The Sultan of the Sulu Sea

By Duncan Watt

This is the eighteenth book in the Wallace Boys series. 'The Sultan of the Sulu Sea' follows on from 'The Treasure of the Tiger' where the Wallace Boys and Singaporeans, Kheng Peng and Zainal, are aboard the Silver Spray after the traumatic hunt for General Yamashita’s fabled treasure. The boys’ return to Singapore is forestalled by the appearance of the pirate boat, the Sabil. Following a desperate attempt to elude the Moro pirates, the Silver Spray is captured and the boys are taken as hostages.

The deliberate scuttling of the Silver Spray by the boys leads to tragedy, and the two Wallaces are transported to a small island in the Sulu Sea, the pirates’ lair, from which rescue seems impossible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Duncan Watt
• Release date: May 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476163796

Duncan Watt

I was born in Africa where I grew up; but I have lived in countries like England, America, Papua New Guinea and Japan. I have now lived in Singapore for 35 years.When I was teaching in Zambia I wrote a couple of books in simplified English for my students and these were published by Oxford University Press. Since living in Singapore, where I have, among other things, appeared on the TV News for nearly twenty years, I have written 20 books in my Wallace Boys Series - 11 of which were published here in Singapore.Please visit The Wallace Boys Web Site to find out more about the books, and there is more about me too.

Book preview

The Sultan of the Sulu Sea

An Adventure of the

Duncan Watt

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Smashwords Edition

Copyright Duncan Watt 1997

License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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I am very grateful to Sutari bin Supari for allowing me to use his drawing of black-naped orioles.

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The chart extracts are reproduced from Admiralty Charts by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office. My thanks are extended to all concerned.

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My thanks go to the Coast and Geodetic Survey Department of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority of the Republic of the Philippines for allowing me to use certain parts of Admiralty Chart 967. I am grateful to Commodore Renato B Feir for his kindness.

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The Straits Times has kindly given their permission to use the selection of newspaper cuttings. My sincere thanks are also extended to Reuters and AFP.

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Thanks to Wendy Veevers-Carter for her permission to use the drawing of a rattan plant by Mohamed Anwar taken from her book Riches of the Rain Forest.

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Once more, my thanks to Christopher Side and Mark Rangel for their help with the maps in the book.

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I would also like to thank Morris Allen and the students from the Morris Allen Study Centre for reading and giving suggestions during the production of this and other books. Their feedback was very useful.

Cover and illustrations by Paul O’Shea

Maps and diagrams Duncan Watt

Contents

1. Pirates!

2. Desperate Measures

3. The Silver Spray Lets Them Down

4. Captured

5. The Moros

6. In Line Astern

7. Bruce Makes a Suggestion

8. Preparations

9. Mayday!

10. Death in the Sun

11. The Sultan’s Guests!

12. What Happened on that Sunlit Beach

13. Kheng Peng and Zainal Have Work To Do

14. Salvage Operations

15. Back in Business

16. Tubbataha Reef

17. The Lair of the Sultan of the Sulu Sea

18. Rescue

A note about the area where the story is set

Maps and Charts

South-East Asia

South China Sea (route of the Silver Spray)

Balabac Strait

Western Sulu Sea

Tubbataha Reefs

The Western Sulu Sea (route of the Silver Spray)

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The Profile of the Silver Spray

The Deck Plan of the Silver Spray

The Silver Spray looking good

The interior of the refurbished Silver Spray

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This book is dedicated to the Moros and all the peoples of the Southern Philippines,

with the hope, following the recent settlements, that peace and prosperity will prevail.

Also to a good friend,

Rodolfo Zapanta - Rudy

1

Pirates!

Reluctantly, Zainal sheathed the beautifully inscribed kris with its swirling Arabic script. Once more, he thought that he’d never seen such a fine Malay dagger, the mystic wavy-bladed weapon that forms so much of Malay tradition.

Well, we can’t just keep on gazing at it, he said, stroking the smooth sheath which was also covered with the Jawi writing. I’ll get it translated when we return to Singapore; then we’ll see what all the writing means.

You’re right, agreed Bruce, shaking himself out of his sort of trance. We’ll never get back to Singapore if we keep on looking at the thing. And, besides, I’m still feeling hungry.

What’s new? snorted a third member of the group huddled round the dimly-lit saloon table of the yacht, the Silver Spray. And you’ve just finished a whole bowl of tomato soup. This was Nigel Wallace, Bruce’s elder brother, though they didn’t look particularly like brothers. Nigel was taller with dark hair, while the other was stockier and fair-haired. Both boys, in their late teens, were burnt nut brown by endless days spent aboard their yacht, and it was really only in their eyes that you could tell that they were related. Two pairs of strikingly vivid blue eyes looked across the teak table at the other two occupants of the saloon.

These were Zainal Abidin bin Hassan and Lim Kheng Peng, two Singaporeans from the National University of Singapore. Zainal, a Malay, was about Bruce’s height but much slimmer, his skin naturally brown, but even so he was tanned to an even darker shade following several weeks aboard the yacht. The other was Kheng Peng, a Chinese, tall and well built. He, too, was deeply tanned.

All four boys were aboard the ten-metre yacht, the Silver Spray, which the two Wallace boys had sailed out from Scotland over the past few months, having taken a year or so off from their studies at the university in the Central African country of Zimbabwe where they lived. They had refurbished the yacht, purchased by one of their uncles, in the far north-west of Scotland[1] and were now sailing her out to the South Pacific where their uncle was hoping to retire to. When the Silver Spray had called in at Singapore some weeks earlier, the two brothers met up with Zainal and Kheng Peng.

As a result of the examination of a World War Two Japanese document in the possession of Kheng Peng’s family - the last radio distress call from a sinking ship, the Hana-Maru - the four boys had sailed from Singapore in search of part of General Yamashita’s elusive treasure, a treasure that’s estimated in the billions of dollars and believed by many to exist somewhere in South-East Asia[2]. Following an exhausting and harrowing search, they had found the sunken Japanese ship, the Hana-Maru, in the waters of the South China Sea[3].

The boys’ desperate search had nearly ended in tragedy, hence Bruce’s light, nourishing meal of tomato soup and toast, which, not surprisingly, he was now complaining had not satisfied him. The boys had just spent some time examining one of the articles retrieved from the wrecked ship, and this was an elaborately inscribed kris which was in perfect condition, having been stored in an airtight container and withstood more than fifty years in the sea seven fathoms from the surface[4]. The Silver Spray was now lying hove to[5] in the darkness on a slight swell above the sunken Hana-Maru, with her riding lights shining, warning other ships of her presence.

So what’s the plan? asked Kheng Peng, speaking for the first time. Should we push on to Singapore tonight, or should we wait for tomorrow?

Nigel pursed his lips and a slight frown creased his forehead as he weighed the matter. "I would be tempted to say let’s put back to Singapore straightaway, get there as soon as possible to let the authorities know about what we have recovered from the Hana-Maru. The problem is the Silver Spray. She went through quite a bit, what with doing a cartwheel in that tsunami. I’m not sure that she hasn’t suffered some structural damage. If we set off early tomorrow in daylight, we’ll be in a far better position to monitor her."

I agree, Bruce put in. We’ll be able to see if she’s leaking when she’s heeled over tacking, for example; or maybe the mast has been weakened somewhat. She must have gone through quite a bit. At least in the light of day, we might see if there’s anything wrong.

Also, Kheng Peng added, "we need to set the Silver Spray to rights properly. I only did a little earlier after we turned turtle, but everything was thrown around higgledy-piggledy."

And so it was agreed. Bruce, now fully recovered from his frightening experience in the hull of the Hana-Maru, set to with Kheng Peng and Nigel in checking the cupboards and putting everything back in its proper place. All shipshape and Bristol fashion, Bruce grinned.

While they were doing this, Zainal crossed to the galley and started preparing dinner. Within a remarkably short time, following an intense bout of activity with a sharp knife and a chopping board, there arose from the cooker a tantalizing aroma of a mixture of herbs and spices.

Another of Zainal’s wonderful culinary creations coming up in ten minutes, Bruce called out some time later to the other two boys who were busy setting the aft cabin to rights. We’ll eat in the cockpit. I’ll put out the crockery and things.

With a moon just past the full rising out of the South China Sea, the four boys sat round the table on the cushioned seats of the Silver Spray’s cockpit. As usual, Zainal’s cooking was superb, a mixture of Malay and Chinese, and the boys tucked in as though they hadn’t eaten for a week, even Bruce who had only a short time earlier polished off several bowls of tomato soup and toast. It was very peaceful lounging back in the rocking, moonlit cockpit, the only sound being the gentle lap lap of little waves against the hull and the intermittent slap of halyards on the aluminium mast; Nigel noticed that the wind was picking up. In the last few minutes it had strengthened quite considerably. In companionable silence, the four boys lay stretched out on the spacious cockpit seats, thinking about the harrowing events of the previous few hours. They were mightily glad that they were over, and they could now turn their faces back to Singapore.

Nigel was thinking about the Silver Spray. As he had said, he was concerned about her seaworthiness following the near disaster. He knew that the craft was a very sturdy one, and it probably needed more than a capsizing to do her permanent damage! The Silver Spray was a Commando Sailer, built in the late 1960s, of ten metres overall length, of exceptional quality. The manufacturing company had tried to corner the market in small sailing boats by building craft that were of very high quality but at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, the marketing strategy hadn’t worked and the company went out of business, but it had produced a number of beautifully finished yachts. This wasn’t the case when the two Wallaces had first made the Silver Spray’s acquaintance, however. She had not been well looked after, and she was in a dreadful state when their friend Richard Hannay had shown them round her.

She had been a truly sorry sight: thoroughly fouled below the waterline, the interior had been a disaster zone and even Bruce originally thought that the Volvo 2000 diesel engine would have to be replaced. However, a couple of weeks on the slipway on Loch Machray and you wouldn’t have recognized the Silver Spray. She was a different yacht. The paint gleamed, new name plates had been added and the interior was revarnished. The engine that Bruce had had such misgivings about did not need to be replaced after all.

From where he lay on the cockpit seat, Nigel idly gazed along the length of the Silver Spray. She really had beautiful lines, he thought not for the first time. Having undertaken the massive refurbishment in Scotland, both he and Bruce were thoroughly acquainted with her, inside and out. For’ard, below the rather bent pulpit - a result of the encounter with that morning’s tsunami - lay the locker for the spare sails and the anchor, which was now missing, Kheng Peng having desperately chopped it free when the tsunami had been bearing down on them with the speed of a racing train.

To aft, was the cabin where Zainal and Kheng Peng slept. Then there were the toilet and shower facilities with the galley opposite, leading into the saloon, whose seats could be used for extra berths. It was here that there was the chart table. A few steps led into the cockpit where the boys now sat. Under the floorboards of the cockpit was the engine. Aft, with a toilet ensuite, was the stern cabin where the two brothers slept. Whenever the brothers showed visitors around their yacht, they would always joke about the lack of headroom in this cabin: We can’t ever sit up suddenly in bed! they would say. The deckhead is so low!

Above the stern cabin was the aft deck surrounded by the taffrail, often jokingly referred to as the pushpit as it was at the other end of the yacht from the pulpit! It was from this aft or poop deck that the boys would climb down over the transom to the foldaway ledge on the waterline when they were scuba-diving.

It was at moments like this that Nigel felt completely at ease. Both he and Bruce loved the Silver Spray and the thought that they might lose her that morning was more than he could bear.

However, that adventure was over, and very soon the boys would be on their way back to Singapore where the Silver Spray could be thoroughly overhauled. Nigel poured himself another cup of coffee and was just about to say something about it being time to go to bed if they wanted an early start tomorrow.

But Kheng Peng held up a cautionary hand. Shh, he hissed. Listen. I think I heard something.

What? Bruce queried. I didn’t hear anything.

Quiet, Kheng Peng snapped. The lights - all the lights, get them out at once.

What’s the matter?

Just do it, Bruce!

Puzzled, and a little worried, Bruce flipped off the riding lights on the mast.

And the cabin.

The cabin...? Bruce began but reached into the saloon flicking another switch, without argument. And then he too heard what Kheng Peng had heard.

It was another boat!

It’s only another boat. What’s got into you?

Well, where is it? asked Kheng Peng.

The four boys peered round in the moonlight, but they couldn’t make out anything in the darkness. However, they could hear that the other craft was getting closer; the thump of a powerful motor becoming louder in the silence. The slight breath of wind coming from the direction of the intruder carried the sound more clearly.

Whoever it is isn’t carrying any lights and why is she coming closer? asked Kheng Peng. And I think it’s coming from that direction. He pointed to the blackness away from the moon. We are perfectly silhouetted for them to see us.

The word "PIRATES" dropped from Zainal’s lips.

Exactly.

At once, the peaceful after-dinner atmosphere was charged with tension and then, acting as if they had been given their orders, the four boys went into hasty action. Zainal whipped all the tableware from the table by the simple expedient of wrapping the cloth round everything. With a clatter - some of the things would be broken, he thought, but that couldn’t be helped - the bundle was lowered into the saloon while Bruce quickly disassembled the cockpit table to allow Nigel room to get to the wheel.

Without being told, Kheng Peng released the jib sail to allow it to flutter in the slight breeze. He then, as fast as he could, began hauling up the mainsail.

Nigel gunned the engine and quickly loosed the rope that had held the wheel to allow the Silver Spray to lie hove-to.

"Hurry up with the sail, Kheng Peng. Bruce, you go and help. The one slight advantage is that the wind is coming from the other boat, and it’s freshening a bit. We’ll be able to use a combination of wind and power. But I don’t hold out much hope. If we try to go flat out, the Silver Spray will take quite a beating. I hope she can. We are also heading straight into the moon."

We’ll be silhouetted perfectly, Kheng Peng agreed. He glanced round the sky, the stars a mass of diamonds flung carelessly across the velvet of night. But we may be lucky there’s quite a lot of cloud heading this way.

Meanwhile, with the roaring of the Volvo 2000, the boys could no longer hear the other craft. Pirate or not, they weren’t going to take any chances. They knew very well that the waters of South-East Asia are a hotbed of piratical activities, ranging from the opportunist fisherman who sees the chance to make a quick profit to the highly-organized, vicious gangs that terrorize shipping in the South China Sea in their speed boats, taking on ships vastly larger than themselves[6].

What lay behind the darkened Silver Spray, the boys didn’t know and they didn’t want to know. They just wanted to get the heck out of the area!

Having raised the sail, which had bellied out with the strengthening wind, the Silver Spray was fairly barrelling along under a broad reach. Bruce and Kheng Peng were now standing on the aft deck peering intently into the darkness astern. Leaning against the taffrail to steady himself, Bruce had his night glasses to his eyes, but even these didn’t help to make out the interloper; she was still too distant.

There. I think I saw her, Bruce breathed. You have a look.

Kheng Peng took the binoculars and, fiddling with the focussing ring, studied the blackness above the Silver Spray’s foaming wake. I can only see a few white horses. The wind is certainly building up. We may be lucky and out-pace the other boat.

Just then, the Silver Spray’s sails cracked loudly as a sudden squall struck. The yacht bucked.

Kheng Peng, too, steadied himself against the taffrail and put the glasses to his eyes once more. And then he saw it - the white bow wave of the darkened boat, what sailors refer to as the bone between the teeth. He could now make out the superstructure behind the high-pointed prow of the pursuer.

Bad news, was all he said.

She’s catching up, isn’t she? But Bruce wasn’t