The meals are rather poor. Practically all the crew and stewards are Chinese, who are very obliging however.

'There are about 90 Officers on the ship and we have only one rather small smoke room, so that all cannot possibly get in it at once. It can easily be seen that this is going to be no "'oy ride", especially if the weather gets rough. First days run 240 miles.

Fridav, Dec. 27th, 1918 - Weather mild, wind S.-W,, sea fairly heavy, rain most the day. Some sea-sickness among Officers and other men. No one ill on Brigade Staff. Other Officers, in room with me — Major Shifton, Capt. McIlree (Bde. Gas Officer) and Capt. Dougald (Bombing Officer). Both very nice fellows.

During last night ship pitched and rolled a good deal and some pipe got stopped up near our room so that water was running about the floor and some of our clothes and other things got wet. Not being used to rolling of ship and hard bunks, did not sleep much.

The ship makes about 12 knots or 300 miles per day. Our course lies in a long curve to the north and then southward again to Vladivostok. We go north nearly to the Aleutian Islands.

Saturday, Dec. 28th, 1918 - Weather clear and cooler. Fairly

strong N.-W. wind, moderate sea. Ship made 270 miles during day. Officers and men recovering from seasickness

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