The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-17
UNDER -oUTHER~ SKIES.
Percy Rochester Writes an Fnrewfu1,,.
ing Letter From s.Irnfernnfa

Or thlS city. Uf1o was a passenger OF ls.e
steamer Transit for Centrai America. he
went as representative u a
ngmher d Seattle houses TO dis
pense such articles as hardware
lumber. coal, groceries ard other saIatle
tnlnss- A most interesting and highly
naracfsrlst4c communication has heeu r.
cN4ved from Mr.. Rochester. giving "a ae-
co4at or the Translt's voyage The letter.
dated froEa san Jose de Guatemala, Jafl1-
AIRY II, IS a. follows:
Tire steamer Transit. mastered by ina.
sturdy captain, Edward Thorenson. hsns-
self scion - sea captains fer generators
DICK sailed from Seattle On her second trss1
a. the rloneer steamer IN the Puget sessna
ana Contra! American trade. on December
- IS ~e passed down the Sound we E-1es
y" aisapied Strafnnevls ia t0w Of a couple
oE staGneh tugs. Wilde a reminder % the
CANCERS of the sea, this gas also ealeuia Ell
- strengthen our courage. for there was
Ter entir1 crew and cargo safe and sound
aateT SIXTY days OF drifting and disaosIfy
me customary sea outside Cape Flat
very. with westerly wind and southxess-
cry swell. lasting Until We came south os
The Columbia river TAR reminded the few
passengers aboard who were not scaooIed
"a the ways Of tte>briny, OF the necessity
Or sticking close TO their hunks and OF
steering 70 the leeward or the coasnlssary
esparfmenf- An occasional steamer. with
here and there a fosr-snastsa ship. and
now and then a schooner or a bark. were
sighted. which relieved the possible nom
otony. a1d rare glimpses os the Coast
range told US We were leaving the snow
caps behind us.
"On the night Of the sist We passed the
Golden Gate and spoke an ocean steamer
bound for China. and saluseQ the pilot
schooner As midnight approached the
skies cleared. the waters calmea. ard those
Il n ne NH
q scene OF grandeur celebrating in the ex-
IRENE and beautiful beyond comparison or
description. The whole world seemed al
peace, and the moon and stars seemed 70
say. May lS,s De a happy year for all
mankind
our course Is now bearing TO the cas-.
and the clock az midday Is going forward
from eight to ten minutes. On the ocean
We are not regulated BY 'Hansen's' clock.
nor b. Standard time, but at high noon
each day the captain or the first mate
takes the SUM- and the clock IS changed.
Few OF US realize that there is a difference
OF over two hours between Seattle and this
new trade that We are seeking. and that
San jose de Guatemala lies in the same
longitude with New Orleans. Each day
brings warmer weather and resurrects The
linen suits and cork hats OF the captain and
crew. Eight DAYS out, as Lower California
is passed. the awnings are all up. and after
the ninth day "sll hands and the cook" are
sleeping on deck. On The evening OF the
eleventh day We passed Black Head. on the
Mexican coast. aad saw where Ed chiIberg
and hts colleagues were rescued The sun
sets are indescrihahly grand. and 70 make
one Ct them more Interesting, just as OLD
Sol had disappeared. and as is rafis lions
were playing with their Kaleidoscope ef-
fects upon the horizon. mammoth whale.
with both fms intact. appeared ard gave
free exhibition. one ticket admitted you 20
both tents. as one AIR Barnum would have
announced.
evidently the tropics are heing APP
rraa sl4tfl as evidenced by mammoth
schools Of doinhins. barracoutta and bonita
jumping and sporting ~ the water. while
the nying FISH aud immense green turtles
are growing numerous. The sharks are
plentiful and are inclined to be familiar.
one OF them took our log or the coast 81
Mexico. and IS probably nov using the
stgatsen-in n propeller of the SAME 10 Dick
his sas:id,oas teeth. - which wc all love TO
hear. bat do not care 10 Investigate The
sea Euls. with whom all Puget saunders
ara familiar. stayed with us until sc passed
south OF - deg latitude. when they sud
denly disappeared 70 be replaced day or
two later bv the clumsy. icthargic and an
inviting roonie. The pelican IS in evidence.
and furnishes much opportunity for tha
land lubhers 90 display their marksmanship
with the Winchester hat wo fortunately
have aboard
IL you have been a frequent passenger
on Puget sound within the past decade.
v,tf must know Capt. John Dixon. Or as he
Is more Familiarity known. Capt DICK -
better siiIl as the jolly old Jack Tar He
is incidentally playing purser for rs. al
though going down 10 look after matters
OF discnargiug cargo and other THINGS re
curing the shipping experience o. years or
F.a On
aeek with his let her 20 SOU ca by SOU. or
give her the dnts - long rs she lay Ter
s,r,lrso' and then begins 80 ham How
~elild Leave Thee 20 switch OF abruptly
orfo rrhe GIL I Left Behind Ne we all
tender him our sympathy and offer him our
tarehtefs Hc protests that he stil Intends
~ stand the watch alone bat from a fair
face MD away IN the sacred recess . oI hrs
flYneuieca, we are led 70 believe that ne VII
ssor, want to sign a mate for better or for
,,ors+ Tor fair weather or for squalls.
LONE sraerson. the painter. shipped
,,r.fgsr ar agreement 10 paint the main Bail
ana tire captains room. bat a great nc Of m
dastry hiss taken possession Of hin ana ne
hss paintea everything In sight from the
floor 81 the engine room 20 reg.ld'ug the
bafl or the top OF the mainmast In fact y
ha had some one 70 wipe IN for him and
barrel OF green paint. we think ne wosld
undertake 20 put new tint on the fair
bosom OF the old Pacific. d G. seaman
another passenger. has occupied his time
I'm helping the ships carpenter make and
,r,,t M "a svaT or spar. and Is furnishing rs
vvitA V{cUR music 70 while away the hours
a very necessary adjunct 70 = shin = =
stey,-ars and in this case he Aifref Carlson
h,- name. proves 10 Be very droD AMI m
tsr.sfiry character as we'll vefitaole
I,,oh Rah. combining the several offices Of
bf~h b,ltler. groom OF the pantry. chancel-
s-rts arhf az =
.-.,-,,r7,ts4arv. dispenser ~ the liquors. re-
tshlifato~ % TIE linen ard head chamber
v,,afs We will not soon forget. rs the SIX
s,-lte ~ an. morning watch arr. struck. how
a.. ,arle~ out. and IN his Norwegian tFogue.
saws. Mr. scandal Of you please fruc-Sf
sr,l again az the sounding Of eisht bells g
h.Eh noon. he calls out; 'Mester l'eaNs+-i. oE
saa plea=e douunear
..Ars thus on hy Acapulco, used and
known ur.nelpany as q coaiing station fer
f,-.f-r, iffru-of- Nar. Rua possessing iife
onl, lighthouse hetween san jose. cal.
ana Panama. across the euH ~ FeAAun7e-
res sra along the coast ~ Leu<Eat AfHfrl-
"a. sfth ofr hopts Increasing a1t our arFse-
tstrS war.ur. We sa8 IN ease and conlf7rt
IRON, the American Mediterranean 20 Ire
t-arltasau sea ~ the Paciae from 5ae lan3
80 climate. rt17.z ami kIeofehmer. 20 thar ~
frrfoJes. rSmlenIz au8 sul fights And So
ths morning 90 she s'Vteeath aay. 5.ist -
tha ssu IS rfelrE over thV peaks of The
Anars ana dIuuIrE fhe IiEht q =. Ana.
an active volcano. Walea has acted as ear
l,ea-on lsht on 1hts last rlSht az sea. sna
has sent % sleep gree stars - ere Soushs-Ta
cross ana as ths rAareh .alis are ringing
rer Early mass cg HeaGtful Saatzssh
morning. We dr-r oar anchor OF the PIER
A. san Jose.
PERCY ROCHESTER, "
C-ncere. Feb 3 fSsE