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[Page 47]
with boarders, report – 1800 tons of coal in bags, general cargo, crew 99 incl. 14 African natives. To be sunk. Bos'ns pipe "Scuttling party fall in". Captain of "Eleanore etc" terribly cut up. "My ship! My ship", he cried, "Take her with you – You, you are seaman, you understand". Very sad, but no good. Pack up. Quite dark. Searchlights play on the doomed ship. Sea fortunately calm. In few minutes tumble into own boats & pull across to us. Assemble on quarter deck, officers Starboard, hands & niggers port. First shot, 4" shell (lyddite) range 1000 yards scatters upper works. Now Eumann talks with a twelve inch on water line. Flash & smoke 100 feet high, & again, poor ship trembles like a living thing. Three more four inchers set her on fire inside. Meanwhile water pouring in aft where scuttling party under Bleakley had done some effective work. She is beginning to settle, but very reluctantly, poor thing/ We steam slowly round her. Slowly she sinks. Every watertight door & port is open. Now the water is almost up to her deck; it threatens the poop. Searchlights make her look like a toy glass ship reflecting the Sun. Everything looks white against the dark sky "She is going by