Taken on the morning of our rescue.]

On the 20th we were off Bergen, and saw the coast in the distance.  I suggested to the Captain that it would save much trouble if he would land us there.  He replied that he would very much like to, but was afraid it was quite impossible!  I further asked him whether, if we were ultimately rescued, he would give us a pass conferring further immunity from capture at sea by the enemy, as we felt we had had more than our share of captivity at sea.  He said he was afraid that would be against regulations!  The next day we were nearer the coast and saw a couple of suspicious steam trawlers which gave the Germans a few anxious moments, and on that night we encountered the greatest storm we experienced on the cruise.  The wind was terrific, huge seas broke over the ship, the alley-way outside the cabins was awash all the night, and the water even invaded the saloon to a small extent.  Articles and receptacles for water that had not been made absolutely fast in the cabins were tossed about; many cabins were drenched and running with water.  The noise of the wind howling and the seas breaking on the deck was so alarming to those in the outside cabins that they left the cabins, waded up the alley-way, and assembled in the saloon, though sleep that night was utterly impossible there or anywhere else on the ship.  The German officers when coming off watch came to the saloon and assured us that things were all right and that there was no danger, but the Spanish Captain was very concerned as to the treatment his ship was receiving both at the hands of the elements and those of the Germans, who frankly said they cared nothing about the condition of the ship provided they got her into Germany.  The ship, though steaming full speed, made no progress that night, but went back, and in three days, the 19th, 20th, and 21st, made only 100 knots.

After such stormy nights, and in such bitter cold weather, a breakfast of cold canned crab, or dry bread with sugar, or rice and hot water plus a very little gravy, or bread and much watered condensed milk, was not very nourishing or satisfying, but very often that was all we had.  The food we had was just sufficient to keep us alive, and that was all.  This weather of course pleased the German Captain, who said that no enemy ship would or could board him under such conditions.  In fact, he said no enemy vessel would be out of port in such weather!  Only those supermariners, the Germans, could manage a ship under similar conditions!  He told us we were much safer on the Igotz Mendi than we should be on a British cruiser, which might at any time be attacked by a German armed ship.  “I would rather die on a British cruiser to-night,” my wife retorted, “than be a prisoner in Germany,” an opinion we all endorsed.  The weather alone was sufficiently terrifying to the landsmen amongst us; the prospect of having to take to the lifeboats at any moment if the Germans took it in into their