Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 109]
6.8.19
Fine & glorious weather prevails, sea smooth. Wireless message from the Dutch liner Garvie having sighted a large steamer ashore off [indecipherable] we passed this morning at 6 a.m. Great Fish Point. He tried to communicate by wireless & also International code by but failed to obtain an answer. So we picked up his message sent out to D.N.T.O. Natal re same reporting the matter. The Edinburgh Castle which is coming up from Cape Town to Natal passed the spot close today & sent a wireless message to the Naval people at Natal that this particular steamer had been ashore there 2 years ago & that they were salvaging her. It caused much laughter on board here amongst the passengers & soldiers. A dance was held on our boat deck in which the majority of the soldiers & their wives enjoyed themselves immensely. We sighted the Liverpool white star liner Persic which left London 4 days before us. She is also bound to Australia with soldiers & their wives via Port Natal. At 2 p.m. we eased down to 12 knots so as to be in Port Natal tomorrow at 7 a.m.
7.8.19
At 7 a.m. we arrived at Port Natal, Durban & moored at the buoys in the middle of the harbor as all the wharves were full of shipping. The Persic came in after us & also made fast to the bouys. Mr. W.M. Hughes the Australian Premier sailed this day for Australia in another family ship which had 600 soldiers & their wives on board the Pierce Ludwig. The P&O Benella [Benalla] also here with 60 undesirable wives aboard returning