Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-07-29
Another soldier Letter,


Capt. Cogswcll writes his wife rs
follows. The letter were received too
late for last weeks papers, but will be
read with interest just The sdme:
July 2, 1S9S.-We are now four days
out from San Francisco and l should
judge about half way to Honolulu.
This is just a little different from any
thing I have ever met before.
We left San Francisco on Tuesday
at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and from
that time till this, Saturday afternoon,
we have not seen a sail or a puff of
smoke that would indicate that there
were others. Four transports left
Frisco twenty-four hours before we
did and we are hoping to catch them
sometime tonight or tomorrow. Talk
about sick boys, you have no idea
what it is like. The first forty-eight
hovrs out of Frisco we're rough. We
had not been out more than two hours
before l vas sick. l did not eat sup
per that night-neither did I care to
eat all next day, but forced a few
mouthfuls down because every n
said it was the best cure. Since then
1 have been all O. X. and can eat like a
horse. Lots of the fellows are still
sick. Some of them seem to stay about
SO most CT the time. Iguess we had q
pretty rough time of it any way, SO far
as the sea was concerned. There did
not seem to be much of a'storm, but [
do know that the sea was strong
enough SO that it broke a 6x6 oak tim
Der right square in two, so l guess some
of us people that have always lived on
the prairie had license to get sick IL
we wanted to.
Our boat is small, 26O feet long and
some 3 OBJECT wide. We have to come
the sardine act pretty strong in order
to find room for all and even as it is q
strong guard is posted all the time SO
there will be hunks enough for all not
on duty. Some of the boys have had
the enthusiasm pretty we'll taken out
of them by this time. It's pretty tough
putting 500 men down in the hold of a
small vessel and ninety-nine of each
hundred sick and vomiting, with little
OF no ventilation to speak of. Since
the weather has quieted down and we
are most of us gradually recovering
our equilibrium, things are looking
brighter. 1t is q very tedious trip
though, no room to get around in and
nothing to do but sit around and
watch and wait. Not a sail vet have
we seen. The only friends we seem
to have are a flock of sea gulls that
have followed the vessel ever since we
left San Frisco. I never knew before
what an ocean wave was. They make
a fellows eyes stick out all right and
no mistake. This water is Just as blue
as it can be. 1t looks for all the world
as though some n had thoroughly
saturated it with the contents of your
old bluing rag. DELL.
Honolulu, July Z, 1898.-Here we are
all safe and sound. Reached port last
night at u O'clock and everyone thank
full for it. Last evening wns the first
time since we started that 1 Thoroughly
enjoyed being or board ship. 1t was a
delightful evening and the sunset was
Il sight to remember, to say nothing
about the rising moon a couple of
hours after. 1t seems strange to see
the sunset a little after & O'clock at
this time of the year.
Coming into the harbor was another
novelty to nc. We had on all sides
vessels of all kinds. Our " fleet
makes quite a showing by itself. Five
transports aud two gunboats. We were
next to the last of the fleet to come in.
as We left Frisco n day behind the
others. AS we steamed into the har-
Dor the other vessels were all lit up
and everyone wide awake and cheer
ing for the North Dakota boys in blue.
The local Honolulu guard officers with
a fine band came out on u boat to meet
us and gave us some of the good old
national airs. All the while a search
light from one Of the gunboats was
playing on the harbor,and it was much
more beautiful aud impressive than if
we had reached here in Daylight. Late
as it was nothing would do but we
must go up town with the officers OF
the local batteries, and they enter
tanned US right royalty. After we had
been banqueted we smoked Manila
cigars aud had quite a visit. They
make M think of the way North Da-
kota entertains more than any place
we have met since leaving home
Their armory and banquet hall is part
Of the old palace occupied by Queen
Lii before the monarchy was wiped
out. The place was full of interesting
things as all the furniture used by the
royal family is still there just us they
left it. The grounds around the palace
are something grand. Royal palms,
and all other palms and tropical vege-
tation of all kinds are there in rich
profusion. The whole place being a
park more grand and beautiful than
you can imagine. Great high volcanic
hills, now covered with the greenest of
grass form a background at the foot
of which lies the town of thirty thou
sand people. The whites are vastly in
the minority I should judge from what
| have seen. Lots of Chinese and ma
tives. There are more American flags
floating here than in any city of the
United States of it's size on the 4th of
July. Everybody here is talking an.
%neXation. I have heard that they have
$500 worth of fireworks that they are
anxious to get rid of when the vel
come ncws that they are part of Uncle
Sans domain reaches them.
We are now taking on coal and ex-
pect to complete that job today. It is
rumored that we will get away from
here tonight but 1 think we will be
here for another day at least. This
place is not so hot as you wouIl i'm.
agine. The temperature never gets
above ninety and eighty is more com
mon. 1t is awfully hot OH the water
though and I wish we were at Manila
now. The stores here look quite home
like, most of them being full OF
United States goods. 1 do not expect
you will hear from me again for nbout
two mouths. DELL.