House of Pereira To Walk Under Palm Trees | Page 173

Hufnagel-Betham Family Collection
This is how it would have looked on Tuesday 15 June , 1920 , with German settlers and their families being loaded into a passenger lighter which was towed out to the Main . ( This photo was actually taken some years later and there is a smaller ship at anchor ).
A single large lighter was used on the day of the deportation into which all the passengers fitted . Sadly , there was a delay once they had taken their positions in the boat and , according to the “ Samoanische Zeitung ,” the people were “ seated in the lighter for close on 2 hours in a hot sun …. There were many young children and the ordeal for the mothers must have been a trying one .
“ Some thoughtful spirit persuaded the manager of the Central Hotel to provide the deportees with iced limejuice , which was greatly appreciated .”
Many tears were shed by those leaving , and their friends on shore . As 4 p . m . arrived and the lighter was towed away from the wharf the passengers put on a brave face – they burst into song , with “ Deutschland Uber Alles .”
The people boarding the Main were not allowed to take coins or currencies of any value apart from the German money they were issued with . Customs officers found one man with English pound notes tucked in the brim of his hat ; these were seized . Another man lost his watch chain of gold sovereigns and a £ 5 gold coin .
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