The National tribune., 1900-01-11
EN- ROUTE TO MANILA.
Experiences of a Paymaster's
Clerk on the Way to the
Philippines.
En- Route to Philippines.
at 400 AZ n Long. 1869 So W.


TRANSPORT SHERMAN. Dec. 8, 1899.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: mere Is
an element of uncertainty about PERI ormlhs
labor on a sea-voyagc that "land-lubbefs
especially need always 10 take INTO ac
count. Before leaving San tranclSc'
members of our Pay Corps had planned tt
do considerable work on the trip across tht
Pacific Orders relating to the Pay Dc
partment the latest ones at least, were TO bi
read over carefully. so that in entering
upon our duties at the new station We
should be fully up to date as 10 knowledge
of the business; the study of Spanish was t6
be kept up: works on the Philippines, puT-
chased for that purpose. were to lie peruSeu'
and a large amount of correspondence done.
Sofar. however, q flea would suffer from the
cold if his comfort depended upon tne
erection of a domicile by our aggregate
labors during the past three days; ana
thereby hangs a tale"
1t was a beautiful afternoon. the 9th
inst, when we left San Francisco, and
nothing could be done, of course, but OBJ
serve the objects and incidents of the home
land as we entered upon our transit OF tins
besides officers, clerks, church dignitarleS,
ETC., one battalion of the 10th Inf. (colored),
and nearly 200 white troops, recruits and
caSualS belonging to regiments IN the
Philippines. Our vessel and Pier 10,
Folsom Street Wharf, were thronGed with
friends and spectators. The colored ele-
ment predominated, and as the last warning
whistle cleared the boat, and we left the
dock, hundred voices sang, Hello, Ma
Baby" "a Hot Time" and other songs.
"Au Revoir, But Not Good-by." was heard,
and Shrill accents were diStlnguShable,
shouting, 81 don't care if you never come
back" while full chorus sang Bring
back my bonnie to me- A salute from a
United States gunboat bid us an official
farewell; though after passing the battle
ship Iowa, anchored off Goat Island, speed
was Slackened, and the United States tug
Alert ran alongside and delivered sealed
orders.
Turning to the westward, around North
Beach, Alcatraz Island on our right, with
its fortress and torpedo station; Angel
Island beyond, Telegraph Hill in the city
limits to the left, and the Preside, with its
garrison, were soon passed, and we were
traversing the famous Golden Gate between
Point Bonita north and Fort Winfield
Scott south. Down the coast the Cliff
House and the Seal Rocks were discern
Ible
DO you see the sea lynn out there?"
said DIR. RosSiter gravely.
"Sea-lion? Where?" inquired several.
The Doctor explained his joke to the dis
gust OF his questioners, though some eyes
were turned in the direction OF the Seal
Rocks, where this species OF marine creature
had fiourished for many years, but none
were now Observed The fact IS that
great change in public opinion with regard
to these animals has occurred within
few months. For years the killing of the
sea-lion upon the California coast was
forbidden by laws enforced under heavy
penalties. The result has been that at
Ano Nuovo Point, 20 miles south of San
Francisco Bay, FarallOne Islands Is miles
west, and Point Reyes, l. miles north,
they multiplied to such an alarming extent
that they were likely to prove destructive
to the entire salmon fisheries.
Some of these monsters attain n weight
OF 4,500 pounds, and a single individual
will consume or destroy $50 fish in a day.
So that with 10000 of them to be fed, the
number estimated to exist about the points
named, the salmon which enter the bay
and breed in the Sacramento River had a
very small chance for existence.
AT the petition of the State Fish Com
mission the law was abrogated, and hun
tiers sent to Point Reyes in July, where some
500 of the big sea beauties were shot and
killed in two days; and the slaughter has
been kept up till any one who should now
assert from ships deck at the Golden
Gate that he saw sea-lion, would be
more than likely to be lyin' himself-a
piece of information which has been rigidIy
withheld from DR.. Rossiter.
After We parted with our pilot, and en-