21st Sunday. Ships dressed. 16 seamen went to Pomone. Which ship then left with two lighters in tow containing stores for Somali forces. She lost one of them just outside here. HMS Renown arrived with the Duke & Duchess of Conaught on board anchored outside. Duke & staff landed & visited Wells. Renown left during night.
22nd HMS Harrier left, surveyed cable. Italian warship left.
24th HMS Naiad arrived and commenced coaling at once taking on board upper deck cargo. Perseus coaled ship during afternoon, 120 tons. Left at 5.30 pm.
25th Xmas day. Anchored off Hais 6am. & left at 7 am. All sorry that we were not having a very good Xmas, but times would allow no better. 1 pm. sighted Pomone�s dhow, she came alongside & was paid off. Pomone seamen staying aboard Perseus were now dispatched to assist to land the war stores. A party unloading lighter brought by Pomone. Weather very bad, big surf inshore. Boats returned at 7pm. Party working on Haidare couldn�t get off.
31st Cutters left ship at at 5.30 am, sea very bad. Boats getting knocked about a great deal. Boats compelled to return at 10.30 through weather. No fresh provisions obtainable.
January 1st 1903.
All boats left ship at 5.30 & sea rough. Surf boats from shore refused to work under 10 rupees a trip. The large lighter brought here by Pomone broke adrift & went ashore in heavy surf. Troops saved her contents. Pomone�s & Perseus boats severely knocked about. Surf inshore too rough for boats so stores from Haidare were took to Pomone, so that troopers could clean away. Boats returned at 6.30 pm.
2nd Cutters left 5.30 am. Finished unloading stores & troops from Haidare & Pomone.
3rd Party went ashore to blow up rocks to make a safer anchorage for the boats of fleet.
4th Blowing up party landed 1.40 pm. HMS Naiad arrived. Perseus ordered to prepare for sea at once. Left 16 hands on Pomone. Weighed and left with the mails at 6pm for Aden.
5th Came across SS Swaverdale ashore. 10 boats from Aden assisting her. HMS Speedy had had left her the day before. We were under urgent orders so could not stop to assist her.
7th Exercised small arm. General Quarters. Arrived at Aden 5pm. HMS Speedy here.
8th Coaled ship 375 tons.
9th Provisioned ship. Divers away recovered a gangway lost last Nov. Took inboard surf boats. Chartered steam tug Dolphin.
10th Took on board stores for Obbia also stores for Italian warship Caprera.
12th Took two camels & a horse on board for Obbia. Party went to tug Dolphin. Left Aden for Obbia 11 am with mails & dispatches for Obbia. Took Dolphin in tow.
14th Speed slow owing to towing tug. Usual routine.
15th Hawser parted, another one bent. Arrived off Bander Alula & heard that natives were inclined to raid on SS Swaverdale. Natives severely cautioned by Perseus. 7.30 Weighed & proceeded. Weather very bad.
18th Sunday. Arrived Obbia 8am. Naiad, Pomone RINS Canning & target transport Ranee here. We were ordered to lower all boats & assist in landing troops & stores at once. Canning brought two lighters here from Bombay.
19th Cutters away 5.30am., one staying for repairs till 9am. General Manning here in command. Boats employed all day landing camels, tug towing boats back from shore to transport. Weather very bad.
20th Cutters away 5.30am. Work resumed on transport.
21st Work carried on the same. Surf not quite so bad. Large number of camels landed.
22nd 5.30 boats commenced as usual. All ships dressed. Boats finished the Ranee & returned to ship 2pm.
23rd A cutter went away with divers & found several anchors that had been lost by tug & lighters. Newark Castle arrived from Durban with horses & mules aboard.
24th Cutters away 5.30 am carried on unloading Newark Castle. Boats returned 6.30. Sea very bad. Tug got hawser round screw but natives cleared. Captain informed hands that we were on active service.
25th Sunday. Boats away as usual. Transport Gaul arrived with stores and Boer contingent from Dunbar. Half the boats commenced unloading her. Weather bad, several seamen injured while getting horses into water. Lighter broke adrift total wreck on the rocks. One of our boats adrift during night. Tug found her drifting out to sea. Boat was seen from the ships with searchlights. Several animals drowned today.
26th Cutters away 5.30. Pomone�s steamboat total wreck on rocks. Boats badly knocked about.
27th Work with boats as usual started on SS Gaul. Weather bad
