Wednesday, August 11, and Thursday, August 12, 1915

At 4:30 we turned out to coal ship. We worked, after a breakfast of beans, until 11:30, and again from 12:30 until 6:30. After dinner we worked until 9:30. In all this time we had put on board 1500 tons - a very good showing. After a preliminary bath I turned in until 5 the next morning, when I had to turn out for a field day (Thursday, August 12). We finished cleaning ship early in the afternoon, when we were granted liberty. I went ashore in time to dine out. After an extremely pleasant dinner we came back to the ship for the farewell ball we were giving on board. The quarter deck had all the awning in place, and was well decorated with flags. The band was stationed on top of the turret. In both after compartments splendid 'eats' and punch were served. We had a glorious evening of it - one of the best we had had on the west coast. At 12:30 the visitors had to leave. We could see that the hop had been a successful one by the fact that no one wanted to leave - in fact it took several injunctions from the officer-of-the-deck to make them start away. A funny thing occurred during the evening. Nick and Charley, not dragging, decided that they could not turn in without some of the 'eats' so they got plates and picked out as many choice bits as the plates would hold, and sat in a corner to enjoy them. The exec saw them, and put them on the report for "Indecorous conduct", telling them how ashamed of them he felt.