"Juniata" Sunday

October 10 – 1886.

 

Dear Cordelia

                        I hope you will get all my letters from Cape de Verde Isl^d we had to leave without receiving any mail. Capt is too timid to assume any responsibility in waiting a few days.

 

We have had a weeks steaming since leaving there down to and across the doldrums. Yesterday between 8 and 9am we crossed the Equator, the sun being directly over our heads at noon. We had several days very warm weather before we crossed the line, on the Equator and since we have had it quite cool, cold enough for us to lay aside our white pants & blouses & thin under clothing. I got out one of my thick nightshirts & my bedspread & additional under clothes, & am wearing my cloth pants & blouse. We have a south east wind, temp of wind & sea 79, sky cloudless night & day, moon shining brightly all night, lovely nights. If the sun shines on you during the day it is rather pleasant than otherwise, certainly not uncomfortable. A very pleasant change from six days ago, when it was as hot as Tophet & not a breath of air. Firemen overcome with the heat almost every watch. We will have it warmer in a few days / between & Rio J— from there to Monte Video it will be cooler, & from there round to Valparaiso.

 

We are now about 3 degrees south of the Equator & about half way between the African coast & Brazil. The Capt thinks some of going into Bahia, I don't care much whether he does or not. it is an uninteresting place.

 

I suppose you are having your fires all started by this time. The only sign of cold here is when we get a chunk of ice out of the Ice Machine, which happens at very rare intervals. As an Ice Machine it is a sad failure, as a water cooler a trifle better. I have a monkey in my room that cools the water enough for me. I drank the cold ice water for a day or two but since then I have preferred my monkey water. I am beginning to think that we will be on the Pacific station for some time, even if not for the cruise. Our Capt is not a friend of Walker & his gang, & he has not been to sea for near 13 years, so now they have / got him at sea, they will probably stick him on a disagreeable station. Stivers liked that station, & Lawrence says it will with him. he has been there 3 years nearly, so I may like it too when I get over to it.

 

16^th      I shall not have many letters for the next mail at this rate. Don't feel like writing of late, have not got over the hot spell we had before we crossed the Equator. then again our table is not first class. Speaking of the mess tell Alice if she writes to Mrs Baker not to refer to anything I may say of the mess or ship, of officers. He is still caterer, am sorry to say. The worst caterer I ever knew, but the liners have the majority, so we cant do anything.

 

We are just opposite Bahia, below Pernambuco. Capt thought of going there but he is evidently passing by. We are under sail all this week, I am afraid now that we wont stop at Rio for our mails & for some stores, but go on to Monte Video. in that case we wont be there before middle of November, a good month longer. 

 

Oct 24 We are getting south by degrees, nearing Rio but I dont know yet if we are going in. Our larder is pretty low I can tell you. It is a long time since I ate so little as I am doing now. But it is just as well for if I eat hearty of anything, when it happens to be extra nice, by comparison only, or when I am extra hungry, I generally suffer. The whole mess is getting demoralized. Burwell is under the weather, ditto next Barnes the Navigator, Baker & Usher too, also the D^r & Paymaster. All very anxious & impatient to get into the next port, for rest as well as for something to eat. I have absolutely nothing to write about. One day is so much like another, nothing happens from day to day, weather cool & very pleasant, about 78 air & water. it seems a relief when daylight comes & find it time to get up. The days go by & we dont see a thing to break the monotony not even a fish, large or small. Will wait until we get to Rio, or get a mail. /

 

Have just time to scribble this. Just arrived, Lancaster & Tallapoosa here, mail leaves for New York this p.m. Your two letters of Sep 4 & 10 just rec^d with Alice & Frank's, we lay here a week / will write pretty soon. Am quite well, glad to hear you are all. Much love for all,                             

George

                                               

Regards for all

SOURCES