Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-15
On BOARD TRANSPORT MEADE.
l0.30 A NJ Nov ~ 1900

Or BOARD Transport MEADE.
1880 A. NJ, Nov. 20, 1899.
his hnds me at liberty o write you few
lines though l don't know lust when or
where l shall mail them. l will give you
as good an account of our trip, up to date.
as possible. We left Ethan Allen last
Monday, the 18Th, at s p. NJ, and then
waited in Burlington until u O'Clock. II
was the most disagreeable journey l ever
took. The cars we're poorly heated and
delays were frequent and long and when
We finally reached Brooklyn it was u
O'Clock Tuesday eve. did not get to bed
until nearly A. NJ, as all the luggage had
TO be transferred to the pier.
The trip ahoat thus far has been very
rough. The sun has shOne most of the
time, but We are getting the rough water
Of northern storms The iron safe in the
office of the ships quartermaster, which
has stood there for four years, was over
turned, and general havoc was wrought
from stem TO stern. | repeated my sailing
record and have not had a sick moment.
But the gnawing and heaving of those af-
fected was amusing in the extreme. The
utter despair and abandonment of nine
tenths Of those on board was ludicTous. A
common version of the feelings of most
was voiced in the sentiment of one of the
enlisted men who was heard TO sing:
IF had a transport of my own
I'd turn the ID thing round and
then 60 sailing home"
But the malady is passing away and
things are rapidly getting into shape.
have been assigned to Company A in
the LIST battalion. The captain, Beavers,
is a fine fellow, from North Carolina.
Quartermaster Preston has resigned and
Capt. Elliott has been appointed. He
knows nothing about the work and Col.
Murray said be should want me to act as
assistant quartermaster. l am in perfect
health.
We have sighted but one vessel since
passing the lightship of Sandy Hook. Had
a fire in the passage leading 10 the reirig-
orator the other night, from contact with
steam pipes. Quite a scare, some smoke
and a small fire. Will finish this later.
Sunday, Nov. %
We are due in Gibraltar tomorrow morn
ing and | am going to say that l am all o..
&. and everything moves smoothly. We
passed MADEIRA early yesterday morning,
and a more lovely sight | never saw. Inc
island is of volcanic origin, and is exactly
as described in all biographies. Covered
on the southern slope with vineyards and
dotted with white hurs or small houses, 1t
presented almost a fairy-like appearance.
The cliffs, in most places, rise sheer from
the sea to a height, am told, OF lou feet
They are of reddish bronze color and most
beautiful in the sunlight The vegetation
lies in a belt midway between the shore
cliffs and the extinct volcanic peaks when
tower TO the skies in every imaginable
shape. How l wish you might have seen
them. for can feel that you would have
epioyed the sight, perhaps more tnan L.
we passed within half a mile Of the shore
and were about 2 IL hours passing the
main island. We did not leave the highest
neaks in our rear until after P. NJ.
These islands are supposed to be the re-
naming Deaks of the submerged continent
Of Atlantis, peOpled at one time Win a
race which exceeded in educational, aren't
tactnral and scientific accomplishments
even the Greeks and Romans. TINS con-
tinent is mentioned in history, ancient as
the vast domain lying 70 the southwest
yard of the Pillars of Hercules, which are
the rocks of Gibraltar. As late as Coium-
bI,sis dav there is mention Of vast sea OF
mnd 80 dense as to be difficult of nayiga-
ton and of which the Saragossa sea is sup
posed to be the remainder
We are about to pass through a iocAI.y
suIl of historic interest and striking IN us
natural beauty and scenery. how many
of the scenes in mythology are located 10
and about the Mediterranean and us Dor
dering countries. l wish l had tune 70 IN,
form myself in regard to all the countries
Ne sbali see. touch at and pass am
verv busy in the quartermasters depart
ns1t and have snatched my minutes no"
sDd then. Had another IRE aboard lasl
ssvening-spontAneous combustion OF Guy
~aste We are getting used to them now,
7 would write more but l have papers u
Iii AZ Gibraltar and must work.