Introduction

Sports on deck have the soldiers and sailors vying for prizes. Joseph reminisces with one of the sailors about mutual friends back home.

The Diary Entry

2.3.89 Saturday

Awoke about 3.30 am & got up & went on deck for a bath. Canvas bath was not up so I went into the bath house & had one & the went to be again.

I hung up my towel on the iron rail to which our hammocks are hung & when I woke at 6 am it was gone. a good many things like that we have had the misfortune to lost, they never turn up & no one ever seem to know anything about them. What a pity it is, people never seem to know what is their own.

Had some bacon for breakfast. Have not finished it all yet, what Pollie bought at Malta.

11.15 am just been down and got the lime juice & a Marine got Pollie a good drop of ice water. It was lovely & cool.

Fire bell ring{?} again this morning.

Some sports on this afternoon for sailors & soldiers, obstacle race through buck’t of water they had to plunge through a life buoy, had foremost into the bath, through tubs with both ends knocked out, suspended on ropes about three feet high & up ropes & over spars. I think it was the hottest obstacle race ever I saw. Of course a sailor took the first prize, one of our Officers took it when it was the Officers race & a Private when it was their race & one of our boys took the sack race. Who took the high jump I don’t Know. One of our took the hurdle race, or imatitation of hurdles. Tug of war to come off on Monday, between ours & the Artillery, but I dare say the Artillery will win as they are bigger men & more used to pull on ropes.

Pollies cold is still bad, she had a longing for an apple & I ask a sailor for one & he went to the officer Saloon & got four for her. It was one of the Christian Sailors. He told us he had been married over two years & was married at Gosport, by Mr G Coward, the Wesleyan Minster, the one who was there when we where at Gosport. How nice it is to enjoy a friendly chat about old friends & home.