Amador ledger., 1908-07-31

our port engine smashed up auu put
the engine out of commission alto
qether. At 4 AS the Flotllla COM
mander sigualled the Flotlla TO re-
turn to Port of Spain, so we turned
around and headed back. Arrived at
Port of Spain about midnight, and
Just before coming to anchor the re-
versiug gear on the starboard engine
carried away, leaving that engine
practically useless. | think the
Lawrence Is "hoodooed. " If | am
not very badly mistaken, we will be
tied up to sycamore or palmetto tree
down the coast of South America
waiting for repairs. We anchored
near the Panther when we came in
and they started to work on our
blowers early this morning dec. 23).
They had them all finished by s p. m.
and about 8 p. m. we got underway
and went alongside coal hulk and
coal ship until about 30 a m. We
got orders that the FlOtilla would
sail for Para at > a. m. tomorrow
morning, Dec. "a. At live a. IN. the
Flotilla got under way, and the
Whipple was steaming out at about
Is knots, followed closely by the
Lawrence, she (the Whipple) fouled
the anchor cable of collier with her
ssarboard propeller. OF course this
brought her to a dead stop, and we
we're so close on her that 1t was inn
possible to avoid a collision so we
crashed into the Whipple's stern,
bending our bow up very badly and
starting one seam. We tore up the
Whipple's propeller guard consider
ably but the damage to her propeller
has not yet been ascertained, but
divers are at work now ! think we
are good for at least another week
here. The battleships came in and
anchored about shutdown last night
and the harbor certainly presents
war. like appearance. There are more
battleships here now than ever has
been here before, and the beach Is
jammed with natives, jabbering and
gesticulating to beat the band. Much
to everybody's surprise the Whipple's
isn't very badly damaged,
and we have just received orders from
the Admiral that the Flotilla will
sail for Para tomorrow morning dec.
% at 3 a. m.
We got under way promptly at
eight bells this morning, Xmas and
steamed out of the harbor. The
weather is ideal, but this bids fair to
be by far the most lonely Christmas l
have ever spent. We had a very good
Christmas dinner, as good as could be
expected under the circumstances.
Everyone who isn't ON watch is
sitting around the deck holding their
heads in their hands, and it isn't very
difficult to see that their thoughts
are far away with the home folks,
and I'm not an exception. We are
having considerably rougher weather
today (Dec. 26), and some of the men
are clown and ont"-sea sick. We
are living on "hard tack" and "salt
horse" and are about half starved.
We we're hailed at eight bells last
night by Neptunus Rex, who boarded
us and made known his desire to
meet all Gland lubbers. - AT about
:l5 a. IN. this morning, December 30,
we we're in latitude deg., right on
'the line" Neptunus Rex and his
court came on board and all Gland
lubbers" we're initiated by his ser
wants and introduced to His Majesty
with the usual ceremonies.
We entered the mouth of the Anna
zon river about | 30 p. m. today dec.
3O)and after taking on pilot, steamed
upgthe channel and anchored off Para,
Brazil. Everything here is just as l
expected to lind livery tropical and
just as it is described in the geogra-
phies. Para is a very common place
little town of about 10000 inhaEit-
ants. The only interesting features
are the Zoo and the Botanical gar
dens, and they are very fine. The
Flotilla covered 1885 miles between
Port of Spain and Para. The Arethusa
and a navy collier are anchored in the
river with US.
At twelve O'clock last night, Dec.
81, all the ships commenced to toot
their whistles, and made enough noise
to waksn the dead for about ten min
utes. I.guess the inhabitants along
the river thought we had gone "bug
house - The Arethusa caught on fire
=. i