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[Page 11]
in the extreme – low level stretches of land being alternated by hilly outcrops of evidently volcanic origin.
All through the day numerous ships were passing us & when night fell, cool for these parts, they presented a rather beautiful spectacle. One going by began to signal – "V-O-N M-O-L-K-E s-u-n-k i-n t-h-e B-a-l-t-i-c" read one of our men (Charles White – Pommy out of Bath – several years service on Indian frontier). It was the first news of any kind we had received since our departure, & we were wildly elated. Some more scrappy messages were picked up & the ship passed on its way. Early in the night we passed Perim & entering Hell's Gates gained the Red Sea.
On Sunday 5th Sept. we obtained our first view of the African coast, majestic in its desolation on our port bow.