Marsh letter diary, 14 January-2 March 1917 / Henry James Marsh - Page 6

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run short we were all expecting leave, but the boat was anchored in mid stream. we arrived there on Nw Years day at 6 a.m. And left 2 P.m. the same day, it hurt us to see all the people waiting on the wharf for us to land the heads could go ashore but the privated had to stay on board I supposte to see that no one ran away with the ship. Whenever any one saw a train they would sing out rifle Range train, it made one feel down hearted to think all in camp at Rifle Range were having a good time and holidays, and we poor wretches on board not being able to land at the last Australian port. Even every soldier on board signed a petition to try and get ashore, but it was of no use. I shall never forget that day and after leaving Sydney on Xmas Eve it was too bad. Xmas was stale at sea there was no fun or life hanging about, we had half holidays on wednesdays and Saturdays and have concerts on those nights it helps to keep one awake, but life on a troopship is absolutely rotten, one is tied down to much, and the tucker is no good it is even worse than we had at Rifle Range, and that wasn't too good either, but still one has to eat it or else starve, and some of the men have been growling, and now we are on bully beef. There is likely to be trouble brewing on board before the voyage is over. On the voyage from Sydney to Freemantle a few whales went by, one could get a nice shower bath from them at times, they look like a railway engine in a cutting, all you can see is the water shooting up in the air they seem to travel quick, and then some flying fish I have seen too, they seem to fly very fast over the waves, and a couple of steamers that I have seen away in the distance all