Longing eyes had been cast on the notice published by the Germans concerning rules and regulations on board, and most of us determined to get possession of it. When first fixed on the notice-board it had been blown down, and recovered by a German sailor. It was then framed and again exhibited. Later on, it was again taken out of its frame and pinned up. It remained on the notice-board till the day before the _Hitachi_ was sunk. After supper that evening I was lucky enough to find it still there, so removed it, and have kept it as a memento of the time when I was a "detained enemy subject."
The boats were all lashed down, the hatches the same, and every precaution taken to prevent wreckage floating away when the vessel was sunk. On the afternoon of November 5th the Germans shifted all the passengers' heavy luggage on to the _Wolf_, and we were told we should have to leave the _Hitachi_ and go on board the _Wolf_ at 1 p.m. the next day. We were told that our baggage would all be opened and passed through a fumigating chamber, and that we ourselves would have to be thoroughly fumigated before being "allowed" to mix with the company on the _Wolf_. But this part of the programme was omitted.
The _Hitachi_ was now in a sad condition; her glory was indeed departed and her end very near. We had our last meal in her stripped saloon that day at noon, and at one o'clock moved over on to the _Wolf_, the German sailors, aided by some neutrals, carrying our light cabin luggage for us. The Commander of the _Wolf_ himself superintended our crossing from one ship to the other, and he had had a gangway specially made for us. We felt more like prisoners than ever! The crew and their belongings, the Japanese stewards and theirs, moved over to the _Wolf_ in the afternoon, and at 5 p.m. on November 6th the _Wolf_ sheered off, leaving the _Hitachi_ deserted, but for the German Captain and officers, and the bombing party who were to send her to the bottom next day.
Both ships remained where they were for the night, abreast of and about four hundred yards distant from each other. At 9 a.m. on November 7th they moved off and manoeuvred. The Germans did not intend to sink the _Hitachi_ where she was, but in deep water. To do this they had to sail some distance from the Nazareth Bank. The _Hitachi_ hoisted the German Imperial Navy flag, and performed a kind of naval goose-step for the delectation of the _Wolf_. At 1 p.m. the flag was hauled down, both ships stopped, and the _Hitachi_ blew off steam for the last time.