A slightly distant starboard side view of two sampans in Penang harbour. Both boats have occuli on the bow. The nearest boat has a crew of two, a single mast raised and a lug sail set. The other sampan has a crew of three and is being skulled. Local and coastal steamers owned by The Straits Steamship Company, a deep sea steamship and the aircraft carrier HMS EAGLE (1918) are in the background. The photographer was at Penang 28 February to 7 March 1938.