The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-03
As Related by E. w. Ellis, Our
Correspondent.
HOW THE VOLUNTEERS
Spend the Time Now That They
Have Settled Down
To Waiting For Something to
Turn Up.
San Francisco, Aug. %.

long for the very ducks and geese to
come down the hillside and ruff1e its
bosom, just to break the monotony
Well that is the condition of the
Twentieth Kansas since it has settled
down to garrison life The days come
and go with the same programme, the
same ceaseless round of drill, of guard
mount, and retreat.
The amount of drill is modified to two
hours per day, and the life of the re-
cruits has become as indolent as that
Of the Lotus Eaters" The duties of
the day are gone through with mechan-
ically, interspersed with letter writing,
exercising with boxing gloves or loung-
ing around quarters, specializing on the
fate of the regiment or wondering what
the friends in Kansas are doing.
Few rainy days have come to us
not one genuine thunder shower where
the water comes down the bitches in
quantities enough to allow the boys to
roll up their trousers and go wading.
1t is more in the nature of a heavy
penetrating fog that envelops every
thing and drops drearily from the tent
flaps to sink in the sand below
But there are bright spots in the lit
tie oasis and not the least among them
is a trip on the government boat that
daily visits the various posts around
the bay. Any soldier is allowed to take
the ride providing he secures the neceS-
sary permission from his captain.
Often an entire company is taken for
an outing. Friday afternoon one of the
companies of the regiment took the
trip.
The steamer is a coy little craft
fitted out to carry at least a battalion
of men with two decks and commo-
diOus cabin.
When it drew up to the wharf the
boys swarmed over the ratings like a
rush to hear a popular actress at the
opening of the theater doors, a rush
was also made for the upper deck but
the officials put a sudden check on that
move That portion of the deck was
reserved for officers and the ladies.
Across the bay from the camp, sur
rounded by the purple haZy hills of
Angels island lies the little white bar
racks where a battalion of the Wash
ington troops are quartered. Save for the
daily coming and going of the little
steamer the doings of the outside world
are utterly unknown to those quartered
within its limits.
The day was perfect. A nimble breeze
raced with the steamers progress, roll
ing the surface of the sea into long
regular swell, while out on the bay lazy
porpoise rolled and tumbled in clumsy
play.
AS we left. the wharf at the Preside
three Drowned sailors were pulling in
a long net from the sea, and as the
steamer drew farther out from the
shore we could see a wiggling shiny
mass, showing a profitable haul of sar-
dimes.
No large boats passed US but up the
bay towards Frisco great ferry boats
steamed back and forth with their loads
of human freight.
AS we came nearer the opposite shore
the waves became a trifie chOppy and
several of the boys who had never be-
fore experienced the peculiar rolling
motion suddenly turned white and re-
tired to the ca bin, losing all interest in
the scenery. Others leaned over the
railing apparently studying the sour
rying water as it foamed and churned
to the rear. while the gulls, with shrill
piercing cries dipped in and out of the
waves.
After a pleasant run the throbbing
engine began slowing up, the whistle
shrilIy echoed among the hills and with
a few jerly motions the boat came to
rest at the little wharf at Angels is
land. The gang plank was showed
pears. plurns, cantaloupes and two sus-
picious looking casks in willow which
an old salt said were for medicinal quar-
ters. Human nature seems to be pretty
much the same here as in Kansas.
A DrOwsy Spot.
The boat remained long enough for
US to inspect the little quarters. Talk
about an Arcadia. 1t is surely quiet
little place to dream away ones life
away. Soldiers sat on benches on the
sunny side of quarters smoking, and
chatting drowsily. Great dogs lay at
their feet and two or three goats and
dirty faced kids stopped their antics
long enough to note the arrival and
departure of the steamer. In the side
up the hill was stables and far up on
the mountain cropping the dry brown
grass was a herd of mules and cattle,
the sound of whose leaders bells came
tinkling to US.
With an "aII aboard" the bell rang,
the engine puffed and the little steamer
pulled down the bay towards Alcatraz
|. island, where grim old dungeons of I'm
Gle Sam ade located. For fifty years
these islands have been used as a pris-
on. Away back in the days of Spanish
rule dungeons were erected there, stout
and strong as ChillOn. Rising straight
up out of the sea for two hundred feet
lined with frowning cannon and many
sentry boxes that stared US in the face
as we came to the landing, it seemed
to be impregna bic. But a few days pre-
vious two prisoners in a small row
boat escaped through a heavy fog that
the search light failed to penetrate and
are still at large. Three or four other
points equally as interesting were
touched by the steamer before it's re-
turn.
Visitors at Camp.
Ellsworth ingalls, was at our camp
today on his return from Oregon to
Kansas. He will remain in Frisco sew
eral days.
The privates had their outing the
other day The captains played the
heutenants a game of ball in a park
near the camp. Drill was postponed
and the band headed the procession.
The rank and file occupied the reserved
seats and guyed the officers most I'M
rnercifully It was their day in court
and nothing has tranSpired for many a
week that has afforded the soldiers
more amusement. The neutenants won
by a score of 26 to 16.
These are busy days for the band
under the leadership of Prof. Gormley,
it has become most proficient There
most, they have an engagement in the
city
One of the most popular of the recent
appointments was that of Sergeant
RI 1fp11fnna