Another fine day; we are still in sight of the African coast, but no nearer in. I was officer of the watch from 6 am to 2 pm, in charge of the submarine guard. At about ten o’clock we passed the Galita Islands, one biggish one and several small cone-shaped ones. They looked very wild and rocky.
About half past ten we had a message from a French steamer saying a submarine had fired two torpedoes at her, but missed, so we had all the men paraded at their boats with life belts on and the boats all ready to be lowered away. The Captain told us to make the men keep their life belts on all day and he began steering a zig-zag course. By noon today from noon yesterday we have run 334 miles and are only 250 miles from Malta now. We ought to get there early tomorrow morning.
We had to stop for an hour last night as we burst a steam pipe.
We passed Cape Bon, the northernmost point of Africa, at about four o’clock. The sea became very smooth & only towards evening and seemed alive with porpoises, they came close alongside the ship.
The sea is full of phosphorus tonight and very calm.
The men have got to wear their life belts now, night and day, till we get in.