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[Page 40]
1914
order to return with increased speed to Rabaul. Our position was about 15° S on a direct course. "Melbourne" was ordered to proceed to Sydney, & she was to convoy the 40 transports to Aden instead of us. This news was not welcomed by the German prisoners, as I have said, because it meant, also, that they would have to return to the transport "Berrima", where they were none too comfortable, apparently, being accompanied by sentries whenever they moved, & being compelled to live in quarters which were uncomfortably hot.
Sept. 20
We arrived at Rabaul on a Saturday & coaled at once, taking in 1260 tons in 6 hours. All our coaling was carried out at night, it being too hot for hard work during the day. The climate of New Britain is particularly enervating on account of its humidity. The average shade temperature in the daytime is about 95°F. Everything was quiet on our arrival, & the Governor who ruled over the Solomons, New Britain, New Ireland, & German New Guineà, unconditionally surrendered. News had been received that the enemy cruisers "Gneisnau" & "Scharnhorst" had stopped at Samoa for 6 hours, & that they had left steering North West. Moreover, by the aid of captured code books, we found that they had arranged to meet colliers at a place 500 miles distant from Rabaul, somewhere in the Caroline group. Hopes ran high in the expectation of an engagement with them during the forthcoming