SOMALI PIRATES.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 64, 14 September 1908, Page 7

SOMALI PIRATES.

BRITISH STEAMER LOOTED

An Italian, merchant named Fraia, the only passenger who was on board the English steamer Norman Isles, has given to the Corriere della" Sera, a paper published in Milan, in Italy, a long and detailed, account of the wreck which took place on the night of June 26th on. the Somali coast/ near Capo Guardafin. Coming from Bangkok with q. cargo of 6000 tons of rice for Hamburg, the vessel was thrown by a violent storm on to a sandbank, bxit did not sustain any damage. The captain thought, therefore, "that he would be able to refloat his vessel nest "morning. But a number of boats and Somali canoes appeared on the scene, the cominaiid-. or of w^iich carried on his cap a ribbon with tho words "Polizia della Costa," while the Italian flag was hoisted over his boat.

This individual ordered the captain to allow the Somalia to carry away whatever they -wanted under pain of death. All the arms that were on board the Norman Isles comprised a revolver and a sporting gun, so the crew were unable to offer any resistance. Tho Somalis therefore began to carry away all the navigating instruments, and to break up the cabins, out of which they constructed rafts. Upon tho latter they loaded tho 600 tons of rice, taking two days in. the operation. Fortunately they left the machinery intact, and as steam was in the boilors the captain, by sounding his syren, was ablo to attract the attention of a Swedish steamer which was passing, and which towed the Norman Isles as far as Aden.

Tho natives of this coast aro under a vaguq sort of Italian protection. It seems that under an ancient agreement concluded between England and Italy the tribes are permitted to take possession of all wrecks on the condition that all lives aro saved. The Norman Isles, however, was not wrecked, and could have got away with her cargo without assistance, if the pirates had not pillaged her. On reaching Aden the captain lodged a protest with the British authorities.