Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-01
Sulu and Mindanao Tribes Most Ter
rible in History.
RUNNING AMUCK ON SHIPB0ARL
How Two MaIays Overcame Cap
tain and Crew.
FAN ATICAL ASS ASST S
Copyright 80, by $. s. Mcclure COZ

Copyright $50, by :. ). MctlIre ,o)
Written for The Evening Star.
1t Is now a title more than fifteen years
since a splendid American ship was cap
tured by Philippine Island pirates, a num-
Der of her ere were murdered, the balance
were sent adrift in an open boat and the
ship herself. with her cargo of manila fiber
was burned to the wa ter's edge. 1t was by
no means the last act of the daredevil
pirates OF Uncle Sans newly acquired do
main. but 1t of the most notable
in the history Of American commerce, and
the story of it will give a right good idea
of the character of the inhabitants of sew
eral islands of the Philippine group, nota-
bly, Sulu and Mindanao.
The ship was the Frank N Thayer and
Capt. Robert X. Clarke was her master.
She built by Currier of Newburyport
Mass, in 1878. She was 30 feet long, reg
istered 1.592 tons, and was owned by Thay-
er and Lincoln. She was typical Yankee
sbip-there We're few. II any, better wooden
vessels af1oat in her day.
One Captains Experiences.
The month Of August 1885. found the
Thayer leaving Shanghai for Manila. Capt.
Clarke had his wife and a daughter six
years old on board. There was crew Of
twenty-ons men before the mast The ship
Philippine hemp tof which manila rope Is
made to New York. En- route man died,
and another was engaged at Manila to
take his place. But before the ship sailed
this new man deserted, taking another with
him. and then, in place Of the two Capt
Clarke shipped two natives of the islands
They said their names were Y. Sierra and
r. Augusta. Capt. Clarke supposed they
were fishermen belonging to the Island OF
Luzon. though of the Malay race AS a
matter OF fact, they We're subjects of the
Sultan of Sulu. who is now enjoying a sal
airy paid by Uncle Sam.
AS sailors, Capt. Clarke fou..d them good
enough. They could not understand much
OF the English language, but they were ex-
ceedingly strong for their size (they were
they We're active monkeys aloft When
tAey did not understand an order. anot her
member of the crew who talked Spanish
translated IL to them
On October 81 1885 the Tbayer sailed for
New York She had 10 700 bales of the
hemp. worth s26J.OO0, in her hold. Until
January 2, 1856, the voyage was uneyent-
full. The ship was then 700 miles southeast
of the Island of St Helena and with a
fair wind was making fine run for home
AT IL clock that night Capt Clarke was
awakened from sound sleep by hea ring
his second mate, Mr.. William Davis cry-
ing in voice of agony
Capt. Clarkei Capt. Clarke,'
jumping from his berth, Capt. Clarke ran
To the foot of the companionway and
started to go on deck but at that moment
the Malay Y. Sierra appeared and the
next instant Capt Clarke saw by the star
light knife cleaning in his hand
Not a word was said but as the captain
mounted the stairs the Malay began
swiftly thrusting the knife at him The
captain saw at once that 1t was a muir
derous attack. and fought back with his
cienched right fist warding off the knife