Item 02: John Duncan McRae diary, 11 December 1916-9 February 1917 - Page 62

[Page 62]

One of the songs which is for ever being sung on board ends each verse with the line, "I'd sooner have a hard boiled egg" and it has been suggested that one who is continually making his wants known in this way must be something of an egoist.

Because one chap hurt another one's feeling the latter declared that he would not "appropriate" with him any more.

On a very, very hot day one joker said that his shirt had become quite soaked with "Presbyterian". (perspiration).

Dec. 10. We again sighted land at about 11.30 this morning. The long white beaches which soon came into view reminded us very much of our own South Coast. Upon approaching nearer to land we were struck by the distinctive tropical aspect of the vegetation. The trees were similar to some of those peculiar tropical plants which may be seen in Sydney Botanical Gardens. Palm trees were also there in abundance. The vegetation was extremely thick and extended right from the