Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 238
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[Page 238]
The Sydney was a little over fifty miles from Cocos when she left the convoy, and she was soon out of sight making over the horizon in a cloud of smoke. The Ibouki was keen to go too, and raised steam for full speed, looking more like a smoke screen than ever; but Captain Silver persuaded her to stay with the convoy, whose escort, in case other Germans were about, was becoming dangerously thin. It is doubtful too if the Ibouki could have caught the Emden, as on paper at any rate the German had the speed of her. I was awakened just before eight by the roar of the propellor beneath the cabin and the rush of water past the scuttle. I hurried on some clothes, omitting the formality of a bath, rushed on deck to see what the flap was, and then heard the news the gist of which has been given in the preceding pages. The ship was doing twenty knots and still increasing her speed, and the wind made it difficult to stand on deck. A great stern-wave higher than the quarterdeck, due to the action of the propellers revolving at such high speed, rose up behind and followed us, looking always as if it were going to fall on board. The absence of vibration was wonderful, considering the rate at which we were moving, for with the exception of a slight quiver now and then there was nothing to be felt. Our Westport (N.Z.) coal had a thorough try out that day, and lived up to its reputation as the next best thing to Welsh.
I found all hands pleased and cheery, and the absence of livers and sore heads at breakfast was nothing short of mag-