The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1919-02-13
Continued from page ID

| COlll st dCI OS0 tilO 1Abitiit1S'
OF course we were filled witt
complexity of emotions. as We
slowly passed the Statue OF Lib
| erty. The throbbing of the en-
gines below was I'LL we heard
| In a few minutes the towers OF
| New York and the Goddess OF
| liberty were swallowed up by
| the fog.
! But We were not alone. Our
pconvoy consisted of thirteen
| transports besides battleship
and a few destroyers. The latter
with a dirigible and a few hydro
planes left us after the second
day out. Then seven more trans
ports joined us six days later.
We were like so many ducklings
flocked together for mutual pro-
lection.
! The Atlantic was as calm as
Puget Sound. / wasn't sick a
minute, in fact l haven t even so
much as had a headache since
my last "shot" in the arm at
Camp Lewis.
was put on the Military Po-
lice force the second day and did
what | could to prevent the boys
from smoking after sunset and
also throwing cigarette butts
over the rail during the day.
Twice while not thinking / threw
butt overheard myself but a
cautious survey. Immediately af-
terward assured me | had not
been detected.
There were decks too, reserv-
ed for enlisted men which we
kept them from leaving. The re-
manning decks were for the Of
ficers and M. P.s. the half of
each day they were off duty.
With this duty, three pianos,
several good books, a hundred or
so interesting fellows, three
square meals, life boat drill and
those neighborly transports to
look at, every minute of the trip
was full Of interest. One day |
ran across Everett Knipe who
went to Whitman one year with
me. He proved to be a congenial
friend all the way over.
One afternoon before monot-
ony began to creep in, an ice
berg appeared and passed slow
~ The sunsets were great too
as well as the crisp early morn
ing air.
They say Columbus chuckled
when someone yelled LAND"
near the end of his first trip
across. Well like Columbus and
other great men," I couldn t |
wipe off that grin when old Ire
land poked her nose up through |
the brine. My feet began to
tch.
A few hours later our trans
port friends excepting one turn
I'd north toward England while
We bore off toward France.
Three or four U-chasers like so
many fox terriers were still with
IS, keeping guard. They had
kipped out to meet us three
lays before.
The next morning about eight
fter finishing breakfast and
examining my trusty
5 | went on duty on the rear
leck. Everyone was talking
France" and congratulating |,
ach other on our safe trip over.
he old boat itself seemed to
ide along over the blue water
nth an assured feeling of safe
Y. Then. crash!! From Is or ,
0 knots we suddenly stopped
cad still. I found myself doing
figure eight, As and all. By
he time / connected with the
eek again that deck was slant
lg as steep as. any roof I've everI
cen. "Sinking sure enough
ell we re SuDeQ. nj. rs WereI
to be the last to take to
he boats: SO quite naturally ]
'epped back in order to give1
lem all the room necessary toll
AXE a rapid clearance. AS I
id so | got a, glimpse Of two of
lose mosquito U-chasers racing |
ward our sister transport.
hen another crash We were I
ruck again Every window rat 0
ed from bow to stern as if sud- :,
snly smashed. Porters dropped !
avs of food. turned and dashed y
18th gunners and crew for open
,cks. The Railways were pack
|, everyone shouting, take
'ur time" while doing his best
be the first man out. Is
/ have never seen "Old Faith
l Geyser" outside of post
rds and other pictorial works 81
art but after that second Al
ock | was pinching myself try "
g to account for my sudden APP "