Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 638
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[Page 638]
for he had been well advised to completely change his tactics, & spoke more as a man to men.
Each morning eager eyes kept scanning the horizon with the hope of sighting the first land near "The Cape" being a couple of Islands which are always "picked up" first, before passing on to Capetown.
The morning they were sighted the spirits of all on board rose to the highest pitch for the men were promised if it were at all possible they would be given a run ashore at this port each day if the conduct of the men warranted it after the first landing, but promise or no promise if the ship dropped anchor & berthed at a wharf the men decided that they would go ashore dispite all opposition.
After passing the islands & the first view of Table mountain obtained the question of "Raider" was again raised & debated for low down in the water in the far distance a number of vessels could be seen forming into line & it looked at first as if they were men of war going through some manoeuvre, with a view of protecting all vessels approaching Table Bay. However a closer approach showed the vessels "up" to be a cruiser steaming out to sea, the other vessels appeared to be a convoy, as ourselves about to enter the Bay.
On arrival advice was received that the vessels "entering" at the same time were "troopers" loaded with Australians going to England & the greetings between the vessels were very hearty indeed. In fact the whole morning was spent in signalling between those sound in wind & limb, & the "Fragments from France".
As at Sierra Leone quite a number of men of war & merchantmen were at anchor here, & among the latter was the Orient Liner, now an auxiliary cruiser, which was present at the fight off the West of South America, when the Huns sank the Camperdown & the Gloucester
The vessel moored astern of the Ayrshire was another Orient Liner