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[Page 38]
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call the hospital "house sick". It is a peculiar thing that though but few of the natives understand German, most of them speak Pidgin English. The "Berrima" is to them the "big fella canoe all 'long bridge (wharf)". We all 'b'long big fella canoe, himeby some more canoe he come, little fella, big fella, one, two, t'ree". When we came to the hospital they all sat and squinted at us curiously, and at one ward a black attendant called out "house sick man he come". Immediately they rushed away jabbering to their beds where they sat solemnly with crossed legs and blinking eyes, holding in their hand a written statement of their ailments with the details necessary for their identification.
On our way back to the ship we were hailed by some of the officers of the garrison (who had taken possession of the New Guinea compagnie) to partake of a cup of tea. We accepted with alacrity, and after a pleasant ½ hour rose to go on when our attention was called to a couple of tents pitched on the side of the Mother.
These had been under observation for some hours and we afterwards discovered that they were in possession of two German officers & a band of native soldiers. A small force was sent up who, under cover of the thick scrub, got within 50 or 60 yards of the tents and drove the natives out of the trenches and captured them. The German officers escaped. There is so far no further news from Herbertshoe.
Tuesday 15th : One of the submarines (AE1) has mysteriously disappeared and early this morning Lt [indecipherable] having taken possession of the Governors steam yacht went in search. He was accompanied by a party of 6 picked men armed to the teeth. During the day the "Australia" left the port taking a large number of German officers who, as they will