Letter from Hattie to Edward, October 1, 1874
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Edward, October 1, 1874
Subject
Typhoons; Death; Steamboat disasters; Travel
Description
Harriet discusses being excited to have witnessed a typhoon (1874 Hong Kong Typhoon), noting that it was the most destructive one since Europeans have been in China and describing the different ships that were all wrecked as well as the death toll. She hopes for mail the next day, expecting a double set because they didn't receive any with the last mail shipment. She closes talking about Mattie going to help watch a sick baby, and that Miss Cort, Miss Grimstead (new missionaries) as well as Dr. Cheek are all staying with them.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1874-10-01
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_130
Coverage
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton
Oct 1st 1874
My dear Edward
I wished very much
to date this letter back a few hours
to the time when I [u]thought[/u]
about writing to you but was
busy at something Else. School
is again on hands We came back
from Macau on Saturday and
on Monday the scholars begun
coming back. I do not know
whether the vacation has benefitted
me quite as much as it might
under other circumstances but I
am [u]very glad[/u] that I have
witnessed a typhoon. I have
always felt that I wanted the
experience of going through a
typhoon but they are such fearful
things it did not seem hardly
right to feel so but now as this
one was to be I am so glad
that I was in Macao at the
time. I suppose there is no
probability that any of us will
Ever see one like it again. From
all I hear I suppose there has
never been such a destructive one
since Europeans have been in
China say for the past hundred
years. The loss of shipping and
of life among the Chinese was
fearful. WE will try and
send you the newspaper accounts
by next mail. I only heard
to-day that Extra copies could
be procured and there is not
time to get them from Hongkong
to send by this mail. The
paper states that of [u]600[/u] {six
hundred} large Chinese junks
lying at anchor in a harbor
opposite Macao on Tuesday eve
Wednesday morning only fourteen
could be found. Each junk
probably had on board from ten
to fifty men. The pretty little
"White - Cloud" the steamer which
took us down to Macau was
blown over on her side and
then blown half across the
harbor, it is an utter wreck.
Some of the ships will probably
be raised again. One of the
large Pacific Mail Steamers the
"Alaska" which was being repaired
in Hongkong went on shore and
a number of little steam tugs have
been working unsuccessfully to
get her off. I should think
such an immense thing would
be rather unmanageable.
We are looking for the mail
tomorrow it seems a long time
since we have heard from home
as the last mail brought
us no home letters. I suppose
it was because the steamer
left San Francisco two days
ahead of time that your letters
failed to get there so we
shall look for a double
portion tomorrow. Mattie has
gone out to-night to watch
with Mrs Williams sick baby
They are the ones who weathered
the typhoon with us and are
our nearest neighbors their home
is so near that we can almost
touch it WE can easily with
a [u]very short[/u] pole. I felt
sorry to have Mattie go it is so
trying to sit up at night but
she thought she could have
a better chance to rest tomorrow
than I. Lucy went night
before last. WE have been
having [u]very hot[/u] weather the last
few days. It seems as though
the summer has forgotten to
go away WE have now staying
with us for a time two ladies
a Miss Cort and Miss Grimstead
who are on their way to Siam
now waiting here for a steamer
to take them on also a
young Dr Cheek who is on
his way to Chieng-Mai. To-day
is just ten weeks from the time
Henry went away, and I am
getting [u]very[/u] impatient to have
him come home, should not
be surprised now to see him any
time. I wanted to write some
more letters to night but I am
getting so sleepy that I think I
must give it up and go to bed
hoping to get up [u]Early[/u]. Your aff sister
Hattie.
Oct 1st 1874
My dear Edward
I wished very much
to date this letter back a few hours
to the time when I [u]thought[/u]
about writing to you but was
busy at something Else. School
is again on hands We came back
from Macau on Saturday and
on Monday the scholars begun
coming back. I do not know
whether the vacation has benefitted
me quite as much as it might
under other circumstances but I
am [u]very glad[/u] that I have
witnessed a typhoon. I have
always felt that I wanted the
experience of going through a
typhoon but they are such fearful
things it did not seem hardly
right to feel so but now as this
one was to be I am so glad
that I was in Macao at the
time. I suppose there is no
probability that any of us will
Ever see one like it again. From
all I hear I suppose there has
never been such a destructive one
since Europeans have been in
China say for the past hundred
years. The loss of shipping and
of life among the Chinese was
fearful. WE will try and
send you the newspaper accounts
by next mail. I only heard
to-day that Extra copies could
be procured and there is not
time to get them from Hongkong
to send by this mail. The
paper states that of [u]600[/u] {six
hundred} large Chinese junks
lying at anchor in a harbor
opposite Macao on Tuesday eve
Wednesday morning only fourteen
could be found. Each junk
probably had on board from ten
to fifty men. The pretty little
"White - Cloud" the steamer which
took us down to Macau was
blown over on her side and
then blown half across the
harbor, it is an utter wreck.
Some of the ships will probably
be raised again. One of the
large Pacific Mail Steamers the
"Alaska" which was being repaired
in Hongkong went on shore and
a number of little steam tugs have
been working unsuccessfully to
get her off. I should think
such an immense thing would
be rather unmanageable.
We are looking for the mail
tomorrow it seems a long time
since we have heard from home
as the last mail brought
us no home letters. I suppose
it was because the steamer
left San Francisco two days
ahead of time that your letters
failed to get there so we
shall look for a double
portion tomorrow. Mattie has
gone out to-night to watch
with Mrs Williams sick baby
They are the ones who weathered
the typhoon with us and are
our nearest neighbors their home
is so near that we can almost
touch it WE can easily with
a [u]very short[/u] pole. I felt
sorry to have Mattie go it is so
trying to sit up at night but
she thought she could have
a better chance to rest tomorrow
than I. Lucy went night
before last. WE have been
having [u]very hot[/u] weather the last
few days. It seems as though
the summer has forgotten to
go away WE have now staying
with us for a time two ladies
a Miss Cort and Miss Grimstead
who are on their way to Siam
now waiting here for a steamer
to take them on also a
young Dr Cheek who is on
his way to Chieng-Mai. To-day
is just ten weeks from the time
Henry went away, and I am
getting [u]very[/u] impatient to have
him come home, should not
be surprised now to see him any
time. I wanted to write some
more letters to night but I am
getting so sleepy that I think I
must give it up and go to bed
hoping to get up [u]Early[/u]. Your aff sister
Hattie.
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Edward, October 1, 1874,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed May 2, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/186.