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[Page 9]
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every span and jackstay served as a nest for the impatient members of the contingent. There was a fine programme submitted, but most of the items were "Counted out", and only those artists who pleased this most critical of audiences were allowed to proceed. There was a kind of opening chorus (the overture was counted out before ½ doz bars were played) consisting of popular rags, "Row, Row, Row", "Dixie", "On the Mississipi", etc. These rags were sung with great fervour and were a treat to listen to. Rags were the order of the evening, and even an impromptu Harry Lander with "Painted on the Shore" – r-r-r's and all – could not produce the applause which greeted the AB who sang "Dixie", transposing the words "my home in – New Guinea". This brought down the house, or rather the ship and he and his mate were encored again & again. The last items were "Sons of the Sea" & "Soldiers of the King", the evening being concluded with the National Anthem & three cheers for the King, followed by a h--- for the Kaiser.
10.30:- The "Sydney" has dropped astern and her masthead light (the only light she is showing) appears on our port quarter.
Fri 21st : I omitted to mention that this day (Friday) the whole of the Naval Reserves were inoculated against typhoid, the frequent expression consequent thereon "Mind my arm", being reminiscent of the Sydney small pox scare.
Sunday 23rd : Bright sunshine, sparkling ocean, with snow white foam; islets of every conceivable shape, some with undulating hills; others – one in particular about ½ a mile in circumference – rising abruptly five or six hundred feet from the ocean; apparently an ideal cruising ground. I have never seen anything to equal this in beauty. This morning at 9.30 "Divisions" was sounded off, after which the whole of the naval