Campbell left the Union of South Africa in December 1918 aboard the "Inkonka", a 2,000 ton tramp steamer. Almost as soon as the ship lost sight of land, the third mate entered Roy's cabin and, objecting to the large number of books, threw all of them, as well as Roy's painting and drawing materials,out of the porthole and into the sea. "Campbell," according to Joseph Pearce, "looked on as his cherished volumes of Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Dryden, Pope, and Marlowe," disappeared over the side.