Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 294
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[Page 294]
We wallowed round for a while all cleared for action and looking pugnacious; but as nothing appeared we set off down the Brazilian coast for Pernambuco. We had heard a rumour that the Germans were planning to capture the Alcantara, a large merchant ship which was due at Pernambuco; and when we arrived off the port the Alcantara was just going in. We waited till she came out and escorted her on her way for a hundred miles, gave her the safest course, and then turned back. The Alcantara soon afterwards was taken over by the Admiralty and fitted out as an auxiliary cruiser, and now ends her days at the bottom of the North Sea. She was sunk by the Greif early in 1916. In later days the writer met an officer who was aboard her at the time, and his story was that the Greif torpedoed the Alcantara which however still fought on. The Greif herself was sinking and struck her colours and asked for assistance. The Alcantara closing in lowered her boats; but the Huns torpedoed her again, and both ships turned over and sank. It is just another instance of the curious notions of etiquette which obtain in Germany.
We returned to Pernambuco and took stock of the sheltering German ships for future reference. There were several big vessels in port, and as usual on sighting us they hoisted their ensigns. It became a part of our job later to visit and revisit the neutral ports on our beat and count the chickens to see that none escaped unawares. The Sydney then turned north again towards Lavandeira to await the coming of the colliers from the eastward, which were now due. We anchored in the shelter of the reef, which lies in a sort of horseshoe with a deep channel at