By way of diversion, Captain von Mueller steamed into the harbor of Madras in the Bay of Bengal and opened with his guns on the suburbs of the town, setting on fire two huge oil tanks there. The fort there returned the fire, but the _Emden_ after half an hour sailed away unharmed. 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. 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.