ll hands were busy in the transference of coal
from her prize to the _Wolf_. Shifting the coal to her bunkers had to be
done after the ships had separated. If by good luck an Allied cruiser
had appeared at this time, the _Wolf_ would have been an easy prey. The
coaling process had severely damaged the _Wolf_, many of whose plates
were badly dented. We had lost eighteen large fenders between the ships,
and the _Wolf_ was leaking to the extent of twelve tons an hour. The
_Igotz Mendi_ had come off better. None of her plates were dented, she
was making no water, and the only visible signs of damage to her were
many twisted and bent stanchions on the port side that met the _Wolf_.

We had been allowed to send letters for Christmas--censored, of course,
by the Germans--to our _Hitachi_ friends on the _Wolf_, and when the two
ships were alongside we were allowed to speak to them, though
conversation under such conditions was very difficult, as one minute our
friends would be several feet above us and the next below us with the
rolling of the ships; and the noise of the coaling, shouting of orders,
and roaring of the water between the ships was deafening. There did not
seem much point in censoring letters, as the prisoners on the _Igotz
Mendi_ and the _Wolf_ were allowed to talk to each other a day or so
after the letters were sent, and although a German sentry was on guard
while these conversations were going on, it was possible for the
prisoners to say what they liked to each other, as the sentry could only
have caught an occasional word or two.

I have since been asked why the prisoners and Spaniards on the Spanish
ship did not attack the prize crew and seize the ship when we were not
in company with the _Wolf_. It sounds quite simple, but it must be
remembered that although the prize crew was certainly a small one, they
were well supplied with arms, bombs, and hand grenades, while the
prisoners and Spaniards had no arms at all, as they had all been taken
away by the Germans. Further, an attack of this kind would have been far
worse than useless unless its absolute success could have been
definitely assured. There were very few young and able men among the
prisoners, while the German prize crew were all picked men, young and
powerful. The working crew of the ship was composed of Spaniards and
other neutrals, including a Greek and a Chilian. It would have been
absolutely necessary to have secured the allegiance and support o