Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 12)
Dear Dot
If it so happens that you open this
letter first do not read it open the other one
and read it first this is part two its all one
letter.
Mac
(8)
us, when we would stop and natives would
pop up from everywhere and just stand and
look at you, and they didn't look very nice
so we returned to the boat for dinner.
When we left the boat they had a tally clerk
who counted everyone who went ashore and on
returning counted them again to see everyone
returned they were all surposed to be back on
board by 4.30 P.M. anyhow the next morning when
they counted up the tally in the book they
had about 200 men extra and yet there was only
the same amount on board as went ashore when
the called the roll, you see they would come
on board and the clerk would count them then
they would walk across the boat and climb down
the anchor chain after whistleing a native over
in a row boat get in his row boat and he'd
row them ashore, then later on they would
come back up the front and the clerk would count them again.
I managed to get ashore anyhow.
(9)
When we got back to town we had another
rickshaw race, anyhow two of the chaps decided
the natives needed a rest so the put them in
the rickshaw and they had a race.
Then we decided to return to the native quarters
again, and it was not long before we were
in the middle of them, and funny though it
may seem its correct, the native men sleep
on the footpath. I wondered what was wrong at
first when I saw everybody stretched out on
the footpath and then I noticed that there
were only men there, and when we worked it
all out we found out the men sleep out
on the foot path though they dont have to.
We watched them for a while it was terrible
funny to see a man walk out onto the
foot path lay down and go to sleep, after a
while we got sick of it and left.
We headed for the Galle Face Hotel after we
left there, it an enormous place and very
nice to, the dance we were invited to was
(10)
being held there, I'm not so very keen on dancing
so I didn't go to the dance I just had a drink (1)
and sat in the lounge and talked for a while
the hotel although very nice is very expensive
so we decided to head back for the ship and
a little sleep.
During our stay in Colombo other than
soft drinks I had one drink only and that
was just out of curiosity to see what foreign
beer tasted like
I didn't find out until the next morning
but all the day before while we were in Colombo
the temperature was never once below 120deg
and I didn't even notice it once, the only reason
is because I did not even have time to.
Well Dot the next morning or most of it
was spent trying to bargin with the natives
over the side of the boat, you see as soon as
it is light they row over in larg rowing
boats loaded with, cigarettes, cigars, singlets,
hand carved elephants, sandals, everything you
(11)
can think of, and they bargin with the chaps
if you decide to buy at there price you sing
out ok, and they have a long piece of rope
with a weight on one end which they throw
up for you to catch, then they tie a canvass
bag to it and you pull it up and put your
money in then lower it to them they take the
money put whatever you buy in it and you
pull it up and get same, you have to watch
them all the time though.
We got a pair of sandals, one bunch of
bananas, six coconuts, and 65 limes, which are
like lemons, only small, all for 6/- there were about
6 or 7 dozen bananas on the bunch.
There are also chaps who dive for money
anything at all and I never saw them miss
once.
I almost forgot we saw a few snake charmers
to making there Cobras dance, they also
call themselves magic men, and after watching
one of them I was begining to believe he
(12)
was, this particular chap got a basket
of earth and emptied it on the ground then
he got a mango seed and passed it round
for us to inspect, then taking it back he
put it into this earth and covered it with
a cloth he then put his hands under and
started to mutter to himself and inside five
minutes he had a mango plant growing
there and a fair sized one at that, just to
finish it of he had to dig the roots out of
the ground, and I was not drunk I don't drink.
I guess I have just about reached my
limit Dot, Colombo is a very hard place to
describe, and what I have just told you although
very little. Im afraid, is the best I can do.
On the first night out from port we had
some fun , there were four of us sitting down
in my cabin talking about what we did in
Colombo, when some one went up and got four
bottles of Ginger Ale well we were sitting there
drinking when some one shook his bottle up
(13)
with his thumb over the top and then took
his thumb with which beer went everywhere,
then everyone started doing it and spraying
each other you should have seen the mess
in my cabin but it was fun while it lasted.
You should see my cabin mate Doti Dot
as soon as we left Fremantle he had all his
hair shaved of, I christened him Bullet head
then the chap next door had his shaved so I
called him Pin Head they didn't like it so
they named me Mopey, and tried to get
me to do like wise, but I promised someone
I wouldn't do that or grow a mustache so
I still have my hair. However they have
threatened to take it of by force so how
long I will keep it I dont know, but I think
it will still be there if and when I come back.
I'm pretty sure I will have some snaps for
you next time Dot so until then wish everyone
all the best for me and "Big Cheerio" J B Wells
Lots of Love.
Sincerely Yours.
Mac
xxxxxx
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AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL
FORCE
PASSED BY CENSOR
493
SYDNEY
11 -AM
3 20 NOV 3
1940
N.S.W.AUST.
DEFENCE FORCE MAIL
NO POSTAGE REQUIRED
H.M.TRANSPORT
Miss D Williams
37 Byrnes St
Bexley
Via Sydney
Australia J B Wells
S - A - G
Letters No
Recd 21/11/40
"A" Coy 19th Inf. Ing. Bn.
A.I F.
Abroad.
Dear Dot,
Well darl just a few lines to let you know that I have arrived at my destination
Palestine ok, sorry I couldnt write sooner but when we got here there was a lot to do for the first
few days, when I finally thought I would get a chance to write I was transferred to another camp
as a special instructor. Im still there at present.
Up to date darl I have covered a fair bit of ground, and I have found it all very new and
interesting, and I have had a good time trying to understand there different customs, but I still
have to see the country that is as good as our own, Australia is just one jump ahead of the lot:
I hope you received my other letters ok, and I'm afraid this one will not be long as the
last few (lucky you) I hope you can read it ok darl, it's a bit cramped up and all that but Im
sending it Air Mail, and the price goes up with the weight, I think there must be a bit of Scotch
blood in me, if I didn't send it air mail you probably would not get it for some time. Now
I'm going to ask you a favor darl do you think you could possibly write one and return it
air mail to me, make it a long one, write close like I have and do your best, if you do I get it
in about 14 days, otherwise who knows when.
I have a few snaps Dot which Im going to send you through the ordinary mail when
you will get them I don't know, Im just waiting on a few more and Ill send them all to-gether
of course they also have to pass the censor.
The trip over was very nice darl I had a great time, but after looking at a photo I have
with me I dont think it will be half as good as the trip back, of course that all depends,
you see a lot can happen between now and then (dont forget to count ten)
Gosh I'm getting a beaut colour up that is on the arms and legs, it dont take long to get brown
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