Yanez, Sandokan and Tremal-Naik cried out in fury and amazement as they recognized the mark of the Thugs. Those ships belonged to Suyodhana’s son!
A long silence followed aboard the King of the Sea, so great was their astonishment, until Sandokan voice’s abruptly brought it to an end:
“Fire! Fire! Fire!”
A thunderous discharge drowned out that last command as a barrage of shells rained down upon the King of the Sea. The four ships had unleashed a hurricane of iron and steel, their cannons and batteries firing unceasingly.
Volleys of grenades exploded against the turrets that housed the cruiser’s chasers, the enemy intent on destroying the great ship’s weaponry. The bridge, however, remained unscathed, not a ball or bullet fired at Darma and Surama’s refuge. Shell after shell merely pounded the cruiser’s sides, as if the gunners had been ordered to spare the young women, the two commanders and Tremal-Naik.
A smoking volcano, the King of the Sea fought back with fury, the last Tigers of Mompracem determined to fight until the end. Her large howitzers riddled the enemy ships, razing decks, smashing smokestacks and tearing holes in their metal armour. From time to time amidst that deafening thunder, Sandokan’s formidable voice could be heard howling:
“Fire, Tigers of Mompracem! Fire! Destroy them all! We will not surrender!”
But how long could the King of the Sea withstand those terrible volleys? Her sturdy sides had begun to give way after a half hour, and one by one her pieces fell silent, destroyed by enemy shells. Her turrets had begun to crumble beneath that incessant rain of grenades, and soon the batteries were filled with the bodies of the dead. Only the command turret had been left intact.
From inside it, Sandokan and Yanez calmly watched the battle unfold, the Tiger of Malaysia biting his lip from time to time, the Portuguese coolly smoking his cigarette, a look of sadness crossing his face whenever his eyes met Surama’s.
Darma, sitting in a corner on a pile of rope beside Tremal-Naik, her hands pressed against her ears to muffle the deafening sound of artillery fire, stared off into space.
Suddenly the ship jumped and an enormous column of water swept across her deck. Her hull shook for an instant, then gave way, as if her powder magazine had exploded.
Seconds later, Mister Howard rushed into the turret.
“They’ve torpedoed the King of the Sea!” he shouted, his face pale with fear. “We’re sinking!”
Savage cries rose from the batteries, mingling with the final volleys from the last two functioning chasers.
The enemy guns abruptly fell silent.
Sandokan cast a sad look upon his two friends and said:
“This is it; death has come for the last Tigers of Mompracem.”
He drew Darma to her feet and went out, followed by Yanez, Tremal-Naik and Surama. Once outside he stopped and surveyed his ship.
The poor King of the Sea! The mighty cruiser, once triumphant and invincible, had finally met her end. Her deck had been shredded, her turrets reduced to rubble, her cannons silenced and her sides were now riddled with holes.
Smoke poured from her hatches as men scrambled out of her batteries stained with powder and blood.
“Ready a launch!” commanded Sandokan.
One had miraculously escaped the barrage of fire. Several Malays quickly put it in the water as others rushed to lower the companion ladder.
“First, Tremal-Naik and the women,” said Sandokan. “Don’t worry about us. It appears our rescuers will be here shortly.”
Numerous launches had pulled away from the victorious ships and were rushing towards the King of the Sea, their oarsmen rowing furiously. Sir Moreland could be seen in the lead boat, waving a white handkerchief.
The launch carrying the two young women, Tremal-Naik, Kammamuri and four oarsmen pulled away from the sinking King of the Sea.
“And now,” said Sandokan with a grand gesture, “I’m going to wrap myself in my flag. Come, Yanez; it’s over.”
“Bah!” said the Portuguese, blowing out a mouthful of smoke. “No one lives forever.”
They crossed the deck, slowly making their way through the wreckage, then climbed up the ratlines to the fighting top of the military mast.
From off in distance, Tremal-Naik, Darma and Surama signalled them to jump into the water. They replied with a wave and a smile.
Sandokan tore down the red flag flying above him and wrapped it about himself.
“So dies the Tiger of Malaysia,” he said proudly.
A hundred men had gathered beneath them, the last of the Tigers of Mompracem. Ignoring their wounds, they stood in silence, awaiting their fate, eyes fixed upon their captains.
The King of the Sea sank slowly, her deck swaying slightly as the waves roared gloomily into her hold. The cruiser’s launches raced towards her, trying desperately to reach the ship and force rescue upon the men who had chosen to die. Sir Moreland’s led the way, followed by Tremal-Naik’s, the Bengali having immediately guessed his friend’s intentions and turned his launch about.
Wrapped in his flag, Sandokan smiled peacefully as he watched them approach. Yanez, a slight frown upon his brow, slowly smoked his last cigarette.
Once the waters had broken over the deck, the Portuguese let fall the cigarette he had almost finished.
“Go, wait for me at the bottom of the sea,” he said as he watched it drift away.
Just as the hull seemed about to submerge, the King of the Sea suddenly fell still. The current that had driven her eastward must have pushed her closer to the Vernon sandbank than the crew had suspected and her keel had finally touched bottom. By the time the rescue launches had drawn up beneath her port ladder, her hull was listing gently to starboard.
Sir Moreland was the first to rush on deck, Tremal-Naik and the two young women following close behind him.
Yanez turned toward Sandokan, whose face had grown dark.
“It seems Fate wants us to live,” he said. “What shall we do?”
“I guess we should go meet Suyodhana’s son,” he said, resting his right hand on the gold hilt of his kris. “Be prepared for anything, even to kill him if need be.”
He laid the flag aside and slowly descended the ratline with all the majesty of a king descending the steps of a throne. When at last he stood before Sir Moreland, he said:
“Well? Come to offer your terms?”
The captain, who appeared to be deeply moved, removed his hat and saluted the two legendary pirates.
“Allow me a word, gentlemen.”
He took Darma, who had climbed aboard with Surama, by the hand and led her before Tremal-Naik.
“I love Darma and she loves me,” he said. “I cannot live without your daughter, though the gods of India know how hard I’ve tried. I need but a word from you to bridge the river of blood that divides us; a word to forever quell the cries of my murdered father. His ghost came to me last night and told me to forgive you all!”
“What are you saying, Sir Moreland?” Tremal-Naik asked uneasily.
“Darma, do you love me?” Sir Moreland asked, instead of replying to the Bengali’s question.
“More than words can say,” replied the young woman, blushing slightly as she lowered her eyes.
“The war is over,” said Sir Moreland, “vengeance has been satisfied. Tremal-Naik, you’ve heard your daughter’s wishes, will you give us your blessing?”
“Who are you?” shouted Yanez, Sandokan and Tremal-Naik in unison.
“I am… Suyodhana’s son! Come! You are my guests.”
Epilogue
Twenty minutes later the four cruisers set off from the Vernon sandbank, as the King of the Sea’s battered hulk slowly sank into the mud. The survivors had been brought aboard the largest. Kammamuri, Sambigliong and Mister Howard had gathered in the main cabin with Tremal-Naik, the two young women, the two pirate captains, and Suyodhana’s son.
A lively anxiety mixed with immense curiosity seemed to grip them all. Every eye was fixed u
pon the young Tiger of India sitting by Darma’s side, a man who until then they had believed to be an officer of the Anglo-Indian navy.
“I owe you all an explanation,” said Sir Moreland, “for this long stubborn war I’ve waged against you. It was not until my twenty-fifth year that I was told for the first time by my tutor, a wise old Indian of high caste, that I was not the son of an Anglo-Indian officer, as until then I had believed, but of the leader of the dreaded Thugs who had secretly married an Englishwoman that died while giving birth to me.
“Entrusted to the care of a Welsh family, established for many years in Benares, and brought up as an Englishman who believed himself to be the orphaned child of an officer in the East India Company, you’ll easily understand what a terrible effect the news had upon me. I was the son of the leader of a sect despised by all good men. My father’s will left me a hundred and seventy million rupees deposited in the bank of Bombay and implored me to avenge his death. I hesitated for a long time, but at last the cry of blood was too strong. Though I was an officer in the Anglo-Indian navy and repelled by the idea of avenging a sect, I decided to act, my tutor’s words having finally persuaded me.
“I knew the full history, I knew where your lair was and I prepared to wage war by building five mighty ships. Knowing that the British government was still uneasy with your presence, your island being too close to Labuan, and that the Rajah of Sarawak, James Brooke’s nephew, was still longing for an opportunity to avenge his uncle, I went to offer the governor of the colony my help and my ships. I wanted to have you all in my hands, to avenge my father’s death.
“While I made my preparations, my tutor, pretending to be a sherip, went off to stir up the Dyaks living along the Kabatuan. Fortunately, love changed me. Little by little, it extinguished the hatred I bore you and I abandoned myself to fate. This young woman’s eyes had bewitched me and made me see with horror the enormity of the crime I was about to commit in avenging that bloodthirsty sect.
“It has been many nights since I’ve heard my father’s terrible cry for vengeance. His soul must have been placated. May he forgive me, but as a civilized man, I can no longer be the avenger for the Thugs of India. Señor Yanez, Tiger of Malaysia, you and your men are free to go. I brought this war against you, and I declare it at an end.”
He fell silent for a moment then turned toward Tremal-Naik, and asked:
“Will you allow Darma to be my wife?”
“Yes,” the Bengali replied. “Be happy my children, and may you always live in peace. Let’s hope this is the last we ever hear of the Thugs.”
Darma and Sir Moreland simultaneously threw themselves into Tremal-Naik’s open arms.
Kammamuri looked on silently, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Sandokan, Señor Yanez,” said Sir Moreland, “where would you like me to take you? We’re returning to India. What are your plans?”
The Tiger of Malaysia remained silent for a moment then replied:
“Pulo Gaya, if it’s not too much of an imposition. We have men, prahus, and devoted friends there. It’s not Mompracem, but it’s far enough from British shores and will serve us well as our new home.”
Then, after a brief pause he continued:
“Who knows, we may meet again soon in India. I’ve been thinking about returning there for quite a while now. The time has come to settle an old score.”
“An old score?” asked Sir Moreland.
Sandokan smiled and fixed his eyes upon Surama.
“You’re of royal blood and your rightful place was stolen from you,” he said. “You and Yanez are soon to be wed and I can think of no finer gift than a kingdom for you to share. Would you like to sit on the throne of your ancestors? Think it over, my dear Surama. We’ll discuss it later.”
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The Sandokan series continues in:
Quest for a Throne
Can a handful of men take a throne?
At the end of their last adventure, Sandokan and Yanez promised to restore Surama to the throne of her ancestors. Aided by Tremal-Naik, Kammamuri and the Tigers of Mompracem, the Portuguese devises an ingenious plan to take the kingdom from Sindhia, the rajah who had sold her to the thugs many years ago. However, all does not go as easily as predicted for an unexpected adversary thwarts their every move: Teotokris, the rajah’s favourite courtier, and a deadlier foe than any they have encountered before.
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How far would you go for revenge?
The Caribbean; 17th century. An Italian nobleman turns pirate to avenge the murder of his brothers. His foe: an old Flemish army officer named Van Guld, now the Governor of Maracaibo. The Corsair is relentless, vowing never to rest until he has killed the traitor and all those that bear his name. To help him in his quest, the Black Corsair enlists the greatest pirates of his time: L’Ollonais, Michael the Basque, and a young Welshman named Henry Morgan...
An international classic. Selected by Julia Eccleshare as one of the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
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* * *
[1] Goddess of the Southern Ocean.
[2] Malay for crocodile
[3]Malay for rafflesia
[4] In 1844, the Governor of Macassar sent a Dutch warship to punish the Sultan for harbouring Bugi pirates along the Koti River. They stormed his capital, burned down a thousand houses, took hostages and demanded an indemnity of 120,000 florins in compensation for all the plunder taken from their merchant ships.
[5] This cruel torture was widely used by American soldiers under the command of General “Howling Jake” Smith against Filipinos during the Philippine-American War.
[6] Loincloth
[7] At the Davison Electrical Laboratories in America, scientists successfully exploded fifty pounds of powder with an electrical current from a distance of 800 meters.
Content
The Sandokan Series
Contents
Part I A Mysterious Enemy
Chapter 1 The Attack on the Marianna
Chapter 2 The Sherip
Chapter 3 On the Kabatuan
Chapter 4 Trapped among the Flames
Chapter 5 The Pilot’s Confession
Chapter 6 The Elephants Attack
Chapter 7 Pangutaran’s Kampong
Chapter 8 The Marianna
Chapter 9 The Sherip Performs a Miracle
Chapter 10 The Attack on the Kampong
Chapter 11 Kammamuri’s Return
Chapter 12 The Dyaks’ Binge
Chapter 13 The Retreat through the Forests
Chapter 14 The American Ship
Chapter 15 Fire a Broadside!
Chapter 16 The Declaration of War
Part II Suyodhana’s Son
Chapter 1 A Nocturnal Expedition
Chapter 2 A Surprise Attack
Chapter 3 A Terrible Battle
Chapter 4 Sir Moreland
Chapter 5 In Pursuit of the King of the Sea
Chapter 6 Sir Moreland’s Secrets
Chapter 7 The Sunda Sea
Chapter 8 The Island of Mangalum
Chapter 9 The Colonists Strike Back
Chapter 10 The King of the Sea Returns
Chapter 11 The First Attacks
Chapter 12 The Bay of Sarawak
Chapter 13 The Marianna
Chapter 14 The Lord of War
Chapter 15 The Tide Begin
s to Turn
Chapter 16 Suyodhana’s Son
Hope you enjoyed the book!
Quest for a Throne
The Black Corsair & The Queen of the Caribbean
Sandokan: The King of the Sea (The Sandokan Series Book 5) Page 29