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[Page 8]
twenty eight minutes from the time of the first explosion, till she took her last dive. It was a beautiful sight to see a fine big ship like her going down. She dived her nose under, and stood almost upright with her stern well in the air showing her twin screws, and then dived out of sight. Another good ship gone to Davy Jones' Locker. Then away we went again.
Two days later, the 10th November, we were awakened at about 6 a.m. by the dropping of the ships sides, but no shot was fired. Later when we were allowed on deck we saw a Spanish ship named "Igotz Mendi". She was carrying 5800 tons of coal, and also live stock. When she came alongside the Spanish Officers shook hands with the Germans and looked over at us prisoners and smiled. The "Wolf" took what coal she wanted and then put a prize crew and the women and husbands aboard and sent her away.
Before I go any further I must not forget to mention that the Carpenter of the "Matunga", a Russian Fin by birth, who had lived in Australia for twenty years, on being asked his nationality by the Germans had declared himself neutral and had worked on the "Hitachi" for the Germans, and lived with the German sailors on the "Wolf".
Well to get on with the story. The "Wolf" and the Igotz Mendi" met at different times and took coal.
Things went on as usual until the 30th November. The order came "All Prisoners under deck" and about an hour later a shot was fired and another ship captured. She was an American three masted Barque, "John H. Kirby". She was carrying 300 motor cars for the Army. She was sunk the same day with half her sails set. She sunk in 3½ minutes. It was a sight worth seeing.
Nothing of importance happened until the 14th December, when we sighted a sailing ship at about 7 p.m., but it was too late to take her that night so we followed her up until morning. At dawn we heard a shot fired.