She had been enabled to come near the
British guns on shore by flying the French flag, which she continued
to display until her guns began to boom. She then left the waters of
Bengal Bay, but not before she had ended the journey of $30,000,000
worth of exports to India, and had sent to the bottom of the sea
some $15,000,000 worth of imports. Twenty-one steamers had been
her victims, their total value having been about $3,250,000, and
their cargoes were worth at least $15,000,000. Very expensive the
British found her, and they were willing to go to any length to
end her career. They curtailed her activities somewhat when the
_Yarmouth_ captured the converted liner _Markomannia_, which was one
of her colliers, and recaptured the Greek freighter _Pontoporos_,
which had been doing the same duty. This took place off the coast
of Sumatra.
But Von Mueller was undaunted, even though his coal problem was
becoming serious. He knew that the _Yarmouth_ had sailed from Penang
near Malacca and that she was not at that base, since she was searching
for his own vessel. He therefore conceived the daring exploit of
making a visit to Penang while the _Yarmouth_ was still away. He
came within ten miles of the harbor on the 28th of October, and
disguised his ship by erecting a false funnel made of canvas upheld
by a wooden frame, much like theatrical scenery. This gave the
_Emden_ four funnels, such as the _Yarmouth_ carried.
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