LIFE IN A TROOPSHIP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2337, 19 December 1914, Page 6

LIFE IN A TROOPSHIP

SYDNEY DEPARTS TO SEEK

THE EMDEN

THE ARRIVRL AT COLOMBO

Tlie following interesting aceount of the passage of tho New* Zealand Expeditionary Force from Albany to Colombo is taken from a letter written by a Christclmrcli trooper to friends in Canterbury :— Departure From Albany. After a stay of four days at Albanj we proceeded on November 1 on our journey. At daybreak the Australian transports filed out, followed by our boats'. . Once out to sea, the Australians formed up in three lines—the first division comprised nine transports, the second nine, and the third ten, making twenty-eight in all. The New Zealand boats formed up in the usual formation in two lines. r Inoculation Against Typhoid. Inooulation with typhoid toxine was commencod on our departure from Albany, the first dose amounting to 5,000,000 bacilli, and the second," which we will receive before we reach Colombo, 10,000,000. : The after-effects of this injection have been pretty severe oil a'number, but on the average man a stiff arm and a slight headache are the only discomforts. Inspecting the Lines. _ The . steamed back through the lines during the afternoon and inspected the course of line. Our squadron was complimented, on the way.we kept our line, but the praise for the Australians was not so high, as several transports in that division kept getting out of line. Smoke on the horizon was noticed during the morning, and during the day a large liner was rapidly overhauling us. After tea she came quite close and proved, to be the Orient liner Osterley. She passed us shortly before 7 o'clock and proceeded on her way to Colombo. Sleeping on Deck. Since the awnings -were erected sleeping out on the deck was encouraged, and at nights the sleeping decks presented a, deserted appearance. A record number slept on deck on Saturday night, and' an excellent night it was,'too. Daybreak saw us all astir, and busy hanging out'bedclothes and bedding to air, for the dew at nights is not inconsiderable. , Warshlpi? Clear for Action. Shortly before reveille we noticed that ahead of us, boats were blowing off. steam and stopping. Our turn came shortly and before long the whole fleet was at. a standstill. The could then be seen belching: smoke from her four funnels, and steaming to the rear of the line at .racing speed. When clear of the lines she slowed up alongside the ——, and transferred all superfluous deck gear to that boat, and cleared for action, as we afterwards learned. Less'than an hour sufficed for her to be out of sight.

Sydney Doss Her "Job." .During the. night the Sydney left us in answer tea. call from Cocos Island, that a strange warship was off tho Heads. In the morning we were all anxious as to what had become of tho and the Sydnoy, and later, when the. and — : — began steaming at full speed in the same direction as tho two ' warships proceeded tho previous day.- _ We had no doubt but in the near vicinity there 'Were hostile warships; About noon our speculations were confirmed when an official message came through that_ the Emden had gone ashore in a sinking condition at Cocos Island. This news was received enthusiastically, and'a round;up brought the band up on decks to play a few patriotic selections.

: . Friday opened in find weather, but during the morning a tropical rainstorm descended on us, and went through the awnings and all. Shortly before.noon'the —— and'tho had a conference to starboard, then the latter'went right ahead.. It was rnmoured_ that during the night the Hampshire had passed us, .and was engaging the Konigsberg some distance away. About 3 ; p.m. a large vessel appeared ahead, which proved to be the Empress of Russia, a Canadian-Pacific liner, now fitted up-as an auxiliary cruiser. ' Saturday saw us at the head of the

line, and during the morning, the thirteen fastest steamers went ahead at 'an increased speed for Colombo. .The second inoculation, took up the afternoon. Grossing the Line. »' '_ On Friday the old ceremony of crossing the line was celebrated. Father Neptune and his band of attendants, and,a large band it was on this occasion, arrived in due course at the forward hatch, and, without delay,, treated lis all to an hour's hilarious amuseaaent. .Colonel Stewart and the majority of the officers went. through, followed by the sergeants aiid men. No distinctions were made, and if anything, the Colonel was the recipient of more soot and flour than the average man. An.amusing feature of the display was a travesty oh inoculation. It' was very -funny to see our doctors squirted with a garden syringe charged

with red ink. As the fun began to flag the '-'duckers-in-chief" turned the hose on the men looking on, and then ensued a rush on the canvas bath, and everybody within reach was thrown in. Arrival at Colombo. Just before ten o'clock on Saturday morning "we came to anchor inside the breakwater at Colombo. Within two hours the Sydney and the Empress of Russia arrived, and were accorded military honours due to victors. Another hour sufficed to see, the remainder of the fleet come to anchor outside the moles. Shore leave in parties of thirty to fifty was granted during the afternoon, and the men had the time of their lives. The rickshaw men made fortunes.' . 'All the men would have a specimen ride, and- at least one party, under Major Jordan, spent all the afternoon in them, and saw a good deal of ttie place. The native quarters proved very attractive, in their mass of colour and variety of types. .The quaint mouldings and carvings of the older ■portions of the town were worth seeing, and after visits to the bazaars and fruit markets, wo almost tjonßidered ourselves good at bargaining. Any weakness on your_ part in this line would land you with a shilling article for at least three times its value. The children are inveterate beggars, and their pleadings, to.judge by the coppers that were thrown them, were successful in the extreme.