Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 5]
-4-
PART 2
A fortnight of pleasant travel brought us to Durban, and there we had beautiful sunshine for our day ashore. Everything seemed bright and interesting - the pretty clean city with the Zulu rickshaw-men in their gay trappings, gave it a picturesque and unusual note. The comfort of shore meals at a hotel which rejoices in having Royal guests - the drive to the Berrea, [also spelt Berea] the beautiful residential suburb, all made up a pleasant day. Two days more brought us to Cape Town, but the weather was unkindly and a drive to Shier-Grotz [possibly Groote-Schuur] Cecil Rhodes famous home was deprived of some pleasure because of pouring rain. In the house itself, however, there was much to interest, for though occupied by the Prime Minister General Botha, when in Cape Town, it remains just as it was when the famous philanthropist made his home there, and his collection of Art treasures remain intact.
From Cape Town the voyage became an anxious one, boat drills were frequent, orders were given for Life-belts to be always at hand and defensive guns were placed on board our protection against submarines. We numbered a thousand souls and there were many children, so that Mothers had an anxious time, but there was no casualty of any kind, and on Thursday 9th November, we arrived safely at Plymouth. Our first news was the loss of the "Arabia", which left some days after us through the Mediterranean, had been torpedoed en route; and with the tender that brought that news came also letters for which we ardently longed, and for me there were joyous tidings. Both my boys were in London waiting and expecting me to reach Tilbury Docks the next day, but most of the passengers had decided to travel by the special train that night.
There was never a longer day than that one. I had been one of the first on deck in the early morning and vexatious delays kept us on board until two in the afternoon, then on shore, Customs formalities had to be observed. While these