I will enclose a little mud from the bottom, at 3000 fathoms, if I can get some.

 

U.S.S. "Ranger".                    

300 miles west of Frisco.       

Cal. Aug 13 – 1881.

 

Dear Alice.

                        This is our last Sat'y. night at sea for which I am glad. Your last letter I received was glad to hear from you. We left San Diego one day before the mail was coming for us, on the 23 July, so it would be returned to S.F. and we will get it when we get in. I think you seemed to be having a good time in Worcester. I suppose it will be pretty near time for you to return to N.Y. by the time you get this.

 

            I hope you continued to enjoy your visit, & that you wont / get sick when you get back to N.Y. I did not like your going on the Lake in the rowboat, as so many accidents have happened. You can go rowing & bathing & fishing, but don't go near the water unless I am there.

 

            I hope George & Frank have had as good time as you seem to have had.

 

            It has seemed months instead of weeks since we left San Diego. It has been so monotonous, nothing to break it. No letters, papers or anything.

 

            I hope you will be able to make out all I wrote on the charts. If you get this before / leaving Worcester, remember me to all the folks, wish I was with you all.

 

            When you get back to New York it will seem hard to settle down to your studies again. You must not get sick again.

 

            We will be in Mare Isl^d about five weeks. It will seem pleasant to be back again even to Vallejo, for the places we saw down the coast are so much worse than anything I ever saw before, that Vallejo is lovely, by comparison.

 

            I am first rate, only hungry for we have had regular sea fare since leaving San Diego, & / some of it poor at that. We will have a good square meal when we get to Frisco.

 

            I don't know how the weather is with you, but it is cool enough here, I am wearing my thick under clothing since San Diego, & shall wear it until we start south again.

 

            I shall mail this first bag that goes ashore for our mail so will write again after I get your letters.

                                   

Much love, hope you are fat & lively

Goodbye from

Papa

 

            Piece of E— wire in this, in

Blue    stead of all in Frank's letter

            the thick is A. the thin is English.

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