During the voyage up the coast, the Admiral had us all in turn to breakfast with him. This was a great treat to us, for not only was Vice-Admiral—— a most kindly and genial host, but the fare at his table, though not, perhaps, luxurious according to shore and _peace_ standards, was a vast improvement on the bully beef, liquefied margarine, and very nasty bread which was all that was to be had in the gun-room. Perhaps this sounds rather greedy, but it is really extraordinary how awfully important quite ordinarily nice food becomes when it is no longer an every-day matter-of-course! Ten days after leaving Durban we sighted Mafia Island, and stopped for two hours to communicate with various ships stationed there, after which we went on to Zanzibar. Here we stayed for twenty-four hours; were allowed to go ashore, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The following day, the 1st of March, we put to sea again, and proceeded to the mouth of the Rufigi river, where we anchored. For reasons, naturally not confided to junior “snotties,” we got under way again a few hours later, and went back to Mafia Island. Here the cutter was lowered, and Fane took the captain of marines, who was our intelligence officer, in to the beach to try and obtain from the natives information of the _Koenigsberg_. On their return we found that Fane had managed to procure a quantity of fresh coconuts and mangoes, which were greatly appreciated in the gun-room. A curious optical illusion, caused by heat and the vibration of the atmosphere, was very noticeable in these latitudes. The horizon line seemed completely obliterated, and ships and islands appeared as though floating in the air. Some days later _H.M.S. “——”_ made the discovery that a German officer, accompanied by ten native German infantry, were encamped on an outlying island; so she lowered her cutter, and landed a party of marines on the island in question. The Germans surrendered after a half-hearted opposition, and the following day the officer was sent to our ship as a prisoner, and we took him to Zanzibar and handed him over to the military authorities. When we returned, the Admiral having decided to hoist his flag in his former flagship, he and his staff were transferred to _H.M.S. “——.”_ Carey, our senior mid, was appointed to that ship, and two sub-lieutenants came to us in his stead. All boats were lowered to convey the Admiral and his party, and a consignment of small arms, which we had on board, was transhipped at the same time. A few days later we went down the coast to Lindi, a German town, and threatened them with a bombardment unless they surrendered 400 black and 200 white troops. They refused to comply with our demand, and so at 2 p.m. we went to action stations and commenced fire.