Thanksgiving Day In The Faraway Orient.
U.S.S. HELENA.
Paul Weston, who was
aboard you. S. S. Helena, which is doing service in the Chinese warriors, in a
letter to his father describes a Thanksgiving day celebration in the Orient
according to Occidental customs, however notwithstanding, the great American
bird and its side dishes were not
included in the menu.
U S. S. Helena,
Cheefoo, china. November 28, 1901.
Dear father: today is
Thanksgiving day and, of course the jacks had their usuals read but this thread
could have been a great deal better had the ship not rolled. This was to be the
bill of fare: salt horse spuds, peas, beans, fresh bread fruit pies and crust. But this was the fare, salt horse, spuds,
peas, beans and fresh bread.On account of the quarantine we could not get
chickens or fruit. We were on the Lee of the rock on which the ninth house
stands this was just outside the harbor. Last night while the cooks made cakes
and pies we were to have custard. It was the kind where you bake the crust
first and then pour in the goo on top, white of egg czar smeared like froth,
the cakes were smeared with molasses and place nicely on top of the lockers,
and the pie crusts were on top of t lockers in the pie crusts were on top of
the chest
this morning about 7 o’clock,
we got under way and move farther into the harbor. The cooks had the eggs in
the corn starch already to mix just as we came up abeam of the Chinese battleship, we gave a Dozen
lists which capsized everything the cakes were smashed and rolled around the
deck and were spoiled the pie crusts were also smashed and soaked with
saltwater all the eggs on the ship were broken in the packages of cornstarch
were busted. Open and spilled about the deck You can imagine how we rolled when
the Chinese flagship and French battleship saw us they lowered their lifeboats
and were coming to us to save a few of us they could. They thought she was
going to capsized, is a great part of the bottom and one propeller were clean
out of the water. She’s a fine ship at sea I often wonder if the well since I’m
in the Navy I’m compelled to call him a gentleman but I think to myself he’s a
well I’m not allowed to think either, that sent a certain ship, name the Helena
built for no other purpose than to go up rivers, to sea , ever went to see him
her if he hasn’t, I hope you’ll go to see in this pork barrel. A man’s life is
in danger even in port this wagon, Sc ow kettles, mess chests coffee pots and
horse barrels are always flying about.
This afternoon the Dr.
and Ensign came up forward among the jacks and started a phonograph. We all
listen and were very much pleased I tell you there’s only a few officers in
this Navy who would think of doing anything like that.
6:30 p.m. just
finished a chicken. The wardroom
officers had some chow brought off shore
and some of us decided to have some two I bought two chickens and some firemen bought
a few ducks. They put there’s in the fire but I beat them I roasted mine in a
sterilizer and this evening another fellow and myself had a chicken and waffles
suffer minus the waffles. We had: salt horse for desert and some chocolate.
October 30, the boys
had a ball last night I was there but didn’t dance I don’t care for dancing,
some people can dance all evening. It might be great fun but I’d much rather
capsize a part of paint down the Chinamans kneck. I used to dance on the
Kentucky to look down from the superstructure on the crowd of dancers reminds a
fellow of two men trying to hop away from each other but both holding fast.
When you can’t hear the music and see them, they appear like so many jumping
jacks.
The New Orleans is expected
tomorrow. We will not leave until she arrives from here we go to a few
forgotten parts of China and then home, (December 9 year we are home again will
have liberty tomorrow. Your loving son Paul USS Helena Shang
By the way, it was in
Washington paper that the Helena and the Wilmington were ordered to San
Francisco. The captain knows nothing about either of them going. I hope she
does go a leader go with her were be transferred, and I prefer the latter event
to go home in this.
Don’t like the ship
for some reason or other and I haven’t felt at home for comparable since I came
aboard
December 1, this
morning it’s no. There was half a gale of wind blowing and it sent the snow
passed in a blinding storm. Was not very cold, not half so cold as it has been
we moved out to the Lee of the lighthouse again morning. This is the first snow
I’ve seen since February 1900. It made
me feel good and I went on deck and listened to the howling of the wind and
watched the driving snow. I felt as though I’d like to the back home, sitting
on the mountain side near Ashland, alongside of a big wood fire, watching a
snowstorm. A snowstorm in the mountains, I think the prettiest thing I ever saw.
Well, can’t live in
the mountains all your life, I’m satisfied to follow the scene is a great old
life very hard sometimes, and very easy at others on the whole I like a great
deal better than lying around the one place on land for five years.
December 3, and
English merchant steamer was a fire this morning and we sent a few quotes
loaded with jacks to help save them.
December 7, you have
heard of salty sailors no doubt the ship beats them all, our tea and coffee the
past few days and all the cooking has been done with saltwater
December 8 today we
had fresh water for cooking again. The other was some shore water from chief
food. Two men are sick with college some cause or other probably from the
water. We are bound direct for Shanghai.
December 9, here we
are home again will have liberty tomorrow.
Your loving son Paul
