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- There is one thing certain though, and that Is to have no kick coming about our quarters. This ship only carries two classes, and we (the Medical Corps) have the same accommodations as the offioers, of which there are plenty on hoard. The ship is only about lo months old, and is fitted up pretty nice. Better than any of the Pacific Coast S.S,Co.’s boats.
So much for our quarters, but am sorry to say that I haven’t anything good to say regarding the meals. There are 1000 Engineers and 600 Ammunition Columns on board in addition to our corps, which makes four sittings for meals a necessity, and we are on the fourth, We eat in the "bear pit" as it is called, and after ten days of it, believe me, it requires an effort to go down for a meal. In fact the only reason I eat is because I’m hungry, and not that I have any appetite. At the fourth sitting I find I can colleot less dirt on my bread by "margerining" it on the table instead of the plate. If the eating utensels were only clean I might enjoy a meal or so, but when you can’t see through your glass for the grease and crumbs on it, well it is going a little too far. Still I guess I shouldn’t kick, for it may be better than is in store for us. But can you beat tripe for breakfast on board a rolling ship?
Both of us have stood the rocky motion fine though. Harold couldn't hold his supper down the first day out of Halifax, and I followed suit a short time after. Since then, with the exception of two or three meals we've bfeen able to toe the scratch.
I guess I’ve been jumping a little ahead of my schedule, so will fill in here. We sailed from St. John on Sunday the 12th at 5 P.M, with a big crowd, down at the dooks, partly to see us off, and partly owing to a big freighter being on fire at the adjoining dock. When we reached Halifax we heard that she had blowb up and sunk during the night.
Made pretty slow time getting around to Halifax, taking 24 hours to make the trip, Halifax is sure a strongly fortified town, and has a swell harbor. Prom the entrance of the harbor to the town, a distance of over two miles, we passed all kinds of freighters anchored in the harbor, waiting their turn to dock. Also passed the converted cruiser "Calgarian" late of the Allen Line, lying at anchor and crowded with sailors. The S.S,Lapland also a troopship, left her dock and anchored near us shortly after we arrived.
That post card I sent from Halifax (or ft least I presume you received it) was lowered in a basket to a kid who was selling fruit from a small boat. We thought we might be taken ashore for a route march but no such luck.
Eire seems to pursue us, for a big dock was burned a few hundred yards from where we were anchored during the ea.rly hours of the morning after we arrived. There was a heavy snow storm
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