ir 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. Coming into the harbor in the twilight of the dawn,
she was taken by those on shore to be the British ship, not a hostile
gun ready for her.

Lying in the harbor was the Russian cruiser _Jemchug_ and three French
destroyers and a gunboat. The watch on the Russian ship questioned her,
and was told by the wireless operator on the _Emden_ that she was the
_Yarmouth_ returning to anchor. By this ruse the German ship was enabled
to come within 600 yards of the Russian ship before the false funnel was
discovered. Fire immediately spurted from the Russian guns, but a
torpedo from the _Emden_ struck the _Jemchug's_ engine room and made it
impossible for her crew to get ammunition to her guns. Von Mueller poured
steel into her from a distance of 250 yards with terrible effect. The
Russian ship's list put many of her guns out of action, and she was
unable to deliver an effective reply. Another torpedo from the _Emden_
exploded her magazine. Fifteen minutes after the firing of the first
shot the Russian had gone to the bottom.

Von Mueller now put the prow of the _Emden_ to sea again, for he feared
that both the _Yarmouth_ and the French cruiser _Dupleix_ had by then
been summoned by wireless. Luck was with him. Half an hour after leaving
the harbor he sighted a ship flying a red flag, which showed him at once
that she was carrying a cargo of powder. He badly needed the ammunition,
and he prepared to capture her. But this operation was interrupted by a
mirage