned pale and frowned.

  “To what honour do I owe your visit?” he asked, a slight quiver in his voice.