[The purser of the steamer Athos carried an envelope containing Dillie’s letter (#990925) and this letter of Charlie’s from Colón, Panama, to New York City, where he mailed it on October 13. According to the postmarks, the letter reached Redhaw on October 16.]
The Athos, Sept. 27th 1899
My Dear Folks on the Hill:
if you will excuse the pencil for this writing, I shall write you a line or two. You know my wife is entitled to the fountain pen by virtue of those few words said a few weeks ago in the corner. [sic!]
Well, let me tell you, there is not much use for a serious nature out here at sea (only in case of a storm), so if you can see my curly bit of bob and my countenance wink to be a little put it down under your bonnets that I am the same old body at sea as on land; only I have not so many good [illegible] vistas to pour out my torment upon.
It is useless for me to repeat what Dillie has already written you [see her letter #990925, which shared the envelope with this letter]. You know [that] her way of describing things is better than mine, so I will just say all that she has said is my writing too, only I have not been quite as sick as she was soon after leaving N.Y. I was feeling miserable myself and not wait upon her as I would have liked, but the lady whose entire business is to wait upon passengers served her better than I could have done. She has now resolved to contribute no more to the Atlantic and is now acting the lady on deck. You may talk about seasickness [sic] all you please, and try all your descriptive power in describing it and you will miss it [by] as far as we are from you at present?? Well, there is no use in thinking about these unthinkable things, so we will turn our thoughts to something broader, for instance, the sea. We see considerable sea all the time, so we see just what we can of the sea and see no more when we can see no more.
We are now 1800 miles from N.Y. and have come over 250 miles yet to go till we strike land at Colon. [sic] We are 11°48’ North and 71°36’ West, so if you want to speak to us you must talk loud?? Don’t you wonder how I am so smart to know all this without asking anyone? This information with the number of miles, which is 292 since yesterday noon, is posted in the dining saloon each noon so we can read and need not ask questions.
We are quite well pleased with our associates on board as well as the crew, but the steamer is not a nice one by any means. She is an old one and out of date to a great extent. She is small in every way, which makes her passengers more or less uncomfortable. The rooms are small and hampered. [sic] There is more motion in a rough sea than [there] would be if she were [illegible] larger.
Dillie has told you all about the great sea monsters which are more or less . . . [the next few lines are illegible] . . . believe her flying fish story. Be a little cautious about some of her stories, for since she has been at sea she sees a good many things that fly, especially when she was seasick. Ha! Ha!
I can imagine seeing some of you starting after us behind Old Topsy in the buggy[??] since you have heard nothing from us for so long. Dillie’s explanation is sufficient and quite correct, so don’t be surprised if you do not hear from us at regular intervals for some time.
It is now 1 PM and the lunch bell is ringing. I fear [that] Dillie will want to eat the table legs or a mutton leg or lamb leg or something of that sort, so I must close and watch her.
After lunch.
My wife surrendered the fountain [pen] and now my eloquence can flow in black [ink]. I guess I had better stop or we will get into a family jar. [sic] My wife just now pinched my neck for writing this.
Good Bye
We send our love to you all in a lump; use it as you can stand it.
Good Bye
Chas & Dillie
Transcribed 2015 by SMK
Posted Dec 26, 2018 at 16:45.
Revised Nov 27, 2022 at 19:51. EDT.
Retrieved Jun 1, 2026 at 22:45.
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