The opening event in "Lord Jim" may have been based in part on an actual abandonment of a ship. On 17 July 1880, S.S. "Jeddah" sailed from Singapore bound for Penang and Jeddah, with 778 men, 147 women and 67 children on board. The passengers were Muslims from the Malay states, travelling to Mecca for the hajj (holy pilgrimage). "Jeddah" sailed under the British flag and was crewed largely by British officers. After rough weather conditions, the "Jeddah" began taking on water. The hull sprang a large leak, the water rose rapidly, and the captain and officers abandoned the heavily listing ship. They were picked up by another vessel and taken to Aden where they told a story of violent passengers and a foundering ship. The pilgrims were left to their fate, and apparently certain death. However, on 8 August 1880 a French steamship towed "Jeddah" into Aden – the pilgrims had survived. An official inquiry followed, as it does in the novel.