Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-08

way. They Immediately dumped the
contents on the ground and went after
another load. One rebel didn't die till
within couple of hundred yards OF
the hospital and you ought to have
heard the Chinese swear.
Modification sets in almost immedi-
ately in this hot country, and before
they could get them buried they were
all "swelled up like they owned the
whole town.
Well, Bill, think now had better
stop. I hope you are still enjoying
yourself at the old stand. Give my love
and regards to Martin Melroy, Tim
Clifford, Will Cozad and the rest of
the faithful. I hope to be with you all
soon and then I will tell you how ''we"
killed the bear. Trusting you are
well and will remains so L am as ever
your friend, Claude Balm.
Co. Fl, Fifty-first Iowa,
San Fernando.
Mrs. S. Z. Adler, of this city, is in
receipt Of a letter from her brother,
Herman Kehm, of the U. S. S. Oregon,
in which he very graphically describes
the part which the Oregon took in
assisting the lost gunboat Paragua
which became stranded off the Island
of Luzon. The letter was written
June 10 while the Oregon was in Lin
guayan Gulf, and reads as follows:
"Linguayan Gulf, Luzon,
Philippine Islands,
s.June 10, 1899. +
"Mrs. S. Z. Adler:-Dear Sister:
Your letter of April Is reached me
only yesterday at this gulf, per U. S.
S. Princeton. We were ordered to this
insurgent stronghold June 10 to re-
lieve the Concord, that vessel going to
Hong Kong for docking. When we
neared our destination we sighted the
Concord cruising about as if in pur-
suit of something. We learned soon af-
terward that she was looking for the
light draft gunboat Paragua, former
ly Spanish vessel, but now in our
service. The Paragua had gone in
near the beach, disappeared behind
some rocks, and was seen no more.
Soon after our arrival the Concord
showed off and we anchored in the
gulf and began preparations for prac-
tice with small arms on a small unin-
habited island near by. An armed
party had gone ashore and were
guarding the men that were putting
up the targets in case the tuninhab-
tied island showed a number of willy
Filipinos. No one appeared and tar
get practice was carried on, on the
enemy's soil. About this time the
quartermaster on the bridge sighted a
large native canoe under full sail. It's
maneuyers were suspicious and our
captain ordered an armed steam
launch to pursue it. A stiff breeze
was blowing and in a short time the
enemy disappeared around a point OF
land with the launch in pursuit. Sew
eral hours had passed and the launch
failed to return, causing little I'M
easiness about the ship, and when a
few minutes later we heard heavy
gun fire from the direction in which
our launch had gone, it was decided
to up anchor and follow the launch
as far as the depth of the water would
permit. We had only covered a few
miles when our launch was sighted,
making for us 'fonr BELLS We hove
to, and when the launch came along
sue tney reported tnhb tney had lost
sight of the canoe, but what was OF
more Importance they had found the
lost gunboat Paragun stranded on the
coral reef only a thousand yards from
the beach, upon whichsthe Filipinos
were lined with threeinch field piece
and number of rifles trying hard to
disable the stranded gunboat Our
men on the Paragua were returning
the fire vigorously, and 1t was this
same firing that attracted our atten.
ton when we went out to look for the