Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-17
MANILA LETTER.
Robert Lyon, Jr., Tells of PeriIous Sea
VOYAGE and His Return to Manila.
Manila. November Is, 1906

Manila. November Is, 1900.
My Dear Mother:-After ten days Of
hair-raising, thrilling and dangerous
adventures, mingled with no little
suffering. | landed in Manila on Nov.
Il, all O. K and in excellent health.
[ will herein give brief description
of our very eventful voyage since
leaving Taku. The regiment boarded
the steamer "I-chang" and started
down the river towards the gulf and
transport Warren. but when we had
passed out the mouth of the river our
steamer, which was heavily loaded.
ran aground on a sand bar and there
we stuck for 4S hours huddled together
like sheep, without the least bit of
accommodation for sleeping or eating.
Finally we sent word ashore for
launch and a lighter to take off half
the men and thus tighten the steamer
so she could get out of the mud. The
lighter arrived about 3 o'clock p. m.
and 400 Of us poor mOrtalS were loaded
on like so many horses with just
standing room and away steamed the
launch towards the transport with US
in tow. A very heavy sea was running
and presently it came on to blow so
terribly and as result, about two
and felt miserable in the vicinity of
their stomach. The little launch
tugged and worked for about two
hours and finally had us within hail
ing distance of the Warren but the
storm had assumed the proportions of
a gale now and we could not be brought
oil II
the tug Jr Staving in the sides of the
lighter, and after about a dozen
desperate attempts to get us close
enough to get line aboard the
captain of the tug got mad and told
us he'd be damned if he would 60 to
the bottom of the ocean on our &C
count and would make one more trial
to get US alongside then quit if he
failed. He was wild and brought US
around with bang and up against
the iron sides OF the Warren we
smashed, knocking everybody down
and one sailor overheard in that
terrible sea. Our lighter trembled
and shook and we all thought she was
stove in surely. Well, they heaved US
a line which we made fast in hurry
but the tub drifted and the line
snapped SO we were as far away as
ever and then our launch was being
towed stern foremost by US because
the wind blew Us along at terrific
gate and the launch could not turn
around or get any slack in the tow
line. She was just about to swamp
when her captain cut the tOW-line and
let US 60 to the devil and away we
drifted expecting to bang vp against
some of the numerous ships in the
bay and be drowned. At this juncture
the captain Of the Warren ordered
life boat and crew over the side and in
no time they were out after us in that
little boat in such raging sea. 1t
was an appalling sight / can assure
you. The crew of the life boat were
veteran sailors and | should judge
exceptionally good ones because they
drove that boat through those awful
waves and caught us. They made a
line fast to us then rOwed back to the
ship again and wound US in by means
of a steam winch. We got safely
alongside at O'Clock next morning.
The worst night | ever put in in my
life. Nearly frozen to death. | can't
begin to describe it as it really was.
Well, this did not end our troubles
by no means because we ran into a
typhOon two days out of Nag2Saki and
for 26 hours we were storm tossed and
damned around in great shape. We
would be thrown out of our berthS by
the lurches and pitches of the ship.
Seas as high as the Wood block went
clear over our hurricane deck and that
is the highest deck on the ship. Just
imagine volume of water half mile
long and as high as the Wood County
bank come rolling toward the ship and
just as it was about to engulf us we
would rise on the next swell and thus
escape. | tell you my hair stood up
on several occasions although we were
in no real danger as the sea was
running with us and the wind in our
back. The papers pulled up Captain
Frazier of the Warren for his excel
lent work in handling the ship during
such dangerous storm. The remain
der of the voyage was uneventful
When we landed in Manila the whole
regiment marched through the city
with the band and Co. X. in the lead
and we were cheered all the way from
the water front to our quarters in
"Quartel de Meisic." Everybody gave
three cheers for the Fourteenth and
the band played Home from the
War" and other Quicksteps. 1t seems
good to get back, here SO just imagine
how it will seem to get back to good
old America. We relieved the
Twenty-tirst Infantry who went to
the southern part of the island to
relieve some of the volunteers.
| made numerous inquiries as to the
location of the Second Infantry and
am on the trail of Wilbur HerSchleb
and hope to find him in a few days. He
is not in Manila but is on the south
line near the city of Paranaque.
have also located Charles KellS who is
member of Co. [, Thirty-ninth
volunteers, and | am going to see him
today. r. W. LYON.
$500 Reward.
We will pay the above reward fol
| any case of liver COMPLAINT. DYSPEPSIA