Remember me to the

Hills, Reddings, Shumways,

Mrs Gage & all at 133 W 41 St.

 

Ranger           

October 9.81

 

Dear Alice,

                        Tell Mama I wrote her so lately that I will write you this letter. Letter from Aunt came & Uncle Geo will write them.

 

            I was glad to get your tin type it is very well taken & a better picture than the last, but your hat is too far aft. ship it for(^d)ward a little. The weather here is lovely just now, days a little warm, mid day, the evenings are mild, not a breath of wind & a full moon, several evenings past the Ranger has been serenaded by boat loads of people from Vallejo. she is the only vessel here now, & many of our men belong over here. The rainy season will be here soon tho' now, but we will away before then. We expect to go / to San Francisco next Thursday, & leave there about the 18 to 20^th for our old cruising ground, stop at several places between Cape Corrientes & Acapulco on our way down. Coal at Acapulco & go on down as far as the Gulf I told of, Fonseca, San Salvador coast, returning from there we go again to Redes Rock, to try several other points. We will be back here in June or July at the latest. I wish we were starting for New York instead of Acapulco, but all those who have been down here before say it is much better than our last summers experience. Climate, scenery, and people. Of the latter I / don't know that I shall care anything about, the cities are generally away back several miles from the coast, &, it is either a long tramp, or a ride on (I was going to say a rail) mule back, neither of which I care very much for.

 

            The wild cat I spoke of being on board, has become too wild, they have it in a box, and it acts wild enough, it got off the ship once & went up the Yard, caught several chickens pretty quick. I expect they will have to shoot it pretty soon.

 

            I wish you could have your Worcester boarding house, & still be able to go to New York schools, &c. Hope you wont get sick this winter.

 

            I think I told Mama in my last to send letters, &c, to c/o       / Navy Agent, San Francisco as before. I am first rate except if we stop here much longer I shall have a touch of neuralgia again, on my other side this time. It is a great place for that and rheumatism, & some say catarrh. It is a glorious climate, they say the finest in the world, in a horn. I dont think the Michigan will go to Cleveland. The Pilot Capt Murphy wrote me for Magee a few days ago, & they had just got back to Erie. He said they had had the worst time this summer ever known, fog, smoke, & humbugging. All the firemen were hoping the Cat would take Potts, Borthwick & Ron, & that Lucifer would take the Cat.

 

Mr & Mrs Chs Strong had returned, the Scotts were not over pleased with Chs Strong marrying Annie accdg to all account.

 

            Am glad George is improving, I hope he will keep all right

 

Much love for all, from Papa.

SOURCES