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5.
The other Australian & the 2 English lads are in the apprentice house
amidships where I often go for a talk. They each paid £25 or more
for the trip & receive very few more privileges than me (not that there
are any) except that they get 10/- a month & [??illegible too faint]. Fancy paying
£25 to get 10/- back a month & live like this! Had I known
conditions I could have bought a few foodstuffs aboard which,
would make a world of difference. Such things as cocoa, jams, cheese,
honey etc would keep the whole trip. Now-a-days almost any food
can be got in tins & you'd think, they would bring on a good supply of
such stuff but no & yet this ship is supposed to be, if not good, at
least quite a fair ship for food. We had 2 sheep & 3 pigs aboard but
have since killed & eaten the sheep, although the captain & mates
got most of it & the crew very little. However, on both occasions they
served up blood pancakes with the sheeps blood so that was
twice I went hungry! As is to be expected, Gardiner (the other
Australian) & I got most of the disagreeable jobs to do; the one I
dislike most being cleaning out the pig pens every 2nd morning. When
I was sick I'd get halfway thru' & then vomit the last nights meal
up but now I'm getting used to it & don't mind so much. Well
Easter is over & I'm wondering how you spent it - and how you are getting
on. I hope you start a letter to me like this and add from time to
time & tell me all of interest. Just think no news at all for few
months; why there might be a war on in Europe when we get there -
but I hope not.

Sunday April 26th We are still in the Indian Ocean but well westwards and
nearing Africa; this is our 37th day out and we have been getting along fairly