The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1900-02-14

"A l4eICeE NEOuk 14AcuO' OhttoS - .
Beale.
OK BOARD u. s. TRANSPORT,
"CoLUMBIA,"
Dec. 9th, 1899.
City Editor Register:
While Point Pleasant and vicin-
ity are celebrating Christmas, the
40 Infantry, on board transports
"Columbia" and "Dolney Yastok,"
is in mid-ocean, thousands of miles
from friends and homes, but still
each officer and enlisted man no
doubt thought of those SO far away,
Christmas was celebrated in way
which would have been quite a
spectacle to those not used to the
ways of the American soldier. AT
promptly eight O'Clock Christmas
morning, while the band played the
Star Spangled Banner, the flags
of all nations were hoisted, with
the stars and stripes above all, and
both vessels presented striking
appearance in their holiday dress.
Then came the great event of the
day namely, dinner for the men.
1t is no small job on land to pre-
pare Christmas dinner for six hun
dred men, and on board ship it be-
comes a perfect mountain of work
and ingenuity, but the Yankee can
overcome any obstacle, SO the din
ner was quite success in every
way. Three barrels of beer were
hoisted from the hold, and then it
was Christmas for sure. A min
strel show helped to fill in, and
with plenty of beer the day wound
up in one grand blaze of hilarity.
We have on columbia" headquar-
tors, band and companies FL, l, X,
l. and NJ; other seven companies
on "Dolney Vostok." Vessels keep
in signaling distance, SO as to be
near in case of accident to either.
After crossing the continent by
rail, we went into camp at Presidio,
Government Reservation, San
Francisco, Cal.
San francisco is one place that
has no equal in the world. All
the nations of the globe are repre-
sented-C Chinese, Japs, Russians,
Dagoes, all in one grand mix up,
and to use the words of the poet
1.-THE warmest spot on earth"
We received sailing orders OH
November 18th, and on the morn
ing of the Both, Thanksgiving Day,
we boarded the transports and
passed out through the Golden
Gate to the great Pacific. Most
everyone was seasick for the first
day or two, but the weather being
fine all were soon on their sea legs,
and ready for their meals. On the
9th of December we reached Homo
lulu, Hawaiian Islands, and spent
two days there, conling and fitting
up for the long run to Manila.
Honolulu is most interesting, as
we'll as beautiful spot, fine har-
Dor, but very dangerous one to
enter, as some dozen wrecks on the
reefs go to prove. Queen Lil's
former palace and surrounding
grounds are simply grand. The
fountains and shrubbery are beyond
my feeble pen to describe. The
most beautiful homes, and each
yard botanical garden, oranges,
lemons, cocoanuts, bananas, guavas,
and great many other fruits too
numerous to mention. Population
$4,000, one-eighth of whom are
Americans, balance natives, Chi
nese and Japs. The museum con-
tains all the royal effects of past
kings and queens, and is rated as
one of the finest in the world.
Our band gave concert in the
gardens of the principal hotel,
which was largely attended and
greatly enjoyed by everyone.
After leaving Honolulu, no land
was sighted until the oath, when
we passed within two miles of AS
sumption Island, ono of the La
drone groupe, 1t is simply a
mountain rising abruptly out of
the ocean, $500 feet high, all ex-
tinot volcano. No vegetation or
inhabitants. but most any kind of
land looks we'll to lot of land lub-
bers who haven't seen any for fif-
teen days. We expect to anchor
in Manila Bay on the Both, having
). spent just 30 days on the ocean,
Everyone anxious for news OF