IV
CHINA AND JAPAN
Hong-Kong,
22nd January 1901.
I certainly was very reluctant to leave Singapore, but, after all, I was on my way home, if in somewhat leisurely fashion, and I had to move on; so, on the evening of Saturday, 5th January, I boarded the Hamburg, a large, high, gorgeously decorated N.G.L. boat. We did not, however, sail till 1 p.m. on the next day.
Captain Dunbar came on board to say “Goodbye,” and made a point of presenting me to the Captain—a big, burly, gruff German—and also to two German naval men, Captain Gadeke of S.M.S. Irene, and Captain Gildermeister.
Being a newcomer on this ship I was placed at a side-table at dinner, where the chief engineer, the doctor, a young German, and two Dutchmen had places, and I presumed I was breaking into a friendly little party. The Dutchmen, however, I soon discovered, never opened their lips to any one.
It happens that on all these big German liners in the East it is announced everywhere that English is spoken, and it is even printed across your ticket. I was placed between the chief engineer and the young German, the doctor occupying the end of the table. To be polite, I
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