The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03

there, so that you will receive it about week
sooner than if 1 did not write until we arrived
at Hamburg.
To begin with, our trip across the ocean has
been very enjoyable one, and we are both
happy and in the best of spirits imaginable
The first night out was little sick, but since
then l have conducted myself like an old
sailor. Ida was sick for some days, but she is
now entirely well, and is just as good sailor
as anv individual on board
For about sixty hours, commencing on Sun
day evening, we had a very heavy storm. The
wind blew q regular tornado from the north
east and the seas washed entirely over the
bridge. On all of Tuesday evening the crew
stood by the lifeboats, but on Wednesday the
storm moderated and this morning the weather
is beautiful and the ocean is almost as calm as
San Francisco Bay.
One thing is certain, and that is that the
Prussia is the best seaboat that sails the seas.
She was built only last year, you know, and in
the heaviest kind of sea she is remarkably
steady. Ordinarily she rolls and pitches very
little, and as / sit in the saloon writing this
letter it is hard to believe that / am on the
ocean, so extremely steady is the steamer.
Some of the fast steamers which do not run to
Hamburg during the winter pitch and roll
terribly even In the easiest kind of q sea. Our
best run in twenty-four hours has been 308
miles and our poorest 250 miles.
But the voyage has been aWfully monotonous.
We have not seen single vessel of any descrip-
ton. All that we have been able to see has
been water, sky, clouds, sun, moon, stars, fishes
anu HdllSLOuSS dDOul dH lHCn long. we SeL
plenty to eat and everything is good, but l
must confess that do not like German cook
ing.
we had quite romance on board, however.
Dr.. Shirach, the ships doctor, is about 80 years
of age. One OF the passengers is a German
woman named Fraulein Josephine Duttie. She
claims TO be only 81 years of age, but she is
certainly over 30 The doctor met her for the
first time on the day we sailed, but they imme-
diately became very loving, and on the morn
ing of the sixth day, after they became ac-
quainted the Captain announced TO the passen-
gers that the DR.. Shirach and Fraulefn Duttle
had become engaged and that they would be
married in Schwartzenburg in two months.
Quite sudden affair, wasn'tit?
By the way, the doctor was O surgeon in the
army when Ida's father was lieutenant, and
they served in the same regiment
They all know, of course, who Ida is and in
consequence they look upon her with great
awe, and she is quite the most important per-
son on the ship.
We have a number of heated arguments with
some of the German passengers on board.
They are men who have made all their money
in America, and yet they profess that they can
see no good either in America or in Americans.
Such talk as that, of course, made US very
angry, and you can be sure that we did not
get the worst of the argument
Before forget it l will ask you to get my
tactics which are in the drawer of my desk in
the Office. Wrap it up in paper and mail it to
me in care of the American legation, Berlin. /
may want to look over it.
Enclosed you will find letter which have
written to the troop. Bring 1t there some
Tuesday evening and see that it is read to
them.
Give my best regards to Harry and tell him
to write to me and inform me how everything
is at the troop. Also please don't forget TO see
Father Logan and get our marriage certificate
from him.
Friday evening, 6 AS o'cock-we have just
finished a very good dinner, and as we will
reach Hayre before midnight / Will close this
letter and give 1t to the purser to post.
We entered the English Channel at o'clock
this morning and at this afternoon we picked
up French pilot. The channel is filed with
vessels OF all descriptions, ana many that we
saw were without doubt loaded with California
cargoes. 1t rained for half an hour during tn
afternoon out-otherwise the weather was mag
nihcent and both of us are in the best health
imaginable.
Ida sends hundreds of kisses and her very
best wishes.
How is business? Ihope that it is better and
that you are in the very best of health. How
is my old friend, Rover? Give Jim Lee very
hest regards and the same to nv friends. Ii
you should see Moffatt tell him that viii
write 10 MIN just as soon as get settled ]
hope he is well.
When you write do not forget to tell me ali
the news concerning Blumenberg's court-mar.
tial Good-by for the present We will write
again just as soon as We reach Berlin. which
will be in a very few days. Lots of love l am
as ever your loving son, JOHN
Lieutenant McKinnon of the First
Troop Cavalry, n. G. c.. telegraphed yes
terday to the American legation for in
formation and received this answer:
"Elbe passenger list contains the names
of J. NJ. and Ida Brunson."
This seems to confirm the news already
sent out by the Associated Press, and has
an ominous appearance, but in spite O
this the father cannot believe that his SOL
would be so hasty in returning, and thinks
there must still be some mistake.
A telegram was last night received from