Item 01: Ralph Ingram Moore letters, 10 February 1907-15 March 1918 - Page 36
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[Page 36]
[Following on from Page 38]
5.
the victims several times on the head & face with the brush, whether the hair or wood landed first being quite am immaterial. After that they were shaved, and on a nod from white faced Britannia were tossed into the tank where they were duly ducked, sat on etc. by the mermen waiting for them.
On the Early on the10th inst we sighted Ceylon. All along the coast were innumerable small fishing craft most of them of the catamaran type. Several days previously the New Zealanders had gone ahead of us and were now all berthed in the harbour at Colombo. The All the Australian boats anchored outside. The harbour is an artificial one being formed by breakwaters. In the harbour was a Russian warboat with five funnels. It was the first boat I remember seeing with five funnels.
The New Zealanders were allowed ashore at both Albany and Colombo, but none of the Australians were. This has caused a great deal of dissatisfaction, for it does not seem right that one lot of men should receive privileges that are denied another lot, more especially as we are all volunteers, and not pressed men. A few natives came round the boat diving for money, they did so well that they would not dive at all for pennies, but just sit in their canoe and watch them sink.
[Continued on Page 35]