[Page 38]
Thursday 3 February 1916
After writing a final note last night to enclose with p. 34 I went down to the chaplain to have it censored, - merely a case of having the censor's stamp & initials put on the envelope, - & found him with a group of 4 or 5 officers in the saloon up to his eyes in work, & stayed for some time lending a hand.
On going up on deck at about 11 o'clock found that the reflection of Cape Odonda (most Southern point of Ceylon) lighthouse in the sky could be seen on the starboard bow. By midnight, when I turned in, we were passing a light abt 3 mls abeam, & from then on we were passing them until 5.30 in the morning, when one of the sentries woke me as instructed.
The sea was very smooth & there was just a suspicion of dawn in the E. We were approaching Colombo, the lights of which could be clearly seen. Had a bath & dressed & then went up on the boat-deck to find that we were still heading north & seemed just opposite Colombo: soon we swung round & headed E for the lights, the main Colombo lighthouse showing a series of 3 flashes abt every ½ minute.
One or two catamarans (native craft with out-rigger & square sail) were to be seen some distance away in the dim light. The land stretched away on either beam, the twinkling lights marking the position