16-18 September 1938

[Sept 16]

// We get up + breakfast – then I go up to find the 3 with the man from Lyon.  He reads for me from the French book brought by Abr [Abraham] – a fine fellow – He orders drinks [.]  I take lager & Naidoo lemonade & beer.

The South Africans gaze & gaze — We talk on & ignore — I drink with a vengeance as colour restrictions in SA.  SV declines offer of drink & says he takes wine once a month to disappointment of Frenchman [.]  Bell for lunch – we go down – After lunch we go to Naidoo Cabin & have wine given by Madeira man - It’s 20 years old – we call him [illegible].

Cards afterwards [,] Casino – The Lyon man suggests walk round the deck but Naidoo & co [sic: company] back out & leave him to me – awkward – I make feeble gestures with my hands – Mehtu [sic: T.C. Mehta] comes [,] I am glad [.]  Then he goes

We go down again & I ask Naidoo why he tries to show me off in a bad light to the man – cigarettes + blunder at Casino – He becomes angry & Mehtu [Mehta] comes to my help – I call him a Nazi – SV tries to make peace – They go out & we meet again.

We play ping pong + two white boys rush down & pull up nets & order us off – We play on & Man comes & tells them off & Mehtu cut up badly & come to cabin and wants to [illegible] if the boy was wrong – I say a small nazi - deserved to be kicked.  

[note in margin:] Quinn says we shd [sic: should] go SA, wd [sic: would] object but this is an English boat

Concert in the evening & Mehtu [Mehta] & I go - Atmosphere tense — My little friend whiteman fetches Watson — a huge black form — the dark [illegible] gets up — Ships orchestra, then the “local talent” — woman sings two negro & I wonder why she sings these songs & what these hypocritical SA are thinking — One pts [sic: points] at me & nudges his friend — The old women stare like images in stone — The place seems to be full of them — The crooner sings & is encored [.] classical dancing they call it [,] but flat short costume [.]  I wonder what these Mrs [illegible] are thinking of the natives seeing a white woman indecently dressed making a display before natives — We go out before the Community singing — I don’t clap — In the Smoking room, we take lager + Lemonade — We go downstairs & cabin — N arrives & stands at landing watching the whites go past.  He does odds things — I hear him tell a man that he is going to the USA etc.  He laughs hysterically at nothing — sleep —

[Sept. 17]

// Before breakfast Mehtu [sic: T.C. Mehta] tells me Naidoo unhappy about concert – I meet them and they say why – I tell them that I did anything that I wished to do when I felt like it.  We part company & sit with Mehtu [Mehta] – on deck looking at ships on the horizon – A girl comes & sunbathes a yd [sic: yard] in front of us & I look at the old women [,] they are horrified and Mehta says he shd [sic: should] scramble for it but I stop him & we sit – She does not seem to care about our nearness – Chief Syneer tells us a party will be going down 10 ocl [sic: o’clock] [illegible] begins - We stand up, after [illegible] & go to cabin – Mehtu [Mehta] is amused + he laughs –

[note in margin:] Chief Engineer tells us a party will be going down at 10 ocl [sic: o’clock] begins

We go down to the engines & it is not as horrible as I feared – Abr [Abraham] is afraid & returns – Naidoo is irritable & when I ask the $ pd [sic: paid] out about a guide [,] is irritated & says why shd [sic: should] not I do it – We go down & Machine-man foreman shows us round – Abr [Abraham] cannot stand the heat – so returns – I, tennis deck, Mehtu says he is happy he met me – lunch

Late in after noon – Mehtu [Mehta] comes with autograph of Stoker-wrestler, welter weight champ [sic: champion] of Maccas.  I don’t see the French-man – We talk [,] Mehta and I [,] and after supper we walk the deck [,] exciting to think in another day we shall be in England – We go down to Mehta’s cabin and order Lager & Orangade [sic: Orangeade] – 3 rest come in & Mehta wants to stand them a drink [.]  DN refuses & he looks unhappy [.]  They go out and I find them in our cabin with N – I undress before them & sleep. “You are naked and hurt my feelings” – futile, VS.  I say I am the only man on board with feelings.  

[Sept 18]

// Morning [,] pack up & go to upper deck [.]  There is the bustle people going to & fro [.]  Anticipation great [,] we want to see the first sight of England — We sit all day and I see the naked girl dressed up & walking the deck with her old mother (as Mehta told me)  I like her for her courage but I think again [,] she must have been badly brought up for a South African girl.  I remember the girl I once asked to direct me to some street where I wanted to deliver a parcel — She recoiled from me and behaved in a regular South African manner — I was embarrassed — but not surprised  

After dinner we see the Islands of the French coast, at first I thought it was the French coast and was excited, but afterwards I learn it is the island

Late in the evening we sight the coast of England [.]  The country that has had such an interesting history – I think of the ship money which prompted the Great Revolution against the Kingship of Eng. [sic: England] & when the Kingship of England began its descending of power –