The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1898-09-17
raOn MAn1LA.
WIN. Plpkin Whites Of the Idahe BeyD' Long
Journey and Aalp Arrival

tionto the Philippines, which left San
Francisco june 9th, and Of whose
movements up TO reaching II0nolulu on
July 9Th l advised you. reached this
place today At 3 p. M, and ms 4 steamer
leaves here for Hong Kong on the NOR
row, ! take advantage Of the oppoftun.
ity Of getting letter to America sooner
than risk waiting for steamer direct
TO San Francisco.
The trip Of the Morgan City from
Honolulu was nneventfnI, other than
the encountering Of heavy seas for the
three days just preceding our arrival,
during which time our vessel shipped
about five feet Of water. and by reason
OF our being tossed about like q cookie
shell our coal and part of the cargo
shifted, 90 that for the last twenty-f0nr
hours we were 20 listed to port that we
were ut times on our side. Aboard the
remaining ships Of the expedition, con-
sisting OF the flagship Indiana, the
Para, Ohio and The Valencia, the latter
having Joined as at Honolulu. things
were not 80 favorable, the Valencia
loOsing one man By drowning In Homo
lulu harbor. while the Ohio lost two by
suicide, the victims being fremen. who
upon coming coming from the fur
naces deliberately leaped overheard.
The Indiana lost three by sickness and
one suicide, while the Para lost two by
fever and one suicide. The Morgan
City, upon which are the Idaho boys,
reports no casualties. begin TO think
1t impossible to kill any Of the Idaho
boys with less than half a ton of gun
cotton. unless they are compelled to be
quiet. l do not think / ever heard so
much noise made by a like number of
men anywhere or at any time. Our
battalion consists Of nearly 500 men,
and TO hear them In the steerage OF the
vessel at night is enough to drive one
mad. They can and do initiate the bel
lowing Of cattle. the neigh Of horse.
barking Of q dog. squaling of a cat.
bleating Of a thousand sheep, the shrill.
sharp bark Of coyote; In fact. noises
such as the animals In the ark might
have made were they allowed TO muir
muir. II is probably good for them. as
many would succnmb were they not al
lowed some liberties to take from their
minds thoughts OF home and loved ones.
The Kootenai county contingent are
especially lively-barring Frank Dun
can who Is still homesick. lie mopes
around, when he moves at all, as though
he were about TO fail apart at all Of his
joints. and he always has that far away
look. His friends need not fear for his
health, however, for no one with his ap-
petite will die Of his complaint. Will
Fredric. while being convalescent from
his homesickness, can hold Duncan level
N the mess table. Fred Farr is so rug
ged that he has voluntarily put in sew
eral shifts shoveling coal to the fur
naces; and 10 see him when he energies
from the bowels Of the ship one would
doubt the truth of the assertion that
Fred had ever slung hash for Fletcher.
Fred has an appetite not IN proportion
TO hls daily allowance Of grub. viii
Merriam is by far the best rustler for
grub aboard ship, else he would clamor
for bread. Sitting Bull, after leaving
Honolulu, struck 1t rich in that he was
promoted TO biscuit counter. The al
lowanee per man is two biscuits per
meal, and three meals per day would
necessitAte his counting about 5000 bis
cults; no easy task, bat as he has an
elevated seat beneath an awning, he is
willing TO undergo some hardship for
the sake OF responsibility, il that re
sponsibllity carries with it a chance for
promotion.
On the evening Of the 23rd of July we
passed within two miles OF an active
volcano. say active, 1t was active to
this extent: That while no sparks or
blaze could be seen, the reflection from
the burning orator was strong and a
grand sight. The island should judge
TO be about 500 feet in height and across
the top Of the crater about half an acre
in area, while at the base should judge
II TO be I've or six miles in circnmfer-
ence; a rocky, barren knoll without an
object Of natures handiwork within a
hundred mikes Of IL. The same night
we passed the volcano we came near
having disaster. About 1880 a. m. the
chief engineer, then off duty, discovered
that the vessel was motionless save the
rolling from heavy seas. nurriedly en-
tering the engine room, he found Ia
pounds Of steam OF, drunken engineer
and no water in the boilers. lie claims
that FIVE minutes later nothing coald
have saved US. We also have on board
a crazy man who occasionally runs
amuck, Notwithstanding he is in the
guard house and has over him an nj.
legged guard. A few days ago he threw
a gun, cartridge belt, ammunition and
his bedding overheard and attempted to
follow the articles. think that had !
been the alleged guard l would have as
sisted him in joining them.
Imagine, Mr. Editor, IL you can, my
feelings upon entering Manila bay, the
scene OF the greatest. naval victory Of
this or any other age; where the brave
Dewey three months ago tomorrow
made for himself aud his crew a name
that will go down to posterity. not along
with Paul Jones, Nelson or Farragut