Item 01: R. T. Vowles diary, 22 August 1915-23 February 1916 - Page 86
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[Page 86]
walk off, each ignoring the other, The youngsters even won't fight. The natives make good profit by exchanging their money for British coinage often charging 3 for a coin worth one tenth of a penny. Taking out coins too – don't try it. They come out, certainly, but judging by their faces it would seem that their teeth were also coming out. If they were not such a pestering, pleading, pinching putrid crowd they would be amusing but the eternal one penny massa, one penny massa drives one dotty.
A crack over the melon is the only way to appeal to these men.- thank goodness the women were away. A blind man led by a boy followed me down the street crying one penny massa – Blind man, I only had silver so told him I was sorry etc but he pestered until he made me tired, so I put a tin disc in his box to get rid of him
NB [See page 44]