On the Line
Wednesday
[21st March 1917]
Dear Mum,
I havnt much time just at present but I thought you might just like a note from the centre of the earth. Things are not so bad. Eversince we have been out from the last port [Cape Town] it has been getting hot. It certainly is hot, especially as the sun is directly over-head at pre this time of the year but it might be worse. It most certainly is not as hot as the day before & the day we embarked at Melbourne. It is a very moist humid heat and no one had very much energy but it is quite livable. There is always a breeze somewhere and often the sun is covered with clouds. We have had screens over the boat deck scn for the last week & so can go on parade without hats. & we get all the breeze. It is very muggy in the cabins & saloons as th they are absolutely sealed after dark & you must keep your windows, which is covered with plact black plaster shut, all the time, so I simply sleep on deck & nev dont go down stairs or inside except to do work which I try to do I the daylight.
Our men are allowed to sleep on the boat deck too and you can sleep wonderfully. I put on pyjamas, british warm, cap – comforter & lie on one blanket with a rug to pull over if it gets cold towards morning which it always does.
Everything is very pleasant & I have too much to do to notice the heat. It is simply work, work, work, so I must really leave off.
Arndell.
(written on board R.M.S. Osterley)
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