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[Page 93]
This morning I transferred "my flag" to the "Rheno", or to be more exact I hoisted the Blue Ensign on her (the "Lili" flies the white) as she is a hired vessel, and we left at 7.20 for Alexis. She makes a fair pace & we have to continually slow down to allow the old hooker to catch up. Consequently it will be late before we enter the heads.
Madang Sat 28th : We entered Alexis Heads at about 20 minutes past one & proceeded straight to the Depot. We left again about an hour afterwards for Madang. We took the outside passage and shortly before entering FdkWmshafen [Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen] sighted the "Davapia" making for the same place. Running alongside we found the Major on board returning to Madang after a short trip outside. We then led the way into the Harbour; great excitement prevailing at the lighthouse as we passed. Greater excitement still was evinced at the barracks when we came close to the wharf; I could not resist the temptation to "wake them up" by a blast on the steam whistle. Various were the conjectures; some guessed that the Brigadier had come to make an inspection, others that here at last was another batch of letters from home.
The Major came alongside shortly afterwards & inspected our "capture" which appeared to please him mightily.
Mon 30th (drinking tea at Alexis): "Why drinking tea?" you ask. Well all I can say is that if you had spent 2 hours in a rotten little packet like the "Rheno" in a heavy sea, you'd do the same, or worse. When we entered FdkWmshafen in triumph on Saturday we little thought that our opinion of our new acquisition would undergo such a rapid change - and thereby hangs a tale.
Having now four reliable (?) boats at our disposal, the "Lili", God bless her, the "Davapia", the "Witu", & the "Rheno", the Major has decided to send an expedition to the northern coast and investigate