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[Page 46]
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obtained permission to reclaim them & bring them on board the "Berrima". Our lads at work on the wireless mast are eager to recover them & Monro proposes that as our party were the discoverers we should bring them into town. Monro intends to bestride the nag while Skeat & I occupy the trunnion. We shall see.
Sunday 20th : Coaling operations are still to the fore. Dr Skeat and I escaped the horrors by going ashore and lunching at the Officers' Mess. After lunch, accompanied by Dr Whittle (N.I.D.), we visited the Botanical Gardens. These are a sight to behold. There are thousands of indigenous and exotic trees and plants, and the grounds are laid out admirably. Passing through the gardens proper one comes to a path leading up into the mountains. The vegetation is very thick & shows all the vigour of plant life in the tropics. I here saw for the first time the cotton plant, the kapok tree, bread fruit & tamarisk. There are also cocoa, coffee, pawpaw, cocoanuts & a host of others which to the average Australian are known only in their commercial aspect. After a pleasant afternoon we returned to the ship and learned that we will probably be leaving here on Tuesday morning for Wilhelmshaven.
We were also delighted to find that a mail had arrived out of which I bagged one letter – one, ye gods! - & Dr Skeat five. I feel like the youngster in the "Baby's Diary" who writes:- "The kid next door's got the measles, I get nothing; it's awfully dull". There are one or two letters for those poor fellows who died for the sake of their Country and King; there are also several addressed to the "AE1". These are put aside; there are still no tidings of the missing vessel.
Monday 21st : Coaling went on all night. I found it