The Butler weekly times., 1909-03-04
VOYAGE TO THE ORIENT.
Bates County Soldier Boy Tells
of His Experience on One of
Uncle Sans TRANSPORTS,

SS'S Suh y uicpOt Toe
DEAR EDIToR:-It seems TO be Gus
tom or habit for. nearly every on,
who takes ride on the briny deer
80 relate his experience. 1 am going
so tell my silly experience on my
voyage. | went aboard the GRAND
Old Transport Fitzpatrick at Port
land, Oregon, on the morning o.
Nov. 10th. The ship had been there
5 days tsking on provisions OF all
kinds. We, that is us boys, we're
greeted very much. There were
about two thousand people at the
wharf TO see us off We received
many good advlces-even some oil
the women folks cried to see us 60
possibly some with Joy. When l saw
hesailor boys unloose the guy ropes
and the sailing flag crawling up the
mast pole, Iknew II was all of for
Jonnie for quite a while. The citlx
ems on the banks OF the Columbia
river gave us the Chautauqua salute.
The funniest thing, the old timers,
that Is the old ladies told us II we
would eat lemons, We wouldn't get
seasick. didn't do a thing but
get 3 dozens of the things. On the
morning of the 18th we arrived at
Victoria, B. C., where we're many
salmon canneries. A sailor boy told
me there was also a horse and mule
cannery there. Now l am not going
to doubt his word. And | believe TO
this day the whit that | received from
some unknown resort was the
cause ofmy early seasickness. Owing
to the heavy log you couldn't see
anything but the light house, which
| Judge was about 500 yards away.
Our stay at this place was very brief,
only long enough for the old veteran
pilot to escort US over the bar into
the briny deep, can hear those log
horns yet, the ocean was on the war
path HI tell you this boy and 9th.
ers were thinking about the good
folks at home on the farm and to cap
the climax, when the ocean would
hesve, | also heaved, until | thought
would throw up my hose. Ny first
sergeant, an old timer, saw me max.
Ing for the stairway TO 20 up on
deck. wa, as white as sheet, so
he said. He knew there was some
thing the matter with my insides.
de said, "Oh, Slide Combs, sick al
ready couldn't say anything for
fear | would unload, and my mouth
was firmly set from eating lemons, as
| already had eaten about one dozen,
but to no good. | have the credit OF
being the first one to make for the
deck and throw myself up on the rail-
and iced the sharks. Some OF the
boys would laugh, while some would
cuss. Those that would tee.bee had
. stronger centerpiece-I'll tell you
ts awful pleasant to heave with the
ocean, especially II your appetite
has Jailed. | have heard OF people
throwing up the sponge, but you try
10 throw up salt water and lemons.
It's the limit. We had fine quarters
Town In first hatch, lighted up with
electric light, nice swinging hunks.
some OF the boys enjoyed Themselves
'ery much, while some OF US remain.
d at the rail with finger protruded .
Iown our throat. It's an awful
'redicament for a fellow, when he
Eants to do some vomiting, and be !
an't. Some OF she boys said to .
wallow q piece OF fat meat, but not .
or me. In about week | was on :
~ feet again. We arrived at Homo. :
llu, d. l., on the Gath. We ate one
the swellest Thanksgiving din ,
ers. The weather WAS ideal. Our +,
ompany dinner cost over $500. 90.
'ur Cap. turned us loose to have a =
ood time. The most OF US spent ;
be day at the market eating varie- !.
es OF tropical fruits and at Queen =
Ills palace. On the following day =
ur Cap. took us on a short hike out !.
, a banana plantation. One OF the :.
oys was overcome with heat. The :,
ap. proposed plunge In the surf. :
heCap. secured bath suits at a bath a
ouse. The gallsnt officers led us T
ut and told all good swimmers to !
'llow. You can imagine 12O Of rs 4
ght after our leader, but lots OF
lem turned back long before the
40, did. We remainad dovs .+