The weather for the past week had been stormy with heavy gales which had the effect of slightly diminishing the speed of the ship. However, at dawn on June 25th, land was seen on the horizon. As the day drew on, this land spot grew larger and larger until at last the flat top of Table Mountain, was quite visible and it was not very long before the coast line, was distinctly visible also. By 1 o’clock we were standing outside the harbour of Capetown, waiting to be piloted to our berth at the Quayside. At last we were safely tied up and at 2 pm were allowed to land and so having dressed ourselves in our best, we set out to stretch our legs and inspect the city. Some of us made straight for photographic stores there to purchase material before it was all sold as most of us still had a good deal of developing and printing to do which we had been obliged to let stand over on account of lack of material.
The residents of Capetown proved to be very hospitable people indeed and made a great deal of our men whilst they remained in port. Many concerts and tourist trips were organised by the local Y.M.C.A. and volunteer committees, together with two or three cricket matches, all of which were won by the local residents. The officers of the boat were made honorary members of the City Club in Adderley Street, and it was at this Club that I took all my meals and spent most of my time whilst I was at Capetown. The place was well provided with billiard tables, dining room, lounge and reading room and was a very comfortable and convenient place.
It was at this place, also that I was enabled to try what Roasted Springbok was like, and found it to be somewhat like lamb only darker, with a stronger flavour.
Capetown has a mixed population of white residents and black natives. There seemed to be very bitter feeling regarding the Blacks who were (to us) rather harshly kept in subjection and it was apparent that this was necessary because, given any latitude the natives invariably presumed too far.
Adderley Street is the main thoroughfare and contains many fine Hotels, shops, banks and public buildings. Sleeping on the boat, we returned to the city each day to enjoy ourselves and to see the sights. Perhaps the finest building in Capetown is the Parliament House built in 1886 at a cost of £220,000. The situation which they occupy at the foot of Table Mount as it were and set in the midst of gardens is really much to be admired for its beauty.
The Post Office with its 125 ft. tower is another imposing building, its floor space in all totalling over 6 acres. One must pause also to admire the massive railway station which is another new building and presents a very busy scene. We also paid a visit to the South African Museum and Art Gallery which although not a very large or well filled Museum, as compared with other such places, yet it provided an interesting couple of hours amusement and we were much taken with the wax models of the hideous looking “Bushman” there depicted.
During the second day at Capetown, I was detailed to take charge of the town piquet which had to be provided as a guarantee of the good behaviour of the men on leave. I therefore reported to the citadel on military barracks with my piquet, where I was instructed to break the men up into parties under N.C.O.’s with instructions as to what they were to do and then established myself at a headquarters in a building known to all, in a side street, off Adderley Street. The duties were not very strenuous and merely meant that groups of men under N.C.O.’s were required to walk about to see that our men caused no trouble or got into any trouble themselves. One or two parties attended the theatres for their tour of duty so that it cannot be said that the duties were irksome. At midnight, my tour of duty ended, so having dismissed the piquet, I returned to the boat for my night’s sleep.
Next day I paid a visit to the Parade where a heterogeneous crowd were squabbling over their buying and selling. Here, all the stale, second hand, damaged rubbish was exposed for sale to the native population. It passed through my mind that it must be a very convenient arrangement for the people of Capetown to be able to dispose of their rubbish in such a manner and with profit also.
Capetown is really the Capital of South Africa, with a mixed population of 70,000 odd and the town nestles at the foot of Table Mountain which rises behind the town in a sheer precipice to a height of 4,000 ft. This flat topped mountain overlooks Table Bay and is visible for miles out to sea. It is also noted for its “Table Cloth” which is a cloud of mist which generally hangs over the summit at dawn, and gives a striking effect.
Sea Point, Signal Hill, Green Point and Hout Bay were all places of note near to Capetown which were visited by our parties of sightseers, but for my part, I was quite satisfied with Capetown itself and so I did not go any further.
The “Mahia“ remained at Capetown for four days, during which time coal was taken in per the medium of native coal lumpers, who were filthy creatures and who had to be carefully watched for fear they would steal anything they could lay their hands on. Coaling a ship is always a filthy operation, generally taking a couple of days when labour is used. The black coal dust settled on everything for years around and was then carried to other portions of the ship on the feet of those walking about.
The work proceeded for two days and nights, the songs of the natives, the creaking of the cranes, the rasping of the chains, all tending to keep us awake at night. So soon as the ship was coaled, every member of the crew immediately set to clean ship. Hoses were brought into play which swept the dust onto the decks where the mixture of water and dirt was soon swept and mopped off into the scuppers and into the harbour. Coaling operations completed, the “Mahia” took in a cargo of South African maize, which was brought to the ships side on railway trucks where it was loaded onto slings by the big muscular natives and from thence was hauled by cranes and deposited into the holds of the ship. Four days passed by pleasantly enough as we lay at the quayside at Capetown, during which time the troops spent a glorious time ashore and the ship took in its coal and maize and on the morning of July 1st, we departed on the second half of our voyage from Capetown to Sydney.
We drew out of the docks in a perfectly calm sea and as we receded from the Coast, were treated to the spectacle of the “laying of the tablecloth” on Table Mount. This really meant that a dense mist rose from the foot of the hills and as morning advanced it at last settled for a time at the summit of the Mountain, giving the appearance of a “Table Cloth.”
We were in full view of the bold rugged coastline of the Cape of Good Hope and the South Coast of Africa during the remainder of the day as the weather was delightfully clear and bright.
Next morning we were completely at sea again, and so we settled down on the ship with pleasant memories of Capetown behind and with the delightful thoughts of home in front.
The ships course had been directed South East and so within a few days, we found the weather very cold and gloomy. For some reason or other we had voyaged as far south as Latitude 37º in order either to get into suitable currents or to escape adverse currents, according to rumours that were going the rounds of the ship. Within a week we were within range of the wireless station at Fremantle, and so were able to read the news each day, just as if we had had the services of the Daily Papers. Almost immediately we were informed that if so desired, we would be permitted to send wireless messages to those in Australia whom we desired to notify of our arrival etc. Many Officers did so and some messages were even received in answer as well. So at last we had come into direct communication with our homeland, and consequently the excitement became more and more intense as the few remaining days of our voyage dragged by.