| 31st The morning began with rough seas when we left the Assaye in tow of our steamboat in our attempt to get back to our own ship. All went well till we got to the open sea when the heavy seas made us abandon the attempt for fear of capsizing so we anchored up the creek & the steamboat started off again to attempt to reach the Perseus, leaving the three cutters at anchor. After the cutters had been at anchor about 2 hrs a boat from the Assaye came down the creek & the officer in her gave us orders to return again aboard his ship the Assaye. We safely reached the Assaye & we were very kindly treated by her ships company. About 5 pm a native boat came alongside the Assaye and an officer Mr Bevan from the Perseus came on board. He was wet through & he soon told us how he came to this predicament. It appears that the steamboat when she left the cutters at anchor did eventually reach the Perseus. She was hoisted & the Perseus weighed anchor & proceeded to Sur where she landed the remainder of the troops & the Sultan & then came back to Khora Jehoram, distance being about 20 miles. The Perseus then lowered her whaler with Lieu Bevan in charge. The whaler made sail & all went well till she reached the entrance of the creek, when heavy seas capsized her, all her crew being flung into the water. Luckily all hands managed to cling to the boat & they were swept up the creek by the tide. The water round the bend of up the creek. The crew managed to get the boat ashore all were much exhausted. A native then appeared on the scene with a boat & he bought Lieu Bevan to the Assaye leaving boats crew in charge of whaler that was Mr Bevan�s story. The Captain of the Assaye at once took blankets & refreshments in his boat to the boats crew who were brought on board the Assaye. Meanwhile a cutters crew belonging to the Perseus left the Assaye to endeavour to reach the Perseus & tell them the news. The cutter had safe passage till she left the creek when great seas swept her along. She was sighted by searchlights from Perseus. She reached the Perseus at last after a fearful passage. At 10 am the seas abated & the remaining cutters came off. 1st Nov. Party went in creek & fetched whalers off. We left Sur at 4 pm for Muscat. 4th We exercised man & arm ship & afterwards fired cannon tube. 6th We Weighed anchor & left Muscat at 6 am for Sur. On the way we fired torpedoes. Arrived at Sur 4.30 pm & found HMS Assaye in harbour. 7th We fired torpedoes harbour run. We stayed at Sur til the 12th when we left at 5 pm for Muscat. Taken the Sultan of Muscat with us. We carried out night firing & man and arm ship during the night. 8th We arrived at Muscat at 6.30 pm. We laid out stream anchor, and exercised small arms companies. 14th Aired bedding & we held a seigning party during afternoon. 15th We were exercised at General Quarters & cannon tube firing. 18th We prepared ship for battle & exercised General Quarters. At 5.30 pm we left Muscat for Sur. 19th Arrived at Sur 6.30 am. 209th We were exercised at landing party. 21st Left Sur for Muscat at 5 pm 22nd Arrived Muscat at 6 am. We exchanged rounds with 5th & 1st shackles of starboard cable. 23rd Indian Telegraph ship Patrick Steward reported to us that her propeller was foul. We sent our divers down & they managed to clear her. 24th We coaled ship 140 tons . 25th HMS Assaye arrived from Jask during the day HMS Lapwing arrived from Aden with orders for us to proceed to Bombay. The news was gladly received on board the Perseus as we were all sick of the Persian Gulf & we were all looking forward for general leave at Bombay. 27th Prepared for sea forenoon. Small gun practices afternoon & fired torpedoes sea run. We left Muscat for Bombay at 4.30 pm. 1st Dec. Arrived at Bombay 7.30 am. HMS Fox in Harbour as S.O. 3rd to 20th The ship was in the Indian Marine dry dock. While here the crew left the ship & all lived at the Royal Alfred Sailors Home. While here every privilege was granted to ship�s company as to leave, which was taken advantage of by us to thoroughly enjoy ourselves ashore. We all made up for dull times we spent in the Persian Gulf. 20th Left Sailors Home for to live on board again. Ship left dock & proceeded to No 6 buoy. 23rd Coaled ship 350 tons 24th Everyone worked hard to clean ship after coaling for Xmas. 25th Being Xmas day the ship was decorated for the occasion. Captain doing the rounds. Ship looked very clean considering we coaled on the 23rd. Officers health were drunk. We in the evening most of crew went ashore, where Xmas was well kept up by ship�s company. 26th Painted ship. Ship�s company entertained on board HMS Fox for a concert, which was very good. 30th HMS Iphigenia arrived from England with reliefs for Bombay defence fleet. 31st Drew torpedoes from Iphigenia, which she bought from England & returned old torpedoes |
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