Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-01-12
YOUNG TOLLIsON WRITES HOME.
Talks of His Travels Since He Has
Been One Of Uncle Sans Boys.


Mr.. and Mrs. jeff d. Tollison, of
Walhalla II. F. D., recently received
the following interesting letter from
their son, Ernest B. Tollison. who is
with the military contingent at Camp
Lewis, Wash:
Camp Lewis, Wash,
Dec. 23, 1920.
Dear Homefolks:
AS you have often asked me to
write you letter giving you some
thing Of an outline of my travels,
will try to do so to-day:
AS you already know, when l left
Creenville, S. c., was sent to Co.
lumbus, Ohio. | saw lot Of beau
tiful mountain scenery on my way
up to Columbus. l remained there
about one month. when l was going
again, this time on my way to Texas
City, Texas. ! found there a large
training camp, just off the coast Of
the Gulf Of Mexico. The land is al
most perfectly level as far as one can
see This camp could accommodate
about 1000 3uNtict, W. sure ala
enjoy the sUrt bathing ,ncre. One
d;,y while out Swim,nipsl 4 staw 0hG
OF thr largest ESh that ] iRvH ever
seen | seemed 10 ho perfectly harm"
less. One could swim all around it,
al 1,o 1>to GcG D,lI ",,lo Id Il
and seek swimming Pround the
human fish, that were out there in
tho water with him. | saw q man
shoot one, one day, as it was near the
dock, and finally they succeeded in
getting it out on shore. Some one
said that it weighed $50 pounds, but
do not know if this was merely a
guess at the weight or not. Anyway
it was a mighty big fish.
We remained at Texas City for al
most two years, then we were Or
dered to the Philippine Islands. We
left Texas City OH the transport Bu-
ford, travelling by way Of the Gulf
Of Mexico until we reached the Pan
ANA Canal Just before we reached
Colon (as you remember, they had
just completed this great waterway
| for transports) there had been a
great slide of earth into the cut, al
most filling the canal. We had to
remain there about two months un-
til they could get the canal opened
up again. We enjoyed this. as we had
no duty except to march out every
morning and watch the dredge boats
take the earth out Of the canal. 1t
was at Christmas time, but every
thing was as summery there as in
| grand. There were about 100 SOL
diers in our crowd.
Soon after the canal had been re-
paired and passage made possible.
we we're out on the mighty Pacific,
and on our way to the Philippines.
We stopped at Honolulu for sup
plies, then were on our way again,
taking twenty-eight days in all to
make the trip. Indeed, I felt like I
was a long way from home then
10000 miles. We had very good
time while on the islands until the
United States declared war with Ger
many. Then we began to prepare to
do our part. too. We commenced
training in the spring, and as 1t Is
very hot there we soldiers became
covered with prickly heat. The only
relief from this was to bathe three
or four times day In the ocean. We
sure did suffer there during the
months Of July and August.
During the early fall we were or
dcred away, Of course We were ex-
pecting to go to France, but not so.
The officers said 1t was to be Siberia.
Russia, so we landed there Just as
1t was beginning to freeze in the
ports. This seemed to mo to be as
cold country as the islands were
hnt mt JInr1e Sam snnnlind us with