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[Page 62]
1914
turning the corners. Naturally, we had to return once more to Pinas Bay, where we arrived the same day, filled up with coal, & asked for further instructions.
Dec. 11.
It was now quite a month since we had heard any war news, & we were anxious to hear how things were going. However, one of our colliers brought several English papers, & a few American papers of a recent date. During our stay here one of the sailors of the Japanese ship "Hison" was accidently knocked into the sea & drowned. His body was not recovered until the following day, when an impressive funeral was held. The corpse was placed under a canopy on the upper deck, & surrounded with as many flowers & green leaves as could be gathered on shore. Then the whole ship's company filed past & each bared his head, bowed towards the corpse, & and apparently uttered a short prayer. Then the body was landed for burial. On some days it would rain incessantly, the atmosphere becoming damp, heavy, & oppressive, while the thickly wooded shore would actually give off clouds of steam, investing everything with an air of unhealthiness. There was a German settler living here, & when we sent people on shore in search of food he replied that he would not supply food to "English dogs and niggers". Presumably the Japanese were the niggers. Later he left for Panama probably to disclose our whereabouts, but this we did not fear, because we knew that there was no enemy within 2000 miles. At night the Japanese could