Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-07-19
WILL cocHRANE AT MADEIRA.
Brief Letter Describing His First
/ Sforn apd lie -uv,n+e Nj Ma,.

I
Brief Letter Describing His First
Storm and He Wants No More.
Funchaq, Madeira, on board u. IS. is.
Moines, July /, 1906. s. u,
Ny Dear Mother and Father: VIII
commence to write, now, although we
will not arrive at Funchal, Madeira
Islands, until sometime tomorrow.
| Will be thirteen days, or rather thir-
teen and one-half days on the way.
We left the Capes Monday evening,
June IL, and it was then blowing and
the next day it did it up fine by even
ing and it was gale from the north
| west and the waves were some high,
I'll tell you. The fleet got scattered
in the night and when morning came
there was not ship in sight and it
was still blowing as hard as ever but
was not so cloudy. We "hove to- all
during the storm, for two days, and
'hove to- means engines running just
fast enough to keep the ship station
airy. We did some rolling and pitch
ing and everyone was sea sick, even
our executive officer. On Thursday 7
felt well again but tables slid around;
then We put up boards, upright from
the deck above, then the table leaves
flew out and you could not keep any.
thing on the table; when you started
to eat perhaps you would get it to
your mouth and perhaps you would
/ land it up against the side of the ship.
1t was my first storm and don't want
any more. One is enough for me
plenty. The wireless came in fine;
picked UP all the other ships; the
flagship signaled to meet at certain
place and We met there and went on.
It was pretty rough until Saturday
when it let up some; but was still
rolling to the swell left by the storm;
rolling then about Is degrees, so you
can see what we did earlier in the
same. 1T has been pretty smooth this
week, but very little sun, is cool. al
most cold and have been having rain
all the way over and we are all wish
ing for some decent weather. It is
blowing up again and am glad we
haven't much further to CO. / sus-
pect that you will think that I am
lost before you get this letter for the
mail has to go from this place to
Liverpool and then to New York and
not on a regular line to the u. IS.
There isn't much here as near ais /
can find out, but when go ashore l
will write you long letter and tell
you all about it, but want this to go
on the first mail. We will be back
July goth, unless something happens
and will be glad to get back and get
some mail; it seems as if we had been
out for month and then if we do not
get any mail until July 20sh it will be
long time. I do hope, that we can
get a newspaper over here to see
what is going on in the United States
but don't suppose they will have any
l Well I must co. and finish this letter
later. Must go on duty now as deck
7 officer. Well - w are here - al
anchor in the harbor of Funchal-ar
rived at a. m. and sighted land al
$3.50 a. M, during my watch as deck
, officer. This is a very high, rocky
island with considerable vegetation
lot OF trees. The coast is very abrupt
and almost perpendicular; drops of
, 100 feet and then rises to three peaks !;
the highest is 6,026 feet The Dagos
can speak some English and lots, of
| kids IN boats are out here in the har-
Dor and we throw over a nickel and
they dive and get it. The water here
is very deep and there is not much of
harbor-just a little semi circle.
We are anchored in about 16 fathoms
and only one-fourth a mile from the
shore. There is an old fort here
Forte de Pico-about onefourth the
way up the mountain, and another on
a rock-called Loo Rock and it looks
as if you could knock it into the
water in about ten minutes. About
one-half the way up the mountain side
is big hotel and has a cog railroad
running up to it, and that hotel looks
good to me. There is an Argentina
ship in the harbor and another Dago
ship-don't know her nationality and
there was some saluting when we ar
rived. Soaked us six cents to send a
letter from here. Nothing more to
write now. Love to all. Started this
letter in latitude 1906, North, and
longitude 1856, West.