Sunday 15th November 1914
Church parade was held very early as we expected to arrive at Colombo by 9 or 10 oclock. It was a delightfully calm warm morning the sea as smooth as glass and quite an opalescent tint. Land was in sight at daybreak and as we neared Colombo a swarm of sampans came gliding over the sea towards us. The number of natives they accommodate for their size is most remarkable and the way the flotilla jostled itself internally was highly amusing. We reached Colombo and anchored about 11 o’clock. As we came into the entrance we saw a British and a Russian man of war at anchor. The inner harbour was soon black with native boats and we were soon surrounded. Leave was given to go ashore in parties and Major Cunningham arranged for two launches which enabled our fellows to get ashore and march through the first Eastern town we had seen. It was a remarkable sight. The varied garments of the natives. The tropical vegetation. The Eastern design of the buildings and the whole atmosphere was novel and bewildering. The heat was intense and we perspired very freely indeed. After about an hour and a half ashore we returned to the ship. That afternoon H.M.S. Sydney arrived from Cocos Island with the German prisoners aboard. She was inspected with great interest. A hole was visible in her starboard side. She disembarked her wounded who were taken to the Military Hospital. The Colombo people were highly delighted at the destruction of the Emden.
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