The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-09-15
THE LONG VOYAGE.
From hrst page.

blanket crossways into three folds, the
third fold being about 18 inches wider
than the other two, 80 that / can crawl
under it when it rains. Then / put
my pillow at the end nearest the
middle OF the boat, fasten my flannel
bandage around my stomach, pull my
shirt down we'll, button my pants up
good and tightly around both to hold
them in place, and then I lie down
and 60 to sleep. At four o'clock the
boatswain and crew wash down the
deck, so have to get up and wait for
about half an hour until my place is
washed. Then I put my blankets
down again and turn in until six, when
I get up and spread my blankets to
dry, because it rains nearly every
night for an hour or two, and the
blankets get pretty wet some times,
and then I fall in line for breakfast.
At two o'clock every afternoon we
have setting up exercises for an hour,
and then go aft and take bath by
turning the hose on each other. We
haye better health on this boat than
on anv of the others, and have not lost
q man, yet, while the others have
lost from one to four each, and none
of ours are even dangerously i'll.
July 19th-About two hours after I
finished writing above our first death
occurred. He was buglar in Co. E,
and died from rheumatism of the
heart. He was buried the same after
noon, being wrapped up in canvass
and flag. He was dumped. off of
the stern, after q few words by the
chaplain. The whole affair cast de-
lided gloom over the men, but it only
casted few hours. Il seems that
when one has looked forward to the
chances of death tor two or three
months, that the sadness surrounding
it disappears almost entirely.
1t began raining day before yester-
day and continued until this morning,
so that I had to sleep down below the
last two nights, by order of the
Colonel. It was hot down there last
night, but I will probably sleep up on
the deck tonight, as it is clear and
calm again, while yesterday it was
so very rough that quite large num-
Der of the boys we're sea sick again.
Charles and mercifully escaped with
nothing but slight headache.
When we got up at $50 this morn
ing we got our first glimpse of the
PHILIPPINES, and they are now in plain
sight, but not close enough to distin-
guish anything.
Here Mr.. Wallace ceased writing
for half an hour, on an alarm of war
vessels, which afterwards turned out
to be rocks. 1t would make you laugh
to see the boys running from one side
of the boat to the other, he continues,
as soon as q Joker calls out that he
sees vessel, but there is so little 60
ing on and we are all anxious to see
something new that we believe almost
anything.
I had quite q treat this morning.
George Montgomery, young fellow
that you have met in our rooms at
Hamline, called to me as passed bis
window. Being a band boy, he travels
second class, and has window, and
gave me biscuit with butter on it,
some jam and cup of cocoa. My,
but it tasted good.
We are now in the China Sea, but l
did not see any line that we crossed,
separating it from the Pacific ocean.
There are several schools of porpoises
in sight, and it is relief to see them
even, and also some pleasure to watch
them playing.
Sunday. We are anchored in Ma
Mia Bay, in sight of and in the midst
of Dewey's wonderful feet. A few
moments ago we passed several of the
sunken Spanish boats, two of them
showing only their upper decks and
masts. There is no way of knowing
when we will land, but we all feel so
good at being here that we do not
care much, and besides, we just
heard the most welcome news that
Santiago de Cuba and Havana are
in our hands and that Cervera's fleet
has been destroyed-our first news
for "a days, and decidedly the most
welcome that we could possibly re-
ceive. While / write this I am sit
f;ne, ~ fho Aoor of tho CO1Onol'a state