R.M.S. Morea
Deep Sea
5/11/16
Dear People
Once again I will endeavour to give you a few of my experiences at the last port of call. It is now getting on for two days since we left Colombo & I think I may state that we were more glad than other wise when our time was up to leave that place. For the two days prior to arriving and the two days there the heat was something awful to those of us that are not used to it. Arriving Colombo about half-past seven on Thursday we had to put in the time on board until about half-past two after that we were allowed to go ashore but were marched up to the barracks. From there we got leave to look around for an hour the seventeenths going out first returning in an hours time then the eighteenth had their turn. As there is no wharf for any large boats to draw alongside we were of course anchored in the harbour & had to go ashore on lighters,
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in fact every that is being shipped or unshipped has to be done by these lighters loaded and unloaded by the natives. The first thing that strikes one is of course the number of natives & their Rickshaws then the number of bullock drags by which the transporting of goods etc is all done. Everywhere the streets are full of natives and if one stops for half a minute there are dozens close round with & without Rickshaws and all asking for pennies or wanting to show me round the town or to his shop always of course keeping it in his mind that he will receive something for his trouble. The main business part of Colombo is at the landing place where there are some fine buildings & surroundings here the streets are decently wide but in the native quarters it is the opposite and one wonders how ever the amount of traffic that is going on there is carried on in the small space allowed. In a narrow street of little more than half a chain one will find natives with bullock carts rickshaws natives driving one & two bullocks & innumerable natives coming and going in all directions. This conglomeration is also made much worse in some of the streets by an electric tram running through, and by the time one adds a few motor cars horse drawn vehicles to the motly throng it becomes a moving mass & it is wonderful how there are not accidents every few minutes. Our first trip the day we went off was to the main part of the town past port office then round to the native quarter and market square. As we passed along in every doorway and even on the foot-path the natives were asking us in to buy their wares, & if one wanted to give a penny to to each one that had a hand thrust out
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he would required to have a train load following. On this trip we passed through the fruit market then the fish and meat markets these place we could locate by the smell really it is something awful. I have only to think of it & I can smell it yet. From here we pass through a few more of these alley ways & came to the Hindu Temple a wonderfully constructed place both inside & out of course we were not allowed to enter it but could stand on the steps and look in. Still passing on we eventually came out on a wider street passing the railway station which appeared to be just a roof over a platform, there is a new & more up-to-date being built at the present time. After this we went back to barracks as our hour limit had been reached, put in an hour or so there watching a game of football and hockey and then left to come on board for the night. Got back for a late tea about half past six.
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The next day Friday 3rd we were allowed to get ashore early left about eight thirty & as on the previous day marched to barracks. This time we were allowed two & a half hours each so the eighteenths went out from half nine till twelve & the rest of us put in our time writing in Y.M.C.A. & looking round the barracks etc. Of course we had a meal as best we could on fruit & cakes purchased at barrack canteen & were all ready to, start when our turn came. Setting sail we this time took Rickshaws & went out to Cynamon gardens, to Museum which proved to be closed, then on the way home had a look at Buddist Temple. On the journey we passed through the European part of the city & no doubt there are some fine Bungalows & gardens. In the early part of the trip passed Hospital & went for some little distance along sea shore in all it was quite a decent run. The gardens although very decent could be improved upon saw here the Cynamon, Coffee, Cocoa, Pineapple, and any amount of Palm trees. A tree that struck me as being the finest I have yet seen was a Figus Tree. This although only about thirty feet high has a spread of thirty three yards and is shaped like an umbrella. The trunk was comparatively small being not more than three feet through. Arriving at Buddist Temple we had to remove our boots if we wished to examine inside but as time did not permit of this we saw what we could from the outside. The images & engraving are really wonderful. Buddist appears in these positions standing sitting and lying. As time was pressing we had to get going & our darkies we kept going, coming back to barracks through another part of the native quarters. On our arrival we had another look over the articles
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the niggers were displaying and I at length purchased a small article & posted it which I hope you will receive in due course. At half past two we left to get aboard our boat again which we eventually did and cooled ourselves down before sailing at five thirty. I must sat that the heat was a felt more on account of our having to wear our uniform after being very near naked the three or four days prior to going ashore. For about three days I was in a state of constant perspiration you can well imagine how it would be having nothing to do for ten days but put on condition then go ashore and try to get about I can tell you it was hard work. Another thing I did not see in Colombo was very few dogs for the two days I only caught sight of two and they were not in the town itself. It was great the articles these people would chase round with & the exorbitant prices they
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would ask for them. In one case they were chasing round with a fountain pen & when asked how much they only asked seven and six but wound up by selling for one and six. The best bit of sport I think was with a couple of the boys that came on board the first morning they were wanting pennies so they were offered three pence if they put on the boxing gloves & this they did & pommelled each other good oh for about five minutes. No sooner had the boys finished than a couple of the bigger fellows wanted a few pennies so they set going and it was the best sport of all they each hit out with one hand for about ten blows each, first one would hit, then the other, then the same thing would go on with the opposite hands, these however did not get anything for their pains. Enough darky. Since leaving Colombo it is hard to believe we are at sea there has not been a motion of any sort on the boat the sea has been the calmest we have had yet and the heat has been counteracted by a slight head wind. Have met quite a few boats since leaving Friday which was not the case between there & Fremantle. During the nine days run we neither met or passed another vessel of any sort. This week will be the Winton Races I suppose so expect there will be something doing have been wondering what I could do to celebrate the morrow. Had service in the first class dining saloon this morning. I think it is now quite safe to say we will all land where Ern did as that is what they have led us to believe but have not told us anything definite. Most of us would like to be ashore again as this same old routine with very little exercise is monotonous and although all are looking the better of it I feel sure it will be all the harder on us when we arrive at our destination. Supper Coffee cheese & biscuits is now on so must have some
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just to satisfy to inner being. I tried sleeping on deck first night out from Colombo & enjoyed it fine up till about 2 in the morning when it came on to rain and I had to come below. About half of the men sleep up there every night but I have not repeated the experiment & do not think I will. By the time this reaches you I suppose the festive season will be over, it is hard to believe it is this time of year again seems no time since last Xmas. So far I have not said so but the Xmas mail for the boys at the front is all aboard this load and I can tell you there is a queer old load of it stacked in everywhere there is room. I cannot say exactly but there is considerably over forty thousand bags of mail & boxes of Xmas goods aboard in fact practically the whole load is made up of these. This mail has be in the hands of our censor by six o’clock tomorrow to get through for our next port of call. This
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is a six days run & as two have already gone it will not be long in passing & I believe we are to be three days there but do not know if it is correct. The next one is aden then we will have the Red Sea to contend with but some of the sailors reckon it is not so bad for heat at this time of year. Some of them here reckon that there is mail on board this boat for us but whether that is so or not remains to be seen at any rate we should get a mail not more than a week after we arrive, seeing that we are on a very long journey. It is hard to believe it was a month last Thursday since we sailed. The trip we have had will be hard to beat so far as rough sea’s and weather are concerned. We have not had as much as one wet day during the voyage on several occasions there have showers and heavy one at that but nothing more. Things will be sort of busy on the farm now I suppose and in another four weeks the bustle will be over for a while. Hope the climatic conditions improved to what they were the last news I had otherwise it would be anything but favourable. Think I had better bring this to a close as it is getting on to time for “Shut Eye”. Hope I can finish out the journey as well as I have been thus far have nothing to complain of in any way. Hoping this finds everybody in the best of health.
Affect Your Brother
Charlie.
P.S. Not reading this over so please excuse mistakes Ch.
