"Ranger", Acapulco,

April 13 – 1882.

 

Dear Alice

                        I write this in case the letter I wrote Mama from here should fail to reach, as there is a good deal of uncertainty about Mexican mails. We are expecting the mail steamer every hour, and soon as it comes we leave, thank goodness. Tell George that the Capt was out fishing the other evening, trolling for mackerel (same as you would troll for trout on the lakes). he got a bite & began to haul in, it seemed to be a very large one as it was all he could do to pull it, & he stopped the steam launch. all at once there was a sharp jerk, & then he thought he had lost the fish, but when he got it to the surface there was nothing but the head of a fish, and next moment he saw a huge shark, the fish's head corresponding to a fish as long as George himself & the shark took it into his mouth from the tail to underneath its head, and snip'd it off at the bite. the Capt said it was an awful big shark.

 

            We stop at Pichilingue going to San Francisco, so tell Frank I will try & get some shells in place of those lost last year. I have been disappointed in getting sharks jaws, the men are ashore with the sieve but failed to catch any more tiny ones. I suppose it so happened that a lot of youngsters were in that one place when they caught so many. I was disappointed myself. The weather is very oppressive here for several days past, close & muggy. We will soon be in cooler weather I hope tho'.

 

            We have had bad luck with our mail from S.F. lately, it seems months since we had any except the one we intercepted up the coast. There is also lately nothing to write about from here. I am just about sick at looking at Acapulco. There are no walks except through unpaved dirty streets, or over the rocks up the mountain side, nothing in shape of amusements for the folks here except every Sunday afternoon dog or rooster fights. people come in for several miles bringing their pet roosters. I go ashore once in a while & spend an hour or two reading at the Consuls, that / is all. Tell George that the other day two little boys came paddling off from shore in a little bit of a dingy, the oldest boy was about his age, not so big tho, and the other was only about four years old. They came off to sell those little sea beans. both were bright little fellows, eyes & hair as black as coal. I chucked the little one a 10 cent piece and you should have seen him, his eyes twinkled & he jabbered away in Spanish to the men & women in the other boats. Tell Frank I will send some more beans when I get up to San F— . Can't send from here.

 

            I hope you & Frank are getting along well at school. In Mama's next letter I shall send a five dollar piece for your car fare &c. I expected to send a cheque long before this but our new Pay^m has not got his affairs fixed yet. We have delicious oranges here just now, wish I could send you a box. Much love to everybody. Remember me to the Adams', Huntingtons, Hills, Reddings &c, when you see them. wish I could carry this letter myself glad you liked the feathers. Good bye

 

Love to Mama F and Geo & self from           Papa.

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