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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8205836 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #52656 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52656) diff --git a/old/52656-8.txt b/old/52656-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3823fa7..0000000 --- a/old/52656-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3178 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Ten Months in a German Raider, by John Stanley Cameron - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Ten Months in a German Raider - A prisoner of war aboard the Wolf - -Author: John Stanley Cameron - -Editor: Cyril Brown - -Release Date: July 27, 2016 [EBook #52656] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN MONTHS IN A GERMAN RAIDER *** - - - - -Produced by MWS, Graeme Mackreth and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN CAMERON AND HIS DAUGHTER NITA] - - - - - TEN MONTHS IN A - GERMAN RAIDER - - A Prisoner of War Aboard the _WOLF_ - - BY - - CAPTAIN JOHN STANLEY CAMERON - - Master of the American Bark _Beluga_ - - _ILLUSTRATED_ - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK - - GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY - - - - - _Copyright, 1918, - By George H. Doran Company_ - - -_Printed in the United States of America_ - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -Captain John Stanley Cameron, master of the American bark _Beluga_, -who tells the story of his great adventure on board the German raider -_Wolf_, and subsequently on the prize ship _Igotz Mendi_, in this -volume, is of Scotch parentage, thirty-four years old; a smooth-shaven, -canny graduate of the "before the mast" school, and prematurely gray. -His father is a well-known figure on the Pacific Coast, being the -oldest sailing master living in his part of the world. - -Captain Cameron went to sea at the age of three. At thirteen he was -earning his living as an able-bodied seaman, and he has been a master -of sailing vessels since he was twenty-one. He figured in the news -some few years ago by taking a sailing yacht of seventy-four tons -from New York to San Francisco; the smallest vessel of her class to -beat through the Straits of Magellan. Since then, Captain Cameron has -retired from sea--until his last trip as master of the _Beluga_. - -In setting down Captain Cameron's story much as it came from his -own lips, I have treated it as a simple record of human experience, -avoiding any chance of spoiling this bully sea yarn by attempting to -give it a literary finish. - - CYRIL BROWN. - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - CAPTAIN CAMERON AND HIS DAUGHTER NITA _Frontispiece_ - - PAGE - - THE GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER _Wolf_ 22 - - SHOWING "MANNLICHER" TYPE TORPEDO TUBE 48 - - FINAL DIVE OF JAPANESE STEAMER _Hitachi Maru_ 48 - - SHOWING 4.7 "ORDINARY" PORTSIDE GUN 68 - - BURIAL OF A. JOHNSON, SECOND OFFICER - ON AMERICAN BARK _Beluga_ 114 - - LAST OF THE AMERICAN BARK _William Kirby_ 130 - - AMERICAN SCHOONER _Winslow_ 148 - - THE BLOWING UP OF AMERICAN SCHOONER _Winslow_ 148 - - _Igotz Mendi_ ASHORE ON THE DANISH COAST 162 - - LIFE-BOAT LEAVING BEACH FOR THE - STRANDED _Igotz Mendi_ 162 - - - - -PART ONE: CAPTURED BY PIRATES - - - - - TEN MONTHS IN A GERMAN - RAIDER - - - - -PART ONE - -CAPTURED BY PIRATES - - -Little did I dream when I sailed away from San Francisco in the little -bark _Beluga_ that I should finish my voyage, not in Australia after a -two months' trip, but in Denmark, on the other side of the world, after -a ten months' experience that has never before been equalled in the -annals of sea-going history. - -My story could well be called "An Escape from the Jaws of Hell"--for -a prisoner's life in Germany under the present conditions is surely a -hell on earth. During my six weeks' stay in Denmark I have interviewed -neutral sailors who have been sent out of Germany, and old men who have -been passported out on account of extreme old age; also prisoners who -have escaped over the border into Denmark via the coal-train route, and -these men one and all paint a picture of a prisoner's life in Germany -as being a veritable hell on earth. - -We sailed from San Francisco on the 15th day of May, 1917, with a cargo -of 15,000 cases of benzine, for Sydney, Australia. After letting go -the tug boat and getting sail on the ship, we all settled down for a -quiet and uneventful passage. Seldom have I gone to sea under more -favourable circumstances. A tight little vessel, a good deep water -crew of Scandinavian sailor men, plenty of good wholesome provisions -and a cook who knew his business. Both the first and second mates were -officers of the old school, with years of experience, so it seemed that -I was fortunate in getting so evenly balanced a crew, as owing to the -frenzied state of shipping along the Pacific Coast at that time the -master was indeed fortunate who found on getting to sea that half of -this crew could box the compass, much less hand, reef and steer. - -Even under these favourable circumstances there was a "fly in the -ointment." On counting noses I made the discovery that the entire -ship's company amounted to thirteen (an unlucky number, as every "salt" -will testify). A ship's crew of eleven, counting myself, and two -passengers, my wife and little daughter. When I called this fact to -my wife's attention she laughed at me, saying that was "old sailor's -tommyrot" and that we were living in the twentieth century and should -have outgrown such silly superstitions. Nevertheless, owing to a strain -of Scotch blood in my veins, the superstition remained in my mind for -many days until, owing to the humdrum uneventfulness of our progress, -this thought died a natural death. - -I crossed the equator well to the westward, passing the Fiji Islands -and hoping that when I ran out of the southeast trade winds I would get -a favourable wind and cut close by the southern ends of New Caledonia. -I had a hunch, and if I had been lucky and had two days' favourable -wind this story would never have happened. But unfortunately, -unfavourable winds were encountered, forcing me to the southward and -into the regular sailing vessel route. - -My wife, an Australian girl by birth, had not been home to see her -family since she left them something over ten years ago, and naturally -was very anxious to get home and see her many brothers and sisters who -had grown up and married since she left. In fact, she had talked of -nothing else for the past several years. Each year I promised that we -would make the visit "next year," but something or other would show -up and spoil my plans. I had given up the sea about six years ago for -a "shore job," and was so well pleased with the change that I did not -care to go back to the sea again, fearing that I would not be able to -change from the sea to the shore life again, as there is something -about the sea that gets into the blood and makes it difficult to -stay away from it. It was only then an unusual chain of circumstances -that left me foot loose at this particular time to take charge of the -_Beluga_ on this trip. The fact is, it was what my wife called the -"Scotch Jew" in me that finally decided me to take this means of making -money out of visiting the mother-in-law. - -Each day at noon when I placed the vessel's position on the chart, my -wife was a very interested spectator and used to measure the distances -that remained for us to go. Then she would figure out just how long it -would take, under various weather conditions, before she would be able -to see her beloved Australia again. Some days when we had a favourable -wind and had made a good day's run in the right direction, she would be -as happy as could be and singing all the time, but other days when we -had made but little progress she would be away down in the dumps, and -it would be extremely difficult to get a smile. - -On July 9th I was having some work done aloft on one of the masts, -when about two o'clock in the afternoon Fritz, a Norwegian sailor -working aloft, shouted down, "Smoke, oh, on the port beam." I had a -look through my binoculars, and, sure enough, on the horizon to the -southwest I could make out the smoke of a steamer. The weather at -this time was fine and clear, with a light breeze from the south and -we were making only about four knots per hour. In a short time it -became evident that the steamer was coming in our direction, as she -was gradually getting larger and more plainly seen. I shouted down the -cabin skylight to my wife to come on deck and see the steamer, as she -was the only vessel of any description we had seen since leaving San -Francisco, almost two months before. She and Juanita, my six-year-old -daughter, scampered on deck and were very much interested in watching -her. It soon became evident that the steamer was going to pass close to -us, and thinking it just possible that she would speak us, my wife and -Nita went below to change their frocks. - -The steamer was getting closer by this time and her hull was plainly -visible. The old superstition regarding the unlucky number "thirteen" -flashed through my mind but was instantly dismissed. To all appearances -she was the ordinary black-painted, dingy-looking ocean tramp. I -studied her intently through the glass, trying to discover some detail -that would show her nationality, and had just about concluded that she -must be a Jap when Mr. Buckert, my Chief Officer, came along to where I -was standing and asked if I could make her out. I told him she appeared -to be either a British or Jap tramp, and handed him the binoculars so -that he could have a look. After studying her for a while he said, -"By God, Captain, I don't know her nationality, but she carries the -largest crew I have ever seen." I snatched the glasses out of his hand -and had a look. Sure enough, by this time the rails both forward and -aft were black with men in the regulation man-of-war jumpers. Even at -this time I did not think she was a German, but possibly a British -armed merchantman, or a British converted auxiliary cruiser, sent from -Australia to some of the South Sea islands for patrol duties. However, -she soon showed her true colours. - -Suddenly she changed her course, heading to pass directly under my -stern. At this moment she broke out the German Imperial Navy Ensign -at her jackstaff aft and at her signal yard amidships she showed the -letters G.T.E., which interpreted from the International Signal Code -means "Heave to and I will send a boat on board." After giving me time -to read this signal, possibly two minutes, the steamer dropped her -bulwarks forward, uncovering her guns, and fired a shot across the -_Beluga's_ bow. This dispelled any lingering doubt I had in my mind as -to what was wanted, and it didn't take us long to clew up our light -sails and throw the main yard about. - -It was only then that I actually realised that my little vessel had -been stopped by a German raider in the South Pacific Ocean almost -fifteen thousand miles from the war zone. I stepped to the forward -end of the quarterdeck and looked down at the crew on the main deck -to see how they seemed to be taking it. These Scandinavian sailor men -were standing on the waist, smoking their pipes and discussing the -appearance of the steamer, just as if to be captured by an enemy's -raider were an every-day occurrence. For myself, I knew that this day -marked a crisis in the lives of any of us that were American or British -born, and as for my wife and child--God, the thought was like a stab -in the heart and seemed to leave me numb and cold. In a moment there -flashed through my mind all the accounts I had read in the papers -of the German atrocities towards women and children in Belgium and -barbarisms practised along the Russian front, and the thought of my -wife and child being at the mercy of these people nearly drove me crazy. - -On walking aft I saw my wife leaning up against the wheelhouse, her -face absolutely bloodless and a look of horror in her eyes that fairly -chilled my blood. God! For months after I could see this expression in -her eyes every time I closed my eyes. Even now, when I think of it, it -makes me feel cold all over. When she saw me she came over and took my -hand in hers, looking all the time into my eyes and not saying a word. -We stood there for what seemed a century. Presently I called Juanita -to us and the three of us went down below to the cabin. We sat on the -settee, never saying a word, and poor little Nita started to sob, -feeling something sinister in the air, which she did not understand. -In a minute the mate came to the cabin skylight and sang out that the -launch would be alongside in a minute. I answered "All right." My wife -got up and walked over to the bed and took one of my revolvers (I had -two) from under the mattress and handed it to me. - -Suddenly she threw both her arms around my neck and drew my head into -such a position that she could look into my eyes, and said, "Stanley, I -want you to promise me that they will never get Juanita." I threw both -my arms round her, hugging her tight to myself, and said, "Mamie, I -promise; but you must leave it to me." And with a sob I left her and -started on deck. When passing through the wheelhouse, I stopped for a -moment to pull myself together. On going on deck I saw a small motor -launch just arriving alongside, crowded with German bluejackets, armed -to the teeth. A moment more, and a young lieutenant sprang onto the -deck and came aft to the quarterdeck where I was standing. Coming to a -stand in front of me he saluted and asked in excellent English, with -an American accent, "Are you the captain of this vessel?" I answered, -"Yes." "Where are you from?" was his next question. I told him San -Francisco to Sydney, Australia, fifty-two days out. "Captain," he said, -"I take charge of your vessel in the name of the German Imperial Navy." -He gave an order in German and two German sailors sprang to the flag -halyards and hauled down the Stars and Stripes and ran up the German -Ensign. They carefully saved the American flag and the Company's -burgee and took them aboard the _Wolf_ afterwards as trophies. Our crew -meantime had been lined up and searched for weapons. Among the things -the boarding crew brought on board was a black case containing twenty -pairs of handcuffs and three large bombs to blow the vessel to pieces -with. They didn't need the handcuffs, however. - -After the lieutenant had gone through the ship's papers and found out -all particulars regarding the _Beluga's_ cargo, he had his signal -men wigwag the information to the Commander of the _Wolf_, which was -standing by. The Commander, on finding out that I had a cargo of -benzine, decided not to sink the vessel immediately, but to take on -board some three hundred cases for use in their hydroplane, as their -supply was getting low. - -[Illustration: - -THE GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER, RAIDER AND MINE LAYER "WOLF" LEAVING KIEL -ON HER FIFTEEN-MONTH CRUISE, NOVEMBER 21ST, 1916] - -In a short while we received instructions from the _Wolf_ to proceed -due east for sixty miles and wait there for them. The _Wolf_ then left -us, going off at right angles. I learned from some of the German -sailors that there was a large steamer approaching and that the _Wolf_ -would probably run along parallel with her during the night and capture -her in the morning. About nine-thirty that night this steamer passed us -about a mile and a half off, heading to the southward and westward. - -She was apparently a large steamer of about seven or eight thousand -tons, heavily loaded. She resembled in appearance the type of vessel -used on the Pacific Coast as an oil tanker, having the high forecastle -head, long bunk deck amidships, and her engines and stack away aft; she -was probably a freighter of this description belonging to New Zealand, -bound from San Francisco to Australia. When she came abreast of us she -signalled by Morse Code, asking what vessel we were; but the German -prize crew took good care that none of us could answer or make any -signals of any kind. I can use both Continental and Morse and had a -signal lamp on board, so that if I had had an opportunity I could have -warned this steamer that there was a raider about. - -One of the first official acts by Lieutenant Zelasko after taking -charge of my vessel was to call the cook up on the quarterdeck where he -was standing and give him instructions to cook a good large meal for -his men, and not to forget to have plenty of white bread. To assist him -in preparing this meal for the unwelcome addition to our family, he -assigned one of his men as an assistant in the kitchen. - -In the meantime the balance of his crew were searching the vessel and -making an itemized list of everything that they thought would be worth -transferring to the _Wolf_. I had a chance to look over this list later -on and was surprised to find how complete and businesslike it was. It -gave the name of the article, the amount, where located, and a remark -as to how best to remove it, whether in the original package, to be -repacked, or carried in bulk in large canvas sacks, furnished by the -_Wolf_ for that purpose. This is only one incident showing the method -and thoroughness with which even the minor details of their business -were carried out. - -During the evening I had a chance to get acquainted with Lieutenant -Zelasko, the prize officer, and found him a very decent chap indeed. -He, and all the rest of the _Wolf's_ officers, excepting the Commander -and the Artillery Lieutenant, were members of the Imperial Marine, or -Naval Reserve, men that in peace time commanded and served as officers -in the merchant service, like myself. In fact, I found that Lieutenant -Zelasko had served part of his time as able-bodied seaman on the -American ship _Roanoke_, a vessel that I had been in some years before. -He had the second class Iron Cross which he had won at Antwerp. - -Lieutenant Zelasko assured me on his word of honour that my family -would receive nothing but the best of care possible under the -circumstances on board the _Wolf_. In fact, after finding out that the -_Wolf_ was manned by ex-merchant marine officers and men, my fears -for the safety of my wife and little girl subsided greatly. My wife -herself cheered up a great deal after hearing this, thinking that -people from our own walk of life could not be as barbarous as we had -been led to believe. - -Early in the morning of the tenth we arrived at the position where -we were to wait for the _Wolf_. Here we hove to, and the prize crew, -assisted by my sailors, who were forced to do all the work pertaining -to the handling of the ship, took off the hatches and took on deck -three hundred cases of benzine, ready to be transported to the _Wolf_ -when she showed up. During all this time there were always five or six -guards or sentries posted at various positions around the ship, and -also the balance of the prize crew always wore their side arms, whether -they were working or not. - -The navigating officer of Zelasko's prize crew and the bo'swain were -both American navigators, one having been, prior to the war, master of -a sailing vessel plying on the Atlantic Coast, and the other a Chief -Mate, also in sail, on the Atlantic. At the outbreak of the war both -resigned their positions and went home to lend Kaiser Bill a hand. -These fellows received eighteen marks per month and have a rating -of only "over matrosa," or just one step higher than that of common -sailor. Several months later, after we had got better acquainted, I -asked this ex-American skipper if he did not think it rather a scurvy -trick to sail as Master on American ships during peace times and as -soon as war was declared to leave America and help sink the very class -of ships that he had hitherto made his living on. He replied by saying -that at the time he resigned and went home to enlist America was not -in the war, but even had she been, he would have gone just the same. -From conversations I had with other ex-American seamen, I am led to -believe that at the outbreak of hostilities the German Consuls at the -port where their vessels hailed from ordered these men to resign and -go home to the Fatherland. I also believe that their fare and expenses -were paid. There are many, many cases similar to this, and I believe -it would be a good thing for the American shipowners to remember when -employing officers and captains to man their vessels after the war is -over. - -The German prize crew made a great fuss over Juanita, she being quite -a novelty to them, and I am sure that she had the time of her life. -Nobody on board the _Wolf_ had seen a woman or a child for nearly nine -months. My wife and little girl were the first woman and child they had -taken prisoner. - -On July 11th, early in the morning, the _Wolf_ picked us up again. It -seems that the steamer we saw got away from them. The _Wolf_ put four -large life-boats on the water and took off some three hundred cases of -benzine and all the provisions and ship's stores we had on board the -_Beluga_. - -When the vessel was taken charge of by the German prize officer, he -told me that I would be allowed to take only a few absolute necessities -aboard the _Wolf_ when I was transferred; but later, on the 11th, -when the _Wolf_ picked us up, Commander Nerger sent over word that -I was to be allowed to take everything I wanted. Unfortunately the -permission came almost too late, because by this time the German crew -had ransacked my quarters very thoroughly and many articles that I -would have taken with me for the comfort of my family were gone. Weeks -later some of these were recovered. For instance, I had a pair of -rubber-soled, leather-topped yachting shoes. Some weeks after joining -the _Wolf_ I noticed a man with these shoes on his feet. I called the -attention of one of the officers to it and told him that they were -formerly my property. The following morning those shoes were just -outside my stateroom door, nicely polished. - -Among the things I took on the _Wolf_ was the wife's sewing machine, -which proved of great value later on, as she had to make under and over -garments for both herself and Nita. My nautical instruments, books and -charts were taken from me, but I was told that they would be returned -to me on my arrival in Germany. - -At 1:20 we got into the boats and said a last farewell to the poor -little _Beluga_, and she did look little in comparison with this big -black brute of a raider. As we were being rowed over, the _Wolf's_ -rails were lined with grinning faces, and not one of them that I could -see had the least trace of sympathy. Not that I wanted sympathy for -myself, but it seemed strange to me, at the time, that out of over -three hundred German sailors and officers there was not one whose face -showed any sympathy for the position a woman and little child were in. - -We climbed on board by means of a Jacob's ladder, myself first with -Nita on my back, and my wife next. Many offered to lend her a hand, -but she managed to make it without any help. There was a certain -satisfaction in this, as afterwards I found out that the Germans -anticipated a lot of trouble in getting her aboard, as there was quite -a bit of sea running. - -On arriving on deck we were met by the Chief Officer, Captain Schmell, -whose first words were, "Tell your wife and little girl that they have -nothing to fear, that we are not the Huns you probably think we are." -He took us aft under the poop and showed us an ex-storeroom which some -men were cleaning out for our use. This room was in the centre of the -prisoners' quarters and had absolutely no ventilation, and there were -Negroes, Indians and various other nationalities passing up and down -to the hell hole, before the door, in various stages of décolleté, to -say the least. The Chief told me that we three could have this room -together, or my wife and child could have a more comfortable room on -the berth deck amidships, but that I would have to remain down below -and that I would be allowed to visit my family two hours daily. My wife -would not hear of this latter arrangement, saying that we would live in -a pig-sty together rather than be separated. Just then Commander Nerger -came along and spoke to us, saying that he was very sorry to find that -the _Beluga_ had a woman and child on board, and had he known that -such was the case he would have passed right on; but that once he had -shown himself to be a raider, to protect himself he would have to keep -us prisoners until such time when he could land us at a place where -it would not jeopardise the safety of his vessel or crew; and that in -the meantime he would make us as comfortable as possible under the -circumstances. He then gave orders that we three should be given one of -the deck officers' staterooms on the berth deck and that we were to be -given the freedom on the side our room was on, and that as long as I -paid attention to my own business only and did not talk to any of the -sailors, I was to continue to enjoy this privilege; but just as soon as -I gave them cause to believe that I was trying to gather information, -I was to be sent down into the hell-hole aft--as the prisoners called -their well-named quarters. Needless to say, I gladly agreed to his -proposition, knowing myself to be lucky not to be separated from my -family. At 4:30 P.M. a man (who was afterwards my orderly) came to our -room with cotton batting to put in our ears, as they were going to -sink the _Beluga_ by gun fire. I was granted permission to go onto the -boat deck and watch. They fired nineteen shots at her with the six-inch -gun forward, and the nineteenth shell hit her amidships. The other -eighteen were clean misses--rotten shooting, as the target was only two -and a half miles off. _Beluga_ burst into flames and immediately when -she caught fire the benzine exploded, making one of the most wonderful -sights I have ever seen. The sea for miles around us was covered -with burning petrol, the weather was almost calm, and occasionally -a "cat's-paw" of wind would come along and cause this flaming field -of oil to run in various directions, opening a path of black water -through a sea of flames. As soon as this "cat's-paw" of wind was over -the flames would run together again. When the spars fell out of the -ship the splash was not of water but a veritable cataract of flames. -Even the Germans were impressed by the picture of three square miles -of burning sea, flames leaping thirty feet high and raging for hours. -God! It was a wonderful thing. In fact, the sight was so great that I -did not realise for some minutes that it was my own little home that -was going up in flames. My wife could not, of course, stand this sight, -and had remained in her room. - -On account of there being no place ready for us to sleep, we were given -temporary quarters in the forward end of the deckhouse, immediately -over the pump room on the main deck. There was only one very narrow -bunk here, possibly eighteen inches wide, which my wife and Nita -occupied. For myself I picked out a nice soft iron plate on the floor -and slept on that. The only means of ventilation here was a square -hole in the roof or ceiling, probably eight inches square. There was, -I believe, some kind of ventilator attached to this opening outside. -There was an iron-bound rule enforced at all times on the _Wolf_, -that no light from any source should be visible on the deck. All -doors were fitted with a patent mechanism so that when the door was -opened the electric light current was broken and consequently the -light went out. Immediately on closing the door the light would come -on again. This made it necessary to sit in the dark if we wanted to -have either the port hole or door open for fresh air, and if the door -was closed, in a very short time the air became actually suffocating. -On several occasions the temperature, with the door and port hole -open, was 104° F. at night, so it can be imagined just how hot it was -when the door had been closed for ten or twenty minutes. The first -night none of us slept a wink, owing to the excitement of the day and -the incessant hammering and knocking of the air pumps and ice-making -machines immediately under our feet. This made the fourth night since -we had been captured that my wife did not get a wink of sleep. Fearing -complications from this loss of sleep, I called on the German doctor -and finally made him understand the situation. He gave me a powder for -her and asked if he should visit her. Thinking possibly that under the -circumstances the near approach of a German, even a doctor, would do -more harm than good, I told him I did not think it necessary. - -Doctor Hausfelt, the senior surgeon of the _Wolf_, prior to the -outbreak of the war, was a specialist in women's nervous diseases -and was the head of a clinic at the Hanover University. The doctor -spoke French and Italian fluently but could not speak the English -language, although he read it very well. He insisted that we be moved -the following morning further down the deck, to a room similar to the -one we were in, but much quieter. In reality, although quieter, this -room was hotter than the one forward. The bunks, of which there were -two, one for the wife and one for Nita, were fastened to the iron -engine room bulkhead, and the mattresses that lay up against this wall -absorbed a great deal of this heat, making them very uncomfortable. I -slept on the floor, which was concrete laid over the iron deck, and -although very hard was really cooler, by a good deal, than the bunks. - -Early in the morning after making this change I had to go down to the -Antiseptic Department and have my trunks very minutely searched and -my clothes disinfected. In fact, I had to appeal to the Second Doctor -to escape being run through the dis-lousing plant. Here anything that -proved of interest to the prisoner officer was taken away from me, with -the promise that it would be returned later. My books, letters and -paper clippings were religiously read and returned. I had a 3A Eastman -Kodak which they seized, and imagine my surprise some days later when -a roll of films--half of which had been exposed by me--was handed to -me by the officer in charge of the photographic department. They had -taken this roll of films out of my camera and developed them, just for -curiosity, I suppose. - -From here I was taken to the Recording Lieutenant's office and put -through a rigid examination, being asked innumerable questions -regarding my movements in the past five years, also questions -regarding my parents' origin, occupation and present standing. All -this fuss because one of the prize crew had found in my quarters a -pamphlet giving information regarding the United States Naval Reserve -requirements. I thought I had got rid of all this junk, but evidently I -must have overlooked something. - -My officers and sailors were taken to the regular prisoners' quarters -aft, and I was not allowed to see or speak to them. - -Now comes what I consider the most awful period of my experience. My -wife, who is naturally of a highly strung and courageous disposition, -broke down under the preceding five days' strain and loss of sleep. -Luckily Doctor Hausfelt, the _Wolf's_ senior surgeon, had been in -private life a woman's specialist, and owing to his skill and untiring -services my wife pulled through. She lay in her berth, packed in ice, -for three weeks, absolutely delirious. Owing to the experience I had -undergone during the past few days my own nerves were all ragged -and upset; and the continual raving and shrieking of my wife, who -imagined herself undergoing the most awful torture, drove me nearly -crazy. Some days and nights seemed never to come to an end. During this -time, on July 17th, to be exact, _Wolf_ captured and set on fire the -American schooner _Encore_, Captain Oleson, bound from Columbia River -to Australia with a cargo of lumber, but owing to my state of mind I -remember it only as an incident; it seemed trivial to me at the time. - -During all this time my wife had been gradually sinking until she had -come to the place where she either had to make a turn for the better or -pass into the Great Beyond. - -Commander Nerger, at the doctor's request, during this crisis, gave -orders that all traffic on our side of the berth deck should stop, and -guards were placed at each end to see that his orders were carried -out. On the night of August 2nd Doctor Hausfelt told me that, barring -accident, my wife would recover. I have often wondered whether a -physician realises just what it means to an anxious husband when he -tells him, "The crisis is past and your wife will recover." I know they -were the most welcome words I had ever heard! During all this time I -never gave a thought as to where we were going or how we were going to -get there. I didn't give a damn what happened, only that my wife pulled -through. - -However, after my wife had passed the critical point and commenced -to get better, a load seemed to be lifted off my shoulders, and the -mere fact of being a prisoner on board a German raider seemed of no -consequence. I then commenced to take an interest in things around me. -My continual silence, with nobody to talk to, and the long periods of -darkness, from 7:10 P.M. to 6:30 A.M., it being winter in the South -Pacific, grew very irksome. On account of the extreme heat in the cabin -when the door was closed and the light on, I was unable to sit inside -and read, so the only thing left was to sit outside my door on the deck -and think, and God knows I didn't have many very agreeable things -to think about. At this time my wife was still too weak to talk, and -anyway I didn't want to get her asking questions, thinking it would -only make her worry, which I knew was not good for her. My days were -usually taken up in washing clothes and nursing the wife. I never knew -there were so many clothes in the world, and to think that they came -from one sick wife and a perfectly healthy six-year old kiddie! I, like -a darn fool, kept putting on clean white frocks and all the other white -fixings that go with it. When the Missis got on the job again, Miss -Juanita got a pair of overalls on week days and a dress on Sundays, -all this going to prove that as a nurse maid I was a fizzle. I came a -Steve Brodie on the wife's hair also, letting it get into such a mess -that I couldn't comb the rats' nests out of it and had to cut the whole -business off short. However, this didn't make much difference, as it -all came out itself anyway. - -At all times on the _Wolf_ the fresh water situation was of great -importance, as we were on a strict allowance of drinking water, which -they condensed and purified themselves. We were also allowed a minute -quantity of semi-condensed water for washing purposes. I used to save -up for several days and get enough for a bath, all of us using the same -water. After bathing, this water was used to wash clothes in. On other -mornings we had to be content with a salt water bath, which is very -refreshing but has little cleansing quality. Every effort was made to -catch all the rain water possible, and then everybody had the big wash. -During a heavy rain it was customary for all hands to strip and stand -out in the rain and have a good rain water bath. It was quite odd to -see from one hundred and fifty to three hundred men taking their bath -in this manner. It makes one think of the Garden of Eden before Eve -showed on the job. - -I used to look forward to the evening when the prize officer, -Lieutenant Zelasko, used to come to my quarters and talk for half an -hour. His talk usually was of the war, and it was interesting to get -the German view of it. Of course, from their viewpoint "poor Germany" -was the defendant, and they figure they are fighting to protect their -homes and not in a war of conquest. - -Many of the crew of the _Wolf_ had seen service on the various fronts -and in Belgium and had some very interesting experiences to tell. These -stories were always from the German viewpoint. One chap in particular -had a unique and unenviable experience, having been wounded in six -places at six different times. He was shot once through the shoulder on -the Russian front. On two occasions, while on service in France, he was -shot, once through the arm and on another occasion through the leg. At -the storming of Antwerp he was wounded on the head by a flying piece of -shell, and later on, while trying to storm a bridge, he was bayoneted. -While serving as a member of the prize crew on the S.S. _Melunga_, -after her capture by the _Wolf_, he lost an eye, while knocking off -the head of a beer bottle, a piece of the glass striking him in the -eye. The bottle of beer was "Gambe Carlsburger," a Danish beer, and as -this accident happened on an Australian steamer in the Indian Ocean, I -don't know just exactly who should get the credit for this, although I -think that Denmark should be credited with an asset. - -One of the officers, a lieutenant, was in the sailors' foot regiment -the first time the Germans entered Antwerp, and told of the civil -populace throwing large rocks, flat irons and cooking utensils down on -the soldiers' heads while they were marching into the town, and spoke -as if this was a grave breach of the Marquis of Queensbury's rules as -to how to conduct a war. After many of the brave Teuton soldiers had -been wounded in this undignified and unwarlike manner, they withdrew -and the artillery bombardment followed. From other sources I have heard -that this regiment marched up the street taking pot shots at anybody, -male or female, who happened to look out of a window or door. I judged -from this man's conversation that this sailor regiment shipped to stop -bullets and not flat irons and other nameless weapons. - -One afternoon I asked Commander Nerger for permission to talk to some -of the men, saying it was not healthy for a man to sit around all day -and not say a word to anybody. This he granted, so after that I could -hold short conversations with a good many members of the crew, and in -a short time had practically the run of the ship. It was absolutely -forbidden, however, for me to talk to any of the other prisoners who -had been on board the _Wolf_ for a long time and knew of its various -mine-laying activities. - -Our meals were served in our cabin, on dishes taken from the _Beluga_; -in fact, for the first month a good deal of our food was _Beluga's_ -food. Little delicacies that I had bought for our own use, such as -potted meats, jellies, crackers and a case of wine, were reserved -for our own use by the purser of the _Wolf_ at Commander Nerger's -suggestion. One of the most valuable foods to us, taken from the -_Beluga_ and reserved for our use, was four cases of canned milk of -the liquid variety, which proved very beneficial to the wife during -her sickness, and also was greatly appreciated by Nita. The doctor, -thinking probably that the black bread would prove too strong for -Nita's stomach, endeavoured to have the ship's baker make a small -quantity of white bread for her, but unfortunately the baker could not -make a success of the wheat bread and the effort was given up. As far -as I could see, this black bread, while being far from palatable, was -very wholesome and nourishing. - -I should like to state here that my family and myself were treated with -the utmost courtesy and consideration by the Commander himself and -his officers while we were prisoners. I am not speaking for the poor -devils down below aft, nor of our treatment while under the charge of -Lieutenant Rose on the Jap prize ship _Hitachi Maru_, or later on the -Spanish prize _Igotz Mendi_, which was decidedly different. - -On the _Wolf_ our meals were regular and methodically worked out, so -that at the end of each day a person had received just so much rationed -nourishment. Myself and family received the same food as that served in -the Officers' mess. Our breakfast usually consisted of "near" coffee, -syrup or treacle and three slices of black bread. I have seen the -cook's department roasting this alleged "coffee," and believe it to be -nothing more nor less than wheat roasted until it is scorched or burnt, -the larger kernels being saved for this purpose. Some years ago I was -on a sailing vessel and the supply of coffee gave out. The cook used -to take burnt bread and make a substitute for coffee from it that was -identical in taste with this coffee on the _Wolf_. - -Dinner at midday consisted of a soup, a meat-ball composed of canned -beef ground fine and mixed with bread crumbs, plenty of preserved peas -and carrots. Monday, Wednesday and Friday we had a dessert, usually -stewed prunes or a corn-starch mixture. For supper we had tea, bread, -and sardine paste, or pickled, cold corned beef. Quite often rice in -various disguises was given instead of the "bully beef" at noon. But -on Sunday--oh, joy!! A regular, honest-to-Grandma dinner, consisting -of asparagus soup, real fresh meat from the refrigerator, evaporated -potatoes, a vegetable, prunes and a sweet. This for a regular menu, -day in and day out, doesn't look very good, but considering that we -were prisoners I don't believe we had any cause to complain. The food -we received was the same as that which the Commander and deck officers -had, and superior to that of the warrant officers and seamen. - -[Illustration: - -SHOWING "MANNLICHER" TYPE TORPEDO TUBE, PORTSIDE FORWARD ON "WOLF".] - -[Illustration: - -FINAL DIVE OF JAPANESE STEAMER "HITACHI MARU." 6558 GROSS TONS. CAPT. -KOKMOA. CAPTURED SEPTEMBER 26TH OFF MALDIVA ISLANDS, INDIAN OCEAN. SUNK -BY BOMBS NOVEMBER 7TH.] - -The German auxiliary cruiser and minelayer _Wolf_ was formerly -a freighter belonging to the Hansa Line, a subsidiary of the -Hamburg-American Line; of 6,728 gross tons; single screw, one funnel; -two well decks, two telescoping masts, equipped with wireless, double -bridge; two Sampson posts on poop and four sets of cargo booms. On -the poop rigged from the Sampson posts were two faked cargo booms whose -real purpose was to disguise a six-inch gun mounted there. On her boat -deck she showed three life-boats, working boats from each side. The -vessel was painted all black and had no particular distinguishing marks. - -_Wolf_ carried two six-inch ordinary guns, one mounted forward -under the forecastle head and the other on top of the poop; four -4.7 ordinaries, two forward and two aft mounted on the well deck. -The bulwark or rails at these guns, as at the six-inch forward gun, -were fitted with hinges and spring catches, so that by one blow of a -hammer they dropped down, giving the guns ample room for action. Under -ordinary circumstances nothing of these guns could be seen above the -rail. She was further armed with four torpedo tubes, two forward and -two aft, on the well decks. The torpedoes forward were "Red Heads" -and especially effective for short distances, while those aft were -"Mannlichers" and used for long distance work. She also had four -machine guns mounted, two on each end of the boat deck in such a manner -that they could control the decks and the prisoners' quarters aft. - -On leaving Kiel _Wolf_ had a crew of three hundred and seventy-five -men, including one Commander and Corvette Captain, one Lieutenant -Commander, three senior and six junior Lieutenants, two Surgeons and -twelve Warrant Officers, including gun mechanics, torpedo mechanics, -mine experts, navigating sub-lieutenants and boatswains. She had a -wireless crew of seven men, including one wireless expert. The signal -corps consisted of six signal men in charge of a code expert, who had -had several years of training at a school in deciphering various codes. -I am led to believe from what I saw that this man was able to decipher -naval and private codes used in the South Pacific, but was unable to -handle codes used in the North Atlantic. - -On leaving Kiel _Wolf_ had on board five hundred mines, seventy-five -hundred tons of Westphalian coal, three thousand tons of water, and -twenty-five hundred tons of food and ammunition. This heavy cargo -over-loaded the _Wolf_. I understand she was drawing over two feet -more than her normal loaded draft when she left Kiel, and on getting -safely through the blockade she encountered a very heavy series of -gales in the North Atlantic, causing the vessel to labour heavily. -This labouring strained her hull and topside and she dropped a good -many rivets. As soon as she ran out of this bad weather repairs -were made and all her topsides double riveted. Something like nine -thousand rivets were driven, this work being done by her crew as the -_Wolf_ proceeded down the Atlantic. Among her mechanics she seemed -to have representatives from almost every trade, and apparently an -inexhaustible supply of materials for making repairs or new additions -to her equipment. - -_Wolf_ was equipped with a triple expansion engine and three boilers -and one auxiliary donkey boiler. Her power plant was unique in that -she could steam seven knots per hour on a consumption of eighteen tons -of coal per diem, and eleven and a half knots per hour, her maximum, -on twenty-eight tons of coal per diem. I have heard it said that she -had one of the most efficient power plants out of Europe, having a -fuel consumption of 1.2 per I.H.P. _Wolf_ was further equipped with a -powerful searchlight, situated abaft the bridge, on a tower that could -be raised or lowered at will. When not in use this light could not be -seen above the top of the house. _Wolf_ sailed from Kiel on November -21, 1916. - -The Commander of the _Wolf_, Corvette Captain Nerger, of the Imperial -German Navy, was a man of probably thirty-five years of age, of -moderate height and slim build. He was immaculate in all things -pertaining to his person, and was a strict disciplinarian. I was in -Commander Nerger's quarters one day. I had visited him to thank him for -the courtesy he had extended to my family and to myself, and found him -a very agreeable man to talk to; a thorough gentleman and apparently -anxious to do anything he could to make our lot bearable. In talking -with him I found nothing to denote the arrogant Prussianism which is -said to predominate in the higher branches of the German Navy. - -And yet Commander Nerger was a man "all alone." He kept absolutely to -himself; took no man into his confidence. No man ever knew an hour -ahead what his plans or the vessel's plans were. He was the only one -who knew when we started for home. On the fifteen months' cruise of -the _Wolf_ Nerger was in full charge and ran his vessel as a "one man -ship." He lived in comfortable quarters on the boat deck, just under -the bridge, and had his meals served in his private dining room. In the -five months I was on the _Wolf_ I do not think I saw him on the berth -deck more than a dozen times, and then only on an inspection trip of -some kind. He always had the appearance of having just stepped out -of a bandbox, he was so immaculate in his dress. I was told by his -officers that Nerger never gets excited; always remains cool under -all circumstances. They tell a story of his being in command of a -light cruiser in the battle off the Dogger Banks, and throughout this -engagement he calmly passed back and forth on the bridge, with a cigar -in his mouth, giving his orders as calmly as if at some gun practice or -manoeuvres. His officers and men all respected him, which to my mind is -a good enough recommendation. - -One of the peculiarities of the _Wolf's_ cruise was that nobody, -excepting the Commander, knew where she was going, when she was going, -and how long she was to be away. The majority of the officers, thinking -she would probably try to duplicate the raider _Moewe's_ operations, -took only enough clothes to last them about three months, and only -augmented their supply from the various vessels captured. From one of -the captured steamers they got several rolls or bolts of heavy dress -goods, but unfortunately for them, they didn't have enough cotton -thread to make them up into wearing apparel, although some of them, -in more need than the rest, sewed their new suits with ordinary sail -twine, similar to that which the grocer uses to tie up his parcels. The -cloth was all dark goods, and it looked odd to see the coarse white -string stitches against the dark background. Many of the suits were -very well cut and fitted in the regular naval style. - -The _Wolf's_ method of getting away from Kiel was unique. Each day -about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, she would up anchor and steam -out of Kiel harbour, manoeuvring outside and having gun practice, -returning each night to anchor in the harbour. This procedure was kept -up for over three weeks, until finally one night the _Wolf_ failed to -return. During these three weeks nobody was allowed ashore or to hold -any communication with the shore. Even the German naval authorities did -not know the date she was to sail, until she had gone. All this goes to -prove that the German Naval Department had considerable respect for -the Allied Intelligence Department. - -On leaving Kiel the _Wolf_ went through what is known as the "Big -Belt," a passage through Denmark into the Kattegat, from there along -the Danish coast across the Norwegian coast, and out to the Atlantic -between the Farrows and Iceland. On returning to Germany she merely -retraced her course, the only difference being that she passed through -the "Little Belt," a very narrow piece of water, one-half of which is -German territorial water and the other half Danish. - -From where I used to sit on deck outside my quarters I could see the -other prisoners aft on the poop, at that time some two hundred of -them. Over half of them had no shoes, socks or overshirts, and fully -one-fifth of them wore no undershirt. I asked a couple of them why they -did not wear a shirt in that blazing tropical sun. They told me that -they had only one shirt apiece and that the sweat rotted them so fast, -that they were going without shirts at present and saving them till -the weather got cold. Three times a day each squad flunkey (a squad -consisted of fourteen prisoners) would troop up to the galley amidships -and get their rations for the meal--a kettle of alleged tea or coffee, -black bread, and at noon a kettle of goulash, resembling a soft stew. -I had been on board the _Wolf_ for some time before I finally got the -chance to sneak down below aft and see what the prisoners' quarters -were like and have a talk with some of the men. - -The prisoners' quarters on the _Wolf_ were located aft in the cargo -hold, and had their only entrance under the poop, on the main deck. The -quarters themselves were reached by means of a narrow ladder only, and -this ladder was built in such a manner that not more than two persons -could pass up or down at the same time, or one person up and one down -simultaneously, thereby guarding against a concerted rush in event of -an escape being planned. - -Over the entrance or hole in the deck leading to these stairs was -slung a heavy iron hatch or cover, in such a manner that it could be -dropped into place instantaneously by one of the guards. This hatch -would effectually close the only exit from the quarters where there -were over two hundred prisoners confined. Also the closing of this -hatch would cut off nearly one-half the air supply; during the times -when this hatch was closed, when the _Wolf_ was passing through some -danger, the suffering in the hold from lack of air was often intense. -Even under normal conditions the air supply was inadequate. It was -probably 8:30 P.M. when I was there, and I would judge the temperature -to have been between 118 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and the reek of -feet, breath and bodies was something awful. On this particular night, -I should judge from one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch of sweat -was on the floor, and when the vessel rolled there would be a thin -scum of liquid running from side to side. The walls and ceiling were -literally running water, which was caused by moisture drawn from -the bodies of the men by the hot iron sides of the ship and the deck -overhead. Combine stale tobacco smoke with this atmosphere, and it was -a wonder to me that a human being could exist in it. - -At this time everybody was herded into the one compartment--captains, -mates, engineers, firemen, sailors, cooks and flunkies, all -together--white men, niggers, Turks, Greeks and Japanese. At night -everybody slept in hammocks and during the day these hammocks were -"made up" and piled away in one corner, thus leaving enough room for -several rough plank tables and benches to be set up. There were no -lockers or any compartments where a man could put his spare clothing -or shaving gear, therefore no man's gear was safe from theft. A man -who didn't have a shirt would steal one from a man who had two; this -made it impossible for a man to have any more clothes than just what he -stood in. Later on many of the men were given empty cases or boxes and -fixed them up to keep their spare gear in. - -The sanitary arrangements at this time were very poor, there being -only three toilets for all hands. Certain squads of men would take -turns in keeping these quarters clean, the whole place being thoroughly -scrubbed out three times a week. I mean thoroughly in the full sense -of the word. Everything moveable, excepting the clothing boxes, was -taken on deck, then the room scrubbed with heavy brushes and sand. Next -the tables and benches were scoured with sand and canvas, the hammocks -scrubbed and the various tin dishes used for food were scoured bright. -After everything was dry it was put back in place and the prisoner -officer made an inspection. It was very seldom that he found anything -to complain of, as the men seemed to welcome this house-cleaning as it -gave them something to do to occupy their time. Reading material was -very scarce, so the time passed very slowly. - -There was supposed to be a regular daily routine; but owing to the -many interruptions, such as gun practice, fire drill, boarding drill -and drills with small arms, this routine was not always carried out. -At 5:30 A.M. all the prisoners were waked up and by six o'clock all -the hammocks were made up and stowed away. Then the tables were set up -in place and the table laid for breakfast. At seven o'clock the squad -flunkies would get their gear ready, and promptly at 7:20 breakfast -would be ready. Immediately after breakfast the dishes were cleaned -and the quarters given their regular daily clean up. Usually during -the forenoon, after their work was done, the prisoners were allowed to -go up on deck and enjoy the fresh air. Dinner at 12:30 noon, coffee -at 3:30 P.M., and supper at 6:30. Very seldom was anybody allowed on -deck after coffee. At 8:00 P.M. all lights were extinguished excepting -three, one over the steps at the exit and two at the back of the -quarters. - -The distribution of the fresh water was also very poor. Each prisoner -was allowed half a gallon per day for washing, drinking and bathing -purposes. This amount, properly conserved, will answer the purpose, -but unfortunately the method of distribution was so poor that not all -got their regular allowance; and the loss of this water caused the -unfortunate ones great inconvenience, especially during the time that -the _Wolf_ was in the tropics. Many of the men used tea to brush their -teeth in; and I have heard of cases where tea had been used for shaving -purposes, but imagine these cases to be rare. - -While there, a Captain of a big British oil tank steamer that had been -captured and sunk told me the following piece of history. I afterwards -verified this and can vouch for its truth. While the _Wolf_ was lying -at Sunday Island undergoing repairs to her boilers, the prisoners were -furnished with fish hooks and line and a couple of jolly boats and -allowed to row into the rocks and catch fish. Each boat, of course, was -in charge of an armed sentry. After fishing they would return to the -_Wolf_ each night. On the night before the _Wolf_ was to sail two men, -the chief mate and first assistant engineer of the S.S. _Turitella_, -dropped overboard and swam for the shore. Before leaving the vessel -these men had secreted on their persons a supply of fish hooks and -lines, a small hunter's hatchet, two large sheath knives each, matches -and a good supply of tobacco. The matches and tobacco were securely -wrapped in waterproof oilcloth. Just at dusk, as the prisoners were -being ordered below, these two men slipped over the side, sliding down -a rope into the water. They then swam under the stern and climbed up on -the rudder and sat there in such a manner that they could not be seen -from on deck. A confederate in the meantime had taken care of the line -hanging over the side. About nine o'clock, when it was good and dark, -they again slipped into the water and swam for the shore some half a -mile distant. There is a strong current setting parallel with the shore -in this particular locality and, as the water is infested with sharks, -the betting among the men was two to one that neither of them would -make it. - -Later on, from some of the officers that had been on shore at Sunday -Island, I found out there had formerly been a family living there, -but at this particular time they were away on a visit, probably to -New Zealand, as they had left their house fully furnished and with -quite a supply of provisions on hand. Everything indicated that they -intended returning at a later date. A calendar hanging on the wall -indicated that this family had left there between April 17th and 23d. -When the loss of the prisoners was finally discovered there was a -great rumpus, and as a punishment all the prisoners were kept below -for twenty-eight days, being allowed on deck for only one hour each -day, weather permitting, for exercise. The British captain said that -those were the most awful days he ever experienced in his life and that -each day he and the rest were getting perceptibly thinner. Just about -this time I got the sign from the sentry that the prisoner officer -was coming and I had to beat a retreat. Afterwards I found out that it -was not the prisoner officer but the mine officer, Lieutenant Dedrick, -who proved to be a humane officer and a champion of the prisoners. -Dedrick came down below into the hell hole and got one good lungful -of the rotten atmosphere and went immediately to the Commander and -reported conditions. Commander Nerger at once called both doctors and -accompanied them aft on a tour of inspection. The next day everybody -was chased on deck and the "Hell Hole" below was cleaned out and better -ventilation arranged for; it was also painted; also the captured -captains and ships' officers were given quarters to themselves, while -the whites and blacks were separated. On the whole the conditions -for these two hundred men were improved one hundred per cent. The -prisoner officer was confined to his room for five days for allowing -such conditions to exist. Nerger had inspected these quarters before, -but only when the men were on deck and the place freshly cleaned out. -Personally I do not think he knew how bad conditions were. - -Along in the first part of January I learned by wireless that of -the two men who swam for shore at Sunday Island the first assistant -engineer was drowned, while the other reached shore in an exhausted -condition. He and his companion while swimming ashore became separated -in the dark and the mate did not know for a certainty whether his chum -was taken by a shark or drowned from exhaustion. He stayed on the -island for somewhat over two months, living on the provisions that were -left in the house and on fruit, of which there was a great abundance. -He was finally taken off by a Japanese cruiser whose attention was -attracted by his signal fire, which he kept burning day and night. The -cruiser finally landed him in New Zealand. - -All this time we were steaming in a northerly and westerly direction. -When we arrived at the southernmost end of New Guinea we stopped and -lay to for a couple of days. I soon learned that we were waiting -for a steamer and expected her any minute. During these days the -_Wolf's_ hydroplane would go up to reconnoitre three times a day. It -would travel fifty or sixty miles on clear days, and from a height of -three thousand metres it had a vision of ninety miles, so the Germans -claimed. One of the German sailors told me that in another day or so -we should have plenty of beer--that they had picked up a wireless -message stating that the Australian steamer _Matunga_ would soon arrive -in Rabul with five hundred tons of coal and three hundred tons of -foodstuffs, so many hundred cases of beer, etc., for the Government. -Sure enough, on the morning of August 4th I was awakened by my -orderly with the usual supply of cotton batting for our ears. Shortly -thereafter there was a bang from one of the cannons and the _Matunga_ -stopped. Lieut. Rose and the prize crew went on board and took charge. -In about an hour the launch came back with the _Matunga's_ captain, -Donaldson, and his officers and crew, also sixteen Australian soldiers -who were en route to the Islands. Both steamers then proceeded north, -arriving on August 10th at a place in northern New Guinea that we named -Pirate Cove. - -[Illustration: - -SHOWING 4.7 "ORDINARY" PORTSIDE GUN FORWARD ON "WOLF." - -LIEUT. ROSE WITH BINOCULARS.] - -On the way to Pirate Cove Commander Nerger practised all kinds of naval -manoeuvres with the _Wolf_ and the _Matunga_. At one time he would -engage her in battle and finally after a fierce encounter, by superior -manoeuvring he would destroy her. The next time the _Matunga_ would -be an enemy's merchant vessel and the _Wolf_ would sneak up to her, -suddenly dropping her ports, and make the capture. This manoeuvre was -carried out quite realistically, the boarding crew supposedly meeting -resistance and finally taking charge of her after a fight on deck, in -which the boarding crew's bayonet drill would come in handy. At another -time the _Matunga_ would be a German cruiser and Nerger would direct -her attack against the enemy. At this time he was probably anticipating -being made an Admiral on his return to Germany and was getting what -practice he could. - -At Pirate Cove naked New Guineans, men, women and children, came out to -the _Wolf_ in thirty feet long canoes for tobacco, which was the only -understandable word they could say. They offered to swap parrots, pigs, -cocoanuts, sugar cane, bits of coral, woven mats of garish colours and -queer pattern, showing whales, birds and primitive human figures. The -_Wolf's_ officers got first whack at the bargains and went in strong -for the fancy mattings, but when they got them aboard found them full -of native vermin. These souvenirs for their wives and sweethearts were -promptly turned over to the antiseptic department and cleaned, for the -_Wolf_ had on board a complete dis-lousing plant through which all new -prisoners were put, whether they needed it or not. The German sailors -had second choice after their officers and went in strong for parrots -and cocoanuts. The prisoners, who could buy tobacco at the _Wolf's_ -canteen, if they had any money, had last choice of the New Guinea -merchandise. I had no money on the _Beluga_, having sent mine by draft -to Sydney, but I had stacks of clothes, and to get a little ready -"canteen" money I sold some of them, the _Wolf's_ officers paying me -$25.00 for second-hand suits and $3.00 for second-hand shoes. - -The natives were cleaned out by the _Wolf_. Among the purchases was an -alleged New Guinea pig, which had the legs and body of a deer and the -head of a porker--and it had fur, too. God! I never saw anything like -it. It didn't have an orthodox corkscrew tail but a compromise between -a pig's and a deer's tail. The pig mascot was given the freedom of the -_Wolf_ and dashed if it didn't lick every dog on the ship. We had seven -dogs on board, taken from sunken ships--dachshunds, fox terriers, all -sorts--and the pugnacious deer-pig cleaned them all up. But the Germans -were too much for it. After two months in German company the pig -couldn't stand it any longer and, after the slaughter of the _Hitachi -Maru_, of which it was an eyewitness, it committed suicide by leaping -down an open hatch to its death fifty feet below. The Germans buried -the pig at sea with military honours. - -While we were lying in Pirate Cove the cargo and coal of the _Matunga_ -were transferred to the _Wolf_; also nine of the _Matunga's_ passengers -and the balance of her crew. Quarters were provided for these prisoners -on the same deck where I was. There was a Colonel and a Major with -his wife, belonging to the Australian medical corps; three Australian -military captains; three civilian planters, who were en route for the -plantations on the Island, and the stewardess of the _Matunga_. This -addition of prisoners to the top side was a welcome change to myself -and family, as it gave us somebody else to talk to, and I was also -able to get news of the war from another source than the German. I was -anxious to learn what steps America had taken or contemplated taking. -To hear those Australian chaps talk you would have thought that the war -was a high lark, and that just as soon as Great Britain got around to -it she, ably assisted by the Australian forces, would chase Fritzy off -the map. - -The addition of these passengers to the top deck squad made it -necessary for Commander Nerger to make certain rules and regulations -to be observed regarding the distance we could go from our rooms. We -were allowed a seventy-foot run-way. Also when anything was going on, -such as gun practice, boarding drill, fire and boat drill, we were -chased into our rooms. This caused a lot of grumbling but no doubt it -was justified. I may add that there was nearly always something doing -on the _Wolf_. They drilled and practised almost continually--practised -sinking imaginary ships, indulged in "battle practice," and even -practised abandoning the _Wolf_ in boats and sinking their own ship. - -While lying at Pirate Cove we had an exciting experience. It seems -that some of the Germans had a suspicion that some of the prisoners -were going to try to escape by swimming ashore. They doubled the -guards both below and on deck and in addition had twenty-four Marines -sleep on the afterdeck with their muskets alongside of them. On this -particular night the German sailors had stolen a couple of cases of -whiskey from the cargo of the _Matunga_ and many of them were pretty -badly intoxicated. At 11:30 P.M. one of the guards down below aft -imagined that he saw someone making a sneak for the stairs leading -on deck. Next moment he shouted "Help! Help!" and blazed away with -his revolver in the general direction of the stairway. Naturally the -prisoners sleeping on the far side of the stairs made a rush to get out -of the line of fire. The guard saw this crowd rushing his way and ran -on deck immediately. A general alarm was sounded and men and officers -poured on deck from all directions. Just then a shoal of fish some -little distance away in the water made a disturbance and the German -crew, thinking that somebody was attempting to swim ashore, opened fire -on the fish with two machine guns. Also everybody who had a rifle or -a revolver opened fire at something. One officer, who stood in front -of my room, emptied his revolver into the air, just shooting because -everybody else was doing it. Meanwhile, Chief Officer Schmell and three -sailors had jumped into the launch and also mistaking the shoal of -fish for prisoners trying to swim ashore, made for the spot--and were -enthusiastically fired upon by the German machine guns in the dark. -It sure was bum team work and a miracle that Schmell and his men were -not killed. The launch was punctured in several places. As soon as -the big searchlight was put into commission, it became apparent that -there was nobody in the water. All the prisoners were then mustered -out and counted, and as there were none missing, the Germans decided -that it must have been a false alarm and everybody blamed everybody -else. When Schmell got back on the _Wolf_ he was raving mad at having -been fired at by the machine guns. He wasn't red, but green with anger, -and he talked so fast that I couldn't make out what he said, but I -heard afterwards that he wanted to court-martial everybody, including -the cook. It always will remain a miracle to me that some of our own -fellows weren't shot as the frenzied guard emptied his gun before -running on deck. - -On account of the high hills surrounding our anchorage the _Wolf's_ -wireless was not of much account, so the members of the wireless squad -erected a station on the top of one of the highest hills. Here they -would pick up any news that was flying around and transfer it to the -_Wolf_ by means of an ordinary flash light. This was easily readable -with a pair of glasses, but unfortunately there was nothing of interest -excepting the "press"; however, it gave me an insight of just how much -reliance to put into the press reports that the Germans would let us -see from time to time. This, of course, was all British press and -reports were given as to advances and repulses on the various fronts -and also the weekly sinkings. Should the Allied forces advance or the -Germans lose a position, their press did not note it, but on the other -hand, if the Germans had a victory or there were any political reports -in their favour, the news was given us in full detail. - -From one of the officers who had been ashore I learned that the native -settlement, which at one time evidently had been quite large, must have -been visited by some dreadful plague, as the houses in the village were -deserted, not a single native living on that side of the bay. He also -said that in many of the houses the skeletons of the dead still lay, -some inside and some outside of the huts, leading a person to believe -that this sickness struck them down suddenly and that they died nearly -instantly, as on the porch of one of these huts there was a skeleton -with some kind of a dish alongside of it, making it appear that death -had come suddenly. - -Here at Pirate Cove the doctors were greatly worried on account of -fever and malaria and dosed us vigorously with quinine. Lord! I ate -enough quinine to last me the rest of my life. There were no capsules -on board and we had to eat the raw article, and there was no way of -dodging it. Each morning and evening all hands, officers, crew and -prisoners, were marched past the hospital steward's office and each -was handed his little bit on a spoon, with a glass of water to wash it -down. The only satisfaction I had was that it tasted just as rotten to -the Germans as it did to me. Strangely my little girl did not dislike -it a great deal and I was greatly pleased as I anticipated a riot when -she got a taste of the first dose. My wife's share, she being still -confined to her room, I used to throw overboard, giving her only an -occasional small dose. The quinine used to cause a drumming in my ear -and make me halfway deaf. - -Undoubtedly it had the same effect on the German sailors yet they -were forced to work transferring coal from one vessel to the other. -They usually worked three shifts in the twenty-four hours. They would -go down in the hold with nothing but a breech cloth on and when they -came up they would resemble negroes and their bare bodies would be -just running in sweat. At these times I used to feel sorry for them; -then they would sink one of our vessels and I would wish them doomed to -eternal labour of this kind. - -Among the _Matunga's_ heterogeneous cargo were two large horses and -one small pony. These were taken care of by the butcher department and -I suppose I ate my share. I afterwards told my wife about her eating -horse flesh and nearly lost a handful of hair for my information. - -On August 26th both _Wolf_ and _Matunga_ proceeded to sea and at 1:20 -P.M. the _Matunga_ was sunk by three bombs. From the time of the first -explosion until she disappeared beneath the waves was just six and a -half minutes. She sank stern first, and as she made the final dive the -rush of air below decks blew out the forecastle bulkhead, making it -appear as if there had been a fourth bomb concealed there. - -Here I am convinced was the only time during the eight months that -I was a prisoner on the _Wolf_ that there was ever any serious -thought on Nerger's part regarding landing the women, children and -medical officers. Before taking the _Matunga_ to sea to sink her, -they transferred one of her large life-boats to the _Wolf_, also a -small gasoline launch. These were hoisted on deck and placed in such a -manner that they could be put overboard again easily, also they were -in such a position that it interfered with the movements of the gun -crew, thus proving that they were there only temporarily. One of the -officers asked me if I had ever had any experience with gas engines -and was familiar with this particular make. I told him I was, having -owned at one time an engine of this make. After giving the officer this -information he was overheard by one of the womenfolk repeating it to -the Chief Officer. We top side prisoners were some worked up, believe -me. We had it all "doped out" that after sinking the _Matunga_ we -should proceed off some island that was inhabited but had no wireless -or cable connections, there the women, children and medicos would -be put in the life-boat and I would tow them with the launch to some -nearby harbour. - -This would have been the logical thing to do if Commander Nerger wanted -to conform to the articles of the Geneva Convention, which specifically -states that medical officers in event of capture shall be set free at -the first available opportunity. Nerger also told me and my wife that -he would land us in some safe place at the first opportunity, provided -he could do so without jeopardising his own safety. He also told the -medical officers and the rest of the women the same thing. I maintain -that at this time Nerger could have landed us with perfect safety to -himself and his ship--as the _Wolf_ was about to leave the Pacific -Ocean, having finished her activities in that locality. At that time -nobody had information regarding the _Wolf's_ previous movements nor -any knowledge of her mine-laying operations. However, at the last -minute he must have concluded that this was too "humane" a procedure -and ordered the boats over the side; they were fastened to the -_Matunga_ and went down with her. I claim this to have been the acme of -inhumanity. He might just as well have condemned the women and children -to death right there, because at that time there were ninety-nine and -a half chances to a hundred that they would be either killed in action -or drowned. I don't believe that there were five men in all the crew -of the _Wolf_, officers included, who ever expected the _Wolf_ to win -safely into Germany. There is another point to consider: why did Nerger -and his officers continually assure us that the womenfolk should be -landed shortly? If he had told the truth like an officer and a man -and said he had no intention to land us, then we would have had more -respect for him and would not have suffered the bitter disappointment -that we did. - - - - - PART TWO: A PRISONER ON A - PASSENGER STEAMER - - - - -PART TWO - -A PRISONER ON A PASSENGER STEAMER - - -From New Guinea the _Wolf_ steamed southwest through the Malay -archipelago, then between Borneo and Java and Sumatra, thence through -the Java sea; and on the night of September 6th the _Wolf_ laid over -one hundred mines across the Northwest approach to the entrance of the -Singapore harbour. - -Going up the Java sea, we were continually sighting vessels, and it was -only the barefaced gall of the _Wolf_ that saved her from destruction. -Less than a month previous to this the Australian Government had -sent wireless messages broadcast stating that there was a raider -somewhere in the South Pacific or Indian Oceans, and giving a complete -description of the _Wolf_. Yet here we were, steaming calmly along as -if bound for Singapore, meeting many merchantmen, and at one time one -of the officers said he could see the smoke from five torpedo boats -steaming along in squadron section. When the _Wolf_ would pass another -vessel close to, she would usually have only a couple of men about the -decks doing odd jobs of painting and repairing. I believe that it was -the innocent appearance of the _Wolf_ which led to her safety. She -ignored all signals (which is characteristic of the merchantman). - -The night before the _Wolf_ mined Singapore harbour we had a narrow -escape from being discovered. At 11:30 P.M., just as I was dozing off -to sleep on my bed on the floor, I heard the call to stations and -sprang up to see what it was all about. I looked out-of-doors and saw -the two ship's surgeons passing aft, both with their first aid kits -strapped to their waists. Slipping to the rail I saw that all four -cannon were swung into position, clear for battle, and I could also see -that both of the _Wolf's_ torpedo tubes were protruding over the side. -Just on the port bow was a small cruiser or battleship. From where I -stood I could see her funnels and two masts, also the outline of her -hull. She was travelling without lights, the same as we were. - -I slipped back into my room, closed the door and switched on the light. -I dressed my little girl while my wife got into her clothes. This did -not take long as we always slept with our clothes in such a position -that we could get into our "emergency outfit" in short order. Every -moment while dressing I expected to hear and feel the crash of the -_Wolf's_ guns, but fortunately the other fellow didn't see us, and in a -few minutes the signal was given to swing the guns in. The danger was -past, but there was a mighty nervous crew of men on board the _Wolf_ -that night. On the other hand, it was perhaps just as well for the -Japanese cruiser that he did not spot us, because the minute he had -made any signal and given us any indication that he had seen us, the -_Wolf_ would have launched both torpedos and given him a broadside, and -at that short range they could not have missed very well. Personally I -was satisfied the way things turned out, as I did not like my chances -of getting the family into a boat under the circumstances, neither -did I have any wish to be present when the actual firing began. While -counting my chances of getting the family safely into the boats, should -an engagement ensue, I thought of just how much chance the poor devils -down in the hell hole had of being saved. They would have been battened -down and probably would have gone down with the vessel, should she -have been sunk, without a fighting chance for their lives. Even if -the German crew had released them at the last moment, what chance did -they have of being saved? Under the most favourable circumstances the -_Wolf's_ equipment of life-boats and rafts was probably sufficient for -only three hundred and fifty at the outside, and there was a total -of about seven hundred on board. It would be only natural for the -German crew to have the life-saving equipment themselves and our poor -chaps would have been left to drown, there being no articles of an -inflammable or floating description around her decks. - -On the wall of my room was a typewritten notice over Commander Nerger's -signature, stating that in event of the _Wolf's_ engaging an enemy -a boat would be lowered and the women, children and medicos would -be placed in same, under my charge. This provided that there was -sufficient time and the weather conditions favourable. I could imagine -just about how many chances we had that there would be sufficient time -to execute this manoeuvre. However, this sign served the very good -purpose of alleviating the women's anxieties to a certain extent. It -is quite possible that this was the only reason this notice was given -us. However, I am grateful for the part it played. The preceding was -the tensest crisis in the _Wolf's_ fifteen months' history. Commander -Nerger sent down word to me afterwards that it was a Japanese -man-of-war, and to keep the news from my wife if possible. - -The next night, September 6th, the _Wolf_, which was primarily a -minelayer and not a raider, laid ninety-eight mines at a distance of -from seven and a half to ten miles off shore. The lights of Singapore -were plainly visible from the port-hole. On this occasion I was locked -in the room for about two hours, but it was not difficult to count the -"eggs" as they were being laid, for the mines came up out of No. 3 -hatch on an elevator and were conveyed aft to the "chute" on a small -rail car which had a flat wheel, and I could hear it going along the -deck "humpety-hump, humpety-hump." I estimated that it took about one -hour and forty minutes to lay these ninety-eight mines. - -From off Singapore we practically retraced our steps back through the -Java sea and entered the Indian Ocean on October 9th, passing between -the islands of Java and Canor. We then proceeded to the northward and -westward until we arrived on the trade route running from Colombo -to Delagoa Bay. Here _Wolf_ cruised around slowly for a day or so, -crossing and recrossing the route at regular intervals. While lying -here waiting for the prey, the wireless man told me he could hear -several cruisers working their wireless and that there was one British -cruiser patrolling the Straits of Malacca, one at Bombay, two lying in -the harbour of Colombo--the _Venus_ and the _Vulcan_, I believe--and -another at a naval station in the Mauritius Islands. All this time the -bird, _i.e._, the _Wolf's_ hydroplane, had been down below in the hole -undergoing general repairs from an accident she had had, which nearly -ended her activities and drowned both of the operators. - -Some two weeks previous, while she was rising from the water and at a -height of about sixty metres, something suddenly went wrong with the -balancing mechanism and the plane made a dive for the sea, which she -hit at a terrific speed; the back wings and the pontoons or boats were -completely demolished. The mechanic and the observing lieutenant were -catapulted into the sea and had much difficulty in swimming back to -the wreck, which had the appearance of a gigantic bird sitting on its -nose with its tail standing up in the air. It reminded me of an ostrich -with its head buried in the sand. The bonnet around the engine and -mechanic's seat, in all seaplanes of this description, is watertight, -so that in case of an accident of this kind the weight of the engine -will not cause it to sink. However, in this case, one of the struts -supporting the pontoons had caused this watertight bonnet to leak -and, although both operators baled for dear life, the water gained on -them steadily. When the rescuing launch finally arrived alongside the -machine it was just on the verge of sinking. The crew of the launch -tied the machine to the launch with ropes in such a manner that it -could not sink and the whole outfit was hoisted on board the _Wolf_. -All six cylinders of the engine were cracked and the "bird" appeared a -total wreck. However, the "aeroplane" squad set to work and repaired -the planes and put spare cylinders on the engine; and in a few days -she was ready for duty again. The crew of the plane apparently were -none the worse for their mishap. - -One day one of the officers told me that probably in a few days they -would pick up a nice fat steamer with plenty of food on board. On -the morning of October 26th, immediately after breakfast, I noticed -that they were getting the "bird" on deck and assembling it. I asked -one of the officers whether there was "something doing" and he -said: "If we have any luck after lunch we shall have fresh meat for -supper." About 11 A.M. the "bird" was finished and the engine warmed -up. Suddenly somebody shouted, and everybody got his binoculars and -looked astern of us, and, sure enough, a faint outline of smoke could -be seen on the horizon. The hydroplane went up and in half an hour -came back and reported a large steamer approaching. Commander Nerger -shaped his course so as to meet this steamer but still give him the -impression that we were en route from the Cape to Colombo. At 3:05 -P.M. the steamer was right abreast, She was a fine big Class A Japanese -passenger steamer, deeply loaded, and I could see passengers on her -saloon deck. At 3:07 P.M. the _Wolf_ broke out the Imperial Navy flag -and signalled for the _Hitachi Maru_ to stop and not use her wireless, -also dropped a shot across the _Hitachi's_ bow. When the _Hitachi_ -failed to stop, the _Wolf_ fired another shot closer to her bow. - -The Jap concluded to run for it and started in to work his wireless, -also swung his ship into such a position as to bring his gun for -submarine defence, 4.7 quick firer, into action. Meantime the _Wolf_ -had opened fire on her in deadly earnest. One six-inch shell from the -after gun struck the _Hitachi_ and exploded just under her gun where -the gun crew was working, killing six Japs and blowing the balance -into the water. I saw one Jap in particular hoisted high into the air -above the smoke of the explosion, and he was spinning around like -a pin-wheel. Another shot from the after gun put the gun on the -_Hitachi_ out of commission altogether, and killed another man. In the -meantime from forward the _Wolf_ had succeeded in putting a 4.5 shell -through the wireless room, where the operator was working. This shell -came through one side of the room, passed between the operator and his -"set," cutting one of his aerial leads in two, and passed out through -the opposite side of the room, decapitating a man standing outside. -This shell eventually hit a ventilator shaft, ripped it to pieces and -knocked a man down in the engine room so hard that he afterwards died -of internal injuries. There were several more hits, one on the water -line in No. 4 hatch, two more in the stern, and one in the wheelhouse -on the bridge. About this time the flying machine came along and tried -to drop a bomb on deck forward but missed, the bomb exploding when it -hit the water just ahead. - -The cannonading, while it lasted, was very severe, there being -something over forty shots fired in as short a time as possible. Of -these shots only nine were direct hits. I must add that the first -possible twenty of these shots were directed in such a manner as to -hit (if they did) the vessel in such a position as not to sink or -permanently disable her; but towards the last, when it became evident -that the Jap was trying to make her getaway, the shooting was in deadly -earnest. Several broadsides were fired, which I think did more damage -to the _Wolf_ than to the _Hitachi Maru_, as the air concussion stove -in the doors and glass ports on all the staterooms on the berth deck. -In several of the rooms the wash basins and plumbing were broken. I -was standing in my open doorway with one foot on the threshold in -such a manner that half of my foot protruded outside the line of the -wall. When the first broadside was fired the concussion or rush of -air passing my doorway, hit the part of my foot outside the door, -feeling just exactly as if somebody had kicked it away or hit it with -a baseball bat. Something went wrong with the six-inch gun mounted on -the stern of the _Wolf_ and a shell exploded a few yards away from the -muzzle, putting the gun crew and gun out of commission for the balance -of the voyage. - -The prisoners who were confined directly below this gun said that the -shock and concussion down below was dreadful during the firing, and -that when the shell exploded they thought the _Wolf_ had been hit. At -this time they did not know but that the _Wolf_ had met a cruiser and -many thought they were about to be drowned, especially when suddenly -all firing ceased; they thought that the _Wolf_ had been vitally hit -and that the Germans had scuttled her and were abandoning her. Many of -these men will remember this experience for the balance of their lives. - -By this time the Japanese captain had decided that he did not have a -chance, and stopped his vessel, while the _Wolf_ sent the prize crew -on board. In the meantime the passengers and crew had managed to get -clear in the life-boats, which were picked up. The people were taken -on board the _Wolf_. There were some 70 odd passengers, 1st and 2nd -class, among them 6 women and one little black girl. They were a sorry -looking sight as they climbed on board the _Wolf_; many of them were -only half dressed, being just awakened from their afternoon nap by the -cannonading. Over a hundred of the Japanese crew came along with the -passengers. The _Wolf_ could not accommodate such a large addition of -prisoners without making new quarters for them, so they had to live and -sleep on deck for the first three days, when they were transferred back -to the _Hitachi_. The _Hitachi_ had altogether 16 killed or mortally -wounded. The _Wolf_ incidentally lost its fresh meat for supper, -because one shell had wrecked the refrigerator plant and spoiled all -the fowl and fresh meat. - -One of the passengers on the _Hitachi Maru_, an American chap hailing -from Chicago, told me his experience. - -When the _Wolf_ was first sighted he was in bed reading; someone told -him that they were going to pass a steamer, and he got up and dressed -and went on deck to watch her. There was speculation regarding her -nationality among those watching although none of them imagined her -anything but what she seemed--an ordinary tramp. When she dropped -her ports and fired across their bow, everybody for a moment was -dumbfounded. - -He ran into the cabin giving the alarm to those sleeping and secured -some valuable papers he had in his cabin. The Jap crew were in a panic -after seeing their gun crew killed, and many of them rushed the boats. -The first boat to be lowered was filled with members of the Japanese -crew, only one second class passenger being among them. On landing in -the water this boat was capsized; but the occupants were shortly picked -up by a boat, also manned by Japs. - -The first boat to be launched with passengers in it was handled -entirely by the white passengers. In this boat were four women and -twenty-eight men; on being lowered the davit fall on one end fouled; -and it looked very much as if everybody were going to slide out, as -the boat was nearly perpendicular. Fortunately for all concerned, -the fouled davit fall broke, and the boat dropped into the water. A -lot of water was shipped but the boat floated right side up. The men -immediately pulled away from the vicinity of the vessel. It was the -firm belief of the occupants of this boat that they were to be shelled -later on by the Raider. - -One of the lady passengers during the excitement lost a lot of jewels. -Some days later a German sailor clearing out one of the life-boats -found these jewels. He came down the deck to where there were several -of the passengers standing and asked: "Does anybody belong to these -things?" He held out for their inspection a handful of diamonds, -rubies, pearls and other valuable articles. Needless to say, he had no -difficulty in finding an owner. This sailor earned 18 marks per month -and the value of the find was in the neighbourhood of ten thousand -dollars. I wonder how many men, under the circumstances, would have -returned these jewels. - -The _Wolf_ and the _Hitachi_ now steamed to the southernmost group of -the Maldive Islands, arriving there on September 27th. The vessels tied -up alongside of each other and coal and cargo were transferred from the -_Hitachi_ to the _Wolf_. The cargo of the _Hitachi Maru_ was valued at -over a million and a half pounds sterling, chiefly copper, tin, rubber, -thousands of tons of silk, tea and hides. It always seemed uncanny to -me that these "deep-sea vultures" seemed to be able to capture a vessel -loaded with any particular kind of cargo they wanted. About a month -before this capture, I heard the officers talking among themselves and -one of them remarked, "Now the next ship we get should be loaded with -copper and rubber and tin." Sure enough the _Hitachi_ had what they -wanted. - -It seemed a pity to me to see the thousands of bales of silk goods, -ladies' blouses and silk kimonos being dumped from one hold to another -and trampled on. When the _Hitachi_ was finally sunk there were a -couple of thousand tons of expensive Japanese lingerie and other -ladies' wear and miscellaneous department store merchandise sunk with -her. The mermaids must have had "some" bargain sale. - -It was the intention of Nerger to pick up, if possible, a vessel -that could furnish him with enough coal to take both the _Hitachi_ -and _Wolf_ back to Germany. At this time there was a lot of talk -about landing us on one of the islands where there were missionaries. -However, none of us took any stock in this "landing talk," as it was -too apparent what their intentions were. - -It was here that the married folks with their wives along, sent a -written petition to the Commander of the _Wolf_, begging to be given -one of the _Hitachi_ life-boats and a supply of provisions, so that -on the eve of the _Wolf's_ departure for parts unknown, we could make -our way to one of these islands and there await the arrival of some -trading schooner to take us to civilisation again. Nerger sent word -back that he could not do that, and repeated the same old "bull" about -landing us in some safe place, some time. Lord, he must have thought we -were a bunch of "gillies" to believe that guff. - -On October 1st we were transferred from the _Wolf_ to the _Hitachi_ -along with all the rest of the "top side" prisoners. Our quarters on -the _Hitachi_ were splendid. We fell heir to the bridal suite. It -seemed mighty good to sit down at a regular table with a white cloth -and napkins again. I shall never forget my feelings as we sat there -for the first meal, waiting for the whitecoated Jap waiter to bring -on the food. I could feel myself getting up from the table with that -satisfied, contented feeling amidships. Soon the waiter came and set -before us each a plate containing two ordinary soda crackers or ships' -biscuits, with a poor lonely god-forsaken sardine stranded on the -top. This, and a cup of the regulation "near" coffee comprised our -first evening meal on the _Hitachi Maru_. For the following morning's -breakfast we had porridge with kerosene spilt on it. Absolutely -uneatable. For dinner, rotten meat with good potatoes, water--or soda -water, if you had money to buy it with--and in the evening canned crab -and crackers. In the meantime our commander, Lieutenant Rose, was -having a banquet in his room with his brother officers on the _Wolf_. - -On the _Hitachi_ it was noticed that Rose very seldom made his -appearance in the dining room at mealtimes. Quite frequently at -meals one of the Australian passengers who belonged to Lieut. Rose's -bridge-playing clique, would send a card up to his room asking if it -were not possible to have an extra slice of bread or a cracker. The -answer would come back: "Sure, boys, just ask the steward." But on -asking the Jap steward he would only smile and say: "Velly sorry, but -Captain write his name each day on paper that speaks how much you -eat." This was the fact, as I have seen the paper. - -The German chief engineer and chief mate used to eat at the same table -as we did, and used to complain of the food as being inadequate; and -one night the chief engineer took the matter up with Rose and told -him a few truths. Rose said that it was "too bad," that he did not -know anything about it before but now he would straighten it up. The -engineer told Rose that if he cut out a lot of his private champagne -suppers and looked into what the rest of us were getting it would not -be necessary to make these complaints. - -This is a condition that could not exist on the _Wolf_ because there -we were under the charge of a gentleman and an officer and we got -square treatment, but on the _Hitachi_ and later on the _Igotz Mendi_ -we were under a sub-lieutenant, a snob and a man who did not know the -meaning of the word gentleman. In my opinion it is this class of "under -officer" that gives the Germans the unenviable reputation that they -have. - -My wife at this time was convalescing rapidly and regaining her -strength; and it was of the utmost importance that she be provided -with sufficient food. Luckily I was able to purchase from one of the -stewards a couple of large cans of biscuits, some preserved ginger and -an occasional piece of cheese. This helped out a whole lot, although -even at that she was under-nourished. Little Juanita did not fare so -badly as she was given as much as her elders, and being only a child -did not require so much as they. - -At this time it was possible to purchase stout on the _Hitachi_, which -was a Godsend to us. A few days after coming on board, when ordering -stout, I was told that it had all gone. On making inquiries afterwards -I found out that Lieut. Rose had stopped its sale and was reserving it -along with all the beer and wine for his own use, and for the use of -his particular friends, who were all able-bodied persons. There were -three women, in addition to my wife, who actually needed something of -this description. - -The Jap stewards on board were being paid their regular wages by the -German Government, but as their Captain was a prisoner on board the -_Wolf_, and they were away from his authority, they paid absolutely no -heed to any of the prisoners' needs, merely contenting themselves with -keeping the Lieutenant well supplied with booze and anything else he -wanted. Afterwards Rose told me that the service of the Japs on the -_Hitachi_ was splendid. I told him that it was rotten and told him -why; Rose merely pulled that Prussian smile of his and said: "What do -you expect? You're not first class passengers, you know." To this I -agreed and told him all I wanted was an even break with the rest of -the prisoners, or "ex-passengers," as he used to call us. There were -some sixty of us occupying the first class cabins, among whom were -many of the original passengers of the _Hitachi_. We were, with one -or two exceptions, all young people, and despite the short rations -we had and the rough experience we'd undergone, we managed to have -some very enjoyable times, playing deck billiards, quoits, cricket -and various card games. In the dining saloon was a piano. Some of the -Australian chaps were great mimics and had good voices, so we had some -very enjoyable evenings. The last night we were on the _Hitachi_, in -particular, the Japs came to life and were almost human. One of them -unlocked a large closet that was filled with masks, costumes, false -beards, hair, etc., which were used for amateur theatricals. We all -dressed up as various characters, and we had a regular variety show. -Among the offerings were clog dancing, sword dancing, highland fling, -the good old cake walk, and the Texas Tommy. The last number was what -we called the "Hitachi Rag" and was danced by everybody. It consisted -of the regulation "rag" varied by every conceivable step, including -high and lofty tumbling. All during the performance the German sailors -on the _Hitachi_ were peering in through the portholes and lining the -alley ways and steps, enjoying the show almost as much as the rest -of us. But this "Hitachi Rag" was more than the disciplined Teutons -could stand. First two of them tried it, and in a few minutes all the -Germans were dancing. The news spread to the _Wolf_ and there was a -general stampede of Teuton guards and sailors, in our direction. For -a few minutes we had full charge of the ship, as the Teutons wouldn't -stop when their petty officers called them. Shortly afterwards the -Chief Officer appeared and made us all stop, saying that it was -the Commander's orders, and that we were "stopping the work of the -ship"--to say nothing of undermining German discipline. - -On the _Hitachi_, many of us lost things out of our rooms, such as -razors, a camera, combs and various toilet articles and articles of -clothing. One day, one of the British chaps caught a Jap steward in his -room using his safety razor. As this particular Jap had pimples and -sores all over his face, the British ally and owner of the razor was -very hostile. I asked him what he was going to do about it. "I shall -report the bally rotter to the management," the Briton replied. Not -being used to such violent outbursts of emotion I beat it. - -All the time that we were lying here among the Maldive Islands, 12 days -in all, transferring cargo, the flying machine made regular observation -trips twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. On -three different occasions it reported seeing steamers passing not more -than 50 or 60 miles off, and once it reported seeing a fast cruiser, -probably British, travelling along at full speed. This island where we -were lying was only 50 or 60 miles off the regular trade route and I -had hopes that some patrolling vessel would blunder on to us, but no -such luck; although one night our hopes were raised to a great height. - -Just shortly after sunset, my wife imagined that she saw something on -the Western horizon. I got my glasses and concealing myself so that -I could not be discovered I had a look. I, too, could see something, -but at that time could not make it out; although in another ten -minutes I had another look and sure enough it was bigger and plainer. -Shortly after, it was discovered by the Germans, and an alarm sounded. -Everybody was thrown into great excitement, and the lines tying the -_Wolf_ and the _Hitachi_ together were let go. All of us prisoners ran -to our rooms and got our "emergency kits" ready. - -Just across the hall from our "Bridal suite" there was tremendous -confusion. A corpulent British technical mining expert was rushing -about his room in a perfect frenzy, looking for a heavy blue sweater he -had carefully hung on a peg against just such an emergency as this;--of -course, manlike, he blamed his wife for having mislaid it (my wife -contributes this slam gratis.) However, after a few minutes' search, -one of them discovered that the sweater was just where it belonged--on -the man's back. I met "Father" Cross,--a veritable giant of a man and -the greatest authority on Chinese dialects in the country,--shouting in -a great, roaring voice: "Bar steward! Bar steward! bring me a bottle of -whiskey, quick!" I could hear him mumbling: "You don't get _me_ into a -life-boat without a bottle of something to keep me warm." This same man -lost his trousers while climbing out of the life-boat onto the _Wolf_ -when the _Hitachi_ was first captured. Somebody sent him a package a -few days afterwards containing an old pair of suspenders, and I think -that "Father" would have murdered the sender if he could have found -out who it was. I have often regretted that the sender did not enclose -Lieut. Rose's calling card. - -Just about the time I reached the deck there was an order given from -the bridge of the _Wolf_ in a very disgusted voice, which was shortly -followed by a very choice assortment of cuss words, some of which were -in English. I looked to the Westward and saw that our rescuing cruiser -was only a cloud, and at that time was about five degrees up from the -horizon. Later on I kidded some of the German Officers about it, and -they each passed the blame on to somebody else; but just as this cloud -had fooled me it had fooled them as well. "Father" Cross, however, -averred that he knew what it was all the time, and that it was only a -"sandy" on his part to get an extra bottle of whiskey. - -On October 7th both ships sailed from the Maldive Islands, the _Wolf_ -going in search of a vessel loaded with coal, so that both _Wolf_ and -_Hitachi_ could fill their bunkers with coal which would enable them -to get "home" to Germany. We on the _Hitachi_ loafed along at a slow -speed in a southwesterly direction, meeting the _Wolf_ again on the -19th, when we both steamed to the Chagos Archipelago, arriving there on -October 20th, when we both tied up together and dropped anchor. During -this time the _Wolf_ had not been able to pick up a vessel, but the -"bird" came back one day from an observation trip and reported a large -steamer some 180 miles distant; later in the day she again went up and -reported this steamer to be a big B.B. Liner of about 16,000 tons, and -that she was equipped with 4 or 5 big guns. Needless to say, the _Wolf_ -wasn't looking for anything that could bite back, so the Commander -decided to pass her up, and, returning to the Chagos group, take the -balance of the _Hitachi's_ coal and provisions on board the _Wolf_ and -sink the _Hitachi_, relying on getting another steamer in the Atlantic -to furnish him with enough coal to complete his voyage. - -It was during this cruise that Mr. Johnson, Second Officer on my -vessel, died on board the _Wolf_ from heart trouble (so they reported -to me). The Germans gave him a burial at sea with full naval honours, -Capt. Oleson, of the American schooner _Encore_, reading the burial -service, the Commander and his officers standing by in full dress -uniforms. The corpse was covered with an American flag and launched -overboard from under the muzzle of one of the cannon. - -[Illustration: - -THE BURIAL OF A. JOHNSON, SECOND OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN BARK "BELUGA," -WHO DIED ON THE "WOLF".] - -Before shifting all the prisoners from the _Hitachi_ to the _Wolf_, -some arrangement for accommodation had to be made. The Germans cleaned -out and fitted up No. 3 hold between decks for the ex-passengers of the -_Hitachi_ and also for the Japanese crew, a total of 170 odd persons. -Iron berths were taken from the _Hitachi_ along with washstands and -other furnishings; and one corner of this "Glory Hole" was set aside -for the whites and the fittings installed there. The Japs had wooden -bunks built in the opposite corner for them, and rough wooden tables -were knocked together for all hands to eat from and to play cards on. -Also one of the pianos from the _Hitachi_ was installed there--to the -best of my knowledge this piano was never played, and my chief mate, -Mr. Buckard, who was quartered there, used the top of the piano to keep -his clothes in, while the cover of the keyboard was used as a kind of -mantelpiece or shelf by all hands. - -The whole place below was lighted by three clusters of electric light, -at night, and three fans were installed and the whole given a coating -of white paint. The ventilation down below was very poor, and it was -tough on the white men being forced to breathe this air as it was full -of all kinds of oriental odours, and no doubt also oriental germs. A -couple of armed sentinels were on guard below, continually, and also -four on deck in the immediate vicinity of the hatch, at such times -when the German crew were not at their almost continual gun drill -and practice; at which times all hands were chased below, as also on -the appearance of any vessel. The greatest hardship these men had to -contend with was the lack of drinking water, as there seemed to be an -unequal division of it between the Japs and the whites, with the latter -getting the worst of it. - -Immense quantities of iron piping and pipe fittings were taken from the -_Hitachi_ to be used later in fitting the prisoners' quarters under the -poop and in No. 3 hatch, with heaters against the cold weather that -was to be encountered before they finally reached Germany. - -Auction bridge, poker and a German game called "Mussel" were the -favourite card games and the stakes were very small; one pfennig ante -and five pf. limit. Considering that it takes 100 pfennigs to make 25 -cents, nobody won or lost a fortune, although on several occasions -diplomatic relations were temporarily severed between some of the -players. It was laughable, for instance, to hear an Australian chap -named McEnally, who is very well off, owning plantations and big -manufacturing concerns, squabbling over who would shy a penny in the -pot. Taking it all in all, these men, amongst whom were some splendid -fellows, adapted themselves to conditions as only the Britisher and the -American can. - - - - - PART THREE: BOUND FOR - GERMANY--THE RESCUE - - - - -PART THREE - -BOUND FOR GERMANY--THE RESCUE - - -On November 7th, the transfer of cargo being complete, and everything -movable or floatable on the _Hitachi_ being secured so that it would -not float off when she sunk and leave any trace to make a passing -steamer suspicious, we steamed out well clear of the Chagos Islands and -at 1:30 P.M. the _Hitachi Maru_ was bombed. She sank in 29 minutes. - -We on the _Wolf_ were quite close to the _Hitachi Maru_ and could see -everything very clearly. First the "bombing squad" were very busy -placing their bombs: two amidships and one each in No. 1 hatch forward -and No. 2 hatch, aft. The fuses from these bombs were all led on to -the deck and brought to one centre. After everything was in readiness -and all of the men, excepting the Mine Lieutenant, were in the launch, -the Lieutenant lighted the fuse and ran for the boat. Usually the -fuses are set for 12 minutes, which gives the launch ample time to get -away. We all stood there gazing intently at the steamer, expecting -every minute to see the explosion. The twelve minutes' wait in a case -of this kind seems nearer half an hour. Suddenly there was a dull boom -sound, and the water was convulsed, and smoke from the burnt powder -appeared. And that was all, as the explosions all take place below the -water line. The vessel sinks very rapidly at first, and in the case of -the _Hitachi Maru_, the vessel settled evenly; that is, she went by -neither head nor stern. Soon the water was nearly even with the rail, -and the _Hitachi's_ bow sank a little faster by the head. Pretty soon -the waves were breaking on deck, and every moment might be the last; -but still she hung on as if fighting for her very life. Suddenly a -shudder seemed to pass over her, caused by the bursting of a bulkhead; -her head disappeared below the wave, she hung there an instant and then -her stern rose high out of the water; she made her final dive ... and -the _Hitachi Maru_, 1st class Japanese passenger steamer, ceased to be. - -There were a great many satisfied Ah, Ahs from the German crew as she -disappeared, and a general feeling of satisfaction among them. For -myself, I am afraid there was a tear in my eye, and all that I can wish -these destroyers of good honest ships is that may they sometime think -of how they smiled as they sank these ships, when they are standing -around with empty bellies waiting for a chance to earn a living as -sailors. I can understand a landsman sinking a ship and thinking it a -joke, but a sailor, to my mind, should feel sad at seeing the end of an -honest vessel, may she belong to friend or enemy. - -I know one German officer who told me that, when the _Wolf_ returned to -Germany, he would never go in a raider again; that he made his living -going to sea and could not stand seeing ships sunk. - -From the Chagos Islands we steamed toward the Cape of Good Hope, and -on November 10th, at 6:30 A.M., _Wolf_ captured the Spanish steamer -_Igotz Mendi_ with a cargo of coal from Delagoa Bay to Colombo for -the British Government. This was a very tame capture, the captain -stopping as soon as he was signalled, thinking possibly that he was -immune because he was neutral. No such luck. Lieutenant Rose and his -prize crew went on board and took command, all the Spaniards staying on -board. The first official act of Rose was to order Captain Uralda to -vacate his room so that he, Rose, could use it. Captain Uralda answered -temperamentally by throwing an inkstand at Rose. Unfortunately Capt. -Uralda is no Christie Mathewson and the first one was a ball. However, -the Spanish Captain gave up his room. Both vessels now returned to the -Chagos group and tied up together. - -There was weeping and wailing on the _Wolf_ that they did not hang on -to the _Hitachi Maru_ for a few more days. If they had, and the _Wolf_ -had captured _Igotz Mendi_, all three of us would have gone to Germany -and the Imperial Government would very probably have been richer by -many thousands of marks worth of valuable cargo that was sunk with the -_Hitachi_. - -The Germans transferred some two thousand tons of coal from the _Igotz -Mendi_ to the _Wolf_ at this time. On November 12th, the two Australian -medical officers and the major's wife, a British Professor from Siam -and his wife, "Father" Cross--an eminent British barrister from -Singapore--and his wife, the technical mining man and his wife, one -Chinese woman and husband, one Mauritian woman and a little black girl, -and two male invalids were suddenly ordered on board the _Igotz_ just -as they stood. There was lots of excitement, as the _Wolf_ had picked -up a wireless message from a cruiser which was within 30 miles of us, -but which unfortunately kept right on going. A couple of German sailors -dumped everything in our room on the _Wolf_ into a couple of bed sheets -and dumped them down on the deck of the _Igotz Mendi_ for us. - -Our quarters here on the _Igotz Mendi_ were fairly good, especially -in warm weather, but later on in the cold regions they were far -from livable. "Father" Cross, the Colonel and the two sick men were -quartered aft under the poop in a room that had formerly been a -boatswain locker; the rest of us were housed amidships in what was -before the Spanish officers' quarters. The Spanish deck officers -doubled up with the Engine room squad, thereby leaving their rooms -vacant for us to occupy. - -I wish to add here that at the time of the transfer of the prisoners -from the S.S. _Metunga_ to the _Wolf_, Mrs. X, steward of the -_Metunga_, was quartered on the top deck with the rest of the -womenfolks. Mrs. X was an Australian woman of middle age and the widow -of a Chief Engineer in the same company that owned the _Metunga_. After -her transfer to the _Wolf_, she was ordered by the German officers -to take care of the ladies' quarters. On account of the overbearing -and insolent manners of some of her fellow shipmates, she refused -duty, stating that she was a British subject and a prisoner of war and -entitled to the same treatment as the rest of the women prisoners. In -this she was perfectly justified and I am certain it was through Lieut. -Rose's influence that this demand of her services was made, as Rose was -very partial to one of these ex-passengers. Later on when transferred -to the _Hitachi Maru_ Mrs. X was quartered aft in the second class, -she being the only white woman there; and things were made generally -disagreeable for her. This no doubt was because she was brave enough to -show her independence and stand up for her right. - -When we were transferred from the _Wolf_ to the _Igotz Mendi_ she asked -to be kept on the _Wolf_, rather than go on the _Igotz Mendi_ under the -charge of Rose, stating that she would rather take the chances with the -rest of them on the _Wolf_ than be treated as she felt she would be on -the _Igotz Mendi_. - -This permission was granted her; but, a few days later on, she was -transferred to the _Igotz Mendi_ against her will, and quartered in the -same room as the coloured people, among whom was one male. - -Many of us were highly incensed because of this treatment of a white -woman, but were powerless to do anything with Rose in the matter -although we tried to make her lot as bearable as possible. Later on -this woman took sick owing to the dampness of her quarters and my wife -nursed her for three weeks until she finally recovered. - -The _Igotz Mendi_ was a product of war-times, being built in 1916, -and built in the cheapest possible manner, both in hull, equipment -and accommodations. In her saloon, ten of us could sit down fairly -comfortably in good weather, but when the vessel was rolling as nearly -always was the case, only eight could sit down at the table, as the -chairs at the ends were not stationary. We were waited upon by a -steward named "Manuel." Manuel was quite a character and had his own -ideas about how much a man should have a day for two pesetas. One day -we were talking together, and he said that he shipped to take care -of three men only and now he had twenty-two, among whom were four -women, any one of whom (the women) were more trouble than the original -three men he had shipped to serve. I think Manuel had the largest -thumb I have ever seen. When he brought in my plate of alleged soup -the plate would be brimming full; on setting it down and withdrawing -his thumb the plate would be only half full. This thumb would have -been a valuable asset to some Yankee boarding house mistress in the -States. Later on Manuel took a violent dislike to some of our party and -used to spill the "coffee" or soup on them. This he did with malice -aforethought and I don't know that I blamed him much, as some of our -party imagined they were first class passengers on a modern liner with -servants to supply their every whim. - -On November 15th both steamers left the Chagos Islands, the _Igotz -Mendi_ going at slow speed to a point 300 miles south of the Cape of -Good Hope, and the _Wolf_ followed the regular sailing vessel route, -where on November 18th she captured and sank the American bark _William -Kirby_ of New York, Captain Blum commanding. The _Kirby_ was en route -from New York to Port Elizabeth with a general cargo, the major part of -which was automobiles destined for the African Christmas market. After -transferring the crew, provisions, and what food stuffs were handily -got at, the bomb gang got in their work and at 5:30 P.M. on November -18th the _Kirby_ made her final bow. - -[Illustration: - -LAST OF THE AMERICAN BARK "WILLIAM KIRBY." 1200 GROSS TONS. CAPTAIN -BLUM. CAPTURED NOVEMBER 15TH, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY MILES S.E. OF -PORT ELIZABETH.] - -On December 6th we met the _Wolf_ again for a short time, exchanged -signals, and received a further supply of canned crab, the _Wolf_ -having an inexhaustible supply which she had got from the _Hitachi_. -We had so much crab that the very sight of a can of it was nauseating. -I feel sure that should a waiter in a restaurant ever suggest crab to -any of the ex-prisoners on the _Wolf_, he would have a very unpleasant -time of it. During the night of the 6th, the _Wolf_ left us, taking -a more northerly route than we. At this time, Lieutenant Rose had -told the Spanish ex-Captain that we were en route to Trinidad Island, -Brazil, where _Wolf_ would get what additional coal she required, -and then we, the _Igotz Mendi_, should, after waiting 10 days at the -island, proceed to Spain. This, of course, made us feel very happy and -I know that the Cameron family were overjoyed with the prospects of -getting safely landed after such a long time. Many of us took up the -study of the Spanish language, and some very queer conversations were -carried on. When I tried to talk Spanish, I would usually get stuck for -a Spanish word and put in a German one; then if I couldn't think of the -German word, would use English, the result was that neither a Spaniard -nor a German could understand me. Sometimes I couldn't figure it out -myself. - -We enjoyed fine weather and managed to keep alive on the food, which -was some task. When we got up from the table hungry, we would think of -Spain and freedom in a few short weeks, and forget all about how empty -we were. On December 18th the _Wolf_ again picked us up; it seemed that -she could appear at will like some gigantic evil spirit. The _Wolf_ -wig-wagged the information that on December 14th she met and sank the -French bark _Marechal Davoust_, bound from Australia to France with a -cargo of grain. This bark was equipped with wireless and had two guns -mounted on her, but offered no resistance to the _Wolf_. _Wolf_ took -the crew, provisions, ships stores, the wireless, and also his two -cannon, off the Frenchman, later in the day sinking her by bombs. - -Both the _Wolf_ and _Igotz Mendi_ now proceeded together toward the -Island of Trinidad and expected to get there early on the morning -of December 20th. I had made arrangements with Lieutenant Rose so -that I could have a jolly boat in the morning and the wife and I go -fishing off the rocks on the lee side of the island, as this island -is celebrated for its good sea bass fishing. At 9:30 P.M. on the -19th, while pacing the deck with the wife before retiring, I noticed -that the _Wolf_ suddenly changed her course to the Northward and -signalled us with her flash light. We immediately changed also, and -put on all available speed to the northward after the _Wolf_. Soon -the explanation came: there were two cruisers of the Brazilian Navy -anchored at Trinidad and the _Wolf_ had picked up a wireless message -from one of them to the Brazilian authorities. Needless to say, it -didn't take Commander Nerger long to decide that he had business -elsewhere. If these confounded gossipy cruisers had not used their -wireless, in another few hours we should have run right into their -arms. On the other hand, if they had been lying in the harbour of some -big sea port as seems to be the custom with battle ships, and not -off Trinidad Island, we should probably have carried out the regular -schedule of freedom via Spain. Of the two, I should much have preferred -the Brazilian navy to rescue us, as then I should have been sure of -freedom, while on the other hand, I had only Rose's word that we would -proceed to Spain. There was a bitter gloom on our ship for a good while -after this; in fact the spirits of the prisoners never regained their -previous buoyancy. The great question now was "What next?" We could -see only Germany ahead of us, and that was not very encouraging. For -myself, I felt quite confident that we should never get through the -blockade and the mine fields. Captain Rose had often told us that in -the event of our meeting a cruiser, we would go into the boats and the -ship would be bombed and sunk. This was a very alluring proposition -for a family man to look forward to but was better than the conditions -on the _Wolf_, as there now were nearly 800 crew and prisoners on -the _Wolf_, while its life-boats and rafts under the most favourable -conditions could hold only 400, so it can easily be figured out just -how much chance our poor chaps had of getting into the boats, in the -event of the _Wolf's_ meeting a superior enemy. Probably they would -be battened down below in the hold, and would be sent down to "Davey -Jones' Locker" with the _Wolf_. In our case on the _Igotz Mendi_ we -were about thirty souls to a boat, and if the weather conditions were -favourable and we had a little luck, we should have been all right. The -women naturally lived in a continual dread of having to go into the -boats. - -We had all been looking forward to eating our Christmas dinner at the -island of Trinidad and were going to have a royal feed, as our German -"hosts" were going to kill a pig and a cow that were on board the -_Igotz Mendi_ when captured. However, the Brazilian navy changed our -plans as to where our dinner was to be eaten; though we had "Sir Pig" -just the same. Owing to the sudden change of our plans (gaining freedom -via Spain) we all felt very blue on Christmas day, which was not the -enjoyable affair it would have been if everything had worked out as -expected. I know I had the blues all Christmas as I got thinking about -other Christmases spent under more enjoyable circumstances, which -thoughts naturally didn't make me feel any more cheerful. Lieutenant -Rose was around bright and early, wishing us all a merry Christmas -and "many happy returns" of the day. I intend next Christmas, if Rose -is still interned in Denmark, to write him a letter returning the -compliment, and then he can possibly appreciate the subtleties of a -joke of this nature. My wife wanted to stick a hat pin into him when he -came around with his "many happy returns of the day." The German crew, -too, appeared to be blue on Christmas. - -New Year's eve we all sat up to see the New Year in, and one or two -of us worked up enthusiasm enough to make a little noise, but the -situation was so depressing that we soon subsided. Not so our German -crew, however. They held high festival in the Engineer's mess, having a -bowl full of punch, whose chief recommendation was that its foundation -was "Aguadenti" and it had an awful kick. The Spanish Engineer, who -had a splendid voice, sang several songs, and the German sailors sang -patriotic songs. At about two o'clock on New Year's morning, some one -woke me up by shoving a bottle of wine through the port-hole for me, -and later on around three A.M. another bottle made its appearance. Some -of the German sailor boys had imagined we were not happy because we -had no wine. The gifts were received in the spirit in which they were -sent. This was by no means the only act of kindness shown my family -and myself by the members of the crew. In fact, throughout the trip, -officers and crew, with the single exception of Lieutenant Rose, were -very friendly toward us. The American contingent was decidedly popular, -though they had no use for the rest. As an illustration, on my birthday -on January 25th several members of the crew came and presented me with -presents in the form of bottles of wine, and even Rose came across -with a box of cigars. Several of the German crew had lived in America -for many years; two had even taken out their first papers. And all of -these talked enthusiastically of going back to America as soon as the -war was over. - -I was very much interested in trying to find out just what the German -opinion was of America coming into the war. Lieut. Rose used to stick -his chest up in the air and say that the United States' coming in -wouldn't make any difference in the ultimate outcome of the war, and -that the only difference it would make was that the States would lose -a lot of men and money. Just the same, I am of the opinion that Rose -knew that America's coming in spelled the finish of Germania, though -of course he wouldn't admit it. One day at the table he said that the -"Star Spangled Banana," as he loved to call our flag, was only a joke -and that it looked like a gridiron to him. I made the remark that -possibly the stars and stripes would not prove the joke he imagined. -My retorts to sallies of this kind were very moderate, as I considered -I was in no position to argue the point with him, and didn't want to -lose any of my liberties. I was always afraid to start an argument -with him, as I am very hot-headed and knew that in the event of a row I -was sure to get the worst of it eventually. Rose used to laugh at the -American soldier, saying we were crazy to imagine that we could take -a man and make a soldier out of him in a year, that at best these men -would only be cannon fodder, that Germany had proved it takes three -years to make a soldier, also that our submarines were mere toys, and -that as for submarine defense, just as soon as we figured out some -Yankee patent to protect our ships, they (Germany) would invent some -other way to destroy them. Rose believed that the submarine would -eventually decide the war. It was pretty hard to sit at the same table -and hear an enemy slam the American government and not to be able to -"hit back" or even "argue" the point. - -On January 20th, in latitude 33 degrees north and longitude 40 degrees -west, we again met the _Wolf_, and, the weather being exceptionally -fine and the sea very smooth, the _Wolf_ came alongside and we -transferred some 800 tons of coal to her. Each vessel's side was well -supplied with large fenders or bumpers made of large coils of rope, -so that when the vessels would bump together they would do as little -damage as possible. Even under these favourable circumstances, however, -the vessels rolled and tossed around a great deal, and occasionally -some very severe crashes were experienced; but Commander Nerger, -realizing how great was his need for coal, and knowing it might be -months before he would get as smooth sea again, held on and worked -every man available despite the heavy bumping that was damaging both -vessels. The gang of men on the _Wolf_ trimming the coal in the bunkers -could not handle the coal as fast as the other gang brought it to them, -so, rather than delay the coaling, to save every minute, they dumped -the coal on deck; and when the vessels were forced to part owing to -the increasing swells, both guns and both torpedo tubes on the after -deck were covered with coal. If a cruiser had happened along at that -particular moment, the _Wolf's_ after battery would have been out of -commission. However, these conditions did not continue long, as all -hands worked feverishly at the job until all the coal was under decks. -After the two vessels had parted, we took stock of damages and found -that several frames or ribs in the side of _Igotz Mendi_ were broken, -that some plates on her side were badly stove in. These flattened or -stove-in places varied in size from six feet to forty feet in length. -Luckily all our damage was above water line, and the vessel leaked only -when rolling heavily, or when a big sea was running. The _Wolf_ was -also damaged, having several frames broken and four plates cracked. She -was leaking eleven tons of water per hour, while we averaged about one -and one-half tons per hour. - -From this point the two vessels separated after arranging another and -final rendezvous at latitude 61 degrees north and longitude 33 degrees -west, a point some little distance southwest of Iceland. The weather -from now commenced to get colder and we with our impoverished blood and -scanty clothing commenced to feel the cold keenly. - -Then came another heartbreaking disappointment. Be it remembered that -our daily prayer and hope was that we would meet a cruiser before -we got into the extremely cold weather, where the suffering in the -life-boats would be intense. - -On January 24th the weather was very overcast, and drizzly, and -inclined to be squally--regular Channel weather. I was lying in my bunk -reading a four months' old newspaper printed in Africa, when at about -five bells (2.30 P.M.) my wife came to my door and said: "Stan, there -is a cruiser with four funnels just ahead of us." I thought she was -kidding, and said: "All right, Mamie, tell them to reserve an outside -room for me." I then looked at her and saw she was white as a sheet. I -jumped up, knowing immediately there was "something doing." Just as I -hit the floor, the Professor stuck his head in at the door and said: -"My God, Captain, a cruiser at last." I ran out on deck and there just -on the edge of a rain squall was what appeared to be a four-funnelled -cruiser. Just about this time the Spanish second mate, who was on the -bridge, discovered her, and a sailor ran into Lieutenant Rose's room -calling him to come to the deck. As soon as I looked at the cruiser -through my glasses, I saw that instead of being one four-funnelled -cruiser, it was two American army transports, both of them heavily -armed with what appeared to be big guns. There was great confusion -amongst the Germans, and in a few seconds two of them (armed) chased -us into our cabins in no uncertain manner. We altered our course in -such a manner as to pass under the stern of the two transports, and -they were less than a mile from us when they crossed our bow. They paid -absolutely no attention to us, and in a few minutes were swallowed up -in the fog and lost to sight. My God, you can't imagine how I felt -after hoping and praying and building on running across a cruiser, not -for days but for months, and when we at last did meet two of them, -they passed calmly on, not even signalling, nor asking who we were. It -was certainly disappointing. And then to have to sit at the same table -and see Rose sitting with that "Chessy" cat smile of smug complacency -on his ugly Prussian mug. Previous to this episode, he frequently made -remarks about the Stars and Stripes, and after this incident, he never -lost an opportunity to refer to it. Just the same the Germans were a -badly frightened bunch. The first thing they did on seeing the supposed -cruisers was to run to their quarters and put on their good clothes, -fully expecting to be the guests of the American government. The next -thing they thought of was their bombs, and the bomb man going to get -them, found that they were gone. Somebody had stolen them. Holy Poker, -wasn't there hell to pay! If words, looks or wishes could have killed -we would all have been crucified where we stood. - -This bomb episode, at this time, was as much a mystery to us prisoners -as it was to Lieutenant Rose. For some reason or other my fellow -prisoners must have thought that I was the guilty party, because every -time I would meet one of them on deck and start talking, he would -excuse himself, having pressing business elsewhere. They seemed to -be afraid that if they were seen talking to me that they would be -"accessories after the act" and liable to punishment. I was greatly -flattered to think that these people thought I was "hero" enough for a -job of this description, but nevertheless I could not help thinking of -how much assistance or co-operation I could have got from this crowd in -case I had undertaken something along these lines. - -The following day Lieutenant Rose held an investigation to find out -"who stole the bombs." We were all chased out of the dining room on to -the cold iron deck in a drizzling rain while this investigation was -being held behind closed doors. However, I had not been on board the -_Igotz Mendi_ for this length of time without knowing my way about -and managed to get an "ear full." When the Spanish Chief Officer -was called, Rose asked him if he knew anything about the bombs. He -answered: "Yes, I threw them overboard. I'll tell why. It was not for -me, Captain Rose, but for the women and little children. I am not -afraid of you. You can shoot me if you want to, but you can't drown -the little children." Rose confined him to his room and the next time -we met the _Wolf_ Commander Nerger sentenced him to three years' -imprisonment in a German military prison. I consider this a very brave -act of the Spaniard's and wish that I were in a position to show some -substantial appreciation of his humane heroism. After this incident -our guards were doubled and we were chased off the deck if anything -appeared on the horizon. - -One day the Spanish Chief Officer, Mr. ----, told me the details of -this episode. At the time of the cruiser alarm he was asleep in his -bunk and was wakened by the unusual amount of noise. As soon as he saw -the supposed cruisers he ran to the wireless room, under the bridge, -where the bombs were kept. This room had two doors, one on each side. -Luckily the side he entered on was the side towards which the wireless -operator, who was intently "listening in" for signals from the other -vessels, had his back turned to. ---- reached under the table, secured -the bombs and went outside again, where he threw them into the sea. The -wireless operator never turned around, thinking that it was the "bomb -man" who had come after his bombs. ---- reached the deck and back to -his room without being observed by any of the Germans. He said he owned -up to the stealing of the bombs so that nobody else would get into -trouble. - -A peculiarity of this case was that some time previous to this, -shortly after the _Igotz Mendi_ was taken charge of by the Germans, -I had approached ---- on the subject of trying, should a favourable -opportunity occur, to take charge of the vessel. I did not receive any -encouragement along these lines and was afraid to go into the matter -any further with him. I put it down as a case of cold feet. - -Mr. ----, an ex-second officer of a captured British steamer, who -was an invalid who had just come through three months' siege in -the hospital on the _Wolf_, and I, had gone into the details of an -enterprise of this kind, but unfortunately while this Britisher had -the heart of a lion, he was physically unfit for anything as strenuous -as this undertaking, and the matter was dropped, against his will, -although he would admit that he might keel over any time. If the -British army has many chaps like this in it, Kaiser Bill is surely -going to catch hell. It is my belief that at this particular time, -owing to certain conditions that existed, four good two handed men -could have taken charge of the _Igotz Mendi_ and probably would not -have met with much resistance, except possibly from Lieutenant Rose, -and I am sure it would have been a pleasure to tap him on the head. - -The co-operation of the Spanish crew could not be depended on at -this time, as they believed that in a couple of weeks they were to be -free again, after coaling the _Wolf_ at Trinidad Island. - -[Illustration: - -AMERICAN SCHOONER "WINSLOW" BEING TAKEN INTO SUNDAY ISLAND AFTER -CAPTURE BY THE SEAPLANE ON JUNE 7TH. IN THE BACKGROUND IS THE NEW -ZEALAND STEAMER "WIARUMA" GOING OUT TO SEA TO BE SUNK BY THE "WOLF".] - -[Illustration: - -THE BLOWING UP OF THE AMERICAN SCHOONER "WINSLOW." 566 GROSS TONS. -CAPT. TRUDGETT. SUNK JUNE 21ST OFF SUNDAY ISLAND BY FOUR BOMBS AND -THIRTY-NINE SHELLS.] - -After the Trinidad Island disappointment, conditions were such that the -taking of the ship by any of us, even with the unreliable co-operation -of the Spanish crew, was not feasible. - -The weather now was intensely cold and we all suffered intensely, -as there was no heat of any kind in the cabins. Our bedding was -continually wet and garments taken off on going to bed would be sopping -wet in the morning from the "sweat" that gathered on the walls and -ceilings. Personally I beat this part of the game by taking my clothes -to bed with me. The food question, too, was getting serious, as owing -to the cold weather we required more food to keep our bodies warm. -The statement has been repeatedly made in the papers in Europe that -on the _Igotz Mendi_ the prisoners had the same food as the German -Commander and crew. Let me show you how it was in reality. Eleven of -us sat down at the first table with Rose at the head. The one platter -started with him. He helped the party (a friend of his) on his right -first, himself next, and passed the plate to the party on his left. -This man was a glutton, and was without shame. These three people got -very nearly and sometimes fully half of the contents of the platter; -what was left was divided amongst the remaining eight, including five -males, two women, and a little six year old child. If we asked for -more, we were reminded that we were short of provisions and had to -make them last. If the platter of food had been equally divided, and -we had all shared alike, it would not have been so bad, but under -this heads-I-win-tails-you-lose division I have got up from the table -actually hungry. It is an awful sensation suddenly to realise that you -actually covet the food another person is eating. - -We continued in a northerly direction until February 5th, when we again -met the _Wolf_, and owing to the bomb incident, sixteen additional -Germans were sent on board with their side arms and clothing--but no -additional food was sent with them. We now had eighty-two souls on -board the _Igotz Mendi_ all told. Lieutenant Wolf, division lieutenant -of the _Wolf_, was also sent on board to assist Rose. Lieutenant Wolf -took over the control of the food and the cook's department, and made -an honest effort to better things, which did improve somewhat, at least -to the extent that on bean meals we frequently got all we wanted; but -he was also the inventor of a weird concoction known as "Billposter's -paste" and for this last crime I will never forgive him. Otherwise he -was a decent and fair-minded officer. After his arrival, favouritism -was abolished and we all got a square deal. - -On February 6th the _Wolf_ left us and was never seen again by any of -us. We then started to go around the northern end of Iceland, but met -ice and were forced back. We ran south for a couple of days and waited -around to see if the _Wolf_ made it or not, and as she did not return, -we concluded she had either got through or passed to the southward -of Iceland, chancing the blockade. The cold here was very intense and -caused a lot of suffering amongst us. Helped by some of the German -sailors, I fixed a place in an empty bunker, where my wife, Nita and -myself practically lived, only going in the cabin for meals and to -sleep. Lieutenant Rose had canvas put up here for us and lights put in -so that I could lie there and read, and the wife could sit and sew. -Nita of course enjoyed the comparative warmth. The only drawback was -that the air was full of fine coal dust and gas from the fire room, and -we used to get frightfully dirty. - -On February 12th we again tried to get to the northward of Iceland, but -again met ice and had to return. Rose was forced to go to the southward -of Iceland, as he could not waste any more time, since the supply of -drinking water was getting very low. - -Now that we were about to actually enter the blockade zone, our hopes -commenced to rise. I heard nothing from my fellow prisoners for the -past six months but: "Just wait until they try to run the British -blockade." I heard this so often that I got to believe it and used to -figure the only chance the Germans had to get through was if it was -foggy weather, and then if he was lucky he might slip through. - -We ran the blockade between the Faroes and Iceland in fine clear -weather, and did not even see any smoke. So I commenced to think that -it was quite possible, it being winter, that the British weren't -paying much attention to this particular spot and were keeping cases -on the Norwegian Coast, especially in that district around the Naze -at the southern extremity of Norway. On the night of February 18th we -received a wireless from Berlin that the _Wolf_ had arrived safely and -on February 19th we picked up the Norwegian Coast, some sixty miles -north of Bergen. From here we proceeded down the coast, bucking a heavy -head wind and sea, at about five knots per hour, passing inside the -light on the island outside Stavanger, and thence down the coast and -around the Naze. During this time it was fine and clear weather, and -a cruiser could have seen us at twenty miles distance easily; but the -only vessels we saw were a Stavanger pilot boat and a Danish passenger -vessel bound northward. We were a disgusted bunch and no mistake. For -myself, I was sore; I was afraid to speak to anybody. Here I had been -kidding myself and letting others kid me that when I got this far, -somebody would surely pick me up. And then to come down this coast in -beautiful clear weather and not even see anything resembling a patrol -boat was very disappointing to say the least. - -From here on all I could see ahead of me was the Gates of Germany and -the certainty of spending from one to five years a hungry prisoner in -a Teuton detention camp. I would have sold out cheap at this time, -believe me. By this time I had given up all hopes of getting free and -had reconciled myself to going to Germany.... If it had not been for -the family I would have jumped overboard and had a swim for neutral -land at some place when we passed fairly close. - -The following day while crossing from Norway to the northern end of -Denmark, Jutland, it set in foggy and Lieutenant Rose was strutting -around with a smile on his mug, saying: "Just the weather I want; -made to order; I am all right now." I didn't argue the point with -him, as I thought he was right. About 3.30 in the afternoon we picked -up a fog whistle ahead, of the character we call a "blatter" on the -Pacific Coast. I was standing on deck just under the bridge, talking -to Rose. I nodded my head toward the signal and asked him what it was, -and he said: "Oh, that is the lightship." I thought at the time it -was a peculiar character for a lightship, but dismissed the thought, -thinking, "different ships, different fashions." - -Rose had told the British Colonel that this signal was a German torpedo -boat with which he had arranged a meeting, and that the Colonel had -gone inside to tell the rest of the prisoner passengers, which would -give them all a scare. He also suggested that I should go inside and -tell them it was a U-boat, and that I recognised the sound of her -signal. I laughed, and told him I had made so many remarks regarding -the blockade that I was afraid to speak to them. Shortly after this I -went into my cabin and was standing looking out of the port-hole and -talking to my wife, when I noticed that we had altered our course, by -the bearing of the fog signal, and knew that Rose wanted to pass the -lightship close aboard. Suddenly I felt the vessel smell the bottom. I -looked at the wife and said: "Holy Poker! I thought I felt her smell -the bottom." No sooner had I said this than the _Igotz Mendi_ ran slap -bang on the beach, about 350 yards off shore and less than half mile -away from the lighthouse. - -Rose's mistaking the lighthouse signal for the lightship's signal was a -lucky piece of business for us because I knew for an absolute certainty -when I felt the _Igotz Mendi_ had taken the beach that it would require -the assistance of a powerful tug to get her off again. I guess we -all realised just how much this stranding meant to us, and the very -nearness of freedom kept everybody quiet and busy with his own thoughts -and plans. I know that for one I had decided to get over the side and -swim for it, provided the vessel should give any indications of getting -off the beach. - -Right after the stranding, the weather being foggy, we were allowed on -deck. One of the neutral sailors, a Dane named Jensen, identified the -spot where we were ashore and gave me the good news that the little -town of Skagen was only about two miles distant, and that one of the -best life-saving crews in Europe was stationed there. Sure enough, in -about an hour a life-boat drew up alongside. We were all chased inside -again. Rose invited the Captain of the life-boat on board, and took him -into the chart room just above the saloon for a drink and talk. Our -lady prisoners immediately commenced playing a game of "button, button, -who's got the button?" laughing and talking at the top of their voices, -so that this man on top of the saloon would know that there were women -on board. Also little Nita did a crying act that could be heard, I am -sure. Shortly Rose came down with a blank scowl on his face and said: -"You people can cut out the noise now, as the stranger has gone ashore." - -Somebody asked Rose why he didn't introduce us to his friend, and -Rose answered: "What do you think I am--a fool?" Nobody went on -record with an opinion, so the matter was dropped. In the meantime, -Lieutenant Wolf had gone ashore and had 'phoned from the lighthouse -at Scow Point, where we were ashore, to a salvage company in Skagen, -saying that we were a German merchant ship bound from Bergen, Norway, -to Kiel, and that we had run ashore in the fog; and that if a tug was -sent immediately we could be pulled off easily, but if we were allowed -to lie any length of time, the ship would bed herself in the sand and -it would mean a long delay in getting off. I understand he offered -25,000 kroner for the job; at any rate, the manager of the salvage -company ordered his largest tug, the _Viking_, around, but instructed -his captain not to put a line on board until the manager had gone down -overland and investigated a little. Lieutenant Wolf in the meantime -returned on board and reported to Rose, who was immensely tickled and -told us that about midnight a tug would arrive from "a nearby town" and -pull us into deep water, and that by four o'clock in the morning at the -latest we would be on our way to Germany once more. - -This news led to great consternation among us, and some great -arguments regarding neutrality laws were carried on. On all the trip -the Colonel had been quoting the Geneva convention, until we had all -concluded that this particular convention was held for the express -benefit of the medical officers of the army. I asked the Colonel if he -remembered anything in the Geneva convention regarding the grounding -of a belligerent's prize on neutral ground. He answered by saying that -clause so and so, paragraph so and so, expressly stated that all -medical officers should be exempt from ... at this point I butted in -and told him to "go to hell"; that there were women and children and -other prisoners on board as well as medical officers. All throughout -the trip this man had behaved like a dog in a manger, being the -quintessence of egotistical selfishness, and despised by us, one and -all. The conclusion of all our argument was that might was right in -this war, and that the Germans would do just what they liked, provided -they could hoodwink the Danish officials. - -The manager of the Danish salvaging company, on arriving at the -lighthouse and talking with the various people there, concluded that -perhaps things were not just right with the _Igotz Mendi_ and that he -had better get in touch with the Danish naval authorities before doing -anything. He called up the Commander of the Danish cruiser _Diana_ -and stated the case, saying that things didn't appear to be just -right. The Commander, a Lieutenant Lagoni, getting in touch with the -authorities, 'phoned the manager of the salvage company that he would -come right down to investigate. At about midnight the _Diana_ arrived -and Lieutenant Lagoni, being a gentleman and also a shrewd, wide-awake -officer, took his chief officer on board the _Igotz Mendi_, telling -him that he, the commander, would keep the captain of the _Igotz -Mendi_ busy answering questions in the saloon while the chief officer -should have a good look around and gather what information he could. -As soon as the Danish commander arrived on board we were all pushed -and shoved into our rooms and the doors closed. When Rose started to -take Lieutenant Lagoni into the chart room above the Lieutenant said: -"Oh, no, Captain, let's go into the saloon; it is not customary to -entertain the commander of a cruiser in the chart room." So they came -into the saloon. Just as he came through the door he saw some of us -being hustled out of sight--but said nothing. Shortly one of the ladies -would shout down the alleyway: "Oh, Mrs. So and So, won't you come to -my room for a minute? Don't be frightened." All this for the benefit -of the Danish officer in the saloon. In the meantime the Danish chief -officer was wandering around the _Igotz Mendi_, taking notice of all he -saw. While strolling through the bunkers, where our "temporary" warm -place was, he noticed Nita's "kewpie" doll lying where she had dropped -it. There were men standing around all through these quarters. Suddenly -the officer turned on a man standing there and said: "You're not a -German." The man answered saying: "No, sir; I am a Dane." "Well, what -are you doing here?" was the next question. The Dane, Jensen, told him -he was from the _Wolf_ and was working here on the _Igotz Mendi_, and -that there were American and British prisoners on board, including some -women and children. After completing his rounds, the Danish officer -went on deck and told Lieutenant Lagoni that he was ready, and calling -him aside, told him what he had found out. Lieutenant Lagoni then gave -orders to disable the wireless plant and told Rose that the tug could -not assist him off the beach, and that at the end of twenty-four -hours the vessel would be interned providing she was still under German -flag, and advised him to land any prisoners he had. - -[Illustration: - -"IGOTZ MENDI" ASHORE ON THE DANISH COAST. TAKEN THE MORNING WE LANDED, -FEBRUARY 26TH, 1918.] - -[Illustration: - -LIFE BOAT LEAVING THE BEACH FOR THE STRANDED "IGOTZ MENDI".] - -Of course during all this talk we prisoners knew nothing at all of what -was going on, and when we saw the Danish officers leaving we came to -the conclusion that our case was lost, and as there was an armed sentry -pacing back and forth in front of the two doors leading from the cabin -to the deck, it looked black indeed, and I for one felt very, very -disappointed. The strain was beginning to tell on my wife again; so we -both lay down on the bunk with our clothes on and listened to Rose on -the bridge, ringing the telegraph and working his engines in a vain -attempt to get his vessel off the beach. As I lay there thinking, I -could not but pity Rose, realising how he must have felt. - -Just imagine what his feelings must have been on realising that after -spending fifteen months on a raiding and mine laying cruise, and -always evading his enemies, he had run his vessel aground almost at the -gates of Germany, and in place of receiving the Iron Cross first class, -there was the possibility of his facing court martial on his arrival -home, provided of course he was lucky enough to escape internment. -Thinking this I fell asleep and at 6:30 A.M. of February 25th (shall I -ever forget the date?) I was awakened by one of the German seamen named -"Hans" knocking at my door and saying: "Kapitaine, Kapitaine, wake up -and get ready to go ashore in the boats." I'll bet we broke all speed -records getting on deck. Rose asked me to get into the life-saving boat -first, as the Danish crew could not speak English, and then I could -help the balance as they came down the ladder. I got Juanita firmly on -my back and climbed down into the boat. There was a large sea running -and as the _Igotz Mendi_ was stationary on the bottom and the life-boat -was riding on the seas, one moment it would be even with my feet and -in another would be fifteen feet below. The idea was to jump at that -instant the boat was even with me. This was easy enough with myself and -wife, who understood such things and had had previous experience, but -to the balance of the passengers it was hard to make them let go at the -right time; they all having a tendency to hang on until the boat had -started to go down again. Then, if they should let go, the drop was so -great that the men in the life-boat could not hold them when they tried -to catch them. - -In some cases it was necessary absolutely to tear the passengers off -the ladder by main force. However, we finally got all the women, -children and men into the boat and we started for the beach. When we -got into the breakers and the seas washed clean over us, many thought -it would be a case of swim or drown, not reckoning on the kind of -life-boat we were in or on the class of men that manned it. - -I have seen various life-crews at drill and I spent a season on the -beach at Cape Nome, where everything is surf work, but these old Danes, -averaging fifty years of age and the living caricatures of that great -soap advertisement, "Life Buoy Soap," familiar to all the reading -public, were in a class by themselves. On entering the breakers, they -dropped a kedge anchor with a long line on it, and literally slacked -the boat through. A gigantic comber, one of those curling ones, just -commencing to break, would rush upon us; up would go the stern of the -boat and just at the instant that I would expect her to go end for end, -the old "Sinbad" tending the anchor line would check her and in another -instant we would rush for the beach, just as the Kanakas ride the surf -on a board at Honolulu. When we finally grounded the men from the beach -ran out and seized the women, the balance then ran the boat higher -up the beach. The natives must have thought that we were a bunch of -raving maniacs, the way we carried on, getting our feet on good "terra -firma" again. We danced, we shouted, and cheered, and made damn fools -of ourselves generally; but to my mind the situation warranted it. -What a fitting climax to an adventure of this kind ... eight months a -prisoner on a Teuton raider, and set free at the very gates of Germany, -at the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute. It is hard to realise -just what this meant to us all--possibly the very lives of my wife and -kiddie, as I feel sure that they could not have stood much more, and -at the best, there was from one to a possible five years' being buried -alive in a German internment camp, and living under the conditions that -I know to exist in that country. - -We were taken to the nearby lighthouse, where the keepers and their -families did everything possible for us, drying our clothes and giving -us hot coffee to warm ourselves. About midday we went into Skagen, two -miles distant, and separated, going to various hotels. My family and -I put up at the Sailors' Home and were excellently taken care of by -our host, Mr. Borg Hansen. I wish to go on record here as saying that -at no place that I have ever been in have I met a more whole-souled, -more hospitable or more likable class of people in my life than -these Danish people of the little town of Skagen. I met people there -who were the quintessence of courtesy and hospitality; in fact, -they were "regular Danish ladies and gentlemen." Here at Skagen our -various Consuls took us in charge and sent us to Copenhagen, where we -separated, going our several ways. - - - - -APPENDIX - - - - -APPENDIX - - -During her fifteen months' cruise the _Wolf_ laid approximately five -hundred mines and captured fourteen vessels, as follows: - - -1. _British tank s/s._ "TURITELLA," 7300 gross tons, Captain S.G. -MEADOWS, captured on February 27, 1917, in the Indian Ocean, bound -from Rangoon to Europe with a cargo of oil. The captain and officers -were taken off this vessel and transferred to the _Wolf_. A crew of -German officers and mine-men were put on board of her, under charge of -Lieutenant-Commander BRANDES, ex-chief officer of the WOLF, and she -was sent away as a mine layer, laying mines at BOMBAY and at CALCUTTA, -and was afterwards captured at ADEN, while laying mines, by a British -gun-boat; and her crew of Chinamen were sent back to China, while her -German officers were taken prisoners. - - -2. _British s/s._ "JUMMA," 6050 gross tons, Captain SHAW WICKERMAN, -bound from Torreirja, Spain, to Calcutta with a cargo of salt. Captured -in the Indian Ocean, March 1st. After what coal and stores she had on -board had been removed, she was bombed on the morning of March 3rd in -latitude 8 degrees 9 minutes north and longitude 62 degrees 1 minute -east. - - -3. _British s/s._ "WADSWORTH," of London, 3509 gross tons, built in -1915, Captain JOHN SHIELDS, captured on March 11th, in latitude 54 -degrees 30 minutes north and longitude 67 degrees east. After taking -off about fifteen tons of rice and ship's stores the vessel was bombed -on the 18th. _Wadsworth_ was bound from Bassinia, India, to London with -a cargo of rice, and was six days out from Colombo. - - -4. _Mauritius bark_ "DEE," 1200 tons, Captain RUUG, bound from -Mauritius to Bundbury, Australia, in ballast, thirty-nine days out. -Captured May 21st, 300 miles off the west coast of Australia. Crew of -blacks and stores taken on board the _Wolf_ and the vessel immediately -bombed. - - -5. _New Zealand s/s._ "WAIRUNA," of the Union S/S. Co. Line, of New -Zealand, Captain JOHN SAUNDERS, with general cargo from Auckland to San -Francisco. Captured May 21st off Sunday Island by seaplane. The _Wolf_ -was lying behind Sunday Island cleaning and repairing boilers at the -time of capture. The flying machine flew over the _Wairuna_ and dropped -a message attached to a sandbag, saying to steer towards the _Wolf_ or -the flying machine would drop bombs on her. Thus she was taken by the -raider. After taking off some forty live sheep and ship's stores and -about 900 tons of coal, she was sunk by one bomb and fifteen shells. -While towing the _Wairuna_ to sea, _Wolf_ discovered the schooner -_Winslow_. - - -6. _American schooner_ "WINSLOW," 566 gross tons, Captain TRUDGETT, -bound from Sydney to Samoa, with general cargo. Captured off Sunday -Island on June 7th by the seaplane while _Wolf_ was sinking the -_Wairuna_. After removing ship's stores and some 450 tons of coal the -_Winslow_ was sunk on June 21st by four bombs and thirty-nine shells, -the old wooden box simply refusing to sink. - - -7. _American bark_ "BELUGA," of San Francisco, 590 gross tons, Captain -CAMERON, bound from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia, with a cargo -of benzine. Captured latitude south 26 degrees, on July 9th. After -removing 300 cases of oil, the stores and boatswain's supplies, the -_Beluga_ was set on fire on July 11th by gun fire, by the nineteenth -shot. - - -8. _American schooner_ "ENCORE," 651 gross tons, Captain OLESON, bound -from Columbia River to Sydney, Australia, with a load of lumber. -Captured July 16th in latitude south 21 degrees and longitude east 169 -degrees. After removing stores she was set on fire and left. - - -9. _Australian s/s._ "MATUNGA," of the Burns & Phillips Line, Captain -DONALDSON, en route from Sydney to Rabul, New Guinea. Captured August -4th, about 122 miles southwest of Rabul. Both vessels proceeded from -this point to Pirate's Cove, at the northernmost end of New Guinea, -arriving there on August 10th. Transferred cargo to the _Wolf_, -amounting to some 850 tons of coal and 350 tons of supplies; also -prisoners (passengers), including two army medical corps officers and -three military captains. On August 26th _Wolf_ proceeded to sea and -sunk the _Matunga_ by three bombs, vessel sinking in six and one-half -minutes. Full particulars of the _Matunga's_ cargo was picked up by the -_Wolf_ in a wireless message to her consignees, giving a copy of her -outward manifest, also all sailing dates from time to time by Burns & -Phillips themselves. - - -10. _Japanese s/s._ "HITACHI MARU," of the N.Y.K. Co., 6558 gross tons, -Captain KOKMOA, en route from Colombo to England, via African ports. -Captured on September 26th off the Maldive Islands and proceeded to -southernmost group of the Maldives, where 800 tons of bunker coal were -transferred to the _Wolf_, also 250 tons of copper and tin, silk, tea, -approximately 400 tons of rubber, further cocoanuts and hides. On -October 7th both vessels proceeded in different directions, the _Wolf_ -seeking for another vessel with coal while the _Hitachi_ loafed along -in a general southeasterly direction. _Wolf_ picked up _Hitachi_ again -on October 19th, forty-two miles west of the Chagos group. On October -20th both vessels arrived at the Chagos Islands and tied up together. -Additional rubber and silk and remaining coal were transferred to the -_Wolf_. On the morning of November 7th both vessels left Chagos and the -_Hitachi_ was bombed. - - -11. _Spanish steamer_ "IGOTZ MENDI," of Bilboa, 4648 tons. Captured in -the Indian Ocean November 10th, en route from Delagoa Bay to Colombo -with a cargo of coal. This vessel was sent to Germany, but grounded off -DENMARK. - - -12. _American bark_ "WILLIAM KIRBY," 1200 tons, of New York, Captain -BLUM, from New York to Port Elizabeth, Africa, with a general cargo; -captured on November 15th. Crew, provisions and stores were taken off -and the vessel bombed on November 16th. She was captured 320 miles -southeast of Port Elizabeth. - - -13. _French bark_ "MARECHAL DAVOUST," 1100 tons, from Delagoa Bay -to France with a cargo of wheat. Captured on December 14th. This -vessel was armed and equipped with wireless. Guns and provisions were -transferred to the _Wolf_ and the vessel sunk on the 15th by bombs. -Captured 130 miles southeast of the Cape of Good Hope. - - -14. _Norwegian bark_ "STOREBROR," 2000 tons, Captain MOLLER, bound for -Europe from Montevideo in ballast. Captured on January 5th in latitude -18 degrees south and 27 degrees west. Crew, provisions and stores -transferred to the _Wolf_ and vessel bombed. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ten Months in a German Raider, by -John Stanley Cameron - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN MONTHS IN A GERMAN RAIDER *** - -***** This file should be named 52656-8.txt or 52656-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/6/5/52656/ - -Produced by MWS, Graeme Mackreth and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Ten Months in a German Raider - A prisoner of war aboard the Wolf - -Author: John Stanley Cameron - -Editor: Cyril Brown - -Release Date: July 27, 2016 [EBook #52656] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN MONTHS IN A GERMAN RAIDER *** - - - - -Produced by MWS, Graeme Mackreth and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/nita.jpg" alt="nita" /> -<a id="nita" name="nita"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption" style="margin-bottom: 5em;"> CAPTAIN CAMERON AND HIS DAUGHTER NITA</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h1> -TEN MONTHS IN A<br /> -GERMAN RAIDER</h1> - -<h3>A Prisoner of War Aboard the <i>WOLF</i></h3> - -<p class="ph4">BY</p> - -<p class="ph3">CAPTAIN JOHN STANLEY CAMERON</p> - -<p class="ph4">Master of the American Bark <i>Beluga</i></p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 5em;"><i>ILLUSTRATED</i></p> - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;">NEW YORK<br /> - -GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY -</p> - - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;"> -<small><i>Copyright, 1918,<br /> -By George H. Doran Company</i> -<br /> - - -<br /><i>Printed in the United States of America</i></small></p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2> - - -<p>Captain John Stanley Cameron, master of the American bark <i>Beluga</i>, -who tells the story of his great adventure on board the German raider -<i>Wolf</i>, and subsequently on the prize ship <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, in this -volume, is of Scotch parentage, thirty-four years old; a smooth-shaven, -canny graduate of the "before the mast" school, and prematurely gray. -His father is a well-known figure on the Pacific Coast, being the -oldest sailing master living in his part of the world.</p> - -<p>Captain Cameron went to sea at the age of three. At thirteen he was -earning his living as an able-bodied seaman, and he has been a master -of sailing vessels since he was twenty-one. He figured in the news -some few years ago by taking a sailing yacht of seventy-four tons -from New York to San Francisco; the smallest vessel of her class to -beat through the Straits of Magellan. Since then, Captain Cameron has -retired from sea—until his last trip as master of the <i>Beluga</i>.</p> - -<p>In setting down Captain Cameron's story much as it came from his -own lips, I have treated it as a simple record of human experience, -avoiding any chance of spoiling this bully sea yarn by attempting to -give it a literary finish.</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 55%;"><span class="smcap">Cyril Brown.</span></span><br /> -</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - - -<p style="margin-left: 20%;"><span class="smcap"><a href="#nita">Captain Cameron and His Daughter Nita</a></span><br /> -<br /> - - -<a href="#wolf"><span class="smcap"> The German Auxiliary Cruiser</span> <i>Wolf</i></a><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#torpedo"> Showing "Mannlicher" Type Torpedo Tube</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#steamer"><span class="smcap">Final Dive of Japanese Steamer</span> <i>Hitachi Maru</i></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#gun"><span class="smcap">Showing 4.7 "Ordinary" Portside Gun</span></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#burial"><span class="smcap">Burial of A. Johnson, Second Officer -on American Bark</span> <i>Beluga</i></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#bark"><span class="smcap">Last of the American Bark</span> <i>William Kirby</i></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#schooner"><span class="smcap">American Schooner</span> <i>Winslow</i></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#schooner1"> <span class="smcap">The Blowing up of American Schooner</span> <i>Winslow</i></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#mendi"> <i>Igotz Mendi</i> <span class="smcap">Ashore on the Danish Coast</span></a><br /> -<br /> -<a href="#lifeboat"> <span class="smcap">Life-boat Leaving Beach for the -Stranded</span> <i>Igotz Mendi</i></a> -</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<p class="ph3"> -TEN MONTHS IN A GERMAN -RAIDER -</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>PART ONE</h2> - -<p class="center">CAPTURED BY PIRATES</p> - - -<p>Little did I dream when I sailed away from San Francisco in the little -bark <i>Beluga</i> that I should finish my voyage, not in Australia after a -two months' trip, but in Denmark, on the other side of the world, after -a ten months' experience that has never before been equalled in the -annals of sea-going history.</p> - -<p>My story could well be called "An Escape from the Jaws of Hell"—for -a prisoner's life in Germany under the present conditions is surely a -hell on earth. During my six weeks' stay in Denmark I have interviewed -neutral sailors who have been sent out of Germany, and old men who have -been passported out on account of extreme old age; also prisoners who -have escaped over the border into Denmark via the coal-train route, and -these men one and all paint a picture of a prisoner's life in Germany -as being a veritable hell on earth.</p> - -<p>We sailed from San Francisco on the 15th day of May, 1917, with a cargo -of 15,000 cases of benzine, for Sydney, Australia. After letting go -the tug boat and getting sail on the ship, we all settled down for a -quiet and uneventful passage. Seldom have I gone to sea under more -favourable circumstances. A tight little vessel, a good deep water -crew of Scandinavian sailor men, plenty of good wholesome provisions -and a cook who knew his business. Both the first and second mates were -officers of the old school, with years of experience, so it seemed that -I was fortunate in getting so evenly balanced a crew, as owing to the -frenzied state of shipping along the Pacific Coast at that time the -master was indeed fortunate who found on getting to sea that half of -this crew could box the compass, much less hand, reef and steer.</p> - -<p>Even under these favourable circumstances there was a "fly in the -ointment." On counting noses I made the discovery that the entire -ship's company amounted to thirteen (an unlucky number, as every "salt" -will testify). A ship's crew of eleven, counting myself, and two -passengers, my wife and little daughter. When I called this fact to -my wife's attention she laughed at me, saying that was "old sailor's -tommyrot" and that we were living in the twentieth century and should -have outgrown such silly superstitions. Nevertheless, owing to a strain -of Scotch blood in my veins, the superstition remained in my mind for -many days until, owing to the humdrum uneventfulness of our progress, -this thought died a natural death.</p> - -<p>I crossed the equator well to the westward, passing the Fiji Islands -and hoping that when I ran out of the southeast trade winds I would get -a favourable wind and cut close by the southern ends of New Caledonia. -I had a hunch, and if I had been lucky and had two days' favourable -wind this story would never have happened. But unfortunately, -unfavourable winds were encountered, forcing me to the southward and -into the regular sailing vessel route.</p> - -<p>My wife, an Australian girl by birth, had not been home to see her -family since she left them something over ten years ago, and naturally -was very anxious to get home and see her many brothers and sisters who -had grown up and married since she left. In fact, she had talked of -nothing else for the past several years. Each year I promised that we -would make the visit "next year," but something or other would show -up and spoil my plans. I had given up the sea about six years ago for -a "shore job," and was so well pleased with the change that I did not -care to go back to the sea again, fearing that I would not be able to -change from the sea to the shore life again, as there is something -about the sea that gets into the blood and makes it difficult to -stay away from it. It was only then an unusual chain of circumstances -that left me foot loose at this particular time to take charge of the -<i>Beluga</i> on this trip. The fact is, it was what my wife called the -"Scotch Jew" in me that finally decided me to take this means of making -money out of visiting the mother-in-law.</p> - -<p>Each day at noon when I placed the vessel's position on the chart, my -wife was a very interested spectator and used to measure the distances -that remained for us to go. Then she would figure out just how long it -would take, under various weather conditions, before she would be able -to see her beloved Australia again. Some days when we had a favourable -wind and had made a good day's run in the right direction, she would be -as happy as could be and singing all the time, but other days when we -had made but little progress she would be away down in the dumps, and -it would be extremely difficult to get a smile.</p> - -<p>On July 9th I was having some work done aloft on one of the masts, -when about two o'clock in the afternoon Fritz, a Norwegian sailor -working aloft, shouted down, "Smoke, oh, on the port beam." I had a -look through my binoculars, and, sure enough, on the horizon to the -southwest I could make out the smoke of a steamer. The weather at -this time was fine and clear, with a light breeze from the south and -we were making only about four knots per hour. In a short time it -became evident that the steamer was coming in our direction, as she -was gradually getting larger and more plainly seen. I shouted down the -cabin skylight to my wife to come on deck and see the steamer, as she -was the only vessel of any description we had seen since leaving San -Francisco, almost two months before. She and Juanita, my six-year-old -daughter, scampered on deck and were very much interested in watching -her. It soon became evident that the steamer was going to pass close to -us, and thinking it just possible that she would speak us, my wife and -Nita went below to change their frocks.</p> - -<p>The steamer was getting closer by this time and her hull was plainly -visible. The old superstition regarding the unlucky number "thirteen" -flashed through my mind but was instantly dismissed. To all appearances -she was the ordinary black-painted, dingy-looking ocean tramp. I -studied her intently through the glass, trying to discover some detail -that would show her nationality, and had just about concluded that she -must be a Jap when Mr. Buckert, my Chief Officer, came along to where I -was standing and asked if I could make her out. I told him she appeared -to be either a British or Jap tramp, and handed him the binoculars so -that he could have a look. After studying her for a while he said, -"By God, Captain, I don't know her nationality, but she carries the -largest crew I have ever seen." I snatched the glasses out of his hand -and had a look. Sure enough, by this time the rails both forward and -aft were black with men in the regulation man-of-war jumpers. Even at -this time I did not think she was a German, but possibly a British -armed merchantman, or a British converted auxiliary cruiser, sent from -Australia to some of the South Sea islands for patrol duties. However, -she soon showed her true colours.</p> - -<p>Suddenly she changed her course, heading to pass directly under my -stern. At this moment she broke out the German Imperial Navy Ensign -at her jackstaff aft and at her signal yard amidships she showed the -letters G.T.E., which interpreted from the International Signal Code -means "Heave to and I will send a boat on board." After giving me time -to read this signal, possibly two minutes, the steamer dropped her -bulwarks forward, uncovering her guns, and fired a shot across the -<i>Beluga's</i> bow. This dispelled any lingering doubt I had in my mind as -to what was wanted, and it didn't take us long to clew up our light -sails and throw the main yard about.</p> - -<p>It was only then that I actually realised that my little vessel had -been stopped by a German raider in the South Pacific Ocean almost -fifteen thousand miles from the war zone. I stepped to the forward -end of the quarterdeck and looked down at the crew on the main deck -to see how they seemed to be taking it. These Scandinavian sailor men -were standing on the waist, smoking their pipes and discussing the -appearance of the steamer, just as if to be captured by an enemy's -raider were an every-day occurrence. For myself, I knew that this day -marked a crisis in the lives of any of us that were American or British -born, and as for my wife and child—God, the thought was like a stab -in the heart and seemed to leave me numb and cold. In a moment there -flashed through my mind all the accounts I had read in the papers -of the German atrocities towards women and children in Belgium and -barbarisms practised along the Russian front, and the thought of my -wife and child being at the mercy of these people nearly drove me crazy.</p> - -<p>On walking aft I saw my wife leaning up against the wheelhouse, her -face absolutely bloodless and a look of horror in her eyes that fairly -chilled my blood. God! For months after I could see this expression in -her eyes every time I closed my eyes. Even now, when I think of it, it -makes me feel cold all over. When she saw me she came over and took my -hand in hers, looking all the time into my eyes and not saying a word. -We stood there for what seemed a century. Presently I called Juanita -to us and the three of us went down below to the cabin. We sat on the -settee, never saying a word, and poor little Nita started to sob, -feeling something sinister in the air, which she did not understand. -In a minute the mate came to the cabin skylight and sang out that the -launch would be alongside in a minute. I answered "All right." My wife -got up and walked over to the bed and took one of my revolvers (I had -two) from under the mattress and handed it to me.</p> - -<p>Suddenly she threw both her arms around my neck and drew my head into -such a position that she could look into my eyes, and said, "Stanley, I -want you to promise me that they will never get Juanita." I threw both -my arms round her, hugging her tight to myself, and said, "Mamie, I -promise; but you must leave it to me." And with a sob I left her and -started on deck. When passing through the wheelhouse, I stopped for a -moment to pull myself together. On going on deck I saw a small motor -launch just arriving alongside, crowded with German bluejackets, armed -to the teeth. A moment more, and a young lieutenant sprang onto the -deck and came aft to the quarterdeck where I was standing. Coming to a -stand in front of me he saluted and asked in excellent English, with -an American accent, "Are you the captain of this vessel?" I answered, -"Yes." "Where are you from?" was his next question. I told him San -Francisco to Sydney, Australia, fifty-two days out. "Captain," he said, -"I take charge of your vessel in the name of the German Imperial Navy." -He gave an order in German and two German sailors sprang to the flag -halyards and hauled down the Stars and Stripes and ran up the German -Ensign. They carefully saved the American flag and the Company's -burgee and took them aboard the <i>Wolf</i> afterwards as trophies. Our crew -meantime had been lined up and searched for weapons. Among the things -the boarding crew brought on board was a black case containing twenty -pairs of handcuffs and three large bombs to blow the vessel to pieces -with. They didn't need the handcuffs, however.</p> - -<p>After the lieutenant had gone through the ship's papers and found out -all particulars regarding the <i>Beluga's</i> cargo, he had his signal -men wigwag the information to the Commander of the <i>Wolf</i>, which was -standing by. The Commander, on finding out that I had a cargo of -benzine, decided not to sink the vessel immediately, but to take on -board some three hundred cases for use in their hydroplane, as their -supply was getting low.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/wolf.jpg" alt="wolf" /> -<a id="wolf" name="wolf"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">THE GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER, RAIDER AND MINE LAYER "WOLF" LEAVING KIEL -ON HER FIFTEEN-MONTH CRUISE, NOVEMBER 21ST, 1916</p> - -<p>In a short while we received instructions from the <i>Wolf</i> to proceed -due east for sixty miles and wait there for them. The <i>Wolf</i> then left -us, going off at right angles. I learned from some of the German -sailors that there was a large steamer approaching and that the <i>Wolf</i> -would probably run along parallel with her during the night and capture -her in the morning. About nine-thirty that night this steamer passed us -about a mile and a half off, heading to the southward and westward.</p> - -<p>She was apparently a large steamer of about seven or eight thousand -tons, heavily loaded. She resembled in appearance the type of vessel -used on the Pacific Coast as an oil tanker, having the high forecastle -head, long bunk deck amidships, and her engines and stack away aft; she -was probably a freighter of this description belonging to New Zealand, -bound from San Francisco to Australia. When she came abreast of us she -signalled by Morse Code, asking what vessel we were; but the German -prize crew took good care that none of us could answer or make any -signals of any kind. I can use both Continental and Morse and had a -signal lamp on board, so that if I had had an opportunity I could have -warned this steamer that there was a raider about.</p> - -<p>One of the first official acts by Lieutenant Zelasko after taking -charge of my vessel was to call the cook up on the quarterdeck where he -was standing and give him instructions to cook a good large meal for -his men, and not to forget to have plenty of white bread. To assist him -in preparing this meal for the unwelcome addition to our family, he -assigned one of his men as an assistant in the kitchen.</p> - -<p>In the meantime the balance of his crew were searching the vessel and -making an itemized list of everything that they thought would be worth -transferring to the <i>Wolf</i>. I had a chance to look over this list later -on and was surprised to find how complete and businesslike it was. It -gave the name of the article, the amount, where located, and a remark -as to how best to remove it, whether in the original package, to be -repacked, or carried in bulk in large canvas sacks, furnished by the -<i>Wolf</i> for that purpose. This is only one incident showing the method -and thoroughness with which even the minor details of their business -were carried out.</p> - -<p>During the evening I had a chance to get acquainted with Lieutenant -Zelasko, the prize officer, and found him a very decent chap indeed. -He, and all the rest of the <i>Wolf's</i> officers, excepting the Commander -and the Artillery Lieutenant, were members of the Imperial Marine, or -Naval Reserve, men that in peace time commanded and served as officers -in the merchant service, like myself. In fact, I found that Lieutenant -Zelasko had served part of his time as able-bodied seaman on the -American ship <i>Roanoke</i>, a vessel that I had been in some years before. -He had the second class Iron Cross which he had won at Antwerp.</p> - -<p>Lieutenant Zelasko assured me on his word of honour that my family -would receive nothing but the best of care possible under the -circumstances on board the <i>Wolf</i>. In fact, after finding out that the -<i>Wolf</i> was manned by ex-merchant marine officers and men, my fears -for the safety of my wife and little girl subsided greatly. My wife -herself cheered up a great deal after hearing this, thinking that -people from our own walk of life could not be as barbarous as we had -been led to believe.</p> - -<p>Early in the morning of the tenth we arrived at the position where -we were to wait for the <i>Wolf</i>. Here we hove to, and the prize crew, -assisted by my sailors, who were forced to do all the work pertaining -to the handling of the ship, took off the hatches and took on deck -three hundred cases of benzine, ready to be transported to the <i>Wolf</i> -when she showed up. During all this time there were always five or six -guards or sentries posted at various positions around the ship, and -also the balance of the prize crew always wore their side arms, whether -they were working or not.</p> - -<p>The navigating officer of Zelasko's prize crew and the bo'swain were -both American navigators, one having been, prior to the war, master of -a sailing vessel plying on the Atlantic Coast, and the other a Chief -Mate, also in sail, on the Atlantic. At the outbreak of the war both -resigned their positions and went home to lend Kaiser Bill a hand. -These fellows received eighteen marks per month and have a rating -of only "over matrosa," or just one step higher than that of common -sailor. Several months later, after we had got better acquainted, I -asked this ex-American skipper if he did not think it rather a scurvy -trick to sail as Master on American ships during peace times and as -soon as war was declared to leave America and help sink the very class -of ships that he had hitherto made his living on. He replied by saying -that at the time he resigned and went home to enlist America was not -in the war, but even had she been, he would have gone just the same. -From conversations I had with other ex-American seamen, I am led to -believe that at the outbreak of hostilities the German Consuls at the -port where their vessels hailed from ordered these men to resign and -go home to the Fatherland. I also believe that their fare and expenses -were paid. There are many, many cases similar to this, and I believe -it would be a good thing for the American shipowners to remember when -employing officers and captains to man their vessels after the war is -over.</p> - -<p>The German prize crew made a great fuss over Juanita, she being quite -a novelty to them, and I am sure that she had the time of her life. -Nobody on board the <i>Wolf</i> had seen a woman or a child for nearly nine -months. My wife and little girl were the first woman and child they had -taken prisoner.</p> - -<p>On July 11th, early in the morning, the <i>Wolf</i> picked us up again. It -seems that the steamer we saw got away from them. The <i>Wolf</i> put four -large life-boats on the water and took off some three hundred cases of -benzine and all the provisions and ship's stores we had on board the -<i>Beluga</i>.</p> - -<p>When the vessel was taken charge of by the German prize officer, he -told me that I would be allowed to take only a few absolute necessities -aboard the <i>Wolf</i> when I was transferred; but later, on the 11th, -when the <i>Wolf</i> picked us up, Commander Nerger sent over word that -I was to be allowed to take everything I wanted. Unfortunately the -permission came almost too late, because by this time the German crew -had ransacked my quarters very thoroughly and many articles that I -would have taken with me for the comfort of my family were gone. Weeks -later some of these were recovered. For instance, I had a pair of -rubber-soled, leather-topped yachting shoes. Some weeks after joining -the <i>Wolf</i> I noticed a man with these shoes on his feet. I called the -attention of one of the officers to it and told him that they were -formerly my property. The following morning those shoes were just -outside my stateroom door, nicely polished.</p> - -<p>Among the things I took on the <i>Wolf</i> was the wife's sewing machine, -which proved of great value later on, as she had to make under and over -garments for both herself and Nita. My nautical instruments, books and -charts were taken from me, but I was told that they would be returned -to me on my arrival in Germany.</p> - -<p>At 1:20 we got into the boats and said a last farewell to the poor -little <i>Beluga</i>, and she did look little in comparison with this big -black brute of a raider. As we were being rowed over, the <i>Wolf's</i> -rails were lined with grinning faces, and not one of them that I could -see had the least trace of sympathy. Not that I wanted sympathy for -myself, but it seemed strange to me, at the time, that out of over -three hundred German sailors and officers there was not one whose face -showed any sympathy for the position a woman and little child were in.</p> - -<p>We climbed on board by means of a Jacob's ladder, myself first with -Nita on my back, and my wife next. Many offered to lend her a hand, -but she managed to make it without any help. There was a certain -satisfaction in this, as afterwards I found out that the Germans -anticipated a lot of trouble in getting her aboard, as there was quite -a bit of sea running.</p> - -<p>On arriving on deck we were met by the Chief Officer, Captain Schmell, -whose first words were, "Tell your wife and little girl that they have -nothing to fear, that we are not the Huns you probably think we are." -He took us aft under the poop and showed us an ex-storeroom which some -men were cleaning out for our use. This room was in the centre of the -prisoners' quarters and had absolutely no ventilation, and there were -Negroes, Indians and various other nationalities passing up and down -to the hell hole, before the door, in various stages of décolleté, to -say the least. The Chief told me that we three could have this room -together, or my wife and child could have a more comfortable room on -the berth deck amidships, but that I would have to remain down below -and that I would be allowed to visit my family two hours daily. My wife -would not hear of this latter arrangement, saying that we would live in -a pig-sty together rather than be separated. Just then Commander Nerger -came along and spoke to us, saying that he was very sorry to find that -the <i>Beluga</i> had a woman and child on board, and had he known that -such was the case he would have passed right on; but that once he had -shown himself to be a raider, to protect himself he would have to keep -us prisoners until such time when he could land us at a place where -it would not jeopardise the safety of his vessel or crew; and that in -the meantime he would make us as comfortable as possible under the -circumstances. He then gave orders that we three should be given one of -the deck officers' staterooms on the berth deck and that we were to be -given the freedom on the side our room was on, and that as long as I -paid attention to my own business only and did not talk to any of the -sailors, I was to continue to enjoy this privilege; but just as soon as -I gave them cause to believe that I was trying to gather information, -I was to be sent down into the hell-hole aft—as the prisoners called -their well-named quarters. Needless to say, I gladly agreed to his -proposition, knowing myself to be lucky not to be separated from my -family. At 4:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> a man (who was afterwards my orderly) -came to our room with cotton batting to put in our ears, as they were -going to sink the <i>Beluga</i> by gun fire. I was granted permission to go -onto the boat deck and watch. They fired nineteen shots at her with -the six-inch gun forward, and the nineteenth shell hit her amidships. -The other eighteen were clean misses—rotten shooting, as the target -was only two and a half miles off. <i>Beluga</i> burst into flames and -immediately when she caught fire the benzine exploded, making one of -the most wonderful sights I have ever seen. The sea for miles around -us was covered with burning petrol, the weather was almost calm, and -occasionally a "cat's-paw" of wind would come along and cause this -flaming field of oil to run in various directions, opening a path of -black water through a sea of flames. As soon as this "cat's-paw" of -wind was over the flames would run together again. When the spars fell -out of the ship the splash was not of water but a veritable cataract of -flames. Even the Germans were impressed by the picture of three square -miles of burning sea, flames leaping thirty feet high and raging for -hours. God! It was a wonderful thing. In fact, the sight was so great -that I did not realise for some minutes that it was my own little home -that was going up in flames. My wife could not, of course, stand this -sight, and had remained in her room.</p> - -<p>On account of there being no place ready for us to sleep, we were given -temporary quarters in the forward end of the deckhouse, immediately -over the pump room on the main deck. There was only one very narrow -bunk here, possibly eighteen inches wide, which my wife and Nita -occupied. For myself I picked out a nice soft iron plate on the floor -and slept on that. The only means of ventilation here was a square -hole in the roof or ceiling, probably eight inches square. There was, -I believe, some kind of ventilator attached to this opening outside. -There was an iron-bound rule enforced at all times on the <i>Wolf</i>, -that no light from any source should be visible on the deck. All -doors were fitted with a patent mechanism so that when the door was -opened the electric light current was broken and consequently the -light went out. Immediately on closing the door the light would come -on again. This made it necessary to sit in the dark if we wanted to -have either the port hole or door open for fresh air, and if the door -was closed, in a very short time the air became actually suffocating. -On several occasions the temperature, with the door and port hole -open, was 104° F. at night, so it can be imagined just how hot it was -when the door had been closed for ten or twenty minutes. The first -night none of us slept a wink, owing to the excitement of the day and -the incessant hammering and knocking of the air pumps and ice-making -machines immediately under our feet. This made the fourth night since -we had been captured that my wife did not get a wink of sleep. Fearing -complications from this loss of sleep, I called on the German doctor -and finally made him understand the situation. He gave me a powder for -her and asked if he should visit her. Thinking possibly that under the -circumstances the near approach of a German, even a doctor, would do -more harm than good, I told him I did not think it necessary.</p> - -<p>Doctor Hausfelt, the senior surgeon of the <i>Wolf</i>, prior to the -outbreak of the war, was a specialist in women's nervous diseases -and was the head of a clinic at the Hanover University. The doctor -spoke French and Italian fluently but could not speak the English -language, although he read it very well. He insisted that we be moved -the following morning further down the deck, to a room similar to the -one we were in, but much quieter. In reality, although quieter, this -room was hotter than the one forward. The bunks, of which there were -two, one for the wife and one for Nita, were fastened to the iron -engine room bulkhead, and the mattresses that lay up against this wall -absorbed a great deal of this heat, making them very uncomfortable. I -slept on the floor, which was concrete laid over the iron deck, and -although very hard was really cooler, by a good deal, than the bunks.</p> - -<p>Early in the morning after making this change I had to go down to the -Antiseptic Department and have my trunks very minutely searched and -my clothes disinfected. In fact, I had to appeal to the Second Doctor -to escape being run through the dis-lousing plant. Here anything that -proved of interest to the prisoner officer was taken away from me, with -the promise that it would be returned later. My books, letters and -paper clippings were religiously read and returned. I had a 3A Eastman -Kodak which they seized, and imagine my surprise some days later when -a roll of films—half of which had been exposed by me—was handed to -me by the officer in charge of the photographic department. They had -taken this roll of films out of my camera and developed them, just for -curiosity, I suppose.</p> - -<p>From here I was taken to the Recording Lieutenant's office and put -through a rigid examination, being asked innumerable questions -regarding my movements in the past five years, also questions -regarding my parents' origin, occupation and present standing. All -this fuss because one of the prize crew had found in my quarters a -pamphlet giving information regarding the United States Naval Reserve -requirements. I thought I had got rid of all this junk, but evidently I -must have overlooked something.</p> - -<p>My officers and sailors were taken to the regular prisoners' quarters -aft, and I was not allowed to see or speak to them.</p> - -<p>Now comes what I consider the most awful period of my experience. My -wife, who is naturally of a highly strung and courageous disposition, -broke down under the preceding five days' strain and loss of sleep. -Luckily Doctor Hausfelt, the <i>Wolf's</i> senior surgeon, had been in -private life a woman's specialist, and owing to his skill and untiring -services my wife pulled through. She lay in her berth, packed in ice, -for three weeks, absolutely delirious. Owing to the experience I had -undergone during the past few days my own nerves were all ragged -and upset; and the continual raving and shrieking of my wife, who -imagined herself undergoing the most awful torture, drove me nearly -crazy. Some days and nights seemed never to come to an end. During this -time, on July 17th, to be exact, <i>Wolf</i> captured and set on fire the -American schooner <i>Encore</i>, Captain Oleson, bound from Columbia River -to Australia with a cargo of lumber, but owing to my state of mind I -remember it only as an incident; it seemed trivial to me at the time.</p> - -<p>During all this time my wife had been gradually sinking until she had -come to the place where she either had to make a turn for the better or -pass into the Great Beyond.</p> - -<p>Commander Nerger, at the doctor's request, during this crisis, gave -orders that all traffic on our side of the berth deck should stop, and -guards were placed at each end to see that his orders were carried -out. On the night of August 2nd Doctor Hausfelt told me that, barring -accident, my wife would recover. I have often wondered whether a -physician realises just what it means to an anxious husband when he -tells him, "The crisis is past and your wife will recover." I know they -were the most welcome words I had ever heard! During all this time I -never gave a thought as to where we were going or how we were going to -get there. I didn't give a damn what happened, only that my wife pulled -through.</p> - -<p>However, after my wife had passed the critical point and commenced -to get better, a load seemed to be lifted off my shoulders, and the -mere fact of being a prisoner on board a German raider seemed of no -consequence. I then commenced to take an interest in things around me. -My continual silence, with nobody to talk to, and the long periods -of darkness, from 7:10 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> to 6:30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, it being -winter in the South Pacific, grew very irksome. On account of the -extreme heat in the cabin when the door was closed and the light on, I -was unable to sit inside and read, so the only thing left was to sit -outside my door on the deck and think, and God knows I didn't have -many very agreeable things to think about. At this time my wife was -still too weak to talk, and anyway I didn't want to get her asking -questions, thinking it would only make her worry, which I knew was not -good for her. My days were usually taken up in washing clothes and -nursing the wife. I never knew there were so many clothes in the world, -and to think that they came from one sick wife and a perfectly healthy -six-year old kiddie! I, like a darn fool, kept putting on clean white -frocks and all the other white fixings that go with it. When the Missis -got on the job again, Miss Juanita got a pair of overalls on week days -and a dress on Sundays, all this going to prove that as a nurse maid I -was a fizzle. I came a Steve Brodie on the wife's hair also, letting it -get into such a mess that I couldn't comb the rats' nests out of it and -had to cut the whole business off short. However, this didn't make much -difference, as it all came out itself anyway.</p> - -<p>At all times on the <i>Wolf</i> the fresh water situation was of great -importance, as we were on a strict allowance of drinking water, which -they condensed and purified themselves. We were also allowed a minute -quantity of semi-condensed water for washing purposes. I used to save -up for several days and get enough for a bath, all of us using the same -water. After bathing, this water was used to wash clothes in. On other -mornings we had to be content with a salt water bath, which is very -refreshing but has little cleansing quality. Every effort was made to -catch all the rain water possible, and then everybody had the big wash. -During a heavy rain it was customary for all hands to strip and stand -out in the rain and have a good rain water bath. It was quite odd to -see from one hundred and fifty to three hundred men taking their bath -in this manner. It makes one think of the Garden of Eden before Eve -showed on the job.</p> - -<p>I used to look forward to the evening when the prize officer, -Lieutenant Zelasko, used to come to my quarters and talk for half an -hour. His talk usually was of the war, and it was interesting to get -the German view of it. Of course, from their viewpoint "poor Germany" -was the defendant, and they figure they are fighting to protect their -homes and not in a war of conquest.</p> - -<p>Many of the crew of the <i>Wolf</i> had seen service on the various fronts -and in Belgium and had some very interesting experiences to tell. These -stories were always from the German viewpoint. One chap in particular -had a unique and unenviable experience, having been wounded in six -places at six different times. He was shot once through the shoulder on -the Russian front. On two occasions, while on service in France, he was -shot, once through the arm and on another occasion through the leg. At -the storming of Antwerp he was wounded on the head by a flying piece of -shell, and later on, while trying to storm a bridge, he was bayoneted. -While serving as a member of the prize crew on the S.S. <i>Melunga</i>, -after her capture by the <i>Wolf</i>, he lost an eye, while knocking off -the head of a beer bottle, a piece of the glass striking him in the -eye. The bottle of beer was "Gambe Carlsburger," a Danish beer, and as -this accident happened on an Australian steamer in the Indian Ocean, I -don't know just exactly who should get the credit for this, although I -think that Denmark should be credited with an asset.</p> - -<p>One of the officers, a lieutenant, was in the sailors' foot regiment -the first time the Germans entered Antwerp, and told of the civil -populace throwing large rocks, flat irons and cooking utensils down on -the soldiers' heads while they were marching into the town, and spoke -as if this was a grave breach of the Marquis of Queensbury's rules as -to how to conduct a war. After many of the brave Teuton soldiers had -been wounded in this undignified and unwarlike manner, they withdrew -and the artillery bombardment followed. From other sources I have heard -that this regiment marched up the street taking pot shots at anybody, -male or female, who happened to look out of a window or door. I judged -from this man's conversation that this sailor regiment shipped to stop -bullets and not flat irons and other nameless weapons.</p> - -<p>One afternoon I asked Commander Nerger for permission to talk to some -of the men, saying it was not healthy for a man to sit around all day -and not say a word to anybody. This he granted, so after that I could -hold short conversations with a good many members of the crew, and in -a short time had practically the run of the ship. It was absolutely -forbidden, however, for me to talk to any of the other prisoners who -had been on board the <i>Wolf</i> for a long time and knew of its various -mine-laying activities.</p> - -<p>Our meals were served in our cabin, on dishes taken from the <i>Beluga</i>; -in fact, for the first month a good deal of our food was <i>Beluga's</i> -food. Little delicacies that I had bought for our own use, such as -potted meats, jellies, crackers and a case of wine, were reserved -for our own use by the purser of the <i>Wolf</i> at Commander Nerger's -suggestion. One of the most valuable foods to us, taken from the -<i>Beluga</i> and reserved for our use, was four cases of canned milk of -the liquid variety, which proved very beneficial to the wife during -her sickness, and also was greatly appreciated by Nita. The doctor, -thinking probably that the black bread would prove too strong for -Nita's stomach, endeavoured to have the ship's baker make a small -quantity of white bread for her, but unfortunately the baker could not -make a success of the wheat bread and the effort was given up. As far -as I could see, this black bread, while being far from palatable, was -very wholesome and nourishing.</p> - -<p>I should like to state here that my family and myself were treated with -the utmost courtesy and consideration by the Commander himself and -his officers while we were prisoners. I am not speaking for the poor -devils down below aft, nor of our treatment while under the charge of -Lieutenant Rose on the Jap prize ship <i>Hitachi Maru</i>, or later on the -Spanish prize <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, which was decidedly different.</p> - -<p>On the <i>Wolf</i> our meals were regular and methodically worked out, so -that at the end of each day a person had received just so much rationed -nourishment. Myself and family received the same food as that served in -the Officers' mess. Our breakfast usually consisted of "near" coffee, -syrup or treacle and three slices of black bread. I have seen the -cook's department roasting this alleged "coffee," and believe it to be -nothing more nor less than wheat roasted until it is scorched or burnt, -the larger kernels being saved for this purpose. Some years ago I was -on a sailing vessel and the supply of coffee gave out. The cook used -to take burnt bread and make a substitute for coffee from it that was -identical in taste with this coffee on the <i>Wolf</i>.</p> - -<p>Dinner at midday consisted of a soup, a meat-ball composed of canned -beef ground fine and mixed with bread crumbs, plenty of preserved peas -and carrots. Monday, Wednesday and Friday we had a dessert, usually -stewed prunes or a corn-starch mixture. For supper we had tea, bread, -and sardine paste, or pickled, cold corned beef. Quite often rice in -various disguises was given instead of the "bully beef" at noon. But -on Sunday—oh, joy!! A regular, honest-to-Grandma dinner, consisting -of asparagus soup, real fresh meat from the refrigerator, evaporated -potatoes, a vegetable, prunes and a sweet. This for a regular menu, -day in and day out, doesn't look very good, but considering that we -were prisoners I don't believe we had any cause to complain. The food -we received was the same as that which the Commander and deck officers -had, and superior to that of the warrant officers and seamen.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/torpedo.jpg" alt="torpedo" /> -<a id="torpedo" name="torpedo"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">SHOWING "MANNLICHER" TYPE TORPEDO TUBE, PORTSIDE FORWARD ON "WOLF".</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/steamer.jpg" alt="steamer" /> -<a id="steamer" name="steamer"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">FINAL DIVE OF JAPANESE STEAMER "HITACHI MARU." 6558 GROSS TONS. CAPT. -KOKMOA. CAPTURED SEPTEMBER 26TH OFF MALDIVA ISLANDS, INDIAN OCEAN. SUNK -BY BOMBS NOVEMBER 7TH.</p> - -<p>The German auxiliary cruiser and minelayer <i>Wolf</i> was formerly -a freighter belonging to the Hansa Line, a subsidiary of the -Hamburg-American Line; of 6,728 gross tons; single screw, one funnel; -two well decks, two telescoping masts, equipped with wireless, double -bridge; two Sampson posts on poop and four sets of cargo booms. On -the poop rigged from the Sampson posts were two faked cargo booms whose -real purpose was to disguise a six-inch gun mounted there. On her boat -deck she showed three life-boats, working boats from each side. The -vessel was painted all black and had no particular distinguishing marks.</p> - -<p><i>Wolf</i> carried two six-inch ordinary guns, one mounted forward -under the forecastle head and the other on top of the poop; four -4.7 ordinaries, two forward and two aft mounted on the well deck. -The bulwark or rails at these guns, as at the six-inch forward gun, -were fitted with hinges and spring catches, so that by one blow of a -hammer they dropped down, giving the guns ample room for action. Under -ordinary circumstances nothing of these guns could be seen above the -rail. She was further armed with four torpedo tubes, two forward and -two aft, on the well decks. The torpedoes forward were "Red Heads" -and especially effective for short distances, while those aft were -"Mannlichers" and used for long distance work. She also had four -machine guns mounted, two on each end of the boat deck in such a manner -that they could control the decks and the prisoners' quarters aft.</p> - -<p>On leaving Kiel <i>Wolf</i> had a crew of three hundred and seventy-five -men, including one Commander and Corvette Captain, one Lieutenant -Commander, three senior and six junior Lieutenants, two Surgeons and -twelve Warrant Officers, including gun mechanics, torpedo mechanics, -mine experts, navigating sub-lieutenants and boatswains. She had a -wireless crew of seven men, including one wireless expert. The signal -corps consisted of six signal men in charge of a code expert, who had -had several years of training at a school in deciphering various codes. -I am led to believe from what I saw that this man was able to decipher -naval and private codes used in the South Pacific, but was unable to -handle codes used in the North Atlantic.</p> - -<p>On leaving Kiel <i>Wolf</i> had on board five hundred mines, seventy-five -hundred tons of Westphalian coal, three thousand tons of water, and -twenty-five hundred tons of food and ammunition. This heavy cargo -over-loaded the <i>Wolf</i>. I understand she was drawing over two feet -more than her normal loaded draft when she left Kiel, and on getting -safely through the blockade she encountered a very heavy series of -gales in the North Atlantic, causing the vessel to labour heavily. -This labouring strained her hull and topside and she dropped a good -many rivets. As soon as she ran out of this bad weather repairs -were made and all her topsides double riveted. Something like nine -thousand rivets were driven, this work being done by her crew as the -<i>Wolf</i> proceeded down the Atlantic. Among her mechanics she seemed -to have representatives from almost every trade, and apparently an -inexhaustible supply of materials for making repairs or new additions -to her equipment.</p> - -<p><i>Wolf</i> was equipped with a triple expansion engine and three boilers -and one auxiliary donkey boiler. Her power plant was unique in that -she could steam seven knots per hour on a consumption of eighteen tons -of coal per diem, and eleven and a half knots per hour, her maximum, -on twenty-eight tons of coal per diem. I have heard it said that she -had one of the most efficient power plants out of Europe, having a -fuel consumption of 1.2 per I.H.P. <i>Wolf</i> was further equipped with a -powerful searchlight, situated abaft the bridge, on a tower that could -be raised or lowered at will. When not in use this light could not be -seen above the top of the house. <i>Wolf</i> sailed from Kiel on November -21, 1916.</p> - -<p>The Commander of the <i>Wolf</i>, Corvette Captain Nerger, of the Imperial -German Navy, was a man of probably thirty-five years of age, of -moderate height and slim build. He was immaculate in all things -pertaining to his person, and was a strict disciplinarian. I was in -Commander Nerger's quarters one day. I had visited him to thank him for -the courtesy he had extended to my family and to myself, and found him -a very agreeable man to talk to; a thorough gentleman and apparently -anxious to do anything he could to make our lot bearable. In talking -with him I found nothing to denote the arrogant Prussianism which is -said to predominate in the higher branches of the German Navy.</p> - -<p>And yet Commander Nerger was a man "all alone." He kept absolutely to -himself; took no man into his confidence. No man ever knew an hour -ahead what his plans or the vessel's plans were. He was the only one -who knew when we started for home. On the fifteen months' cruise of -the <i>Wolf</i> Nerger was in full charge and ran his vessel as a "one man -ship." He lived in comfortable quarters on the boat deck, just under -the bridge, and had his meals served in his private dining room. In the -five months I was on the <i>Wolf</i> I do not think I saw him on the berth -deck more than a dozen times, and then only on an inspection trip of -some kind. He always had the appearance of having just stepped out -of a bandbox, he was so immaculate in his dress. I was told by his -officers that Nerger never gets excited; always remains cool under -all circumstances. They tell a story of his being in command of a -light cruiser in the battle off the Dogger Banks, and throughout this -engagement he calmly passed back and forth on the bridge, with a cigar -in his mouth, giving his orders as calmly as if at some gun practice or -manœuvres. His officers and men all respected him, which to my mind -is a good enough recommendation.</p> - -<p>One of the peculiarities of the <i>Wolf's</i> cruise was that nobody, -excepting the Commander, knew where she was going, when she was going, -and how long she was to be away. The majority of the officers, thinking -she would probably try to duplicate the raider <i>Moewe's</i> operations, -took only enough clothes to last them about three months, and only -augmented their supply from the various vessels captured. From one of -the captured steamers they got several rolls or bolts of heavy dress -goods, but unfortunately for them, they didn't have enough cotton -thread to make them up into wearing apparel, although some of them, -in more need than the rest, sewed their new suits with ordinary sail -twine, similar to that which the grocer uses to tie up his parcels. The -cloth was all dark goods, and it looked odd to see the coarse white -string stitches against the dark background. Many of the suits were -very well cut and fitted in the regular naval style.</p> - -<p>The <i>Wolf's</i> method of getting away from Kiel was unique. Each day -about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, she would up anchor and steam -out of Kiel harbour, manœuvring outside and having gun practice, -returning each night to anchor in the harbour. This procedure was kept -up for over three weeks, until finally one night the <i>Wolf</i> failed to -return. During these three weeks nobody was allowed ashore or to hold -any communication with the shore. Even the German naval authorities did -not know the date she was to sail, until she had gone. All this goes to -prove that the German Naval Department had considerable respect for -the Allied Intelligence Department.</p> - -<p>On leaving Kiel the <i>Wolf</i> went through what is known as the "Big -Belt," a passage through Denmark into the Kattegat, from there along -the Danish coast across the Norwegian coast, and out to the Atlantic -between the Farrows and Iceland. On returning to Germany she merely -retraced her course, the only difference being that she passed through -the "Little Belt," a very narrow piece of water, one-half of which is -German territorial water and the other half Danish.</p> - -<p>From where I used to sit on deck outside my quarters I could see the -other prisoners aft on the poop, at that time some two hundred of -them. Over half of them had no shoes, socks or overshirts, and fully -one-fifth of them wore no undershirt. I asked a couple of them why they -did not wear a shirt in that blazing tropical sun. They told me that -they had only one shirt apiece and that the sweat rotted them so fast, -that they were going without shirts at present and saving them till -the weather got cold. Three times a day each squad flunkey (a squad -consisted of fourteen prisoners) would troop up to the galley amidships -and get their rations for the meal—a kettle of alleged tea or coffee, -black bread, and at noon a kettle of goulash, resembling a soft stew. -I had been on board the <i>Wolf</i> for some time before I finally got the -chance to sneak down below aft and see what the prisoners' quarters -were like and have a talk with some of the men.</p> - -<p>The prisoners' quarters on the <i>Wolf</i> were located aft in the cargo -hold, and had their only entrance under the poop, on the main deck. The -quarters themselves were reached by means of a narrow ladder only, and -this ladder was built in such a manner that not more than two persons -could pass up or down at the same time, or one person up and one down -simultaneously, thereby guarding against a concerted rush in event of -an escape being planned.</p> - -<p>Over the entrance or hole in the deck leading to these stairs was -slung a heavy iron hatch or cover, in such a manner that it could be -dropped into place instantaneously by one of the guards. This hatch -would effectually close the only exit from the quarters where there -were over two hundred prisoners confined. Also the closing of this -hatch would cut off nearly one-half the air supply; during the times -when this hatch was closed, when the <i>Wolf</i> was passing through some -danger, the suffering in the hold from lack of air was often intense. -Even under normal conditions the air supply was inadequate. It was -probably 8:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> when I was there, and I would judge the -temperature to have been between 118 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and -the reek of feet, breath and bodies was something awful. On this -particular night, I should judge from one-quarter to three-eighths of -an inch of sweat was on the floor, and when the vessel rolled there -would be a thin scum of liquid running from side to side. The walls and -ceiling were literally running water, which was caused by moisture -drawn from the bodies of the men by the hot iron sides of the ship and -the deck overhead. Combine stale tobacco smoke with this atmosphere, -and it was a wonder to me that a human being could exist in it.</p> - -<p>At this time everybody was herded into the one compartment—captains, -mates, engineers, firemen, sailors, cooks and flunkies, all -together—white men, niggers, Turks, Greeks and Japanese. At night -everybody slept in hammocks and during the day these hammocks were -"made up" and piled away in one corner, thus leaving enough room for -several rough plank tables and benches to be set up. There were no -lockers or any compartments where a man could put his spare clothing -or shaving gear, therefore no man's gear was safe from theft. A man -who didn't have a shirt would steal one from a man who had two; this -made it impossible for a man to have any more clothes than just what he -stood in. Later on many of the men were given empty cases or boxes and -fixed them up to keep their spare gear in.</p> - -<p>The sanitary arrangements at this time were very poor, there being -only three toilets for all hands. Certain squads of men would take -turns in keeping these quarters clean, the whole place being thoroughly -scrubbed out three times a week. I mean thoroughly in the full sense -of the word. Everything moveable, excepting the clothing boxes, was -taken on deck, then the room scrubbed with heavy brushes and sand. Next -the tables and benches were scoured with sand and canvas, the hammocks -scrubbed and the various tin dishes used for food were scoured bright. -After everything was dry it was put back in place and the prisoner -officer made an inspection. It was very seldom that he found anything -to complain of, as the men seemed to welcome this house-cleaning as it -gave them something to do to occupy their time. Reading material was -very scarce, so the time passed very slowly.</p> - -<p>There was supposed to be a regular daily routine; but owing to the many -interruptions, such as gun practice, fire drill, boarding drill and -drills with small arms, this routine was not always carried out. At -5:30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> all the prisoners were waked up and by six o'clock -all the hammocks were made up and stowed away. Then the tables were -set up in place and the table laid for breakfast. At seven o'clock -the squad flunkies would get their gear ready, and promptly at 7:20 -breakfast would be ready. Immediately after breakfast the dishes were -cleaned and the quarters given their regular daily clean up. Usually -during the forenoon, after their work was done, the prisoners were -allowed to go up on deck and enjoy the fresh air. Dinner at 12:30 noon, -coffee at 3:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, and supper at 6:30. Very seldom was -anybody allowed on deck after coffee. At 8:00 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> all lights -were extinguished excepting three, one over the steps at the exit and -two at the back of the quarters.</p> - -<p>The distribution of the fresh water was also very poor. Each prisoner -was allowed half a gallon per day for washing, drinking and bathing -purposes. This amount, properly conserved, will answer the purpose, -but unfortunately the method of distribution was so poor that not all -got their regular allowance; and the loss of this water caused the -unfortunate ones great inconvenience, especially during the time that -the <i>Wolf</i> was in the tropics. Many of the men used tea to brush their -teeth in; and I have heard of cases where tea had been used for shaving -purposes, but imagine these cases to be rare.</p> - -<p>While there, a Captain of a big British oil tank steamer that had been -captured and sunk told me the following piece of history. I afterwards -verified this and can vouch for its truth. While the <i>Wolf</i> was lying -at Sunday Island undergoing repairs to her boilers, the prisoners were -furnished with fish hooks and line and a couple of jolly boats and -allowed to row into the rocks and catch fish. Each boat, of course, was -in charge of an armed sentry. After fishing they would return to the -<i>Wolf</i> each night. On the night before the <i>Wolf</i> was to sail two men, -the chief mate and first assistant engineer of the S.S. <i>Turitella</i>, -dropped overboard and swam for the shore. Before leaving the vessel -these men had secreted on their persons a supply of fish hooks and -lines, a small hunter's hatchet, two large sheath knives each, matches -and a good supply of tobacco. The matches and tobacco were securely -wrapped in waterproof oilcloth. Just at dusk, as the prisoners were -being ordered below, these two men slipped over the side, sliding down -a rope into the water. They then swam under the stern and climbed up on -the rudder and sat there in such a manner that they could not be seen -from on deck. A confederate in the meantime had taken care of the line -hanging over the side. About nine o'clock, when it was good and dark, -they again slipped into the water and swam for the shore some half a -mile distant. There is a strong current setting parallel with the shore -in this particular locality and, as the water is infested with sharks, -the betting among the men was two to one that neither of them would -make it.</p> - -<p>Later on, from some of the officers that had been on shore at Sunday -Island, I found out there had formerly been a family living there, -but at this particular time they were away on a visit, probably to -New Zealand, as they had left their house fully furnished and with -quite a supply of provisions on hand. Everything indicated that they -intended returning at a later date. A calendar hanging on the wall -indicated that this family had left there between April 17th and 23d. -When the loss of the prisoners was finally discovered there was a -great rumpus, and as a punishment all the prisoners were kept below -for twenty-eight days, being allowed on deck for only one hour each -day, weather permitting, for exercise. The British captain said that -those were the most awful days he ever experienced in his life and that -each day he and the rest were getting perceptibly thinner. Just about -this time I got the sign from the sentry that the prisoner officer -was coming and I had to beat a retreat. Afterwards I found out that it -was not the prisoner officer but the mine officer, Lieutenant Dedrick, -who proved to be a humane officer and a champion of the prisoners. -Dedrick came down below into the hell hole and got one good lungful -of the rotten atmosphere and went immediately to the Commander and -reported conditions. Commander Nerger at once called both doctors and -accompanied them aft on a tour of inspection. The next day everybody -was chased on deck and the "Hell Hole" below was cleaned out and better -ventilation arranged for; it was also painted; also the captured -captains and ships' officers were given quarters to themselves, while -the whites and blacks were separated. On the whole the conditions -for these two hundred men were improved one hundred per cent. The -prisoner officer was confined to his room for five days for allowing -such conditions to exist. Nerger had inspected these quarters before, -but only when the men were on deck and the place freshly cleaned out. -Personally I do not think he knew how bad conditions were.</p> - -<p>Along in the first part of January I learned by wireless that of -the two men who swam for shore at Sunday Island the first assistant -engineer was drowned, while the other reached shore in an exhausted -condition. He and his companion while swimming ashore became separated -in the dark and the mate did not know for a certainty whether his chum -was taken by a shark or drowned from exhaustion. He stayed on the -island for somewhat over two months, living on the provisions that were -left in the house and on fruit, of which there was a great abundance. -He was finally taken off by a Japanese cruiser whose attention was -attracted by his signal fire, which he kept burning day and night. The -cruiser finally landed him in New Zealand.</p> - -<p>All this time we were steaming in a northerly and westerly direction. -When we arrived at the southernmost end of New Guinea we stopped and -lay to for a couple of days. I soon learned that we were waiting -for a steamer and expected her any minute. During these days the -<i>Wolf's</i> hydroplane would go up to reconnoitre three times a day. It -would travel fifty or sixty miles on clear days, and from a height of -three thousand metres it had a vision of ninety miles, so the Germans -claimed. One of the German sailors told me that in another day or so -we should have plenty of beer—that they had picked up a wireless -message stating that the Australian steamer <i>Matunga</i> would soon arrive -in Rabul with five hundred tons of coal and three hundred tons of -foodstuffs, so many hundred cases of beer, etc., for the Government. -Sure enough, on the morning of August 4th I was awakened by my -orderly with the usual supply of cotton batting for our ears. Shortly -thereafter there was a bang from one of the cannons and the <i>Matunga</i> -stopped. Lieut. Rose and the prize crew went on board and took charge. -In about an hour the launch came back with the <i>Matunga's</i> captain, -Donaldson, and his officers and crew, also sixteen Australian soldiers -who were en route to the Islands. Both steamers then proceeded north, -arriving on August 10th at a place in northern New Guinea that we named -Pirate Cove.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/gun.jpg" alt="gun" /> -<a id="gun" name="gun"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption">SHOWING 4.7 "ORDINARY" PORTSIDE GUN FORWARD ON "WOLF."<br /> - -LIEUT. ROSE WITH BINOCULARS.</p> - -<p>On the way to Pirate Cove Commander Nerger practised all kinds of naval -manœuvres with the <i>Wolf</i> and the <i>Matunga</i>. At one time he would -engage her in battle and finally after a fierce encounter, by superior -manœuvring he would destroy her. The next time the <i>Matunga</i> would -be an enemy's merchant vessel and the <i>Wolf</i> would sneak up to her, -suddenly dropping her ports, and make the capture. This manœuvre was -carried out quite realistically, the boarding crew supposedly meeting -resistance and finally taking charge of her after a fight on deck, in -which the boarding crew's bayonet drill would come in handy. At another -time the <i>Matunga</i> would be a German cruiser and Nerger would direct -her attack against the enemy. At this time he was probably anticipating -being made an Admiral on his return to Germany and was getting what -practice he could.</p> - -<p>At Pirate Cove naked New Guineans, men, women and children, came out to -the <i>Wolf</i> in thirty feet long canoes for tobacco, which was the only -understandable word they could say. They offered to swap parrots, pigs, -cocoanuts, sugar cane, bits of coral, woven mats of garish colours and -queer pattern, showing whales, birds and primitive human figures. The -<i>Wolf's</i> officers got first whack at the bargains and went in strong -for the fancy mattings, but when they got them aboard found them full -of native vermin. These souvenirs for their wives and sweethearts were -promptly turned over to the antiseptic department and cleaned, for the -<i>Wolf</i> had on board a complete dis-lousing plant through which all new -prisoners were put, whether they needed it or not. The German sailors -had second choice after their officers and went in strong for parrots -and cocoanuts. The prisoners, who could buy tobacco at the <i>Wolf's</i> -canteen, if they had any money, had last choice of the New Guinea -merchandise. I had no money on the <i>Beluga</i>, having sent mine by draft -to Sydney, but I had stacks of clothes, and to get a little ready -"canteen" money I sold some of them, the <i>Wolf's</i> officers paying me -$25.00 for second-hand suits and $3.00 for second-hand shoes.</p> - -<p>The natives were cleaned out by the <i>Wolf</i>. Among the purchases was an -alleged New Guinea pig, which had the legs and body of a deer and the -head of a porker—and it had fur, too. God! I never saw anything like -it. It didn't have an orthodox corkscrew tail but a compromise between -a pig's and a deer's tail. The pig mascot was given the freedom of the -<i>Wolf</i> and dashed if it didn't lick every dog on the ship. We had seven -dogs on board, taken from sunken ships—dachshunds, fox terriers, all -sorts—and the pugnacious deer-pig cleaned them all up. But the Germans -were too much for it. After two months in German company the pig -couldn't stand it any longer and, after the slaughter of the <i>Hitachi -Maru</i>, of which it was an eyewitness, it committed suicide by leaping -down an open hatch to its death fifty feet below. The Germans buried -the pig at sea with military honours.</p> - -<p>While we were lying in Pirate Cove the cargo and coal of the <i>Matunga</i> -were transferred to the <i>Wolf</i>; also nine of the <i>Matunga's</i> passengers -and the balance of her crew. Quarters were provided for these prisoners -on the same deck where I was. There was a Colonel and a Major with -his wife, belonging to the Australian medical corps; three Australian -military captains; three civilian planters, who were en route for the -plantations on the Island, and the stewardess of the <i>Matunga</i>. This -addition of prisoners to the top side was a welcome change to myself -and family, as it gave us somebody else to talk to, and I was also -able to get news of the war from another source than the German. I was -anxious to learn what steps America had taken or contemplated taking. -To hear those Australian chaps talk you would have thought that the war -was a high lark, and that just as soon as Great Britain got around to -it she, ably assisted by the Australian forces, would chase Fritzy off -the map.</p> - -<p>The addition of these passengers to the top deck squad made it -necessary for Commander Nerger to make certain rules and regulations -to be observed regarding the distance we could go from our rooms. We -were allowed a seventy-foot run-way. Also when anything was going on, -such as gun practice, boarding drill, fire and boat drill, we were -chased into our rooms. This caused a lot of grumbling but no doubt it -was justified. I may add that there was nearly always something doing -on the <i>Wolf</i>. They drilled and practised almost continually—practised -sinking imaginary ships, indulged in "battle practice," and even -practised abandoning the <i>Wolf</i> in boats and sinking their own ship.</p> - -<p>While lying at Pirate Cove we had an exciting experience. It seems -that some of the Germans had a suspicion that some of the prisoners -were going to try to escape by swimming ashore. They doubled the -guards both below and on deck and in addition had twenty-four Marines -sleep on the afterdeck with their muskets alongside of them. On this -particular night the German sailors had stolen a couple of cases of -whiskey from the cargo of the <i>Matunga</i> and many of them were pretty -badly intoxicated. At 11:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> one of the guards down below -aft imagined that he saw someone making a sneak for the stairs leading -on deck. Next moment he shouted "Help! Help!" and blazed away with -his revolver in the general direction of the stairway. Naturally the -prisoners sleeping on the far side of the stairs made a rush to get out -of the line of fire. The guard saw this crowd rushing his way and ran -on deck immediately. A general alarm was sounded and men and officers -poured on deck from all directions. Just then a shoal of fish some -little distance away in the water made a disturbance and the German -crew, thinking that somebody was attempting to swim ashore, opened fire -on the fish with two machine guns. Also everybody who had a rifle or -a revolver opened fire at something. One officer, who stood in front -of my room, emptied his revolver into the air, just shooting because -everybody else was doing it. Meanwhile, Chief Officer Schmell and three -sailors had jumped into the launch and also mistaking the shoal of -fish for prisoners trying to swim ashore, made for the spot—and were -enthusiastically fired upon by the German machine guns in the dark. -It sure was bum team work and a miracle that Schmell and his men were -not killed. The launch was punctured in several places. As soon as -the big searchlight was put into commission, it became apparent that -there was nobody in the water. All the prisoners were then mustered -out and counted, and as there were none missing, the Germans decided -that it must have been a false alarm and everybody blamed everybody -else. When Schmell got back on the <i>Wolf</i> he was raving mad at having -been fired at by the machine guns. He wasn't red, but green with anger, -and he talked so fast that I couldn't make out what he said, but I -heard afterwards that he wanted to court-martial everybody, including -the cook. It always will remain a miracle to me that some of our own -fellows weren't shot as the frenzied guard emptied his gun before -running on deck.</p> - -<p>On account of the high hills surrounding our anchorage the <i>Wolf's</i> -wireless was not of much account, so the members of the wireless squad -erected a station on the top of one of the highest hills. Here they -would pick up any news that was flying around and transfer it to the -<i>Wolf</i> by means of an ordinary flash light. This was easily readable -with a pair of glasses, but unfortunately there was nothing of interest -excepting the "press"; however, it gave me an insight of just how much -reliance to put into the press reports that the Germans would let us -see from time to time. This, of course, was all British press and -reports were given as to advances and repulses on the various fronts -and also the weekly sinkings. Should the Allied forces advance or the -Germans lose a position, their press did not note it, but on the other -hand, if the Germans had a victory or there were any political reports -in their favour, the news was given us in full detail.</p> - -<p>From one of the officers who had been ashore I learned that the native -settlement, which at one time evidently had been quite large, must have -been visited by some dreadful plague, as the houses in the village were -deserted, not a single native living on that side of the bay. He also -said that in many of the houses the skeletons of the dead still lay, -some inside and some outside of the huts, leading a person to believe -that this sickness struck them down suddenly and that they died nearly -instantly, as on the porch of one of these huts there was a skeleton -with some kind of a dish alongside of it, making it appear that death -had come suddenly.</p> - -<p>Here at Pirate Cove the doctors were greatly worried on account of -fever and malaria and dosed us vigorously with quinine. Lord! I ate -enough quinine to last me the rest of my life. There were no capsules -on board and we had to eat the raw article, and there was no way of -dodging it. Each morning and evening all hands, officers, crew and -prisoners, were marched past the hospital steward's office and each -was handed his little bit on a spoon, with a glass of water to wash it -down. The only satisfaction I had was that it tasted just as rotten to -the Germans as it did to me. Strangely my little girl did not dislike -it a great deal and I was greatly pleased as I anticipated a riot when -she got a taste of the first dose. My wife's share, she being still -confined to her room, I used to throw overboard, giving her only an -occasional small dose. The quinine used to cause a drumming in my ear -and make me halfway deaf.</p> - -<p>Undoubtedly it had the same effect on the German sailors yet they -were forced to work transferring coal from one vessel to the other. -They usually worked three shifts in the twenty-four hours. They would -go down in the hold with nothing but a breech cloth on and when they -came up they would resemble negroes and their bare bodies would be -just running in sweat. At these times I used to feel sorry for them; -then they would sink one of our vessels and I would wish them doomed to -eternal labour of this kind.</p> - -<p>Among the <i>Matunga's</i> heterogeneous cargo were two large horses and -one small pony. These were taken care of by the butcher department and -I suppose I ate my share. I afterwards told my wife about her eating -horse flesh and nearly lost a handful of hair for my information.</p> - -<p>On August 26th both <i>Wolf</i> and <i>Matunga</i> proceeded to sea and at 1:20 -<span class="smcap">P.M.</span> the <i>Matunga</i> was sunk by three bombs. From the time of -the first explosion until she disappeared beneath the waves was just -six and a half minutes. She sank stern first, and as she made the final -dive the rush of air below decks blew out the forecastle bulkhead, -making it appear as if there had been a fourth bomb concealed there.</p> - -<p>Here I am convinced was the only time during the eight months that -I was a prisoner on the <i>Wolf</i> that there was ever any serious -thought on Nerger's part regarding landing the women, children and -medical officers. Before taking the <i>Matunga</i> to sea to sink her, -they transferred one of her large life-boats to the <i>Wolf</i>, also a -small gasoline launch. These were hoisted on deck and placed in such a -manner that they could be put overboard again easily, also they were -in such a position that it interfered with the movements of the gun -crew, thus proving that they were there only temporarily. One of the -officers asked me if I had ever had any experience with gas engines -and was familiar with this particular make. I told him I was, having -owned at one time an engine of this make. After giving the officer this -information he was overheard by one of the womenfolk repeating it to -the Chief Officer. We top side prisoners were some worked up, believe -me. We had it all "doped out" that after sinking the <i>Matunga</i> we -should proceed off some island that was inhabited but had no wireless -or cable connections, there the women, children and medicos would -be put in the life-boat and I would tow them with the launch to some -nearby harbour.</p> - -<p>This would have been the logical thing to do if Commander Nerger wanted -to conform to the articles of the Geneva Convention, which specifically -states that medical officers in event of capture shall be set free at -the first available opportunity. Nerger also told me and my wife that -he would land us in some safe place at the first opportunity, provided -he could do so without jeopardising his own safety. He also told the -medical officers and the rest of the women the same thing. I maintain -that at this time Nerger could have landed us with perfect safety to -himself and his ship—as the <i>Wolf</i> was about to leave the Pacific -Ocean, having finished her activities in that locality. At that time -nobody had information regarding the <i>Wolf's</i> previous movements nor -any knowledge of her mine-laying operations. However, at the last -minute he must have concluded that this was too "humane" a procedure -and ordered the boats over the side; they were fastened to the -<i>Matunga</i> and went down with her. I claim this to have been the acme of -inhumanity. He might just as well have condemned the women and children -to death right there, because at that time there were ninety-nine and -a half chances to a hundred that they would be either killed in action -or drowned. I don't believe that there were five men in all the crew -of the <i>Wolf</i>, officers included, who ever expected the <i>Wolf</i> to win -safely into Germany. There is another point to consider: why did Nerger -and his officers continually assure us that the womenfolk should be -landed shortly? If he had told the truth like an officer and a man -and said he had no intention to land us, then we would have had more -respect for him and would not have suffered the bitter disappointment -that we did.</p> - - - - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>PART TWO</h2> - -<p class="center">A PRISONER ON A PASSENGER STEAMER</p> - - -<p>From New Guinea the <i>Wolf</i> steamed southwest through the Malay -archipelago, then between Borneo and Java and Sumatra, thence through -the Java sea; and on the night of September 6th the <i>Wolf</i> laid over -one hundred mines across the Northwest approach to the entrance of the -Singapore harbour.</p> - -<p>Going up the Java sea, we were continually sighting vessels, and it was -only the barefaced gall of the <i>Wolf</i> that saved her from destruction. -Less than a month previous to this the Australian Government had -sent wireless messages broadcast stating that there was a raider -somewhere in the South Pacific or Indian Oceans, and giving a complete -description of the <i>Wolf</i>. Yet here we were, steaming calmly along as -if bound for Singapore, meeting many merchantmen, and at one time one -of the officers said he could see the smoke from five torpedo boats -steaming along in squadron section. When the <i>Wolf</i> would pass another -vessel close to, she would usually have only a couple of men about the -decks doing odd jobs of painting and repairing. I believe that it was -the innocent appearance of the <i>Wolf</i> which led to her safety. She -ignored all signals (which is characteristic of the merchantman).</p> - -<p>The night before the <i>Wolf</i> mined Singapore harbour we had a narrow -escape from being discovered. At 11:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, just as I -was dozing off to sleep on my bed on the floor, I heard the call -to stations and sprang up to see what it was all about. I looked -out-of-doors and saw the two ship's surgeons passing aft, both with -their first aid kits strapped to their waists. Slipping to the rail I -saw that all four cannon were swung into position, clear for battle, -and I could also see that both of the <i>Wolf's</i> torpedo tubes were -protruding over the side. Just on the port bow was a small cruiser or -battleship. From where I stood I could see her funnels and two masts, -also the outline of her hull. She was travelling without lights, the -same as we were.</p> - -<p>I slipped back into my room, closed the door and switched on the light. -I dressed my little girl while my wife got into her clothes. This did -not take long as we always slept with our clothes in such a position -that we could get into our "emergency outfit" in short order. Every -moment while dressing I expected to hear and feel the crash of the -<i>Wolf's</i> guns, but fortunately the other fellow didn't see us, and in a -few minutes the signal was given to swing the guns in. The danger was -past, but there was a mighty nervous crew of men on board the <i>Wolf</i> -that night. On the other hand, it was perhaps just as well for the -Japanese cruiser that he did not spot us, because the minute he had -made any signal and given us any indication that he had seen us, the -<i>Wolf</i> would have launched both torpedos and given him a broadside, and -at that short range they could not have missed very well. Personally I -was satisfied the way things turned out, as I did not like my chances -of getting the family into a boat under the circumstances, neither -did I have any wish to be present when the actual firing began. While -counting my chances of getting the family safely into the boats, should -an engagement ensue, I thought of just how much chance the poor devils -down in the hell hole had of being saved. They would have been battened -down and probably would have gone down with the vessel, should she -have been sunk, without a fighting chance for their lives. Even if -the German crew had released them at the last moment, what chance did -they have of being saved? Under the most favourable circumstances the -<i>Wolf's</i> equipment of life-boats and rafts was probably sufficient for -only three hundred and fifty at the outside, and there was a total -of about seven hundred on board. It would be only natural for the -German crew to have the life-saving equipment themselves and our poor -chaps would have been left to drown, there being no articles of an -inflammable or floating description around her decks.</p> - -<p>On the wall of my room was a typewritten notice over Commander Nerger's -signature, stating that in event of the <i>Wolf's</i> engaging an enemy -a boat would be lowered and the women, children and medicos would -be placed in same, under my charge. This provided that there was -sufficient time and the weather conditions favourable. I could imagine -just about how many chances we had that there would be sufficient time -to execute this manœuvre. However, this sign served the very good -purpose of alleviating the women's anxieties to a certain extent. It -is quite possible that this was the only reason this notice was given -us. However, I am grateful for the part it played. The preceding was -the tensest crisis in the <i>Wolf's</i> fifteen months' history. Commander -Nerger sent down word to me afterwards that it was a Japanese -man-of-war, and to keep the news from my wife if possible.</p> - -<p>The next night, September 6th, the <i>Wolf</i>, which was primarily a -minelayer and not a raider, laid ninety-eight mines at a distance of -from seven and a half to ten miles off shore. The lights of Singapore -were plainly visible from the port-hole. On this occasion I was locked -in the room for about two hours, but it was not difficult to count the -"eggs" as they were being laid, for the mines came up out of No. 3 -hatch on an elevator and were conveyed aft to the "chute" on a small -rail car which had a flat wheel, and I could hear it going along the -deck "humpety-hump, humpety-hump." I estimated that it took about one -hour and forty minutes to lay these ninety-eight mines.</p> - -<p>From off Singapore we practically retraced our steps back through the -Java sea and entered the Indian Ocean on October 9th, passing between -the islands of Java and Canor. We then proceeded to the northward and -westward until we arrived on the trade route running from Colombo -to Delagoa Bay. Here <i>Wolf</i> cruised around slowly for a day or so, -crossing and recrossing the route at regular intervals. While lying -here waiting for the prey, the wireless man told me he could hear -several cruisers working their wireless and that there was one British -cruiser patrolling the Straits of Malacca, one at Bombay, two lying in -the harbour of Colombo—the <i>Venus</i> and the <i>Vulcan</i>, I believe—and -another at a naval station in the Mauritius Islands. All this time the -bird, <i>i.e.</i>, the <i>Wolf's</i> hydroplane, had been down below in the hole -undergoing general repairs from an accident she had had, which nearly -ended her activities and drowned both of the operators.</p> - -<p>Some two weeks previous, while she was rising from the water and at a -height of about sixty metres, something suddenly went wrong with the -balancing mechanism and the plane made a dive for the sea, which she -hit at a terrific speed; the back wings and the pontoons or boats were -completely demolished. The mechanic and the observing lieutenant were -catapulted into the sea and had much difficulty in swimming back to -the wreck, which had the appearance of a gigantic bird sitting on its -nose with its tail standing up in the air. It reminded me of an ostrich -with its head buried in the sand. The bonnet around the engine and -mechanic's seat, in all seaplanes of this description, is watertight, -so that in case of an accident of this kind the weight of the engine -will not cause it to sink. However, in this case, one of the struts -supporting the pontoons had caused this watertight bonnet to leak -and, although both operators baled for dear life, the water gained on -them steadily. When the rescuing launch finally arrived alongside the -machine it was just on the verge of sinking. The crew of the launch -tied the machine to the launch with ropes in such a manner that it -could not sink and the whole outfit was hoisted on board the <i>Wolf</i>. -All six cylinders of the engine were cracked and the "bird" appeared a -total wreck. However, the "aeroplane" squad set to work and repaired -the planes and put spare cylinders on the engine; and in a few days -she was ready for duty again. The crew of the plane apparently were -none the worse for their mishap.</p> - -<p>One day one of the officers told me that probably in a few days they -would pick up a nice fat steamer with plenty of food on board. On the -morning of October 26th, immediately after breakfast, I noticed that -they were getting the "bird" on deck and assembling it. I asked one of -the officers whether there was "something doing" and he said: "If we -have any luck after lunch we shall have fresh meat for supper." About -11 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> the "bird" was finished and the engine warmed up. -Suddenly somebody shouted, and everybody got his binoculars and looked -astern of us, and, sure enough, a faint outline of smoke could be seen -on the horizon. The hydroplane went up and in half an hour came back -and reported a large steamer approaching. Commander Nerger shaped his -course so as to meet this steamer but still give him the impression -that we were en route from the Cape to Colombo. At 3:05 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> -the steamer was right abreast, She was a fine big Class A Japanese -passenger steamer, deeply loaded, and I could see passengers on her -saloon deck. At 3:07 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> the <i>Wolf</i> broke out the Imperial -Navy flag and signalled for the <i>Hitachi Maru</i> to stop and not use her -wireless, also dropped a shot across the <i>Hitachi's</i> bow. When the -<i>Hitachi</i> failed to stop, the <i>Wolf</i> fired another shot closer to her -bow.</p> - -<p>The Jap concluded to run for it and started in to work his wireless, -also swung his ship into such a position as to bring his gun for -submarine defence, 4.7 quick firer, into action. Meantime the <i>Wolf</i> -had opened fire on her in deadly earnest. One six-inch shell from the -after gun struck the <i>Hitachi</i> and exploded just under her gun where -the gun crew was working, killing six Japs and blowing the balance -into the water. I saw one Jap in particular hoisted high into the air -above the smoke of the explosion, and he was spinning around like -a pin-wheel. Another shot from the after gun put the gun on the -<i>Hitachi</i> out of commission altogether, and killed another man. In the -meantime from forward the <i>Wolf</i> had succeeded in putting a 4.5 shell -through the wireless room, where the operator was working. This shell -came through one side of the room, passed between the operator and his -"set," cutting one of his aerial leads in two, and passed out through -the opposite side of the room, decapitating a man standing outside. -This shell eventually hit a ventilator shaft, ripped it to pieces and -knocked a man down in the engine room so hard that he afterwards died -of internal injuries. There were several more hits, one on the water -line in No. 4 hatch, two more in the stern, and one in the wheelhouse -on the bridge. About this time the flying machine came along and tried -to drop a bomb on deck forward but missed, the bomb exploding when it -hit the water just ahead.</p> - -<p>The cannonading, while it lasted, was very severe, there being -something over forty shots fired in as short a time as possible. Of -these shots only nine were direct hits. I must add that the first -possible twenty of these shots were directed in such a manner as to -hit (if they did) the vessel in such a position as not to sink or -permanently disable her; but towards the last, when it became evident -that the Jap was trying to make her getaway, the shooting was in deadly -earnest. Several broadsides were fired, which I think did more damage -to the <i>Wolf</i> than to the <i>Hitachi Maru</i>, as the air concussion stove -in the doors and glass ports on all the staterooms on the berth deck. -In several of the rooms the wash basins and plumbing were broken. I -was standing in my open doorway with one foot on the threshold in -such a manner that half of my foot protruded outside the line of the -wall. When the first broadside was fired the concussion or rush of -air passing my doorway, hit the part of my foot outside the door, -feeling just exactly as if somebody had kicked it away or hit it with -a baseball bat. Something went wrong with the six-inch gun mounted on -the stern of the <i>Wolf</i> and a shell exploded a few yards away from the -muzzle, putting the gun crew and gun out of commission for the balance -of the voyage.</p> - -<p>The prisoners who were confined directly below this gun said that the -shock and concussion down below was dreadful during the firing, and -that when the shell exploded they thought the <i>Wolf</i> had been hit. At -this time they did not know but that the <i>Wolf</i> had met a cruiser and -many thought they were about to be drowned, especially when suddenly -all firing ceased; they thought that the <i>Wolf</i> had been vitally hit -and that the Germans had scuttled her and were abandoning her. Many of -these men will remember this experience for the balance of their lives.</p> - -<p>By this time the Japanese captain had decided that he did not have a -chance, and stopped his vessel, while the <i>Wolf</i> sent the prize crew -on board. In the meantime the passengers and crew had managed to get -clear in the life-boats, which were picked up. The people were taken -on board the <i>Wolf</i>. There were some 70 odd passengers, 1st and 2nd -class, among them 6 women and one little black girl. They were a sorry -looking sight as they climbed on board the <i>Wolf</i>; many of them were -only half dressed, being just awakened from their afternoon nap by the -cannonading. Over a hundred of the Japanese crew came along with the -passengers. The <i>Wolf</i> could not accommodate such a large addition of -prisoners without making new quarters for them, so they had to live and -sleep on deck for the first three days, when they were transferred back -to the <i>Hitachi</i>. The <i>Hitachi</i> had altogether 16 killed or mortally -wounded. The <i>Wolf</i> incidentally lost its fresh meat for supper, -because one shell had wrecked the refrigerator plant and spoiled all -the fowl and fresh meat.</p> - -<p>One of the passengers on the <i>Hitachi Maru</i>, an American chap hailing -from Chicago, told me his experience.</p> - -<p>When the <i>Wolf</i> was first sighted he was in bed reading; someone told -him that they were going to pass a steamer, and he got up and dressed -and went on deck to watch her. There was speculation regarding her -nationality among those watching although none of them imagined her -anything but what she seemed—an ordinary tramp. When she dropped -her ports and fired across their bow, everybody for a moment was -dumbfounded.</p> - -<p>He ran into the cabin giving the alarm to those sleeping and secured -some valuable papers he had in his cabin. The Jap crew were in a panic -after seeing their gun crew killed, and many of them rushed the boats. -The first boat to be lowered was filled with members of the Japanese -crew, only one second class passenger being among them. On landing in -the water this boat was capsized; but the occupants were shortly picked -up by a boat, also manned by Japs.</p> - -<p>The first boat to be launched with passengers in it was handled -entirely by the white passengers. In this boat were four women and -twenty-eight men; on being lowered the davit fall on one end fouled; -and it looked very much as if everybody were going to slide out, as -the boat was nearly perpendicular. Fortunately for all concerned, -the fouled davit fall broke, and the boat dropped into the water. A -lot of water was shipped but the boat floated right side up. The men -immediately pulled away from the vicinity of the vessel. It was the -firm belief of the occupants of this boat that they were to be shelled -later on by the Raider.</p> - -<p>One of the lady passengers during the excitement lost a lot of jewels. -Some days later a German sailor clearing out one of the life-boats -found these jewels. He came down the deck to where there were several -of the passengers standing and asked: "Does anybody belong to these -things?" He held out for their inspection a handful of diamonds, -rubies, pearls and other valuable articles. Needless to say, he had no -difficulty in finding an owner. This sailor earned 18 marks per month -and the value of the find was in the neighbourhood of ten thousand -dollars. I wonder how many men, under the circumstances, would have -returned these jewels.</p> - -<p>The <i>Wolf</i> and the <i>Hitachi</i> now steamed to the southernmost group of -the Maldive Islands, arriving there on September 27th. The vessels tied -up alongside of each other and coal and cargo were transferred from the -<i>Hitachi</i> to the <i>Wolf</i>. The cargo of the <i>Hitachi Maru</i> was valued at -over a million and a half pounds sterling, chiefly copper, tin, rubber, -thousands of tons of silk, tea and hides. It always seemed uncanny to -me that these "deep-sea vultures" seemed to be able to capture a vessel -loaded with any particular kind of cargo they wanted. About a month -before this capture, I heard the officers talking among themselves and -one of them remarked, "Now the next ship we get should be loaded with -copper and rubber and tin." Sure enough the <i>Hitachi</i> had what they -wanted.</p> - -<p>It seemed a pity to me to see the thousands of bales of silk goods, -ladies' blouses and silk kimonos being dumped from one hold to another -and trampled on. When the <i>Hitachi</i> was finally sunk there were a -couple of thousand tons of expensive Japanese lingerie and other -ladies' wear and miscellaneous department store merchandise sunk with -her. The mermaids must have had "some" bargain sale.</p> - -<p>It was the intention of Nerger to pick up, if possible, a vessel -that could furnish him with enough coal to take both the <i>Hitachi</i> -and <i>Wolf</i> back to Germany. At this time there was a lot of talk -about landing us on one of the islands where there were missionaries. -However, none of us took any stock in this "landing talk," as it was -too apparent what their intentions were.</p> - -<p>It was here that the married folks with their wives along, sent a -written petition to the Commander of the <i>Wolf</i>, begging to be given -one of the <i>Hitachi</i> life-boats and a supply of provisions, so that -on the eve of the <i>Wolf's</i> departure for parts unknown, we could make -our way to one of these islands and there await the arrival of some -trading schooner to take us to civilisation again. Nerger sent word -back that he could not do that, and repeated the same old "bull" about -landing us in some safe place, some time. Lord, he must have thought we -were a bunch of "gillies" to believe that guff.</p> - -<p>On October 1st we were transferred from the <i>Wolf</i> to the <i>Hitachi</i> -along with all the rest of the "top side" prisoners. Our quarters on -the <i>Hitachi</i> were splendid. We fell heir to the bridal suite. It -seemed mighty good to sit down at a regular table with a white cloth -and napkins again. I shall never forget my feelings as we sat there -for the first meal, waiting for the whitecoated Jap waiter to bring -on the food. I could feel myself getting up from the table with that -satisfied, contented feeling amidships. Soon the waiter came and set -before us each a plate containing two ordinary soda crackers or ships' -biscuits, with a poor lonely god-forsaken sardine stranded on the -top. This, and a cup of the regulation "near" coffee comprised our -first evening meal on the <i>Hitachi Maru</i>. For the following morning's -breakfast we had porridge with kerosene spilt on it. Absolutely -uneatable. For dinner, rotten meat with good potatoes, water—or soda -water, if you had money to buy it with—and in the evening canned crab -and crackers. In the meantime our commander, Lieutenant Rose, was -having a banquet in his room with his brother officers on the <i>Wolf</i>.</p> - -<p>On the <i>Hitachi</i> it was noticed that Rose very seldom made his -appearance in the dining room at mealtimes. Quite frequently at -meals one of the Australian passengers who belonged to Lieut. Rose's -bridge-playing clique, would send a card up to his room asking if it -were not possible to have an extra slice of bread or a cracker. The -answer would come back: "Sure, boys, just ask the steward." But on -asking the Jap steward he would only smile and say: "Velly sorry, but -Captain write his name each day on paper that speaks how much you -eat." This was the fact, as I have seen the paper.</p> - -<p>The German chief engineer and chief mate used to eat at the same table -as we did, and used to complain of the food as being inadequate; and -one night the chief engineer took the matter up with Rose and told -him a few truths. Rose said that it was "too bad," that he did not -know anything about it before but now he would straighten it up. The -engineer told Rose that if he cut out a lot of his private champagne -suppers and looked into what the rest of us were getting it would not -be necessary to make these complaints.</p> - -<p>This is a condition that could not exist on the <i>Wolf</i> because there -we were under the charge of a gentleman and an officer and we got -square treatment, but on the <i>Hitachi</i> and later on the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> -we were under a sub-lieutenant, a snob and a man who did not know the -meaning of the word gentleman. In my opinion it is this class of "under -officer" that gives the Germans the unenviable reputation that they -have.</p> - -<p>My wife at this time was convalescing rapidly and regaining her -strength; and it was of the utmost importance that she be provided -with sufficient food. Luckily I was able to purchase from one of the -stewards a couple of large cans of biscuits, some preserved ginger and -an occasional piece of cheese. This helped out a whole lot, although -even at that she was under-nourished. Little Juanita did not fare so -badly as she was given as much as her elders, and being only a child -did not require so much as they.</p> - -<p>At this time it was possible to purchase stout on the <i>Hitachi</i>, which -was a Godsend to us. A few days after coming on board, when ordering -stout, I was told that it had all gone. On making inquiries afterwards -I found out that Lieut. Rose had stopped its sale and was reserving it -along with all the beer and wine for his own use, and for the use of -his particular friends, who were all able-bodied persons. There were -three women, in addition to my wife, who actually needed something of -this description.</p> - -<p>The Jap stewards on board were being paid their regular wages by the -German Government, but as their Captain was a prisoner on board the -<i>Wolf</i>, and they were away from his authority, they paid absolutely no -heed to any of the prisoners' needs, merely contenting themselves with -keeping the Lieutenant well supplied with booze and anything else he -wanted. Afterwards Rose told me that the service of the Japs on the -<i>Hitachi</i> was splendid. I told him that it was rotten and told him -why; Rose merely pulled that Prussian smile of his and said: "What do -you expect? You're not first class passengers, you know." To this I -agreed and told him all I wanted was an even break with the rest of -the prisoners, or "ex-passengers," as he used to call us. There were -some sixty of us occupying the first class cabins, among whom were -many of the original passengers of the <i>Hitachi</i>. We were, with one -or two exceptions, all young people, and despite the short rations -we had and the rough experience we'd undergone, we managed to have -some very enjoyable times, playing deck billiards, quoits, cricket -and various card games. In the dining saloon was a piano. Some of the -Australian chaps were great mimics and had good voices, so we had some -very enjoyable evenings. The last night we were on the <i>Hitachi</i>, in -particular, the Japs came to life and were almost human. One of them -unlocked a large closet that was filled with masks, costumes, false -beards, hair, etc., which were used for amateur theatricals. We all -dressed up as various characters, and we had a regular variety show. -Among the offerings were clog dancing, sword dancing, highland fling, -the good old cake walk, and the Texas Tommy. The last number was what -we called the "Hitachi Rag" and was danced by everybody. It consisted -of the regulation "rag" varied by every conceivable step, including -high and lofty tumbling. All during the performance the German sailors -on the <i>Hitachi</i> were peering in through the portholes and lining the -alley ways and steps, enjoying the show almost as much as the rest -of us. But this "Hitachi Rag" was more than the disciplined Teutons -could stand. First two of them tried it, and in a few minutes all the -Germans were dancing. The news spread to the <i>Wolf</i> and there was a -general stampede of Teuton guards and sailors, in our direction. For -a few minutes we had full charge of the ship, as the Teutons wouldn't -stop when their petty officers called them. Shortly afterwards the -Chief Officer appeared and made us all stop, saying that it was -the Commander's orders, and that we were "stopping the work of the -ship"—to say nothing of undermining German discipline.</p> - -<p>On the <i>Hitachi</i>, many of us lost things out of our rooms, such as -razors, a camera, combs and various toilet articles and articles of -clothing. One day, one of the British chaps caught a Jap steward in his -room using his safety razor. As this particular Jap had pimples and -sores all over his face, the British ally and owner of the razor was -very hostile. I asked him what he was going to do about it. "I shall -report the bally rotter to the management," the Briton replied. Not -being used to such violent outbursts of emotion I beat it.</p> - -<p>All the time that we were lying here among the Maldive Islands, 12 days -in all, transferring cargo, the flying machine made regular observation -trips twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. On -three different occasions it reported seeing steamers passing not more -than 50 or 60 miles off, and once it reported seeing a fast cruiser, -probably British, travelling along at full speed. This island where we -were lying was only 50 or 60 miles off the regular trade route and I -had hopes that some patrolling vessel would blunder on to us, but no -such luck; although one night our hopes were raised to a great height.</p> - -<p>Just shortly after sunset, my wife imagined that she saw something on -the Western horizon. I got my glasses and concealing myself so that -I could not be discovered I had a look. I, too, could see something, -but at that time could not make it out; although in another ten -minutes I had another look and sure enough it was bigger and plainer. -Shortly after, it was discovered by the Germans, and an alarm sounded. -Everybody was thrown into great excitement, and the lines tying the -<i>Wolf</i> and the <i>Hitachi</i> together were let go. All of us prisoners ran -to our rooms and got our "emergency kits" ready.</p> - -<p>Just across the hall from our "Bridal suite" there was tremendous -confusion. A corpulent British technical mining expert was rushing -about his room in a perfect frenzy, looking for a heavy blue sweater he -had carefully hung on a peg against just such an emergency as this;—of -course, manlike, he blamed his wife for having mislaid it (my wife -contributes this slam gratis.) However, after a few minutes' search, -one of them discovered that the sweater was just where it belonged—on -the man's back. I met "Father" Cross,—a veritable giant of a man and -the greatest authority on Chinese dialects in the country,—shouting in -a great, roaring voice: "Bar steward! Bar steward! bring me a bottle of -whiskey, quick!" I could hear him mumbling: "You don't get <i>me</i> into a -life-boat without a bottle of something to keep me warm." This same man -lost his trousers while climbing out of the life-boat onto the <i>Wolf</i> -when the <i>Hitachi</i> was first captured. Somebody sent him a package a -few days afterwards containing an old pair of suspenders, and I think -that "Father" would have murdered the sender if he could have found -out who it was. I have often regretted that the sender did not enclose -Lieut. Rose's calling card.</p> - -<p>Just about the time I reached the deck there was an order given from -the bridge of the <i>Wolf</i> in a very disgusted voice, which was shortly -followed by a very choice assortment of cuss words, some of which were -in English. I looked to the Westward and saw that our rescuing cruiser -was only a cloud, and at that time was about five degrees up from the -horizon. Later on I kidded some of the German Officers about it, and -they each passed the blame on to somebody else; but just as this cloud -had fooled me it had fooled them as well. "Father" Cross, however, -averred that he knew what it was all the time, and that it was only a -"sandy" on his part to get an extra bottle of whiskey.</p> - -<p>On October 7th both ships sailed from the Maldive Islands, the <i>Wolf</i> -going in search of a vessel loaded with coal, so that both <i>Wolf</i> and -<i>Hitachi</i> could fill their bunkers with coal which would enable them -to get "home" to Germany. We on the <i>Hitachi</i> loafed along at a slow -speed in a southwesterly direction, meeting the <i>Wolf</i> again on the -19th, when we both steamed to the Chagos Archipelago, arriving there on -October 20th, when we both tied up together and dropped anchor. During -this time the <i>Wolf</i> had not been able to pick up a vessel, but the -"bird" came back one day from an observation trip and reported a large -steamer some 180 miles distant; later in the day she again went up and -reported this steamer to be a big B.B. Liner of about 16,000 tons, and -that she was equipped with 4 or 5 big guns. Needless to say, the <i>Wolf</i> -wasn't looking for anything that could bite back, so the Commander -decided to pass her up, and, returning to the Chagos group, take the -balance of the <i>Hitachi's</i> coal and provisions on board the <i>Wolf</i> and -sink the <i>Hitachi</i>, relying on getting another steamer in the Atlantic -to furnish him with enough coal to complete his voyage.</p> - -<p>It was during this cruise that Mr. Johnson, Second Officer on my -vessel, died on board the <i>Wolf</i> from heart trouble (so they reported -to me). The Germans gave him a burial at sea with full naval honours, -Capt. Oleson, of the American schooner <i>Encore</i>, reading the burial -service, the Commander and his officers standing by in full dress -uniforms. The corpse was covered with an American flag and launched -overboard from under the muzzle of one of the cannon.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/burial.jpg" alt="burial" /> -<a id="burial" name="burial"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">THE BURIAL OF A. JOHNSON, SECOND OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN BARK "BELUGA," -WHO DIED ON THE "WOLF".</p> - -<p>Before shifting all the prisoners from the <i>Hitachi</i> to the <i>Wolf</i>, -some arrangement for accommodation had to be made. The Germans cleaned -out and fitted up No. 3 hold between decks for the ex-passengers of the -<i>Hitachi</i> and also for the Japanese crew, a total of 170 odd persons. -Iron berths were taken from the <i>Hitachi</i> along with washstands and -other furnishings; and one corner of this "Glory Hole" was set aside -for the whites and the fittings installed there. The Japs had wooden -bunks built in the opposite corner for them, and rough wooden tables -were knocked together for all hands to eat from and to play cards on. -Also one of the pianos from the <i>Hitachi</i> was installed there—to the -best of my knowledge this piano was never played, and my chief mate, -Mr. Buckard, who was quartered there, used the top of the piano to keep -his clothes in, while the cover of the keyboard was used as a kind of -mantelpiece or shelf by all hands.</p> - -<p>The whole place below was lighted by three clusters of electric light, -at night, and three fans were installed and the whole given a coating -of white paint. The ventilation down below was very poor, and it was -tough on the white men being forced to breathe this air as it was full -of all kinds of oriental odours, and no doubt also oriental germs. A -couple of armed sentinels were on guard below, continually, and also -four on deck in the immediate vicinity of the hatch, at such times -when the German crew were not at their almost continual gun drill -and practice; at which times all hands were chased below, as also on -the appearance of any vessel. The greatest hardship these men had to -contend with was the lack of drinking water, as there seemed to be an -unequal division of it between the Japs and the whites, with the latter -getting the worst of it.</p> - -<p>Immense quantities of iron piping and pipe fittings were taken from the -<i>Hitachi</i> to be used later in fitting the prisoners' quarters under the -poop and in No. 3 hatch, with heaters against the cold weather that -was to be encountered before they finally reached Germany.</p> - -<p>Auction bridge, poker and a German game called "Mussel" were the -favourite card games and the stakes were very small; one pfennig ante -and five pf. limit. Considering that it takes 100 pfennigs to make 25 -cents, nobody won or lost a fortune, although on several occasions -diplomatic relations were temporarily severed between some of the -players. It was laughable, for instance, to hear an Australian chap -named McEnally, who is very well off, owning plantations and big -manufacturing concerns, squabbling over who would shy a penny in the -pot. Taking it all in all, these men, amongst whom were some splendid -fellows, adapted themselves to conditions as only the Britisher and the -American can.</p> - - - - - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>PART THREE</h2> - -<p class="center">BOUND FOR GERMANY—THE RESCUE</p> - - -<p>On November 7th, the transfer of cargo being complete, and everything -movable or floatable on the <i>Hitachi</i> being secured so that it would -not float off when she sunk and leave any trace to make a passing -steamer suspicious, we steamed out well clear of the Chagos Islands and -at 1:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> the <i>Hitachi Maru</i> was bombed. She sank in 29 -minutes.</p> - -<p>We on the <i>Wolf</i> were quite close to the <i>Hitachi Maru</i> and could see -everything very clearly. First the "bombing squad" were very busy -placing their bombs: two amidships and one each in No. 1 hatch forward -and No. 2 hatch, aft. The fuses from these bombs were all led on to -the deck and brought to one centre. After everything was in readiness -and all of the men, excepting the Mine Lieutenant, were in the launch, -the Lieutenant lighted the fuse and ran for the boat. Usually the -fuses are set for 12 minutes, which gives the launch ample time to get -away. We all stood there gazing intently at the steamer, expecting -every minute to see the explosion. The twelve minutes' wait in a case -of this kind seems nearer half an hour. Suddenly there was a dull boom -sound, and the water was convulsed, and smoke from the burnt powder -appeared. And that was all, as the explosions all take place below the -water line. The vessel sinks very rapidly at first, and in the case of -the <i>Hitachi Maru</i>, the vessel settled evenly; that is, she went by -neither head nor stern. Soon the water was nearly even with the rail, -and the <i>Hitachi's</i> bow sank a little faster by the head. Pretty soon -the waves were breaking on deck, and every moment might be the last; -but still she hung on as if fighting for her very life. Suddenly a -shudder seemed to pass over her, caused by the bursting of a bulkhead; -her head disappeared below the wave, she hung there an instant and then -her stern rose high out of the water; she made her final dive ... and -the <i>Hitachi Maru</i>, 1st class Japanese passenger steamer, ceased to be.</p> - -<p>There were a great many satisfied Ah, Ahs from the German crew as she -disappeared, and a general feeling of satisfaction among them. For -myself, I am afraid there was a tear in my eye, and all that I can wish -these destroyers of good honest ships is that may they sometime think -of how they smiled as they sank these ships, when they are standing -around with empty bellies waiting for a chance to earn a living as -sailors. I can understand a landsman sinking a ship and thinking it a -joke, but a sailor, to my mind, should feel sad at seeing the end of an -honest vessel, may she belong to friend or enemy.</p> - -<p>I know one German officer who told me that, when the <i>Wolf</i> returned to -Germany, he would never go in a raider again; that he made his living -going to sea and could not stand seeing ships sunk.</p> - -<p>From the Chagos Islands we steamed toward the Cape of Good Hope, and -on November 10th, at 6:30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, <i>Wolf</i> captured the Spanish -steamer <i>Igotz Mendi</i> with a cargo of coal from Delagoa Bay to Colombo -for the British Government. This was a very tame capture, the captain -stopping as soon as he was signalled, thinking possibly that he was -immune because he was neutral. No such luck. Lieutenant Rose and his -prize crew went on board and took command, all the Spaniards staying on -board. The first official act of Rose was to order Captain Uralda to -vacate his room so that he, Rose, could use it. Captain Uralda answered -temperamentally by throwing an inkstand at Rose. Unfortunately Capt. -Uralda is no Christie Mathewson and the first one was a ball. However, -the Spanish Captain gave up his room. Both vessels now returned to the -Chagos group and tied up together.</p> - -<p>There was weeping and wailing on the <i>Wolf</i> that they did not hang on -to the <i>Hitachi Maru</i> for a few more days. If they had, and the <i>Wolf</i> -had captured <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, all three of us would have gone to Germany -and the Imperial Government would very probably have been richer by -many thousands of marks worth of valuable cargo that was sunk with the -<i>Hitachi</i>.</p> - -<p>The Germans transferred some two thousand tons of coal from the <i>Igotz -Mendi</i> to the <i>Wolf</i> at this time. On November 12th, the two Australian -medical officers and the major's wife, a British Professor from Siam -and his wife, "Father" Cross—an eminent British barrister from -Singapore—and his wife, the technical mining man and his wife, one -Chinese woman and husband, one Mauritian woman and a little black girl, -and two male invalids were suddenly ordered on board the <i>Igotz</i> just -as they stood. There was lots of excitement, as the <i>Wolf</i> had picked -up a wireless message from a cruiser which was within 30 miles of us, -but which unfortunately kept right on going. A couple of German sailors -dumped everything in our room on the <i>Wolf</i> into a couple of bed sheets -and dumped them down on the deck of the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> for us.</p> - -<p>Our quarters here on the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> were fairly good, especially -in warm weather, but later on in the cold regions they were far -from livable. "Father" Cross, the Colonel and the two sick men were -quartered aft under the poop in a room that had formerly been a -boatswain locker; the rest of us were housed amidships in what was -before the Spanish officers' quarters. The Spanish deck officers -doubled up with the Engine room squad, thereby leaving their rooms -vacant for us to occupy.</p> - -<p>I wish to add here that at the time of the transfer of the prisoners -from the S.S. <i>Metunga</i> to the <i>Wolf</i>, Mrs. X, steward of the -<i>Metunga</i>, was quartered on the top deck with the rest of the -womenfolks. Mrs. X was an Australian woman of middle age and the widow -of a Chief Engineer in the same company that owned the <i>Metunga</i>. After -her transfer to the <i>Wolf</i>, she was ordered by the German officers -to take care of the ladies' quarters. On account of the overbearing -and insolent manners of some of her fellow shipmates, she refused -duty, stating that she was a British subject and a prisoner of war and -entitled to the same treatment as the rest of the women prisoners. In -this she was perfectly justified and I am certain it was through Lieut. -Rose's influence that this demand of her services was made, as Rose was -very partial to one of these ex-passengers. Later on when transferred -to the <i>Hitachi Maru</i> Mrs. X was quartered aft in the second class, -she being the only white woman there; and things were made generally -disagreeable for her. This no doubt was because she was brave enough to -show her independence and stand up for her right.</p> - -<p>When we were transferred from the <i>Wolf</i> to the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> she asked -to be kept on the <i>Wolf</i>, rather than go on the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> under the -charge of Rose, stating that she would rather take the chances with the -rest of them on the <i>Wolf</i> than be treated as she felt she would be on -the <i>Igotz Mendi</i>.</p> - -<p>This permission was granted her; but, a few days later on, she was -transferred to the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> against her will, and quartered in the -same room as the coloured people, among whom was one male.</p> - -<p>Many of us were highly incensed because of this treatment of a white -woman, but were powerless to do anything with Rose in the matter -although we tried to make her lot as bearable as possible. Later on -this woman took sick owing to the dampness of her quarters and my wife -nursed her for three weeks until she finally recovered.</p> - -<p>The <i>Igotz Mendi</i> was a product of war-times, being built in 1916, -and built in the cheapest possible manner, both in hull, equipment -and accommodations. In her saloon, ten of us could sit down fairly -comfortably in good weather, but when the vessel was rolling as nearly -always was the case, only eight could sit down at the table, as the -chairs at the ends were not stationary. We were waited upon by a -steward named "Manuel." Manuel was quite a character and had his own -ideas about how much a man should have a day for two pesetas. One day -we were talking together, and he said that he shipped to take care -of three men only and now he had twenty-two, among whom were four -women, any one of whom (the women) were more trouble than the original -three men he had shipped to serve. I think Manuel had the largest -thumb I have ever seen. When he brought in my plate of alleged soup -the plate would be brimming full; on setting it down and withdrawing -his thumb the plate would be only half full. This thumb would have -been a valuable asset to some Yankee boarding house mistress in the -States. Later on Manuel took a violent dislike to some of our party and -used to spill the "coffee" or soup on them. This he did with malice -aforethought and I don't know that I blamed him much, as some of our -party imagined they were first class passengers on a modern liner with -servants to supply their every whim.</p> - -<p>On November 15th both steamers left the Chagos Islands, the <i>Igotz -Mendi</i> going at slow speed to a point 300 miles south of the Cape of -Good Hope, and the <i>Wolf</i> followed the regular sailing vessel route, -where on November 18th she captured and sank the American bark <i>William -Kirby</i> of New York, Captain Blum commanding. The <i>Kirby</i> was en route -from New York to Port Elizabeth with a general cargo, the major part of -which was automobiles destined for the African Christmas market. After -transferring the crew, provisions, and what food stuffs were handily -got at, the bomb gang got in their work and at 5:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> on -November 18th the <i>Kirby</i> made her final bow.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/bark.jpg" alt="bark" /> -<a id="bark" name="bark"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">LAST OF THE AMERICAN BARK "WILLIAM KIRBY." 1200 GROSS TONS. CAPTAIN -BLUM. CAPTURED NOVEMBER 15TH, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY MILES S.E. OF -PORT ELIZABETH.</p> - -<p>On December 6th we met the <i>Wolf</i> again for a short time, exchanged -signals, and received a further supply of canned crab, the <i>Wolf</i> -having an inexhaustible supply which she had got from the <i>Hitachi</i>. -We had so much crab that the very sight of a can of it was nauseating. -I feel sure that should a waiter in a restaurant ever suggest crab to -any of the ex-prisoners on the <i>Wolf</i>, he would have a very unpleasant -time of it. During the night of the 6th, the <i>Wolf</i> left us, taking -a more northerly route than we. At this time, Lieutenant Rose had -told the Spanish ex-Captain that we were en route to Trinidad Island, -Brazil, where <i>Wolf</i> would get what additional coal she required, -and then we, the <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, should, after waiting 10 days at the -island, proceed to Spain. This, of course, made us feel very happy and -I know that the Cameron family were overjoyed with the prospects of -getting safely landed after such a long time. Many of us took up the -study of the Spanish language, and some very queer conversations were -carried on. When I tried to talk Spanish, I would usually get stuck for -a Spanish word and put in a German one; then if I couldn't think of the -German word, would use English, the result was that neither a Spaniard -nor a German could understand me. Sometimes I couldn't figure it out -myself.</p> - -<p>We enjoyed fine weather and managed to keep alive on the food, which -was some task. When we got up from the table hungry, we would think of -Spain and freedom in a few short weeks, and forget all about how empty -we were. On December 18th the <i>Wolf</i> again picked us up; it seemed that -she could appear at will like some gigantic evil spirit. The <i>Wolf</i> -wig-wagged the information that on December 14th she met and sank the -French bark <i>Marechal Davoust</i>, bound from Australia to France with a -cargo of grain. This bark was equipped with wireless and had two guns -mounted on her, but offered no resistance to the <i>Wolf</i>. <i>Wolf</i> took -the crew, provisions, ships stores, the wireless, and also his two -cannon, off the Frenchman, later in the day sinking her by bombs.</p> - -<p>Both the <i>Wolf</i> and <i>Igotz Mendi</i> now proceeded together toward the -Island of Trinidad and expected to get there early on the morning -of December 20th. I had made arrangements with Lieutenant Rose so -that I could have a jolly boat in the morning and the wife and I go -fishing off the rocks on the lee side of the island, as this island -is celebrated for its good sea bass fishing. At 9:30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> -on the 19th, while pacing the deck with the wife before retiring, I -noticed that the <i>Wolf</i> suddenly changed her course to the Northward -and signalled us with her flash light. We immediately changed also, -and put on all available speed to the northward after the <i>Wolf</i>. Soon -the explanation came: there were two cruisers of the Brazilian Navy -anchored at Trinidad and the <i>Wolf</i> had picked up a wireless message -from one of them to the Brazilian authorities. Needless to say, it -didn't take Commander Nerger long to decide that he had business -elsewhere. If these confounded gossipy cruisers had not used their -wireless, in another few hours we should have run right into their -arms. On the other hand, if they had been lying in the harbour of some -big sea port as seems to be the custom with battle ships, and not -off Trinidad Island, we should probably have carried out the regular -schedule of freedom via Spain. Of the two, I should much have preferred -the Brazilian navy to rescue us, as then I should have been sure of -freedom, while on the other hand, I had only Rose's word that we would -proceed to Spain. There was a bitter gloom on our ship for a good while -after this; in fact the spirits of the prisoners never regained their -previous buoyancy. The great question now was "What next?" We could -see only Germany ahead of us, and that was not very encouraging. For -myself, I felt quite confident that we should never get through the -blockade and the mine fields. Captain Rose had often told us that in -the event of our meeting a cruiser, we would go into the boats and the -ship would be bombed and sunk. This was a very alluring proposition -for a family man to look forward to but was better than the conditions -on the <i>Wolf</i>, as there now were nearly 800 crew and prisoners on -the <i>Wolf</i>, while its life-boats and rafts under the most favourable -conditions could hold only 400, so it can easily be figured out just -how much chance our poor chaps had of getting into the boats, in the -event of the <i>Wolf's</i> meeting a superior enemy. Probably they would -be battened down below in the hold, and would be sent down to "Davey -Jones' Locker" with the <i>Wolf</i>. In our case on the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> we -were about thirty souls to a boat, and if the weather conditions were -favourable and we had a little luck, we should have been all right. The -women naturally lived in a continual dread of having to go into the -boats.</p> - -<p>We had all been looking forward to eating our Christmas dinner at the -island of Trinidad and were going to have a royal feed, as our German -"hosts" were going to kill a pig and a cow that were on board the -<i>Igotz Mendi</i> when captured. However, the Brazilian navy changed our -plans as to where our dinner was to be eaten; though we had "Sir Pig" -just the same. Owing to the sudden change of our plans (gaining freedom -via Spain) we all felt very blue on Christmas day, which was not the -enjoyable affair it would have been if everything had worked out as -expected. I know I had the blues all Christmas as I got thinking about -other Christmases spent under more enjoyable circumstances, which -thoughts naturally didn't make me feel any more cheerful. Lieutenant -Rose was around bright and early, wishing us all a merry Christmas -and "many happy returns" of the day. I intend next Christmas, if Rose -is still interned in Denmark, to write him a letter returning the -compliment, and then he can possibly appreciate the subtleties of a -joke of this nature. My wife wanted to stick a hat pin into him when he -came around with his "many happy returns of the day." The German crew, -too, appeared to be blue on Christmas.</p> - -<p>New Year's eve we all sat up to see the New Year in, and one or two -of us worked up enthusiasm enough to make a little noise, but the -situation was so depressing that we soon subsided. Not so our German -crew, however. They held high festival in the Engineer's mess, having a -bowl full of punch, whose chief recommendation was that its foundation -was "Aguadenti" and it had an awful kick. The Spanish Engineer, who -had a splendid voice, sang several songs, and the German sailors sang -patriotic songs. At about two o'clock on New Year's morning, some -one woke me up by shoving a bottle of wine through the port-hole for -me, and later on around three <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> another bottle made its -appearance. Some of the German sailor boys had imagined we were not -happy because we had no wine. The gifts were received in the spirit in -which they were sent. This was by no means the only act of kindness -shown my family and myself by the members of the crew. In fact, -throughout the trip, officers and crew, with the single exception of -Lieutenant Rose, were very friendly toward us. The American contingent -was decidedly popular, though they had no use for the rest. As an -illustration, on my birthday on January 25th several members of the -crew came and presented me with presents in the form of bottles of -wine, and even Rose came across with a box of cigars. Several of the -German crew had lived in America for many years; two had even taken out -their first papers. And all of these talked enthusiastically of going -back to America as soon as the war was over.</p> - -<p>I was very much interested in trying to find out just what the German -opinion was of America coming into the war. Lieut. Rose used to stick -his chest up in the air and say that the United States' coming in -wouldn't make any difference in the ultimate outcome of the war, and -that the only difference it would make was that the States would lose -a lot of men and money. Just the same, I am of the opinion that Rose -knew that America's coming in spelled the finish of Germania, though -of course he wouldn't admit it. One day at the table he said that the -"Star Spangled Banana," as he loved to call our flag, was only a joke -and that it looked like a gridiron to him. I made the remark that -possibly the stars and stripes would not prove the joke he imagined. -My retorts to sallies of this kind were very moderate, as I considered -I was in no position to argue the point with him, and didn't want to -lose any of my liberties. I was always afraid to start an argument -with him, as I am very hot-headed and knew that in the event of a row I -was sure to get the worst of it eventually. Rose used to laugh at the -American soldier, saying we were crazy to imagine that we could take -a man and make a soldier out of him in a year, that at best these men -would only be cannon fodder, that Germany had proved it takes three -years to make a soldier, also that our submarines were mere toys, and -that as for submarine defense, just as soon as we figured out some -Yankee patent to protect our ships, they (Germany) would invent some -other way to destroy them. Rose believed that the submarine would -eventually decide the war. It was pretty hard to sit at the same table -and hear an enemy slam the American government and not to be able to -"hit back" or even "argue" the point.</p> - -<p>On January 20th, in latitude 33 degrees north and longitude 40 degrees -west, we again met the <i>Wolf</i>, and, the weather being exceptionally -fine and the sea very smooth, the <i>Wolf</i> came alongside and we -transferred some 800 tons of coal to her. Each vessel's side was well -supplied with large fenders or bumpers made of large coils of rope, -so that when the vessels would bump together they would do as little -damage as possible. Even under these favourable circumstances, however, -the vessels rolled and tossed around a great deal, and occasionally -some very severe crashes were experienced; but Commander Nerger, -realizing how great was his need for coal, and knowing it might be -months before he would get as smooth sea again, held on and worked -every man available despite the heavy bumping that was damaging both -vessels. The gang of men on the <i>Wolf</i> trimming the coal in the bunkers -could not handle the coal as fast as the other gang brought it to them, -so, rather than delay the coaling, to save every minute, they dumped -the coal on deck; and when the vessels were forced to part owing to -the increasing swells, both guns and both torpedo tubes on the after -deck were covered with coal. If a cruiser had happened along at that -particular moment, the <i>Wolf's</i> after battery would have been out of -commission. However, these conditions did not continue long, as all -hands worked feverishly at the job until all the coal was under decks. -After the two vessels had parted, we took stock of damages and found -that several frames or ribs in the side of <i>Igotz Mendi</i> were broken, -that some plates on her side were badly stove in. These flattened or -stove-in places varied in size from six feet to forty feet in length. -Luckily all our damage was above water line, and the vessel leaked only -when rolling heavily, or when a big sea was running. The <i>Wolf</i> was -also damaged, having several frames broken and four plates cracked. She -was leaking eleven tons of water per hour, while we averaged about one -and one-half tons per hour.</p> - -<p>From this point the two vessels separated after arranging another and -final rendezvous at latitude 61 degrees north and longitude 33 degrees -west, a point some little distance southwest of Iceland. The weather -from now commenced to get colder and we with our impoverished blood and -scanty clothing commenced to feel the cold keenly.</p> - -<p>Then came another heartbreaking disappointment. Be it remembered that -our daily prayer and hope was that we would meet a cruiser before -we got into the extremely cold weather, where the suffering in the -life-boats would be intense.</p> - -<p>On January 24th the weather was very overcast, and drizzly, and -inclined to be squally—regular Channel weather. I was lying in my -bunk reading a four months' old newspaper printed in Africa, when at -about five bells (2.30 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>) my wife came to my door and -said: "Stan, there is a cruiser with four funnels just ahead of us." -I thought she was kidding, and said: "All right, Mamie, tell them to -reserve an outside room for me." I then looked at her and saw she was -white as a sheet. I jumped up, knowing immediately there was "something -doing." Just as I hit the floor, the Professor stuck his head in at the -door and said: "My God, Captain, a cruiser at last." I ran out on deck -and there just on the edge of a rain squall was what appeared to be a -four-funnelled cruiser. Just about this time the Spanish second mate, -who was on the bridge, discovered her, and a sailor ran into Lieutenant -Rose's room calling him to come to the deck. As soon as I looked -at the cruiser through my glasses, I saw that instead of being one -four-funnelled cruiser, it was two American army transports, both of -them heavily armed with what appeared to be big guns. There was great -confusion amongst the Germans, and in a few seconds two of them (armed) -chased us into our cabins in no uncertain manner. We altered our course -in such a manner as to pass under the stern of the two transports, and -they were less than a mile from us when they crossed our bow. They paid -absolutely no attention to us, and in a few minutes were swallowed up -in the fog and lost to sight. My God, you can't imagine how I felt -after hoping and praying and building on running across a cruiser, not -for days but for months, and when we at last did meet two of them, -they passed calmly on, not even signalling, nor asking who we were. It -was certainly disappointing. And then to have to sit at the same table -and see Rose sitting with that "Chessy" cat smile of smug complacency -on his ugly Prussian mug. Previous to this episode, he frequently made -remarks about the Stars and Stripes, and after this incident, he never -lost an opportunity to refer to it. Just the same the Germans were a -badly frightened bunch. The first thing they did on seeing the supposed -cruisers was to run to their quarters and put on their good clothes, -fully expecting to be the guests of the American government. The next -thing they thought of was their bombs, and the bomb man going to get -them, found that they were gone. Somebody had stolen them. Holy Poker, -wasn't there hell to pay! If words, looks or wishes could have killed -we would all have been crucified where we stood.</p> - -<p>This bomb episode, at this time, was as much a mystery to us prisoners -as it was to Lieutenant Rose. For some reason or other my fellow -prisoners must have thought that I was the guilty party, because every -time I would meet one of them on deck and start talking, he would -excuse himself, having pressing business elsewhere. They seemed to -be afraid that if they were seen talking to me that they would be -"accessories after the act" and liable to punishment. I was greatly -flattered to think that these people thought I was "hero" enough for a -job of this description, but nevertheless I could not help thinking of -how much assistance or co-operation I could have got from this crowd in -case I had undertaken something along these lines.</p> - -<p>The following day Lieutenant Rose held an investigation to find out -"who stole the bombs." We were all chased out of the dining room on to -the cold iron deck in a drizzling rain while this investigation was -being held behind closed doors. However, I had not been on board the -<i>Igotz Mendi</i> for this length of time without knowing my way about -and managed to get an "ear full." When the Spanish Chief Officer -was called, Rose asked him if he knew anything about the bombs. He -answered: "Yes, I threw them overboard. I'll tell why. It was not for -me, Captain Rose, but for the women and little children. I am not -afraid of you. You can shoot me if you want to, but you can't drown -the little children." Rose confined him to his room and the next time -we met the <i>Wolf</i> Commander Nerger sentenced him to three years' -imprisonment in a German military prison. I consider this a very brave -act of the Spaniard's and wish that I were in a position to show some -substantial appreciation of his humane heroism. After this incident -our guards were doubled and we were chased off the deck if anything -appeared on the horizon.</p> - -<p>One day the Spanish Chief Officer, Mr. ——, told me the details of -this episode. At the time of the cruiser alarm he was asleep in his -bunk and was wakened by the unusual amount of noise. As soon as he saw -the supposed cruisers he ran to the wireless room, under the bridge, -where the bombs were kept. This room had two doors, one on each side. -Luckily the side he entered on was the side towards which the wireless -operator, who was intently "listening in" for signals from the other -vessels, had his back turned to. —— reached under the table, secured -the bombs and went outside again, where he threw them into the sea. The -wireless operator never turned around, thinking that it was the "bomb -man" who had come after his bombs. —— reached the deck and back to -his room without being observed by any of the Germans. He said he owned -up to the stealing of the bombs so that nobody else would get into -trouble.</p> - -<p>A peculiarity of this case was that some time previous to this, -shortly after the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> was taken charge of by the Germans, -I had approached —— on the subject of trying, should a favourable -opportunity occur, to take charge of the vessel. I did not receive any -encouragement along these lines and was afraid to go into the matter -any further with him. I put it down as a case of cold feet.</p> - -<p>Mr. ——, an ex-second officer of a captured British steamer, who -was an invalid who had just come through three months' siege in -the hospital on the <i>Wolf</i>, and I, had gone into the details of an -enterprise of this kind, but unfortunately while this Britisher had -the heart of a lion, he was physically unfit for anything as strenuous -as this undertaking, and the matter was dropped, against his will, -although he would admit that he might keel over any time. If the -British army has many chaps like this in it, Kaiser Bill is surely -going to catch hell. It is my belief that at this particular time, -owing to certain conditions that existed, four good two handed men -could have taken charge of the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> and probably would not -have met with much resistance, except possibly from Lieutenant Rose, -and I am sure it would have been a pleasure to tap him on the head.</p> - -<p>The co-operation of the Spanish crew could not be depended on at -this time, as they believed that in a couple of weeks they were to be -free again, after coaling the <i>Wolf</i> at Trinidad Island.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/schooner.jpg" alt="schooner" /> -<a id="schooner" name="schooner"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">AMERICAN SCHOONER "WINSLOW" BEING TAKEN INTO SUNDAY ISLAND AFTER -CAPTURE BY THE SEAPLANE ON JUNE 7TH. IN THE BACKGROUND IS THE NEW -ZEALAND STEAMER "WIARUMA" GOING OUT TO SEA TO BE SUNK BY THE "WOLF".</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/schooner1.jpg" alt="schooner1" /> -<a id="schooner1" name="schooner1"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">THE BLOWING UP OF THE AMERICAN SCHOONER "WINSLOW." 566 GROSS TONS. -CAPT. TRUDGETT. SUNK JUNE 21ST OFF SUNDAY ISLAND BY FOUR BOMBS AND -THIRTY-NINE SHELLS.</p> - -<p>After the Trinidad Island disappointment, conditions were such that the -taking of the ship by any of us, even with the unreliable co-operation -of the Spanish crew, was not feasible.</p> - -<p>The weather now was intensely cold and we all suffered intensely, -as there was no heat of any kind in the cabins. Our bedding was -continually wet and garments taken off on going to bed would be sopping -wet in the morning from the "sweat" that gathered on the walls and -ceilings. Personally I beat this part of the game by taking my clothes -to bed with me. The food question, too, was getting serious, as owing -to the cold weather we required more food to keep our bodies warm. -The statement has been repeatedly made in the papers in Europe that -on the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> the prisoners had the same food as the German -Commander and crew. Let me show you how it was in reality. Eleven of -us sat down at the first table with Rose at the head. The one platter -started with him. He helped the party (a friend of his) on his right -first, himself next, and passed the plate to the party on his left. -This man was a glutton, and was without shame. These three people got -very nearly and sometimes fully half of the contents of the platter; -what was left was divided amongst the remaining eight, including five -males, two women, and a little six year old child. If we asked for -more, we were reminded that we were short of provisions and had to -make them last. If the platter of food had been equally divided, and -we had all shared alike, it would not have been so bad, but under -this heads-I-win-tails-you-lose division I have got up from the table -actually hungry. It is an awful sensation suddenly to realise that you -actually covet the food another person is eating.</p> - -<p>We continued in a northerly direction until February 5th, when we again -met the <i>Wolf</i>, and owing to the bomb incident, sixteen additional -Germans were sent on board with their side arms and clothing—but no -additional food was sent with them. We now had eighty-two souls on -board the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> all told. Lieutenant Wolf, division lieutenant -of the <i>Wolf</i>, was also sent on board to assist Rose. Lieutenant Wolf -took over the control of the food and the cook's department, and made -an honest effort to better things, which did improve somewhat, at least -to the extent that on bean meals we frequently got all we wanted; but -he was also the inventor of a weird concoction known as "Billposter's -paste" and for this last crime I will never forgive him. Otherwise he -was a decent and fair-minded officer. After his arrival, favouritism -was abolished and we all got a square deal.</p> - -<p>On February 6th the <i>Wolf</i> left us and was never seen again by any of -us. We then started to go around the northern end of Iceland, but met -ice and were forced back. We ran south for a couple of days and waited -around to see if the <i>Wolf</i> made it or not, and as she did not return, -we concluded she had either got through or passed to the southward -of Iceland, chancing the blockade. The cold here was very intense and -caused a lot of suffering amongst us. Helped by some of the German -sailors, I fixed a place in an empty bunker, where my wife, Nita and -myself practically lived, only going in the cabin for meals and to -sleep. Lieutenant Rose had canvas put up here for us and lights put in -so that I could lie there and read, and the wife could sit and sew. -Nita of course enjoyed the comparative warmth. The only drawback was -that the air was full of fine coal dust and gas from the fire room, and -we used to get frightfully dirty.</p> - -<p>On February 12th we again tried to get to the northward of Iceland, but -again met ice and had to return. Rose was forced to go to the southward -of Iceland, as he could not waste any more time, since the supply of -drinking water was getting very low.</p> - -<p>Now that we were about to actually enter the blockade zone, our hopes -commenced to rise. I heard nothing from my fellow prisoners for the -past six months but: "Just wait until they try to run the British -blockade." I heard this so often that I got to believe it and used to -figure the only chance the Germans had to get through was if it was -foggy weather, and then if he was lucky he might slip through.</p> - -<p>We ran the blockade between the Faroes and Iceland in fine clear -weather, and did not even see any smoke. So I commenced to think that -it was quite possible, it being winter, that the British weren't -paying much attention to this particular spot and were keeping cases -on the Norwegian Coast, especially in that district around the Naze -at the southern extremity of Norway. On the night of February 18th we -received a wireless from Berlin that the <i>Wolf</i> had arrived safely and -on February 19th we picked up the Norwegian Coast, some sixty miles -north of Bergen. From here we proceeded down the coast, bucking a heavy -head wind and sea, at about five knots per hour, passing inside the -light on the island outside Stavanger, and thence down the coast and -around the Naze. During this time it was fine and clear weather, and -a cruiser could have seen us at twenty miles distance easily; but the -only vessels we saw were a Stavanger pilot boat and a Danish passenger -vessel bound northward. We were a disgusted bunch and no mistake. For -myself, I was sore; I was afraid to speak to anybody. Here I had been -kidding myself and letting others kid me that when I got this far, -somebody would surely pick me up. And then to come down this coast in -beautiful clear weather and not even see anything resembling a patrol -boat was very disappointing to say the least.</p> - -<p>From here on all I could see ahead of me was the Gates of Germany and -the certainty of spending from one to five years a hungry prisoner in -a Teuton detention camp. I would have sold out cheap at this time, -believe me. By this time I had given up all hopes of getting free and -had reconciled myself to going to Germany.... If it had not been for -the family I would have jumped overboard and had a swim for neutral -land at some place when we passed fairly close.</p> - -<p>The following day while crossing from Norway to the northern end of -Denmark, Jutland, it set in foggy and Lieutenant Rose was strutting -around with a smile on his mug, saying: "Just the weather I want; -made to order; I am all right now." I didn't argue the point with -him, as I thought he was right. About 3.30 in the afternoon we picked -up a fog whistle ahead, of the character we call a "blatter" on the -Pacific Coast. I was standing on deck just under the bridge, talking -to Rose. I nodded my head toward the signal and asked him what it was, -and he said: "Oh, that is the lightship." I thought at the time it -was a peculiar character for a lightship, but dismissed the thought, -thinking, "different ships, different fashions."</p> - -<p>Rose had told the British Colonel that this signal was a German torpedo -boat with which he had arranged a meeting, and that the Colonel had -gone inside to tell the rest of the prisoner passengers, which would -give them all a scare. He also suggested that I should go inside and -tell them it was a U-boat, and that I recognised the sound of her -signal. I laughed, and told him I had made so many remarks regarding -the blockade that I was afraid to speak to them. Shortly after this I -went into my cabin and was standing looking out of the port-hole and -talking to my wife, when I noticed that we had altered our course, by -the bearing of the fog signal, and knew that Rose wanted to pass the -lightship close aboard. Suddenly I felt the vessel smell the bottom. I -looked at the wife and said: "Holy Poker! I thought I felt her smell -the bottom." No sooner had I said this than the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> ran slap -bang on the beach, about 350 yards off shore and less than half mile -away from the lighthouse.</p> - -<p>Rose's mistaking the lighthouse signal for the lightship's signal was a -lucky piece of business for us because I knew for an absolute certainty -when I felt the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> had taken the beach that it would require -the assistance of a powerful tug to get her off again. I guess we -all realised just how much this stranding meant to us, and the very -nearness of freedom kept everybody quiet and busy with his own thoughts -and plans. I know that for one I had decided to get over the side and -swim for it, provided the vessel should give any indications of getting -off the beach.</p> - -<p>Right after the stranding, the weather being foggy, we were allowed on -deck. One of the neutral sailors, a Dane named Jensen, identified the -spot where we were ashore and gave me the good news that the little -town of Skagen was only about two miles distant, and that one of the -best life-saving crews in Europe was stationed there. Sure enough, in -about an hour a life-boat drew up alongside. We were all chased inside -again. Rose invited the Captain of the life-boat on board, and took him -into the chart room just above the saloon for a drink and talk. Our -lady prisoners immediately commenced playing a game of "button, button, -who's got the button?" laughing and talking at the top of their voices, -so that this man on top of the saloon would know that there were women -on board. Also little Nita did a crying act that could be heard, I am -sure. Shortly Rose came down with a blank scowl on his face and said: -"You people can cut out the noise now, as the stranger has gone ashore."</p> - -<p>Somebody asked Rose why he didn't introduce us to his friend, and -Rose answered: "What do you think I am—a fool?" Nobody went on -record with an opinion, so the matter was dropped. In the meantime, -Lieutenant Wolf had gone ashore and had 'phoned from the lighthouse -at Scow Point, where we were ashore, to a salvage company in Skagen, -saying that we were a German merchant ship bound from Bergen, Norway, -to Kiel, and that we had run ashore in the fog; and that if a tug was -sent immediately we could be pulled off easily, but if we were allowed -to lie any length of time, the ship would bed herself in the sand and -it would mean a long delay in getting off. I understand he offered -25,000 kroner for the job; at any rate, the manager of the salvage -company ordered his largest tug, the <i>Viking</i>, around, but instructed -his captain not to put a line on board until the manager had gone down -overland and investigated a little. Lieutenant Wolf in the meantime -returned on board and reported to Rose, who was immensely tickled and -told us that about midnight a tug would arrive from "a nearby town" and -pull us into deep water, and that by four o'clock in the morning at the -latest we would be on our way to Germany once more.</p> - -<p>This news led to great consternation among us, and some great -arguments regarding neutrality laws were carried on. On all the trip -the Colonel had been quoting the Geneva convention, until we had all -concluded that this particular convention was held for the express -benefit of the medical officers of the army. I asked the Colonel if he -remembered anything in the Geneva convention regarding the grounding -of a belligerent's prize on neutral ground. He answered by saying that -clause so and so, paragraph so and so, expressly stated that all -medical officers should be exempt from ... at this point I butted in -and told him to "go to hell"; that there were women and children and -other prisoners on board as well as medical officers. All throughout -the trip this man had behaved like a dog in a manger, being the -quintessence of egotistical selfishness, and despised by us, one and -all. The conclusion of all our argument was that might was right in -this war, and that the Germans would do just what they liked, provided -they could hoodwink the Danish officials.</p> - -<p>The manager of the Danish salvaging company, on arriving at the -lighthouse and talking with the various people there, concluded that -perhaps things were not just right with the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> and that he -had better get in touch with the Danish naval authorities before doing -anything. He called up the Commander of the Danish cruiser <i>Diana</i> -and stated the case, saying that things didn't appear to be just -right. The Commander, a Lieutenant Lagoni, getting in touch with the -authorities, 'phoned the manager of the salvage company that he would -come right down to investigate. At about midnight the <i>Diana</i> arrived -and Lieutenant Lagoni, being a gentleman and also a shrewd, wide-awake -officer, took his chief officer on board the <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, telling -him that he, the commander, would keep the captain of the <i>Igotz -Mendi</i> busy answering questions in the saloon while the chief officer -should have a good look around and gather what information he could. -As soon as the Danish commander arrived on board we were all pushed -and shoved into our rooms and the doors closed. When Rose started to -take Lieutenant Lagoni into the chart room above the Lieutenant said: -"Oh, no, Captain, let's go into the saloon; it is not customary to -entertain the commander of a cruiser in the chart room." So they came -into the saloon. Just as he came through the door he saw some of us -being hustled out of sight—but said nothing. Shortly one of the ladies -would shout down the alleyway: "Oh, Mrs. So and So, won't you come to -my room for a minute? Don't be frightened." All this for the benefit -of the Danish officer in the saloon. In the meantime the Danish chief -officer was wandering around the <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, taking notice of all he -saw. While strolling through the bunkers, where our "temporary" warm -place was, he noticed Nita's "kewpie" doll lying where she had dropped -it. There were men standing around all through these quarters. Suddenly -the officer turned on a man standing there and said: "You're not a -German." The man answered saying: "No, sir; I am a Dane." "Well, what -are you doing here?" was the next question. The Dane, Jensen, told him -he was from the <i>Wolf</i> and was working here on the <i>Igotz Mendi</i>, and -that there were American and British prisoners on board, including some -women and children. After completing his rounds, the Danish officer -went on deck and told Lieutenant Lagoni that he was ready, and calling -him aside, told him what he had found out. Lieutenant Lagoni then gave -orders to disable the wireless plant and told Rose that the tug could -not assist him off the beach, and that at the end of twenty-four -hours the vessel would be interned providing she was still under German -flag, and advised him to land any prisoners he had.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/mendi.jpg" alt="mendi" /> -<a id="mendi" name="mendi"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption">"IGOTZ MENDI" ASHORE ON THE DANISH COAST. TAKEN THE MORNING WE LANDED, -FEBRUARY 26TH, 1918.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/lifeboat.jpg" alt="lifeboat" /> -<a id="lifeboat" name="lifeboat"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption">LIFE BOAT LEAVING THE BEACH FOR THE STRANDED "IGOTZ MENDI".</p> - -<p>Of course during all this talk we prisoners knew nothing at all of what -was going on, and when we saw the Danish officers leaving we came to -the conclusion that our case was lost, and as there was an armed sentry -pacing back and forth in front of the two doors leading from the cabin -to the deck, it looked black indeed, and I for one felt very, very -disappointed. The strain was beginning to tell on my wife again; so we -both lay down on the bunk with our clothes on and listened to Rose on -the bridge, ringing the telegraph and working his engines in a vain -attempt to get his vessel off the beach. As I lay there thinking, I -could not but pity Rose, realising how he must have felt.</p> - -<p>Just imagine what his feelings must have been on realising that after -spending fifteen months on a raiding and mine laying cruise, and -always evading his enemies, he had run his vessel aground almost at the -gates of Germany, and in place of receiving the Iron Cross first class, -there was the possibility of his facing court martial on his arrival -home, provided of course he was lucky enough to escape internment. -Thinking this I fell asleep and at 6:30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> of February -25th (shall I ever forget the date?) I was awakened by one of the -German seamen named "Hans" knocking at my door and saying: "Kapitaine, -Kapitaine, wake up and get ready to go ashore in the boats." I'll bet -we broke all speed records getting on deck. Rose asked me to get into -the life-saving boat first, as the Danish crew could not speak English, -and then I could help the balance as they came down the ladder. I got -Juanita firmly on my back and climbed down into the boat. There was -a large sea running and as the <i>Igotz Mendi</i> was stationary on the -bottom and the life-boat was riding on the seas, one moment it would -be even with my feet and in another would be fifteen feet below. The -idea was to jump at that instant the boat was even with me. This was -easy enough with myself and wife, who understood such things and had -had previous experience, but to the balance of the passengers it was -hard to make them let go at the right time; they all having a tendency -to hang on until the boat had started to go down again. Then, if they -should let go, the drop was so great that the men in the life-boat -could not hold them when they tried to catch them.</p> - -<p>In some cases it was necessary absolutely to tear the passengers off -the ladder by main force. However, we finally got all the women, -children and men into the boat and we started for the beach. When we -got into the breakers and the seas washed clean over us, many thought -it would be a case of swim or drown, not reckoning on the kind of -life-boat we were in or on the class of men that manned it.</p> - -<p>I have seen various life-crews at drill and I spent a season on the -beach at Cape Nome, where everything is surf work, but these old Danes, -averaging fifty years of age and the living caricatures of that great -soap advertisement, "Life Buoy Soap," familiar to all the reading -public, were in a class by themselves. On entering the breakers, they -dropped a kedge anchor with a long line on it, and literally slacked -the boat through. A gigantic comber, one of those curling ones, just -commencing to break, would rush upon us; up would go the stern of the -boat and just at the instant that I would expect her to go end for end, -the old "Sinbad" tending the anchor line would check her and in another -instant we would rush for the beach, just as the Kanakas ride the surf -on a board at Honolulu. When we finally grounded the men from the beach -ran out and seized the women, the balance then ran the boat higher -up the beach. The natives must have thought that we were a bunch of -raving maniacs, the way we carried on, getting our feet on good "terra -firma" again. We danced, we shouted, and cheered, and made damn fools -of ourselves generally; but to my mind the situation warranted it. -What a fitting climax to an adventure of this kind ... eight months a -prisoner on a Teuton raider, and set free at the very gates of Germany, -at the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute. It is hard to realise -just what this meant to us all—possibly the very lives of my wife and -kiddie, as I feel sure that they could not have stood much more, and -at the best, there was from one to a possible five years' being buried -alive in a German internment camp, and living under the conditions that -I know to exist in that country.</p> - -<p>We were taken to the nearby lighthouse, where the keepers and their -families did everything possible for us, drying our clothes and giving -us hot coffee to warm ourselves. About midday we went into Skagen, two -miles distant, and separated, going to various hotels. My family and -I put up at the Sailors' Home and were excellently taken care of by -our host, Mr. Borg Hansen. I wish to go on record here as saying that -at no place that I have ever been in have I met a more whole-souled, -more hospitable or more likable class of people in my life than -these Danish people of the little town of Skagen. I met people there -who were the quintessence of courtesy and hospitality; in fact, -they were "regular Danish ladies and gentlemen." Here at Skagen our -various Consuls took us in charge and sent us to Copenhagen, where we -separated, going our several ways.</p> - - - - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>APPENDIX</h2> - - -<p>During her fifteen months' cruise the <i>Wolf</i> laid approximately five -hundred mines and captured fourteen vessels, as follows:</p> - - -<p>1. <i>British tank s/s.</i> "<span class="smcap">TURITELLA</span>," 7300 gross tons, Captain -<span class="smcap">S.G. Meadows</span>, captured on February 27, 1917, in the Indian -Ocean, bound from Rangoon to Europe with a cargo of oil. The captain -and officers were taken off this vessel and transferred to the <i>Wolf</i>. -A crew of German officers and mine-men were put on board of her, under -charge of Lieutenant-Commander <span class="smcap">Brandes</span>, ex-chief officer -of the <span class="smcap">Wolf</span>, and she was sent away as a mine layer, laying -mines at <span class="smcap">Bombay</span> and at <span class="smcap">Calcutta</span>, and was afterwards -captured at <span class="smcap">Aden</span>, while laying mines, by a British gun-boat; -and her crew of Chinamen were sent back to China, while her German -officers were taken prisoners.</p> - - -<p>2. <i>British s/s.</i> "<span class="smcap">JUMMA</span>," 6050 gross tons, Captain <span class="smcap">Shaw -Wickerman</span>, bound from Torreirja, Spain, to Calcutta with a cargo -of salt. Captured in the Indian Ocean, March 1st. After what coal and -stores she had on board had been removed, she was bombed on the morning -of March 3rd in latitude 8 degrees 9 minutes north and longitude 62 -degrees 1 minute east.</p> - - -<p>3. <i>British s/s.</i> "<span class="smcap">WADSWORTH</span>," of London, 3509 gross tons, -built in 1915, Captain <span class="smcap">John Shields</span>, captured on March 11th, -in latitude 54 degrees 30 minutes north and longitude 67 degrees east. -After taking off about fifteen tons of rice and ship's stores the -vessel was bombed on the 18th. <i>Wadsworth</i> was bound from Bassinia, -India, to London with a cargo of rice, and was six days out from -Colombo.</p> - - -<p>4. <i>Mauritius bark</i> "<span class="smcap">DEE</span>," 1200 tons, Captain <span class="smcap">Ruug</span>, -bound from Mauritius to Bundbury, Australia, in ballast, thirty-nine -days out. Captured May 21st, 300 miles off the west coast of -Australia. Crew of blacks and stores taken on board the <i>Wolf</i> and the -vessel immediately bombed.</p> - - -<p>5. <i>New Zealand s/s.</i> "<span class="smcap">WAIRUNA</span>," of the Union S/S. Co. Line, -of New Zealand, Captain <span class="smcap">John Saunders</span>, with general cargo -from Auckland to San Francisco. Captured May 21st off Sunday Island -by seaplane. The <i>Wolf</i> was lying behind Sunday Island cleaning and -repairing boilers at the time of capture. The flying machine flew over -the <i>Wairuna</i> and dropped a message attached to a sandbag, saying to -steer towards the <i>Wolf</i> or the flying machine would drop bombs on her. -Thus she was taken by the raider. After taking off some forty live -sheep and ship's stores and about 900 tons of coal, she was sunk by -one bomb and fifteen shells. While towing the <i>Wairuna</i> to sea, <i>Wolf</i> -discovered the schooner <i>Winslow</i>.</p> - - -<p>6. <i>American schooner</i> "<span class="smcap">WINSLOW</span>," 566 gross tons, Captain -<span class="smcap">Trudgett</span>, bound from Sydney to Samoa, with general cargo. -Captured off Sunday Island on June 7th by the seaplane while <i>Wolf</i> -was sinking the <i>Wairuna</i>. After removing ship's stores and some 450 -tons of coal the <i>Winslow</i> was sunk on June 21st by four bombs and -thirty-nine shells, the old wooden box simply refusing to sink.</p> - - -<p>7. <i>American bark</i> "<span class="smcap">BELUGA</span>," of San Francisco, 590 gross -tons, Captain <span class="smcap">Cameron</span>, bound from San Francisco to Sydney, -Australia, with a cargo of benzine. Captured latitude south 26 -degrees, on July 9th. After removing 300 cases of oil, the stores and -boatswain's supplies, the <i>Beluga</i> was set on fire on July 11th by gun -fire, by the nineteenth shot.</p> - - -<p>8. <i>American schooner</i> "<span class="smcap">ENCORE</span>," 651 gross tons, Captain -<span class="smcap">Oleson</span>, bound from Columbia River to Sydney, Australia, with -a load of lumber. Captured July 16th in latitude south 21 degrees and -longitude east 169 degrees. After removing stores she was set on fire -and left.</p> - - -<p>9. <i>Australian s/s.</i> "<span class="smcap">MATUNGA</span>," of the Burns & Phillips Line, -Captain <span class="smcap">Donaldson</span>, en route from Sydney to Rabul, New Guinea. -Captured August 4th, about 122 miles southwest of Rabul. Both vessels -proceeded from this point to Pirate's Cove, at the northernmost end of -New Guinea, arriving there on August 10th. Transferred cargo to the -<i>Wolf</i>, amounting to some 850 tons of coal and 350 tons of supplies; -also prisoners (passengers), including two army medical corps officers -and three military captains. On August 26th <i>Wolf</i> proceeded to sea and -sunk the <i>Matunga</i> by three bombs, vessel sinking in six and one-half -minutes. Full particulars of the <i>Matunga's</i> cargo was picked up by the -<i>Wolf</i> in a wireless message to her consignees, giving a copy of her -outward manifest, also all sailing dates from time to time by Burns & -Phillips themselves.</p> - - -<p>10. <i>Japanese s/s.</i> "<span class="smcap">HITACHI MARU</span>," of the N.Y.K. Co., 6558 -gross tons, Captain <span class="smcap">Kokmoa</span>, en route from Colombo to England, -via African ports. Captured on September 26th off the Maldive Islands -and proceeded to southernmost group of the Maldives, where 800 tons of -bunker coal were transferred to the <i>Wolf</i>, also 250 tons of copper and -tin, silk, tea, approximately 400 tons of rubber, further cocoanuts and -hides. On October 7th both vessels proceeded in different directions, -the <i>Wolf</i> seeking for another vessel with coal while the <i>Hitachi</i> -loafed along in a general southeasterly direction. <i>Wolf</i> picked up -<i>Hitachi</i> again on October 19th, forty-two miles west of the Chagos -group. On October 20th both vessels arrived at the Chagos Islands and -tied up together. Additional rubber and silk and remaining coal were -transferred to the <i>Wolf</i>. On the morning of November 7th both vessels -left Chagos and the <i>Hitachi</i> was bombed.</p> - - -<p>11. <i>Spanish steamer</i> "<span class="smcap">IGOTZ MENDI</span>," of Bilboa, 4648 tons. -Captured in the Indian Ocean November 10th, en route from Delagoa Bay -to Colombo with a cargo of coal. This vessel was sent to Germany, but -grounded off <span class="smcap">Denmark</span>.</p> - - -<p>12. <i>American bark</i> "<span class="smcap">WILLIAM KIRBY</span>," 1200 tons, of New York, -Captain <span class="smcap">Blum</span>, from New York to Port Elizabeth, Africa, with a -general cargo; captured on November 15th. Crew, provisions and stores -were taken off and the vessel bombed on November 16th. She was captured -320 miles southeast of Port Elizabeth.</p> - - -<p>13. <i>French bark</i> "<span class="smcap">MARECHAL DAVOUST</span>," 1100 tons, from Delagoa -Bay to France with a cargo of wheat. Captured on December 14th. This -vessel was armed and equipped with wireless. Guns and provisions were -transferred to the <i>Wolf</i> and the vessel sunk on the 15th by bombs. -Captured 130 miles southeast of the Cape of Good Hope.</p> - - -<p>14. <i>Norwegian bark</i> "<span class="smcap">STOREBROR</span>," 2000 tons, Captain -<span class="smcap">Moller</span>, bound for Europe from Montevideo in ballast. Captured -on January 5th in latitude 18 degrees south and 27 degrees west. Crew, -provisions and stores transferred to the <i>Wolf</i> and vessel bombed.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ten Months in a German Raider, by -John Stanley Cameron - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN MONTHS IN A GERMAN RAIDER *** - -***** This file should be named 52656-h.htm or 52656-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/6/5/52656/ - -Produced by MWS, Graeme Mackreth and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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