Marsh letter diary, 14 January-2 March 1917 / Henry James Marsh - Page 4

[Page 4]

at 6.P.m just 2 hours late, and all the way in N.S.W. the whistle was singing nearly all the way. The young ladies troubled us for keep-sakes, but we left all them behind. I gave a pea-nut to one tart, I wonder how long she can keep it before she eats it, and I gave a good many my address also, by this mail I wrote 30 letters, I hold the record on the ship. After we arrived in Sydney we left the Station and went straight to the boat, and after getting our pay books we got on a ferry steamer and steamed down the Harbour, and aboard the transport. On the march down to the wharf I struck a young fellow who used to sell papers for Jim Snow, who used to be a newsagent and have a bookstall on Manly Station. I think he was there in your time. I hadn't seen him for two years. He is rejected and I could see he was sorry he could not come with me. The night I arrived on the boat we had a hot supper, and got issued with our hammocks so after I wrote some letters I tumbled into bed at 3 a.m. next morning, dead beat. out of bed next day (Saturday) a 5.30 a.m. as we were expecting to be at sea by then but we were still in Sydney Harbour. where we were anchored was just ¾ mile from the sith Heads. In the afternoon there was a sailing Club they looked lovely with all sails set. The flagship had a very large crowd on her she was lob-sided many times in the afternoon. It was a skiffs race.

The ferry steamers there seem to be going day and night and many people travel by them each time they would give us a cheer when they passed us and we would return it each time.