The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05
CAPTURED BY sOMALIs.
officer OF ship Held For Ransom
Finally Escapes.

The steamer Glengarry on her last pas
sage out from London for China and ia
pan. stranded on sandbank. and her off,
GERS encountered some strange adven-
lures. R. Pinkney. one of the passengers,
thus describes the trip:
"All went we'll until May 10, at tbs a.
m, when about 800 miles south of Alden
and between the points known as Ras
Filuk and Ras Alula on the east coast of
Africa the vessel stranded on a sand bank
In the early part of the morning several
somalis came off from native village
known by the name of Ras Alula and ask
ed to be allowed on the ship; the captain
consented to two of the crew being adj
mitted, and, as one of them spoke Hindus-
tani the fourth officer who also could
speak this language, was thus enabled to
converse with them and translate their
wishes to the captain. During the CONVEX
sation thus ensued, it was aScertaiued that
the sultan desired TO interview the cap
tain or one of the officers of the ship, with
view to reciprocate salaams and to show
regard.
THE captain knowing the native tribes
on this coast so well was very cautious,
and would not accede to their repeated re-
other crew visited the ship, which includ-
ed a native who addressed himself as
the son of the sultan, and his numerous
solicitations and the friendly manner In
which he asked for one of the officers to
meet his father caused the captain to de-
| viate from his original intention and at-
ter some consideration he consented to
the chief and fourth officers going ashore
with him. II may here be stated that this
parsonage suggested leaving his sword (the
sheath of which was made of silver as
security and as token of good faith, this
generous offer, however was not accepted,
as the captain, after what had passed in
conversation, did not consider there was
any danger in allowing the officers to go
with him. They had not got many yards
from the point of landing when the vessel
began to move her position, the officers
were signaleld to return to the ship as soon
as possible, but the chief and his follow
ers would not allow them to go, demand
ing a ransom of l, 600 rupees, on the plea
that they had been the means of prevent
ing several hill tribes from plundering the
ship during the night. This placed the
officers in a singular position, because they
had not deemed it necessary to take coins
of any kind with them. After the officers
had demonstrated for some time 1t was
decided to leave the fourth with them un~
til the chief and three Somalis interview
ed the captain, who had by this time
taken up a position some three miles from
the shore The discussion with the cap
tain ended by their accepting $40, which
was promptly paid to them on board the
ship, with the understanding that the
officer in bondage was to be Immediately
set free on their return TO the shore.
ION their arrival the headman took up
different attitude altogether, demanding
$50. this being an additional $50 to what
had been agreed upon. This second de-
mand left the chief officer in a worse po-
sition than the first, as he did not think
II necessary to take with him more mon
ey. During the period that elapsed from
leaving the shore to their return, the ma
tives had been very insolent with their
charge, and even went so far as TO brand
ish their knives and spears about him.
There was 1Sw nothing to be done put e. 10
return to TIC ship without the fourth OH
Ger, inform the captain, and then go back
to Alden. a distance of 800 miles, for as
sistance. igs -9
Seeing there was no chance of rescue
for at least three or four days. and know
ing the treatment that might be expected
from these wretched semi-civilized crea-
lures of humanity the fourth officer de-
cided to make a determined effort to extri-
cate himself from the crowd that sur
rounded him. When the boat had moved
about fifty yards from the shore the head
man. presumably the son of the sultan,
tried to show his superiority to his tribe
by lifting his foot and giving the officer
severe kick, which so exasperated him
that he delivered well-aimed blow which
rather surprised the headman, and at the
same time called out to the first officer
to look out for him. Rushing through
the large number of natives, he dashed
into the water, and keeping well under for
some distance to prevent them seeing him
until 1t was too late for them to follow
him, and being an accomplished swim
mer, he reached the boat in safety much
to the delight of those on board