The evening leader., 1919-01-04


non. The first day being pleasant,
nothing to see but water, sky, and
these two boats, we spent the day
mostly on deck. Then night came on
again. All our matches and fash
lights were taken from us when we
left port, and during the day, smoke
lanterns were placed about the deck
for us to get light from, who wished
to smoke. At night these were put
out and no smoking or lights allowed.
So we went to our hunks again for an
other sleep.
Next morning--Sunday, and Easter
Sunday at that-still the two boats
were with US and nothing but the deep
blue to be seen. But this morning
there was a little excitement-the
first to break the spell of silence. One
of the boats began to fire it's big
stern gun. Of course all wanted to
see what was sighted.% They had
thrown over some barrels for targets
and after they were a good distance
away began to shoot at them for tar
get practice. They kept this up for
some time and our gunners Joined in
with them. Soon they stopped; then
all was quiet again.
Some began to get seasick. I was
sick when in camp and when | came
aboard, but was feeling better by now.
In the afternoon they announced that
they wanted bunch of volunteers to
go on watch as they were nearing the
danger zone. l wanted to be in all
that l could, so 1 put my name in,
hoping that they would put me in the
crows nest on the mast, but I got
starboard watch on main deck, four
hours on, eight off; worked two men
to a post and three shifts. | went on
post at II to 4 o'clock; same at night.
my post was No. 3, starboard bow
watch on main deck, and all that I
could see was a certain section, which
included the Vonstuben nearly all the
time. We watched the waves for subs
and the sky line for ships or smoke
for an hour each and then we would
change over and the other man would
watch for subs while l answered OF
rang the phone and speaking tube
We had to report every Is minutes
This kept up a couple of days or 50
before we sighted anything. Now and
then We sighted a ship. These were
reported, and our gunners trained
their guns on them as long as they
were in sight. Then nothing bu4
waves again to look at. I took my
blankets up on top deck, or on top OF
the ship as high as there was any
thing to climb without going up the
mast or smoke stacks, and would have
gone up them if they would have al
lowed me to. l spread my blankets
up on the roof of the cabin and called
it my home. | was so far away from
the rest of the outfit that | could
hardly hear the bugle when it blew
for mess. So | lost lots of chances
to eat slum. So on, ETC., until Satur-
day. Nothing ever happened but drill
call for life boats, that | never went
to but once, as | had no raft or boat
to go to after going on watch. I was
to stay by my post if anything hap
pened until l received orders to leave.
So the drill call never worried me any.
Saturday five destroyers of the U. S.
navy were sighted. They came up to
convoy us into port. By this time it
was rough and stormy and our boat
rocked and plunged in spite of its size.
| could stand up there where | slept
and see all over the boat. | was To-
Gated near the center of the ship.
could see the men on the deck below
me trying to walk around. Our bow
would go nearly under, then rise way
out of the water, then the stern would
plunge nearly under, and all the time
the ship was rolling first one side then
the other. 1t was difficult to walk the
decks and stay dry. They were stag
gering from rail to cabin like bunch
of drunks. Ny position on the top of
the ship was like standing in row.
boat and rocking it in the water while
it rode over the waves, only on a much
larger scale. 1t was great sport to
see the destroyers play around our
boats. They were catching the wealth
er in good fashion; looked like lot
of water-bugs playing in the water.
First they would ride way up on a
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