The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-11-27
WRITTEN AT SEA.
A Letter from Harry R. Huber Concerning
His Cruise in South American Waters

4 The following letter written at sea, by
/ Harry R. Huber, of Westminster. Just before
/ the arrival of his ship at Hampton Roads,
on its return from South America may be OF
1 interest to, many of his young com
/ panions. II was posted at Hampton Roads,
! November 5th, two days in advance OF the
/ telegram calling him home to the funeral of
/ his sister.
/ U. s. s LANCASTER, AT SEA Nov. /, 1897.
| Ny DEAR FATHER:-When last wrote You from
Montevideo / said that when wrote again / wunld
/ try and write you longer letter. That was about
the first OF September when supposed that oil that
| day we would leave Montevideo. Wedid not leave
until the fifth, when we sailed Tor Rio Janeiro,
/ which we reached after voyage off1ve days. Two
days out from Montevideo passed. the carcass of
dead whale The officer of the deck first thought
it wasa portion of wreck. The big fish was on its
back and was covered with sea gulls At a distance
some of us supposed it was large boat. The hap
ping of the gulls wings looked like the sweep OF
oars.
! Because of the fever at Rio no one aboard the
| ship was allowed to use the water. The captain
exercised all the care that he could to prevent dis
! ease. The homeward pennant, the end of which
| hung into the water, was cut offan washed in
solution of carbolic acid The anchor and chains,
when hoisted. were thoroughly covered with a coat
| of whitewash No one of the crew during our
| stay at Rio was allowed to go ashore, and no one
from the city was allowed to come aboard.
Four days after leaving Rio we reached Bahia IN
Brazil The same conditions to contact with the
| shore observed at Rio were observed here except
that six prisoners charged with the murder of the
captain and mate of the schooner Olive Pecker were
received by us from the U. s. Consul In addition
To the charge of the murder they were also charged
with burning the schooner 1t appears that
the cook, Anderson committed the murder, and the
others were held as witnesses. have talked with
all of them. The cook is a short, heavy man and
is kept in irons. The remainder have the freedom
of the ship.
After leaving Bahia we sailed for ST. Lucia, w. l.
1t took exactly 30 days At st. Lucia we stayed 10
days. Our prolonged stay here was caused by re-
pairs made necessary to the Kingston valve that
refused to act during trip from Bahia. This
valve is on the bottom of the boat When we got
into port we sent to Barbados for diver who
went down and in few days the valve was
/ in shape again. We then eoaled ship and started
for the states
We left St Lucia in the morning and that after
noon the captain of the marines, while down in the
after orlop-which is the deck below the berth
deck-found negro Stow -a-way He was brought
up on deck and compelled to go to work until we
reached the next port where he was put aboard
another ship bound for st. Lucia to work his way
home.
One of the blue jackets--a naval apprentice
marine have been sentenced to eighteen months
imprisonment each, one for drunkenness the other
for striking an officer.
Two days off Hampton Roads the beams over the
galley caught afire, but the flames very soon
put out. We have regular fire drill. This fire was
the first one to show how we would act where
real fire occurred. 1t was like piece OF CLOCK
work.
November 5th-we reached Hampton Roads last
night at midnight From here we will go to Nor
folk, probably Boston.
am very well, but 1 don't think that
heavy as was when left the States. think that
sweating has made me lose some flesh or fat,
coast is the hottest l ever heard of. number of
our boys and some of the men were sent home be-
of not being able to stand it. One of the Pc
culiar things in connection with the heat on the
coast south of the line is that teeth begin to
decay. Another effect produced is heart Palpita-
pulled an for three straight miles without any
serious heart palpitation
am fond of the service especially since my pro-
motion Since August last have been doing mes
senger boy service Out of the sixteen duty hours
am on four and off twelve. am relieved of coal
then with one of the officers.
A Sentinel or an Advocate from home Is worth
nearly as much a letter. The boys in my mess
seem to be as fond of the Westminster and Balti-
more papers as am, theyare all anxious to read
them Most of the boys are from the north and
many of them think that Baltimore is very slow
place.
With love to all remain your son,
HARRY.
p. S-The Lancaster arrived at Boston, Thulsday
night, 18th. Here the Lancaster will go out of
commission and the boys will be transferred to
Some other shin