The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-26


interesting letter written by the General to
his son, Capt. A. B. Capron Of this city. A
perusal will well repay the reader
YEDDo, JAPAN, Sept. 7th. 1871.
My Dear Son II understand that vessel
will sail from Yokohama on the 10th, which
is out of the usual time, the regular line leav
Ang on the 23rd Of every month. Taking ad-
vantage of this opportunity am preparing
number of letters and shall embrace you
among the number, but must necessarily be
very brief. My last letter was written on
board ship about two days out from Yokoha
ma, when we were expecting to meet ship
bound Tor San Francisco, but gale coming
on Immediately after she undoubtedly passed
without our seeing her. At that time we
had fair prospect of reaching Yokohama
without having to- fight a battle with the ell
ements. Up to that time everything had
gone on very well, with just enough rough
weather to give us an idea of what old Nep.
tune could do when reused, but we were DIES.
tined to be woetully disappointed. to the ex.
tent at one time, of very nearly the loss of
the ship and all on board. That letter was
written on the 22nd On the night of that
day the weather changed suddenly and the
barometer indicated trouble. The morning
OF tn 23rd opened heavily, with long. roll
ing swell from the south, of unusual proper
tions, Indicating the progress of Typhoon.
one OF those dreadful scourges of this Tart of
he world. We were approaching the coast
OF japan, and should about - NJ, sight land
| the entrance to the sea of Yeddo. abont 40
miles from Yokohama, our port OF destination
but that time had passed and no land. the
weather thickening every moment and the
storm increasing. Anxiety at that time was
visible IN even our Captain and his noble
mate. tor it was evident hat if we did not
pass the cape and enter the sea OF Yeddo be.
fore lorg, darkness would shut down upon
US, and as no observation could be taken
we should be compelled 10 stand out from
land and fight With this terrible Typhoon in
the broad ocean, off a lee shore. and
wilma blowing directly upon it, waves rolling
AS nigh as our smoke stack Two O'Clock.
three O'Clock and Gland no." was called di
rectIy ahead This reused the spirits of the
passengers, and many hopes and congratula
lions passed, but in very short time it be-
came evident that there was sometime
wrong. There was anxious peering thronyb
glasses at this land, and hasty throwing OF
the lead Suddenly the helm was
put :" hard a-port," the ship made a
sudden lurch, everything went to the
hcCr with acrash, passengers, chairs, crock.
cry, chess boards-in fact everythi ng loose.
and that could make a noise-in a beap to
gether. All took in the situation at q glance
The ship had suddenly turned upon her
course, heading directly from the land, buff
letting this now trem endous gale. A fine
prospect indeed. Night approaching. dis
NAL, dark and gloomy, lee shore, Typhoon
approaching. and tempest already on hand.
1t any one desires the experience of that night
and the next day, can only say hope thew
may never be gratifed. A series of ground
and lofty tumbling occupied the next two
hours. About S p. m. land was again called
out, the ship gradually approaching and feel
ing her way. Oh, the agony of suspense in
that half hour. Another disappointment, in
destiny. 1t seemed to US impossible that this
ship could be turned back again and ride out
the night against even the tempest already
upon US, and still less was her chance when
the approaching Typhoon should strike her.
At last the lighthouse was sighted and we
were running into the sea directly before the
wind. Looking back over the ocean, as soon
as we could muster sufficient courage to do
so, was perhaps one of the grandest displays
of the power of wind and water ever witness.
ed. The captain himself said he had never
seen grander display. The waves as they
rolled in upon Us 1--WE were now running be-
fore the wind), leaving crescent shaped trail
OF spray, apparently half mile long, seemed
as though they must overtop the weasel and
bury her beneath it's waters. We were now
in the sea of Yeddo and somewhat protected
by the projecting point of land forming the
Cape, but not out of danger. The Typhoon
was approaching and nothing seems to ward
off its force as it blows from every point of
the compass at the same time.
About o'clock we cast Anchor in the port
of Yokohama, which is nothing more than an
open roadstead, but has good holding ground.
We found there fleet of vessels from every
part of the world, more than one hundred,
some of them first class ships of war-the
Colorado, Admiral Porter's flagship, among
the number. All were preparing for strug.
gle for life with the dreaded Typhoon now
approaching. Spare spars were housed, an
chors doubled, steam in all the ships provi-
ded with that power, was gotten up, and ev
cry precaution taken to prevent the dragging
of anchors and fouling with other vessels