But she was as firm as
I was that my first duty was to answer the call of our country, and she
waved me away from the dock with good-luck wishes.
I set out from a North Sea port on one of the arms of the Kiel Canal and
set my course in a southwesterly direction. The name of the port I
cannot state officially, but it has been guessed at; nor am I permitted
to say definitely just when we started, but it was not many days before
the morning of Sept. 22 when I fell in with my quarry.
When I started from home the fact was kept quiet and a heavy sea helped
to keep the secret, but when the action began the sun was bright and the
water smooth--not the most favorable conditions for submarine work.
I had sighted several ships during my passage, but they were not what I
was seeking. English torpedo boats came within my reach, but I felt
there was bigger game further on, so on I went. I traveled on the
surface except when we sighted vessels, and then I submerged, not even
showing my periscope, except when it was necessary to take bearings. It
was ten minutes after 6 on the morning of last Tuesday when I caught
sight of one of the big cruisers of the enemy.
I was then eighteen sea miles northwest of the Hook of Holland.
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