On July 13th, the day of our departure, we had the honour of a visit from the Governor-General, H.R.H. Prince Arthur of Connaught, who, accompanied by Admiral Sir William Goodenough, made an inspection of the ship and took a keen interest in everything he saw.
My attack of influenza had been a very severe one and left me feeling very weak. I was fortunate in making an uncomplicated recovery. My best thanks are due to Mr. and Mrs. John Jeffrey, old friends with whom I stayed during my illness and whose many kindnesses I shall not easily forget.
In order not to delay the sailing of the Quest, I rejoined her earlier, perhaps, than was advisable, and on arrival at the dockyard felt so exhausted that I was compelled to take to my bunk at once.
Before finally leaving we swung the ship to adjust compasses. This was again done for us by Commander Traill-Smith, R.N., who had so kindly performed this office on our leaving Plymouth, and who had since our departure been transferred to this base.
CHAPTER XV
ST. HELENA—ASCENSION ISLAND—ST. VINCENT
For the first few days at sea after leaving Cape Town I was obliged to keep my bunk, but the care of the doctors, the solicitous attentions of Green, who went to all sorts of length to produce delicacies for me, and the good salt air worked wonders, and I began to regain strength and was soon up and about.
As I was in bed the following is quoted verbatim from Macklin’s diary:
July 14th.
A lovely sunny day with smooth sea, and the Quest behaving better than she has ever done before. Surely this is a prelude to something wicked—I do not trust the Quest when she is good.
Worsley took the ship close in to Sea Point to enable us to signal good-bye to our many friends there, after which we put out to the open ocean. We passed close to a small fishing boat and called her alongside to enable one of our members to pass over a letter for his latest best girl. A sailor, of course! with a girl in every port, but I omit his name. I took the opportunity of buying some fresh fish, for which I exchanged some tobacco and ship’s biscuits.