"Ranger", May 9^th 1882.

Mazatlan.    

               

Dear Alice

                        I was awful sorry to hear of your being sick. Mama asked me about your going to school again after you got better & I forgot to mention it in her letter. I think you might remain at home, the rest of this season. I don't care to have you graduate so early. I don't want you to make yourself sick studying to keep up with, or catch your class, after you have been sick. I hope you are all right before now. I wrote you from Acapulco, via Vera Cruz. / I hope you got those pictures all right. About Mamas present, I have been intending to send these two large bird pictures and a sketch of Manzanillo for her birthday but I could not decide to take the risk, & last mail I wrote Frank Eames to send up 12$ to Mama, for your car fare to be paid up & you & Franks books, & if anything was left over all right, if not perhaps that 5$ gold piece or a portion of it could go towards it. I shall try & send the pictures. Had much rather bring them myself than trust them in the mail. I am expecting some stamps / by the down steamer, if I get them will send them & trust to their going safe.

 

            We have been up the Culiacan River to a place called Altata. I only went ashore once, it was half knee deep in fine sand, & very warm, & they had small pox amongst the people there, so remained on board.

 

            I shall send a picture of Mazatlan for you. the harbor as well as the beach by the Esplanade is open to the sea, and generally the sea is very disagreeable, as there is always a heavy swell rolling in. we lay off about 2 miles, & have to go in the steam launch /

 

I am sick & tired looking at the coast of Mexico. All the places of any interest and all the pleasant scenery lies back from the coast 50 to 100 miles. So we see nothing but bare mountain scenery & Indians with a few of the lower classes of Mexicans.

 

            I will enclose a few lines to Frank, all in same envelope with photo^h so the picture will be protected a little. I send a picture of the Plaza where the band plays two or 3 times a week, for Geo.

 

            I do hope you are all right long before this reaches you, & that George escaped catching those measles. I suppose if I had been home & had had the care of you I should have had them.

 

With much love & lots of good wishes I will say good bye, Papa.

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