The Delta independent., 1906-09-14
What An Omaha Boy Has
TO Say Of the Navy
Personal Expert Day
I'll He Was Made Chief ouartermaster

third. Always recognize and salute
any officer. as such is the courtesy we
owe our superiors and which they have
earned, and which they return to
YOU"
East day we received Instructions in
physical culture, fencing. artillery and
rifle practice, infantry drill. setting
sail. furllng sail. making knots: also
Instructions in signals. ordnance and
gunnery; how ship Is built. its many
decks. masts. holds. etc. Rowing was
our chief exercise and amusement and
each day We would visit some new part
OF the bay and harbor.
We soon realized that there were
great advantages to be gained by
study and attention TO duty. and many
men soon gained the name OF being
smart. intelligent and frank. and won
the respect OF the officers and the men
who were their constant companions.
Competitive examinations were held
to determine who should be the petty
officers of their divisions which office
man held one month or more, pro-
viding he was smart enough TO keep
II.
Shore leave was granted on
We organized base ball team, foot
ball team. fencing team and as many
of the boys had guitars or mandolins.
a glee club was formed. and many
happy evenings We spent in the moon
light on the "forecastle" singing dane
ing and frolicking to our hearts con
tent.
Away for a Practice Cruise.
After a few months under shore
training We boarded the United States
Ship Mohican. with three rousing
cheers for those who were unfortunate
enough to remain on the old Pensacola.
Only $50 could 20 aboard for the
clcyen-months' cruise. and was one OF
the chosen ones. In fact. all the Omaha
draft was taken. as II was their turn
to go. further instructions and train
ing before boarding n battlcship OF the
line as real. true, man-o warsm"n.
How lofty the ship looked. how
pretty # rode the waves. like a swan
on pleasure bent.
One evening in November We glided
smoothly out OF the Golden Gate" into
the Pacific. just as tn" sun was setting
IL. the fullncss OF gold beyond the dis
tant Faraiones islands. On board this
our lives broadencd again. Here We
were doing the real sailors work. in
making spliCcs. knotting. getting sail.
etc. On each side OF us We saw the
towering hills. bristlinE with guns and
mortars. We saw the Gin House. Seal
Rocks and Mile Rock on which the i'll
fatod Rio Janciro struck and sank one
forry morning.
As evening closed and tho curtains
of the night came softly stealing down
wards on the purple sea. and the little
stars were twinkling. pceping with
food of silvery light. and the moon
came stealthily creeping over the Cali
fornia hills We knocked OF sieaming
and set our sails and changed the
course to the southwark. toward Old
Mexico. Old Father Neptune the
keeper Of all good sailors did not
favor us with good winds as We rolled
slowly along on the bosom of tn"
sleepy Pacific. Many OF us got seasick,
but. thank goodness. 1t is no, a perma.
ncnt ailment. SO all of us recovered.
and with sharpcncd appcti,cs we rel
ishcd the hardtaCk biscuits and coarse
food which We had ~ longed and pinned
for Soon our evenings wer" spent as
riccly. singing and playing. as they
had been on the old Pensacola. and ""
liked this free hcalthful life Our
drills continued and the ship rolled
lazily along.
Passing to Higher Grade.
When out seventy DAYS at sea 4 no
tice was posted telling us that all who
wished to could hand in their names
and be examined for ordinary seaman
Many OF us were "A little afraid that We
didn't know enough to become an or
dinary seaman. but the noldest of us
put in our names and were examined
by board Of officers appointed for
that purpose How we studied and
crammcd spliccs and knots, tackles
and blocks into our brains Good thing
I'm chip of the oil block" as
wooden things came easier. NJ my OF
us passed with high percentages and
had an additional strip" put on tho
sleeves of our blous"s. besides an in
crease in pay of 81 per month
How proud we were as We realized
that personal CndcaVOr" was really
being appreciated and WAS tn" real
road to success In fourteen quickly
passed days we anchored in MaEda'
lena bay, Mexico. Here We staNcG for
three weeks. drilled ashore and on
board. mad SalllnG ana swimming
races. hunted turtles. went bathing in
the surf in Dead Mans cove" and on
Sundays would take boats and lines
and go trawling for the speedy, snappy.
nashy yCllow-tail and maCkcrcl
Sights in the Pacific.
Fresh fish OF all kinds were our
main food item. but we received beef
from n ranChcro who had herd OF
steers. We reluctantly cast OF our
moorinEs and were soon on our way
for Honolulu. Thirty days of sailing
brought us to the Garden of tn" Pa
cfic," the most beautiful place we had
ever seen Orange and banana trees
covered the slope of the "Old Punch