Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-06-05
An Elevator Man Relates Some Thrill
ing Scenes in His Travels Ger
the Deep Sea.
Starting Early in Life on a Swedish
Merchantmen He Ends up in the
American Navy.
Shot Down i'll COrea He is Nursed
Back to Health by an American
Missionary.

This ful. name being Charles Moe has had
some thrilling experiences and marvellous
escapes from death as seldom happen to
man. Besides his life as q sailor on a
merchantmen he served a three years
term In the United States navy To a re-
porter Charlie recently related some of his
experiences as follows:
Il always had liking for the sea, but
my parents tried to pursuaie me not to
try the dangers of ocean, and it was not
willingly that they finally let me go, when
| was still but boy. to Liverpool to take
ship. joined the barque Charles Russell
bound for Bombay, loaded with coal. We
had very stormy time in the English
Channel and the ship sprung leak. After
spending eight days and nights at the
pumps the seamen refused to work the
pumps any longer unless the captain
would put back to Liverpool. The first
mate rendered us valuable assistance in
getting the captain to turn back. He
lthe mata) had married Just before we
left Liverpool, and already be was anxious
to get back to his bride So we went back
to Liverpool where the ship was repaired
and we started again
When we were out about two months
the ship caught fire and we had to take to
our boats. The ship burned during
the night, and it was one of those calm
nights such as are only seen under the
equator. When we had rowed a safe dis
tlnce from the ship we stopped to look at
the spectacle, and it was indeed a glorious
sight. But it was not SO glorious to think
that we were thousands of miles from land
with only small supply of water. The
next day a ship passed US, evidently from
Ia,. ID,,,,l Co. pr,rI1 .
to be an Italian or a French vessel but
there was no flag or ensign or name t)
indicate her name or nation. And Stran-
ger st Il, although she must have seen us,
she paid not the slightest attention, but
left US to our fate. The next day we were
picked up by an English ship bound from
San Francisco to Queenstown, with a ear
&c Of grain. And SO we got back to
Liverpool once more
My next trip was to Archangle, in the
north of Russia. While we were there
there lay IN the harbor about four hundred
ship If ail nations. The sailors had sew
er5l rows while on shore, and at last the
Russian authorities refused to allow them
to come ashore until they were searched
aud all weapons taken from them. Not so
much as a pen knife would be allowed to
them
After my return from there | went to
several places In Europe, the West Indies
and North and South America In Russia
] shipped on board of the German barque
loaded with rye flour for the soldiers and
eIIles IN Siberia. After VOYAGE of about
eight months we reaceed the port of Weadi
Fastock, where we unloaded our cargo.
From there we went to Saghalien, where
was government coal mine The pris-
OneTs who wOcked this mine were muir
derels. Our next stop was at Nikalaije-
pok, and there, for the first time we were
allowed to go on shore. Several Russian
men-Of war were in the harbor. The native
EXuuimauX came alongside and traded
salmon for our bread. The Russians here
were free, but not allowed to return to the
civilized world. We slowed away tw OF
the eXlles IN our cargo and took them
away with Us. The next place we stopped
at was olga bay. There we left our
pilot and preceded to Nagaski japan.
As we neared Nagaski, we met hundreds
Of collins made of rice straw, floating upon
the waves. Near this city is the famous
cliff from which many japanese Chris
tians who would not relish their religion
were thrown into the sea. We found the
Japanese a very polite people, and their
whole country is like a garden
Il left the German barque at Negaski
and took passage on a japanese stea.-er
for Shanghai. The city is divided into
four parts: Americantown, Englishtown,
Frenchtown and Chinatown. One dav
went with a guide to Chinatown. 1t IS
necessary t. take guide into this place.
else one can not find his way back | shall
never forget the sights Of that trip. which
are Indlscribabe.
'At Shanghai | joined the crew of the
gunboat Monocacy, United States navy.
under Commander Cotton We Law there
SIX months for repairs. We had very little
to do and plenty of liberty. When our
We sci was ready for sea we were ordered
to Yokohama, Japan. to join the fleet.
The flagship Richmond was ordered home
and we got the honor of carrying the ad-
mlral's flag. While here the time passed
merrlly. We had drill On board and bat
talon drill and target practice on shore.
After remaining nine months at Yoko-
hama we went to Hong Hong and there
remained three weeks. From there we
went to Canton, the Chinese Venice
There are hundreds of houses built on
boats. This accounts for the many dead
bodies that are floating around on the
d
down to clear our chains from floating
bodies. There we first noticed the China
woman. It gives one pain to see them
try to walk.
From Canton we returned to Hong
Kong, where We stayed a month. We
were permitted to go on shore if we return
ed IN time and sober. The whole feet
was here, and was soon ordered to 90 to
the rescue of the crew of the American
gunboat Asburlat She had run on a rock
near Annoy, and eight of her crew went
| down with her The gunboat was in
charge of Capt. Mullan. When we arrived
| at annoy the crew had gone to Hong
| Kong, In a Chinese steamer. From Annoy
we went to Japan, stopping at every port
| on the Chinese coast. From Japan We
| went to kab7 through the Inland sea
| One night on this sea we run down a fish
| ing smack, but we saved the crew. One
| little boy was penned up down below so
| that he could not get loose, but the brave
sailors, after good deal of work and
| danger TO themselves got him out.
IN 1862 Commodore Foote succeeded
in landing in Corea, aud made treaty be-
tween the Corean and American govern
ments. Then We were called to C0rea to
| protect American citizens. The japanese
| sent an envoy 10 I0TS3, Out Ile OOrSa0S
| killed him and his crew. There came near
being war over the matter, but 1t was
fnsuy settled by the payment of a sum OF
money by the CJreans. The Coroan men
were a lazy crowd, lying around on the
hills all day and smoking The women
had to do the work. They had never seen
white people before, unless 1t was some
poor fellows who were shipwrecked and
whom they had killed. They were greatly
astonished when they came on board
our ship. Tie captain told u:
| to be kind to them so as tc
gain their confidence. Soon both sides oi
the ship were crowded with juncts. Their
looks of surprise and their actions wer5
very amusing. One fellow rushed up tc
the captain and took the cigar from his
mouth and put it In his own, then return.
ed it to the owner They soon made
friends with the cooks, and acquired s
great liking for brs ad and cake Tn.
greatest curiosity to them was negr,
seaman, Old Douglas, as he was called
They could not understand why he should
be black, and tried to rub the color of
We had a prisoner in the cell. and som,
of the boys made motions with their hand
around their necks as though he wa