Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-01-27
A Letter From The 10th.

you every mail since we got here. The
last mail we got was Yesterday, but
there was not much for our company.
The mail goes out from here to the
United States tomorrow morning, so. |
will try and get this letter off by that
time. Our mail is not regular here at all.
understand that regular route is going
to be established, though. SO that we
will get our mail every two weeks. 1t
takes long time for a letter to get here
from Kansas. The latest news that we
have received from there, at the present
time, is Nov. 7th, so we don't know just
how the election went, yet, We expect
to get lot of mail in few days, telling
all about it.
hardly know what to write to you.
There is so much to write about that |
don't know where to begin. / am afraid
that my letter will be more or less dis
connected, as will be inclined to cut the
sentences short in order to get more
news into one letter. II do, you will
have to try and read between the lines.
l got pretty near all the boat-riding |
wanted, for while, at least, coming
over here. We did not have a bad voy-
age or any bad weather, either, but when
you are thirty days on a vessel, without
getting off, you will give good deal to
walk on solid ground again.
We started for Manila on Oct. 9th,
and got to Honolulu on Nov. 9th, where
we STAYED till the morning of the 9th.
We voted at Honolulu on the Sth, just
as if we were at home, o. not quite.
as we did not use the Australian ballot
system, and elected our judges instead of
having them appointed in the usual way,
but everybody who wanted to, or was
entitled to a vote, could and did vote.
The election was very quiet. The boys
did not seem to take much interest in it.
The Indiana left Honolulu at 6 a. m,
November 9th, sailing almost due west,
so as to pass by the north end of I-uzon
island. The sea was smooth most of the
way, 80 we got along very we'll till we
came to the China Sea. AS we passed to
the north of the Ladronc Islands, we
saw our first active volcano. The vapor
was rolling out in perfect cloud, SO
that at first, we thought it was a cloud
hanging over the top of the mountain
instead of coming out OF it. We passed
Within about three miles of it. Just as
we were passing around the north end of
Luzon island into the China sea, we ell
a stiff northwest wind, the
first wind to amount to anything that
we had on all our trip. The waves roll
ed high, and the vessel rolled with them,
and the boys rolled, too. Just which
way the boys rolled would puzzle an ex-
pert to tell. but they managed to get to
pretty near all parts of the ship i'll not
very seaman-like way. Somehow or
Their, they were not as particular how
they got around, during those two days
of windy weather as they had been be-
fore, but quite frequently Travelled across
the wet, slippery deck in manner more
rapid that dignified Nor was this mode
of action confined to the enlisted men
alone, but the officers also refused to re-
main at any particular place when the
deck slanted at an angle of $50 degrees,
more or less. Perhaps we would have
thought it more serious if it had not
been so ludicrous: bat no person can
think much about the pitching of YES
sci when he sees his comrades sliding
across the deck in way that would
make boy coasting down hill on sled
turn green with envy. Ieypcct that the
waves rolled as high sometimes as 20
feet, but it was not considered storm,
for the vessel was in no danger at any
time After we got well around the end
of Luzon island, the wind ceased and
the sea GOt tts shtcOtH go " W. nav pSSh
in a harbor. We Travelled in sight of the
island all the rest of the way to Manila.
We entered Manila bay about 9 p. m,
Nov. 30th.
Manila bay is the second largest bay
in the world. 1t is about five miles wide
at the entrance. Right in the middle of
the entrance is small island on which
lighthouse is stationed, It Is about 80
miles from the entrance of the bay to
Manila.
The coast line of the bay is said to be
1876 miles in extent,
Manila Is on the northeast end of the
bay, while directly opposite it, on the
the southwest end of the bay, is Cavite
1t is about seven or eight miles across
the water from Cavite to Manila.
do not know how far it is by land, but
should Judge about two or three times