The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-07-30
FROM THE OLD COUNTRY.
Mrs. sibbert Writes An Interesting
Letter OF the VOYAGE.

be able to print portions of a letter
written by Mrs. B. j. ESibbert to her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. G.. Gronau. The
Sibbert's landed at Hamburg where
they were met by Mr.Sibbert's brother.
They went at once to the home of Mr..
Slbaert's father at Rodemus Husum.
Barney had not Deer home for seven
teen years and his aged father was
greatly affected and rejoiced at his
home coming. They have been royalty
entertained by many relatives and
friends and Mrs. Sibbert is delighted
with the enc and customs of Ger
many They expect to sail on the
steamship Augusta Victoria on Aug.
LIST and will PROBABLY arrive in Deni-
son by the 10Th. The following is an
extract from a letter written on ship.
board by Mrs. Sibbert:
STEAMSHIP GRAF WALDERsEE,
June %. 1901.
DEAR PARENTS:-This is Sunday
morning and as it is raining it is a
good chance for everybody to stay be-
low deck and do their corresponding as
we do not spend sunshiny days indoors
OF it might 90 hard with us. | know
that you will be happily surprised to
hear that | am not sea sick and that
Carl didn't come down with the meas
les. We have never been il better
health in all our lives and we are very
happy. The days are beginning to get
a little longer however, and we will be
about as glad to see land as Columbus
was. | imagine, but this is really a
lovely vessel to sail upon as far as
smoothness and steadiness is concern
ed. Sometimes we think that the boat
has stopped for we hardly feel any mo-
ton. There are some people on this
ship who nave crossed and re-crossed
this ocean 26 times and they told me
that this was a most remarkable voy-
age and the best that they mad ever
made. The Graf Waldersee is really
a freight vessel and it is so heavily
loaded with freight and passengers
that it is 26 feet below water. four feet
lower than it generally is, which makes
it so steady. 1t would have to be a
pretty big wave that would shake it.
Carl is at present devoting his time
to writing a letter to you. which l will
include in this one, 1t is quite a sight
and he is so happy to think that he is
telling you all about his trip. He
thinks that it is a splendid letter.
We have not seen much of anything
since we started except three whales.
Il few ships and some sea birds. Yes.
terday there We're quite a number of
dolphins around the ship and some of
them We're pretty large. weighing about
200 pounds. but | did not see them.
The dolphin is not a good fish for food,
but is very valuable for the oil which
IS used for watches and clocks.
Since | am writing this letter the
sun has come out nice and bright and
everybody is leaving for the deck, so |
will take my letter too and finish it on
deck.
We have a terrible room way at the
stern of the ship with three women
besides myself and Carl. One is an in
dian woman from India. one is a iewess
and the other one a cripple. Carl and
have to sleep in one birth, he at the
bottom and at the top, but we man
age and he is happier than he would
be if he had to sleep alone. He ALWAYS
wakes up with a smile and smiles all
day long. He has not caused us a bit
OF trouble and is the pet OF everyone,
But we don't dare mention home very
often-then his lip begins to culver
and he says, so, don't talk about it. it
makeSme feel so sick"
On Friday night the captain ordered
a grand ball for passengers of the End
cabin. The sailors decorated all the
end deck with flags from all the differ
ent nations in the world and at nine
O'Clock, p. M, the dance began. The
upper steward leading with the fattest
lady on the ship as his partner. They
say it was quite grand but | did not see
1t as always go to bed at sundown
with Carl He loves to see the sun 90
down and the water get red.
The people with whom we are asso-
eating are from Providence, p. [.
They are about your ages. MIR. Ockel
comes from Demmin right next to
Meclinburg, Stralitz, and he knows all
about Stralitz.
June 23rd.
We are just one and a half days
from Plymouth and are all on deck to
catch a glimpse of land or steamers.
We saw three steamers headed for N.
Y. in the last two days and two large
sail ships, also, lots of dolphins and
other fish, sea birds and dead cows
floating on the surface of the water.
The ocean today looks like a big body
OF Oil, it is SO smooth and glossy.