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N.M.821

Copy of Diary of George Frederick Jeffery on the expedition
of the H.M.S. "Protector" to the Boxer Rebellion China

Commenced August 6th 1900. We left Port Adelaide
on the 6th August and had fair wind and weather to Sydney. Arrived at
Sydney August 10th, coaled on the 11th and sailed 12th. Arrived in Brisbane
on the 14th; Captain came aboard and stopped all leave for a start. The
Governor of Queensland came aboard and wished us good luck etc. Coaled
same night and sailed on the 15th. Arrived in Townsville 18th, coaled and
sailed same day.

Anchored in Torres Strait, 19th, 20th, 21st, arrived at Thursday
Island 22nd and started at once to coal ship. Next day we went alongside of
jetty for water, the soldiers running it in hoses from the shore end. All
kinds of people in this place. We sailed next day. After leaving Thursday Is.
we passed some very lovely scenes on the shore, both sides lined with Cocoanut
and Banana Trees.

On Wednesday 29th we crossed the line, and there being a
lot of new items on board, of course Neptune was carried out in full force.
After dinner a large awning was spread on the quarter deck and filled with
water, about 300 gallons, and a platform arranged above. At 3pm the Officers
were all seated aft when the grand procession came over the bow. Operations
commenced. There was Father Neptune, his wife, doctor and assistant, barber and boy.
The name of each new chum was read out and Neptune's 14 stalwart policemen
lead him forward. First he was examined by the doctor who gave each man
a soft soap pill and handed him over to the barbers boy who smothered him
in lather and rolled him on to the stage where the barber finished him off
according to how he was liked in the ship. First he worked up and down your
face with a large wooden razor, then scrubbed you with a broom, then gave
you a sudden push and over you went into the awning where there were 4
more men ready to duck till you were exhausted. Then you thought it was
your place to assist in ducking the others. This operation lasted about 2 hours
when we finished with a concert on the Flying deck, with the Captain and officers
in the audience.

Arrived in Ilo Ilo on Sunday Sept 2nd at 2.30pm, a town
captured by the Americans. They are still fighting the insurgents about 4 miles
inland, so we will not be allowed to land. The natives are very funny
chaps here. They sail about in catamarans and while they were coaling us we
had two sentries on guard all the time. Some of them were very friendly.
We had one on the whale's back (!). In the evening one of the coaling party
dressed him with a soldiers coat and was drilling him with a broom for a rifle.