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[Page 67]
10
There wasn't much work to be done on the trip across the Indian Ocean. They gave us a good many parades, but otherwise they gave us there was little excep occasional picket & fatigue party work. However I was snared for 3 weeks work in the isolation ward below decks. It was disagreeable work, and during the day time I had little or no time on deck.
We turned into the Gulf of Aden on the 5th August. Here we met the only Monsoonal weather of the whole trip, and it nearly blew the boat out of the water. At 2.30 P.M on the 6th Aug we came in sight of land. Although the trip could not be said to have dragged, it was nevertheless a welcome sight. The mountains run sheer into the sea, & great picturesque contours make it scenery never to be forgotten. From the point of view of defense I should think that Aden had potentialities of a Gibraltar. We gradually came in view of the town, and drew up to a buoy in full view of it, and not more than ½ a mile distance from the shore. It is a quaint town. The buildings are of course of the common Arab type, square, the average one of a very fair size, and all of a white or grey tint. The public buildings near the water's edge have long imposing columnades and 'platzes', cobbled square. The hills rize rise to a hight of 1200 feet almost from the wharves, so that quite a big portion of the town is situated on the hill side. Vegetation is singularly absent. On the crest of the many of the hills are lookout & wireless stations, while a fortified portion is visible once you enter the harbour. In the bay lay the first armoured merchantman I have seen. These boats are most formidable looking ships, with their 4.7's, maxims and torpedo tubes. They are well manned & like a warship are painted that drab grey.
We soon had the regular flotilla of small Arab craft around us. In the Australian Tommy they found a soft mark