Diary of Gerard Henderson Cowan, November 1916 - January 1917 - Part 5

to washing. Just lately, being
so short of water we have
had to do all washing both
ourselves and clothes in
salt water.
It is very interesting watching
the different boats plying
to and fro & between the
different ships & between
the ships & shore. Especially
the trim & fast steam furnaces
from the cruisers.
When revalle was blown this
evening we were on the boat
deck waiting for the evening
service to begin. It was blown
on the Kent first, all the crew
standing to attention, and
then picked up by all the
troop ships round the harbour
It sounded very well.

Devenish and I were talking this
evening about Geraldton, he
asked me of I knew the Triggs
He is their cousin
Monday 18/12/16
Still in Sierra Leone, and every
appearance of staying here for
several days yet.
To day has been the hottest we've
had yet. Impossible to get cool
any where.  At about 4 p.m. a
cool westerly breeze sprang up
and made life endurable.
& If this is winter what must sum
summer be here.
Revalle is altered to 6 a.m. again
now. No notice was given of the
alteration so a great scramble
ensued at earl to be in time
at early parade when fall in
went. While we are here in

harbour parades have been
shortened. Thank goodness.
They liner is still in harbour,
here name is the "Saxon"
Boat loads of passengers
went ashore from here today
some passed close to us.
We asked where they where
from and which direction
the boat was going. We had
hopes that she might be from
Australia and there might be
a possibility of mail.
It appears she is from Durban
and is bound for England -
may goo in, our convoy if we
leave soon enough.
The pople were South Africans
decent looking men & women
and a few flappers. It is
quite a treat after not having

seen any for 18 days.
Several boat loads of soldiers
went ashore from the other
troopships today.
Another concert on this evening
but did not go to see it, going
to see if I can get half a bucket
of fresh water and have a bath.
The troopships in port are
Argyllshire A8
Marathon A 75
Boonak A36
Benalla
Port Nicholsson
Afric A19
Durham Castle   Indian Troops
City of Sparta
Bantala 

Tuesday 19/12/16
Night very warm.
A stonky (intoxicated) soldier from
the Boonah evidently mistook
his floating home & landed
here instead. He walked round
asking for ten a bed and
the imprecations hurled
at him woke me up.  The
guard eventually turned out
and arrested him and he
was carried off yelling for
his pals to help him.
The Saxon left this morning
another one entering just
as she left. This one is rumor
to be going to Australia. Two small
steam trawlers also arrived
These are much smaller than
the whaling steamers in dur
Durban

What was evidently a coastal
steamer came in during the
morning and left again this
afternoon. She was a very neat
boat of 1800 or 2000 tons, painted
grey and white.
As she went by a group of officers
waved & shouted to us, one tried
to cooee evidently to hear us
as it in reply.
Sent a barge load of flour
to the Benalla today as she
is short.
While putting it on board the chief
officer spoke to the nigger
in charge of the barge telling
him where to stow the flour.
The nigger turned round and said
"I'm bos in charge here not you".
The boats were slung outboard
today so will probably 

leave tomorrow.
Well must go and try and
put up the awning over
where I sleep it was laute
down today while ^unloading the
flour.
Today has been considerably
cooler on account of a cool
westerly breeze
Wednesday 20/12/16
I have received the sum of
6/- for work done as mess
orderly from Friday 8/12/16
to 15/12/16
Thaun.
I have received the sum of 6/-
1/- Shilling owing for work done as mess
orderly from 8/12/16 to15/12/16
K Holme
Payday day today, received the
huge sum of 4/- by the time

we had paid our debts and
paid the mess orderlies most
of as had very little left.
Morris owes 1/- shilling mess
money.
I awoke suddenly last night
to the boom in of a gun, it
was evidently fired from one
of the forts and by the row
it made must have been of
large calibre. We have not
found out yet whether why
it was fired. Some skip may
have been entering the
harbour and refused to
stop when challenged.
At 530 am I awoke to the
music of the anchor winch
and although we were only
hauling up short, it was not
long before we begun to move

out. First C came the auxil

Auxilary cruiser, then the
Boonah, Benalla, Port Nicholson,
Argyllshire (ourselves) the
Afrec bringing up the rear
making 5 troopships & the
cruiser. The Kent & Marathon
and 4 other troopships remain
in Siera Lone.
We steared a westerly course
till about noon, and soon
dropped land out of sight, at
about noon we changed
to a nor-westerly direction.
It is said we are going to
St Vincent not Dakar.
Two men were buried today
one from the Afric this
morning & and one from the
Benalla during the afternoon
We stood to attention on

both occasions while last post
was blown.
The sea has been almost like a
minor all today and the
auxilary cruiser ^on our port looks like a
painted ship upon a painted ocean.
Had life belt drill again today
and have been warned not to
remove life belts from the
racks on any pretence unless
the signal is given, as we are
in very dangerous waters now.
The report about the Franch and
British cruisers having sunk
the German raider appears
to be true, the broken topmast
of one of the cruisers seams
to bear this They also have s
some prisoners for on shore,
which the cruisers brought back.

Thursday 21^st/12/16
Four more days to Xmas,
but it does not feel very
much like Xmas at present.
However I believe we get 3¹/₂
days holiday including Sunday
and Saturday afternoon.
A slight swell running today, 

it is interesting watching
the ships pitching and rolling
specially the Afric who keeps
close on our heels occassionaly
drawing abreast of us and
close enough to shout querys
and answer to those on board.
The sun rose right astern of us
so we were evidently
travelling west. About half
an hour later we altered
our course to nor west
and have since changed

to north.
Had a fresh water washing parade
today a very uncommon
occurrence since fresh water
has been so scarce.
Passed a large four funnelled
cruiser going South but she
was too far off to make out
very clearly.
Have passed several shoals of fish
of various descriptions today.
Porpoises being the most
numerous. You can see
these leaping out of the water
and diving and splashing
long before reaching them.
There was another curious
fish which created great interest
on board. It was like a huge
flounder and about 4 feet
across. It kept leaping 

right out of water and turning
a couple of somersaults while
in the air. Holme says it was
probably a whip-ray and this
may be so although it did not
appear lo to have a long tail
such as that fish has.
The sun rises and sets at
6.30 a.m. & p.m. now day and
night being equal.
T Although the days here are
quite clear there always appe
appear to be mist hanging
round the horizan the sun
disappears into this and
is out of sight long before
reaching the horizon: Once
the sun has dipped darkness
comes very quickly in these
regions

Friday 22/12/16
Quite a fresh breeze blew
all last night, first time we
have been cool for some time.
About 2 am I awoke and
heard the walh watchman
ring the bell twice, this means
he has sighted something on
the Starboard, On looking out
I could see the lights of a
steamer away on the horizon
& not being a submarine I went
to sleep again.
The shower was quite cold
this morning instead of being
warm as it has been during the

last two weeks.
When I awoke our course was
about Nor West, but just about
break fast time we turned off
at right angles and steared N.E. 

Soon the watch began to
tap his ^bell two taps, and we rushed

to starboard, only to find an

old tramp away on the horizon.

A little later one tap and on

looking away to port sighted

another tramp. Presently another

tap and searching the horizon

presently discerned what appeared

to be smoke, but as it

still kept its shape, after having

watched it for some time we

decided it was land. This surmise

was correct. Then we sighted a

white speck, this turned out to

be the sail of a native boat. 

Just as things were getting

exciting we had to fall in

and half the company, me

included, was ordered below

for a lecture on bombing.

At smoko we were dismissed 

and allowed to watch to our

hearts content. By this time

we could see what appeared 

to be two islands and could

see they were covered with

houses. soon we made out a very

low lying coast line extending

to the horizon on it either side.

We guessed then that these were

not Cape Verde islands & the 

town was not St Vincent.

The land was the mainland

What appeared to be the largest

island was Cape Verde itself the

town is Dakar, The other island

was an island. Both the island

and the cape rise to about 150

feet of above sea level but the

remaining country stretches away

as far as the eye can reach

rising only a few feet above
see level. You pass between

the island and the cape and

both of wich are heavily

fortified, and firg find the 

harbour in a snug little

cove where the cape joins

the mainland. There is another

fort commanding the

entrance to this harbour, - you

can see four big guns, disappearing

type, showing over the earthworks,

there is a stone breakwater,

running right across the

entrance harbour mouth, 

with one entrance just large

enough to admit steamers

of a fair tonnage. There are

guns of small calibre guar

commanding this entrance

and there is also a submarine

net which can be drawn

across in case of immergency.

Even the tugs are armed, I have

noticed quite several carrying

one-pounders in their bows.

We found the harbour full

of shipping all of which, - strange

to say, is British, except

one steamer and two cruisers

These are the same cruisers ^we saw were

in Sierra Leone. W The whole

convoy entered the harbour.

We are moored with two colliers

on each side of us within a stones

throw of our sides, we can look

right down onto their decks.

The Afric is on our R port and

a little bit astern, she is

so close that conversation can

be carried on between the

two ships. Just aster of us is

moored the auxilary cruiser, our

escort, one closer view she appears

to be a fairly old boat but very
trim, and could probably put
up a speed of over 20 knots

As far as I can see she carries

5 guns of about 6 in cal calibre

and two quick firers.

The Afric has ^had her gun put on

board since coming into port,

we expect to get ours tomorrow

morning.

We are taking on more water

here but are not likely to take

any more coal, so probably

will not remain here long.

Dakar I may as well state

is a French port in Frenh

Sengal.

The native boats are different

here to those in Sierra Leone

I am trying to get some postcards

of them and of the port.

Men are beginning to get a bit

fractious on board now, we

had a fight on our deck tonight

between a youngster of 19 and

a fellow of about 25 years. The

19 year old won, just by keeping

his head and being in better

fighting trim that his advesary.

Among the boats in port are two

passenger boats and and not 

far from us is a little cargo

boat flying the Australian flag.

The climate here is more like

the Australian too. It was cool

on the sea but on nearing

land it became quite hot, so hot

indeed that it gave me a headache

and made me feel ill, that was

from getting the sun on my neck