Dr Cronin I gathered some information about the serang’s past history. His name was Hasan. He was from the Punjab. But his parents had moved into south India. There like many others in the coastal region he had taken to the sea-faring life. For nearly 40 years, he had been travelling in the various oceans of the world. In the Ranaganji he had spent 15 years. He had no place on shore; he had no friends or family. He had never married. He was a Muslim. All his life he had acquired nothing, neither money nor property. What he had was worth a few rupees and it was in the ship.