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[Page 9]
At Sea
21/3/16
Hot bath, shave and promenade before breakfast. Sea calmer, a warship on the starboard bow and a cargo boat astern., water very blue. This ship bisected into two equal parts to minimise pitching. The two can be seen interlocking rails all joined and moving in and out as she rolls. Inspection at 1000, mess decks not too bad but the bathing accommodation for the men rather inadequate.
Read and wrote most of the day. Arranged for the men to get daily upon payment one bottle of beer apiece. After lunch there was a short arms inspection and an inoculations parade. Got another injection of para thyphoid vaccine.
We shall not call at any port en route but will pass close to Malta and to Corsica. After dinner went up on the promenade deck. All lights doused and the ship like some big black monster gliding along. The lights of one bright star lighting a shining trail across the water. Great comments about the miserable appearance and physique of the poor little Prince of Wales. The feeling of our big men is one of compassion & pity!
22/3/16
After bath promenaded deck with ships surgeon, a decent old chap who saw service in South Africa. He says it was bitterly cold when last trip to Marseilles and a cold wind called the mistral blew so strong as to render use of cranes impossible. A fresh morning and walked a few miles on these fine promenade decks. Remarked what a tremendous amount of information the demimonde gather knowing movements of units & commanders. A good many of them spies.
Nothing doing no land in sight, do not resume company command until tomorrow. Remarkable number of customs of Muslims similar to Roman Catholics. The form of salutation on meeting (touching forehead & chest) is curiously like crossing. The viel of the women is like a nun's and also the robes. The devout carry rosary on which they tell the beads off for so many repetitions of Koranic texts. Copts undesirable bigots.
A lovely smooth day today with a fair sea. Passed a small gunboat or cruiser about 1600. Otherwise nothing to record.