Hop, Hop, Hop, Hooray!

A boom was stretched across the harbour, one of our own officers and a sergeant were landed here owing to illness, they were taken off in the hospital pinnace.

When the mail had been taken off we cast our moorings and steamed out of the harbour. While the Maltese traders were cheering us at the top of their voice “Hop, Hop, Hop, Hooray” the nearest English they could get, quite pleased at the trade they had been doing , as many of our fellows had been done right and left, some paying as much as 7/6 for an article that others had received for 1/6 or 1/-, this is the worst of buying off people who bargain with you.

Wile steaming out the mouth of the harbour one sailor on board a tug, asked us through his megaphone “where are you bound”, our reply “India”, Then, “are you down hearted” reply “NO!!”.

A open air concert was arranged by the officers for the Sat evening but owing to it coming on a little damp it was postponed.  The damp air caused the decks to get quite slippery and our steward in the smoke room fell down and dislocated his collar bone, and was operated on immediately.

Retired at 8.45. Lights out 9 p.m.

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