The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-10-27
FROM NAGASAK.
Private Jessup Writes of the
Wrecked Regiment.
- Sights to be Seen in the Japan
csc City, and a Novel Bath For
the Soldiers.

Private VIM. E. Jessup's relatives
have received another letter from him,
dated week after the one in which he
gave the details of the wreck of the
transport Morgan City. The following
are extracts:
Nagasaki, Japan, Sept. 10.
wrote you letter few days ago
from the island where we were ship
wrecked, now today write you from
the great city of Nagasaki. AS I said
in my other letter, we were expecting
relief from the island, and sure it
came and welcome relief, too. Soon af-
tor / handed my other letter to the
chaplain, a japanese tug pulled up
near shore and notified us that an
ocean steamer from here would soon be
after us, and about noon the Stetagama,
Maru IA japanese freight boat pulled.
| within about mile of shore and
anchored there. We commenced to-
prepare to go aboard ship again, al
though the rain was pouring down and
had been all night. We were wet and
| cold and it was quite task to all get
aboard as the life boats had to be used
to carry us out to the ship. Some
were rowed and some towed out by the
tug, but by dark we were all aboard,
but the night was so dark and stormy
and the route we had to go so treacher-
GUS the captain concluded to remain
there until morning. 1t was a long
night for many of US. As / said be-
fore the boat was freight boat and
there was not room for all below, Sc
many of us had to stay on upper deck
in the chilly rain but as soon as day.
light came we pulled out and the sky
cleared up and we enjoyed the trip UNI
til evening Then again we struck
rough sea and the boat heayed and
tossed, rolled and pitched, and waves
rolled clear up on upper deck, but the
ship stood the storm nobly and when
daylight came the sea Gained again and
about noon we pulled into the bay here
and were SURF ounded by all kinds Of
craft.
There are boats here from nearly
every nation. We are quartered in the
japanese barracks now and are quite
comfortable. The barracks are built
something like an American barn. with
heavy frame work, and our beds con-
sist of sea grass woven together and
thrown on the loor, but paradise
to the rocks on the beach. I have
been nearly all over the city and it is q
wonder to look on. In many places the
streets are no more than twelve feet
wide. Very few buildings haye win
dow glass, but instead large holes to
let the light in. Every building nearly
is some kind Of store or shop. All
work is done by hand here and the
women do the most of it. They carry
their infants on their backs like the
American Indian.
do not believe that there are dozen
beasts of burden in the whole city and
all the soil is titled by hand. 1 saw a
few native ponies used for carrying
packs.and also few bulls for the same
purpose. For thirteen cents one can
hire native with his little carriage
(about twice as large as an American
baby carriage, only it has but two
wheels) and he will trot you over the
city for one hour. He pulls the car
riage himself.
The United States consul here made
arrangements for all of US to take an
oriental bath, a rare treat and very
peculiar bath as we'll One enters a
small building and native sets out a
basket to put your clothing, shoes and
hat in. Once undressed, one passes to
tank of hot water, remains in there
about two minutes, steps out and a
japanese girl is there to pour warm
water over you, then cool water. Then
you sit down and two Japanese girls
with cloths rub you with soap and
water from head to foot, then again
pour water over you, then again you go
into tank and get all the soap washed
off. Then they rub you dry.
wish 1 could tell you more of the
sights one sees while crossing the
ocean and while in Japan. but cannot
in this. We expect the q. S. transport
Ohio from Manila to arrive here in
five or six days to take us to our des-
tination, something like 2 200 miles yet.