03: Australia to South Africa

In early June I boarded the "Themistocles," an Aberdeen-White Star British freighter, about twice as big as the “Lurline,” which burned coal rather than the oil used to power the “Lurline.”

Image:  Google Images

The ship stopped at Melbourne (A) and Adelaide (B), at each of which places I went inland to visit with the elders and see the small branch chapels. Then we headed across the great Australian Bight through some very rough seas to Perth (C).

I had many gospel conversations with Australian and British passengers, but made no converts. I read B. H. Roberts New Witnesses for God, and Joseph F. Smith’s Gospel Doctrine.

Crossing the Indian Ocean again we had some very rough weather, so rough that they had to put up guard rails on the tables to prevent the plates from sliding off. We evidently had some kind of radio beacon because the ship headed right into Durban (D) harbor through pouring rain and heavy clouds. No sun had shone for several days.

After clearing customs I was greeted by a blue uniformed fellow who said he had come to arrest me. It was a put-up job, however, since he told me he was a Mormon, Henry J. Trestrail. Elder Bertram J. Cutforth from Moreland, Idaho also met me.

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