After steaming about 12 hours turned in our tracks straight back to Wellington. (Explanation: Captain, on opening ‘sealed orders’ found he had further to go than he expected). Took aboard more water and coal and set out again without berthing. Having two Wednesdays this week to account for day gained in sailing East. Have not been sick at all, though many are very ill. Ship is gradually settling down into working routine. Distance glimpse of the Chatham Islands this morning about twenty miles to northward. Yesterday the ship was followed by Gannets and young albatrosses; but today they have given way to Moly-Hawks. Glimpsed school of porpoises. Ship is not fast, about 12 knots, drawing about 30 feet and rides the seas steadily. Nothing visible but a waste of rolling water, but it has a grandeur of its own and gives a feeling of freedom. Great fun when we do physical jerks on the moving deck. The Artillery won the toss for the few cabins available. I am in a four berth one.
[Note – Lincoln’s typescript starts on “Wednesday, April 5th 1917, 2nd day out”. This appears to be in error – it should be Wednesday April 4th 1917. For the voyage, the typescript then records “days out” and the occasional day name, rather than full dates, with “Monday 7th day” coming soon after, (this would have been Monday 9 April 1917). Future blog entries we will follow from 100 years to the correct date (which is, in any case, corrected later in the typescript, when he disembarks in England).]
Walk March 