Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem (The Sandokan Series Book 1) Read online

  “How I’d love to hear one of those ballads she sang to me while I was recovering from my wounds. Her language was foreign, but divine, a language only Marianna could understand. Oh! How beautiful you were then, Pearl of Labuan! What rapture, what happiness you poured into my heart in those sublime moments, my darling.”

  He ran his fingers along the keyboard, playing a wild dizzying tune, then stopped abruptly as if struck by a sudden thought, returned to the table, and filled a glass with whiskey.

  “I see her eyes everywhere!” he murmured. “Always her eyes, always her face, always the Pearl of Labuan!” He emptied the glass in one shot, filled it, and looked at it once more. “Blood!” he exclaimed. “Who poured blood in my glass? Well, no matter, drink up Tiger of Malaysia, rapture is happiness.”

  The pirate gulped down the hard liquor as if it were water, laughing and cursing as he drained glass after glass. He stood up then fell back into his chair, casting evil looks at the shadows racing about the room. Sneering ghosts appeared before him, waving krises and swords covered in blood. Baron William’s face suddenly appeared among them, a mocking smile upon his lips. Rage coursed through the pirate’s veins.

  “I see you, I see you, wretched Englishman!” he yelled. “You’ll rue your birth if I catch you! You intend to steal the Pearl from me! I can read it in your eyes, but I’ll stop you. I’ll destroy your home, I’ll destroy his lordship, and I’ll set fire to all of Labuan. I’ll make blood flow everywhere! I’ll kill you all… Every last one of you!… Ah, you laugh… Wait, just wait for my return!”

  Drunk and enraged he rose to his feet, drew his sword and began chasing the baron’s illusive shadow, smashing bottles, slashing tapestries, dealing heavy blows upon the shelves, table and harmonium. Vase after vase shattered at the touch of his blade, spilling torrents of gold, pearls and diamonds onto the floor, until worn out and beaten by delirium, Sandokan fell to the ground and drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 15

  The British Corporal

  WHEN SANDOKAN AWOKE, he found himself lying on the Turkish divan, having been carried there by the Malays assigned to his care. The broken glass had been swept up, the gold and pearls put back on the shelves, the furniture had been repaired and the hut restored to order. The only signs of the rampage were the marks left by his sword on the mangled tapestries that still hung on the walls. The pirate rubbed his eyes and temples repeatedly as he attempted to remember what had happened.

  “I couldn’t have dreamed it,” he murmured.

  Yes, he had been drunk and in a happy stupor, but now the fire had begun to course through his veins once again, and he could no longer extinguish it. What passions had invaded the Tiger’s heart?

  He took off Sergeant Willis’ uniform, put on new clothes embroidered with gold and pearls, placed a turban adorned with a walnut-sized sapphire upon his head, tucked his kris among the folds of his sash, strapped on a scimitar and went out.

  A lung full of sea air cleared the last cobwebs from his mind. He looked at the sun, noted it was already high in the sky then walked towards the east, casting his eyes in the direction of Labuan.

  “Poor Marianna!” he murmured, clutching his heart.

  He scanned the sea with his hawk-like eyes and fixed his gaze upon the foot of the cliff. Three prahus, their large sails hoisted, rested at anchor in front of the village, ready to set sail. Pirates busily bustled about, stocking the ship with weapons, provisions, cannons and munitions. Yanez was there as well, at the centre of the action.

  “What a good friend,” he murmured. “While I slept, he prepared for our mission.”

  He descended the steps and headed towards the village. At the sight of him, a thunderous cry erupted from his men.

  “Long live the Tiger! Long live the captain!”

  Madness appeared to have gripped them all. They swarmed about the pirate, deafening him with cries of joy, kissing his hands, his clothes, his feet, almost suffocating him with their affection. The oldest men wept with joy, having believed their leader had been killed on the wretched shores of Labuan.

  Not one complaint issued from their lips, not one lament for the friends, brothers, sons and fathers slain by British steel in that disastrous expedition. From time to time, however, menacing howls erupted from those bronze chests, “We thirst for blood, Tiger of Malaysia! Our brethren cry out for vengeance! Let’s attack Labuan and slaughter our enemies!”

  “My friends,” said Sandokan, “The vengeance you seek won’t be long in coming. The Tigers I led to Labuan fell before the British Lions, men a hundred times more numerous and better armed than we were, but the battle is not yet over. No, my Tigers, the warriors they slew, our brethren, will not remain unavenged for long. We’ll set sail immediately, and when we set foot on that cursed island, we’ll make them pay for every bullet, for every drop of blood. When the time comes, the Tigers of Mompracem will devour the Lions of Labuan!”

  “Labuan, Labuan!” thundered the pirates, drawing their krises and waving them in the air.

  Yanez appeared not to have heard him. He had climbed onto an old cannon mount and was looking towards the promontory that stretched out towards the sea.

  “What are you looking at, brother?” asked Sandokan.

  “I spied the top of a mast advancing along the other side of those rocks,” replied the Portuguese.

  “One of our prahus?”

  “What other ship would dare get so close to our shores?”

  “Haven’t all of our ships returned?”

  “All but one, Pisangu’s.”

  “Where did you send him?”

  “Towards Labuan, to look for you.”

  “Yes, it is Pisangu’s prahu,” confirmed a commander. “There’s only one mast left though, Señor Yanez.”

  “He could’ve lost his foremast in battle,” said Sandokan. “We’ll wait until he comes ashore. He may bear news from Labuan.”

  The pirates had climbed onto the ramparts to get a better look at the ship slowly advancing along the promontory. When she had rounded the point, a single cry escaped those chests, “Pisangu’s prahu!”

  It was indeed the ship Yanez had sent to Labuan a few days earlier to obtain information on the Tiger of Malaysia’s whereabouts; and what a state she was in! Nothing remained of the foremast but the base, the mainmast was barely standing, held up by a thick net made of shrouds and backstays. Her bulwarks had all but disappeared; her sides had been riddled with holes, a patchwork of wood sealing those numerous battle scars.

  “She must have fought well,” said Sandokan.

  “Pisangu is a brave man, he’d lead his ship against a cruiser without hesitation,” replied Yanez.

  “It looks like he has a prisoner. Is that a Red Coat I see amongst our brave Tigers?”

  “Yes, there’s a British soldier tied to the mainmast,” said Yanez.

  “I wonder if they caught him on Labuan?”

  “They probably didn’t fish him out of the sea.”

  “He may have news of—”

  “Marianna, little brother?”

  “Yes,” mumbled Sandokan.

  “We’ll question him.”

  Though the wind was weak, the prahu advanced rapidly under the power of her oars. At the sight of Sandokan and Yanez, her captain, a tall, well-built, olive-skinned Bornean, let out a cry of joy, then raised his hands and shouted, “An excellent haul!”

  Five minutes later, the ship entered the bay and dropped anchor twenty paces from the island. A launch manned by four oarsmen was immediately put into the water to transport Pisangu and the soldier ashore.

  “Where are you coming from?” asked Sandokan, as the pirate stepped onto the beach.

  “From the eastern coast of Labuan, Captain.” replied the Bornean. “I went there in the hope of getting news of your whereabouts; I’m happy to see you returned safely.”

  “Who’s the prisoner?”

  “A corporal, Captain.”

  “Where did you capture
him?”

  “Near Labuan.”

  “Tell me everything.”

  “I was patrolling the shore, when I spotted this man in a canoe by the mouth of a river. There must have been other soldiers nearby for the rascal whistled frequently, as if signalling someone. I immediately had the launch lowered into the water and had ten men set off after him, hoping he could provide us with news of your whereabouts.

  “Capturing him wasn’t difficult, but when we turned to leave we discovered our path had been blocked by a gunboat. Determined to fight our way through, we attacked, and the battle quickly grew fierce. Half my crew were killed and my ship was almost destroyed, but the gunboat shared the same fate. Once the enemy was forced to retreat, we tacked and fled. We returned here as fast as we could.”

  “So that soldier is from Labuan?”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “Thank you, Pisangu. Bring him to me.”

  The poor officer had already been brought ashore. The pirates had gathered round him, pushing him back and forth, ripping the stripes off his uniform. He was a short, stocky young man, about twenty-six years of age, with blonde hair and fair skin. Though his face hardly concealed his fear, not a single word escaped his lips. When his eyes fell upon Sandokan, he forced himself to smile, then, with a faint quiver in his voice, said, “Tiger of Malaysia.”

  “You recognize me?” asked Sandokan.

  “Yes.”

  “Where have you seen me before?”

  “In Lord Guillonk’s villa.”

  “Ah… you were there.”

  “I thought you were still in Labuan, captured by our troops.”

  “So you were part of that expedition that hunted me throughout the island?”

  The soldier did not reply at first. Then, he lowered his head and said, “I’m done for, aren’t I?”

  “It depends on your answers,” replied the Tiger of Malaysia.

  “Who can trust the word of a pirate? A murderer without regard for human life.”

  Anger flashed in Sandokan’s eyes.

  “You lie, dog!”

  “As you will,” replied the corporal.

  “And you’ll talk.”

  “Humph!”

  “I would advise you to cooperate… I’ll force you if I must. I’ll cut off your fingers with my kris and if you still refuse to answer my questions, I’ll have you flayed alive. If your stubbornness persists, I’ll have my men boil some lead and pour it into your cuts. Refuse to talk again and I’ll have you swallow it by the gallon. You’ll tell me what I wish to know or I’ll make you pray for death, pray for the comfort it will bring you.”

  The Englishmen turned pale and bit his lip.

  “Now tell me, where were you when I left his lordship’s villa?”

  “In the jungle,” replied the soldier.

  “What were you doing?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I doubt your commander sent you out for a stroll,” said Sandokan.

  “But—”

  “You’re trying my patience. Answer my questions.”

  “I don’t know anything.”

  “Perhaps this will refresh your memory.”

  With one rapid movement Sandokan drew his kris and pressed it against the soldier’s throat, piercing the poor man’s skin.

  “Talk or I’ll kill you,” Sandokan said coldly, pressing in the reddening blade.

  The corporal hesitated for a moment, but the anger in the Tiger of Malaysia’s eyes quickly weakened his resolve.

  “Enough! Enough!” he shouted, attempting to draw back from the kris, “I’ll talk!”

  Sandokan motioned for all but Yanez to move away, then sat down on a cannon mount, fixed his eyes on the soldier and said, “I’m listening. What were you doing in the forest?”

  “I was with Baron Rosenthal.”

  “Ah,” exclaimed Sandokan, his brow darkening. “Him!”

  “We’d been told that Lord Guillonk had discovered his guest’s true identity. The man he had taken into his home and saved from certain death was not a Malay prince as he had claimed but the dreaded Tiger of Malaysia. So, his lordship, the baron and the Governor of Victoria, devised a trap.”

  “How did he learn who I was?”

  “I do not know.”

  “Continue.”

  “They sent a hundred men to surround the villa to prevent your escape. But when the baron entered the house, he found Lord Guillonk overcome with rage. He had been wounded in the leg, by you no doubt.”

  “By me!” exclaimed Sandokan.

  “Perhaps inadvertently.”

  “If I’d wanted to kill him, no one could have stopped me. And Lady Marianna?”

  “She was in tears. It appeared as if there’d been a violent fight between her and her uncle. His lordship had accused her of aiding your escape… she was begging him to be merciful, to call off his men and allow you to go free.”

  “My darling!” exclaimed Sandokan, his expression changing visibly. “Did you hear that, Yanez?”

  “Continue,” the Portuguese ordered the soldier. “Be sure to tell the truth, you’ll remain here until we return from Labuan. If you’ve lied, you die.”

  “I have no reason to lie to you,” replied the corporal. “Since the hunt had proven futile, we remained camped near the villa to protect it from a possible attack. Rumours were flying everywhere. Word had spread that a band of pirates had landed on the island and that the Tiger of Malaysia was hiding in the forest, preparing to attack the villa and kidnap the young woman. I don’t know what happened next. All I can tell you is that Lord Guillonk is planning to set off for Victoria, where he’ll have the protection of the fort’s cruisers.”

  “And Baron Rosenthal?”

  “He’ll soon marry Lady Marianna.”

  “What?” cried Sandokan, springing to his feet.

  “He intends to steal your woman.”

  “You lie!”

  “Lie? Why would I lie? The wedding will take place within a month.”

  “But Lady Marianna hates him.”

  “What does it matter to Lord Guillonk?”

  Sandokan closed his eyes and swayed slightly, howling like a wounded animal, his face contorted in pain. He grabbed the soldier and shook him violently.

  “You swear you’ve told me the truth?” he hissed.

  “I swear! I swear!!”

  “You’ll remain here until we return from Labuan. If what you said is true, I’ll reward you with your weight in gold.” Then turning to Yanez, he added, “Let’s go.”

  “Ready when you are,” replied the Portuguese.

  “Has everything been prepared?”

  “We just have to select our men.”

  “We’ll take the bravest and the strongest; we have quite a battle before us.”

  “We should leave a good garrison behind.”

  “Do you fear something, Yanez?”

  “The British could take advantage of our absence and launch an attack on our island.”

  “They wouldn’t dare!”

  “I disagree. They’ve built up a sizeable fleet in Labuan. An attack won’t be long in coming.”

  “We’ll be ready, we’ll see if the Lions of Labuan are braver and more determined than the Tigers of Mompracem.”

  Sandokan had his bands assemble. More than two hundred and forty men stood before him, gathered from the warrior tribes of Borneo and the various islands of the South China Sea. He selected ninety of the fiercest, deadly souls who at his command would not have hesitated to storm the forts of Victoria or the citadel of Labuan.

  He summoned Giro-Batol to his side then turned to address the men who would remain behind to defend the island.

  “This man is one of our most intrepid leaders,” he said, “the only survivor of my last expedition to Labuan. During my absence you will obey him as you would me. Come, Yanez, it’s time to set sail.”

  Chapter 16

  The Expedition against Labuan

  THE NINETY MEN bo
arded the prahus. Yanez and Sandokan took their places on the largest one. Their ship was armed with the heaviest cannons and half-a-dozen large swivel guns; her sides had been armoured with thick iron plates. The anchors were raised, the sails were set, and the expedition set off from the bay amongst the cheers of the pirates crowding along the shore.

  The sky was calm and the sea was as smooth as glass; however, a few clouds had appeared in the south, their dark forms not boding well for the Tiger and his men. Eyeing them, Sandokan knew a storm would soon break over those waters, but he remained calm and unperturbed.

  “I’ve never surrendered to anyone, I’m certainly not going to be afraid of a little bad weather,” he said. “Let nature do her worst.”

  “Those are hurricane clouds, aren’t they?” asked the Portuguese.

  “And they’ll be of great assistance to us, Yanez. I doubt any cruisers will be patrolling in this weather. We’ll reach Labuan completely undetected.”

  “Then, once we land, what do you intend to do?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but I feel invincible, strong enough to battle the entire British fleet if they attempt to block our path. We could attack the villa.”

  “If you announced your landing with a battle, his lordship would immediately set off for Victoria and seek protection inside the fort. Then we’d have an entire garrison to deal with in addition to the fleet.”

  “You’re right, Yanez,” sighed Sandokan. “And yet Marianna has to be my bride. I’d never be happy without her.”

  “All the more reason to be cautious. We have to catch his lordship by surprise.”

  “It won’t be easy! The grounds about his villa are probably crawling with soldiers.”

  “That may be, but we’ll use a little cunning. I’ve got a plan brewing in this head of mine; it could be ready at any moment. You’re sure Marianna will allow us to kidnap her?”

  “Oh, yes, she promised me.”

  “Then you’ll take her to Mompracem.”

  “Yes.”

  “And after marrying her, you’ll settle there?”

  “I don’t know, Yanez,” said Sandokan, sighing heavily. “Keep her there forever? Could she ever be happy living amongst my Tigers, men accustomed to a life of incessant battle? How could I expose her heavenly eyes to the horrors of bloodshed and slaughter, deafen her with the battle cries of our warriors and the thunder of our cannons, subject her to constant danger? Now tell me, Yanez, if you were in my place, is that what you would do?”