Manakau
Deep Sea
7/10/16
Dear Folk.
At present we are sailing along under a clear sky and upon a smooth sea & from all appearances it is going to be a good trip as far as Sydney at anyrate. If all goes well and we continue our present rate of speed we will arrive Sydney early on Monday morning. So far everything has gone well a number sea-sick but so far I have felt fine in fact have enjoyed every minute of it. Yesterday was dull and there was a breeze from the east which caused the old boat to roll a little but today is just glorious the sea is like a pond. Saw some whales spouting in the distance this a.m. We are being treated real well dining in state but sleeping down below but we do not get the roll of the boat the same rather an uncomfortable smell though so far have had nothing to do but expect some cleaning up work tomorrow. Some of us had an argument
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this a.m. there was a big grey bird circling about the boat so some reckoned it was a hawk & others thought it another sea bird as it was to far from land for a hawk, but the truth of it is, it is a hawk, and is evidentally following the ship but whether it belongs to it or not cannot say. It was a slow run down from Featherston the day we left started at eleven and got to Wellington at a quarter past four from the station we marched straight to the wharf and embarked about five and it was just five minutes to six when we moved out. Jessie & Mag wee both at the boat but I just saw Joe for a few minutes on the wharf outside before we went on board. Got everything on board alright. Just had dinner before starting this so am beginning to feel sleepy have not yet missed a meal and have been eating real heartily having a return of everything, in case I am sick. Will add to this later & post it in Sydney, we may not be there as long as we expect.
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10/10/16
Since leaving off a couple of days ago I have landed in Sydney & a place of wondrous beauty it is too but like all other places has proved quite different to what I had expected. When you reach the heads you expect to get alongside the wharf in a few minutes but it is quite an hour before the boast draws in & it is a perfect sight all the way. The harbour from the heads to the wharf is a continuation of cozy nooks running back anything from half a mile to two miles lined on either side by bush coverd or housed hills right to the waters edge. As for shipping there are hundreds of ferry boats running continuously from one place to the other. There were several troopships in when we came up and some big ocean liners perhaps the one we go from here was in but we did not know which if that was so. When we arrived in the morning about 9-30 we disembarked & marched through the city for about a mile and after waiting for about half an hour got free
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cars down to here, The Show Grounds, & land under a roof about eleven. The place we are sleeping in is place where the poultry are kept during show time a fine big brick building with a concrete floor. The order of things for us is a couple of hours parade in the morning then general leave in the afternoon. I along with a number of others went out yesterday & landed at the Ranwick Races quite enjoyed a few hours sport again. My! what a place it is for dress and paint, the ladies look like oil paintings not frightened to lay it on thick. Two N.Z. horses won races but I was not backing them worse luck I never got a win at all lost 12/6 for the day, of course it is all bookmakers & no totalisator here, reminds one of a poultry show to hear the noise of them all. The course itself is nothing to squeak about but the lawn & stands are great there may be thousands of people there & would not notice it crowded. In the evening went up town & saw some fun & came home to bed about eleven & slept like a log. You presume I arrived without being seasick. It was a glorious trip.
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Soldiers Club
13/10/16
The last three days heave been spent in utter idleness so far as our morning parades were concerned. On Wed afternoon I again arrived at Ranwick but again had no luck spent the evening in town seeing some more. Yesterday took hold of me properly. I did not care if I never shifted off the bed again. However when the afternoon came we set sail for Manly Beach. This is a lovely spot right on the coast, looking head into the Pacific, it is reached by Ferry boat & lies right down the harbour. Quite enjoyed the trip & felt much better for it. In the evening called in here & discovered there was a concert so put in the night it was a fair concert to but not many present broke up about ten so out we went & had our ham & eggs & so home to bed. Today was a disappointment for us a trip was arranged and although it was a beautiful spot & an Historical one, “Botany Bay” The first landing place of Captain Cook in 1770, it was far to quiet for us to put in the day on our own. We were all to return at a quarter to three but a number caught the first boat back half an hour afterwards & at half past one we were all away.
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There was no arrangements made for lunch & all we could get was biscuits & soft drinks. Do you see we returned to town to late to go anywhere else so turned in here again & getting some writing done. Intend to go to hear Allen Doone in some of his old irish plays tonight, I seems to be my luck to strike him this will be the third time. This will be our last night in Sydney we leave by the Morea at noon tomorrow. This is a Royal Mail steamer & as she call at Melbourne, Adelaide, Freemantle we should see some more of Australia. Our longest time out of port is ten days between Freemantle & Colombo so we are on a real tourist trip don’t you think. What I have seen of the Australian soldiers I cannot judge them as being any better than the N.Z.’s. for one thing they are generally speaking younger and few are better grown & none look as healthy as our own. One can always pick the returned A. because he will always hail a N.Z. when passing whereas those who have not met our boys at the front pass & do not know we are on the street. They have practically started compulsion here and everybody asks how is compulsion over there of course we say there is no such thing.
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Now I think that I will soon have to stop or it will be a case of two envelopes. We are all wondering if we will get any mail by the boat that came in from N.Z. last night will know at eleven o’clock when we all get home. By the way I meant to say the A’s are not nearly so well catered for here as we at home they never get any butter sugar or milk & stew twice a day. What would we think of that in N.Z. “Eh!” the only decent meals I have had have been outside barracks. Hope this finds all as well as it leave me.
Your Affect. Brother
Charlie
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I will be beating Jessie for some of her money now that this unexpected trip has come off so that it will be required to be made up we get another pay on Tuesday but cannot say how much I will get but I want to take away a clear ten pounds so that I think I will have to get some two or three from Jessie. I suppose you
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cannot Imagine that I have been nearly from one end of the N.Z. railways for a little over three pounds it seems to good to be true. However I hope all will be well and no hitches occur within the next ten or twelve days at anyrate. Ch.
