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after them. She returned safely, both times without the spies. She is a good watch dog, and she can travel very fast. She has her work cut out guarding 5 troopships.
I hear that the "Baramba" is being left behind at Sierra Leone, as she is too slow for us, and then we are supposed to travel to England in 12 days with a couple of war-ships guarding us. We shall be 36 hours in the danger zone (English Channel) I suppose then we shall have to wear our life-belts both night and day for safety. The "Persic" A.34 has a band on board here, and many times in the day she comes up alongside of us to give us a tune to liven up things.
Influenza has broken out on the boat since we left Cape Town, nearly everyone on board is down to it. I have been bad since last Tuesday. 6/2/17 with it. I am not in bed, but have to see the doctor every day until I am better. Am off work. There isn't much drill on the boat now, as there is no room, the sick men are lying about everywhere, for a whole week my head seems to be twice its size, the pain in it is very sore at times. I hope I shall be better soon, as one is in misery doing nothing. I am restless at night and cant sleep much. I think it was the heat that caused it all, the hospital is not big enough, it has had to be extended on the boat deck. but when the cold weather comes there will not be many sick, anyhow I hope to be better in a few days. Some of the signallers on the boat have been put on duty up on the bridge, but our turn hasn't come yet, but I suppose in time it shall come. We arrived at Sierra Leone at 10.30 on Monday