Letter from Henry to "Dear Ones at Home," December 24, 1878

noyes_c_cor_687.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Henry to "Dear Ones at Home," December 24, 1878

Subject

Travel; Christmas; Steamboats; Death; Suicide; Embalming; Steamship passengers

Description

Henry writes back home while en route to Yokohama. The ladies have prepared Christmas stockings for the children. He talks about some of the other passengers on board and their travel plans. Henry mentions a 'mad' Chinese man who jumped overboard and later, in confinement, was found dead with a razor in his hand. He says that they embalm those who died on the journey. They arrive on the 26th.

Creator

Noyes, Henry Varnum

Source

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3

Publisher

Unpublished

Date

1879-12-24

Contributor

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

Format

PDF

Language

eng (English)

Type

Text

Identifier

noyes_c_cor_687

Text Item Type Metadata

Text

[Note: +c transcribed as etc]
City of Tokio
Dec 24th 1878
Dear ones at Home
We are getting near to
Japan and I will take my pen
to send back some account of the
journey thus far. We had some hope
of getting to Yokohama to spend Christmas
but have given that up as we have
still something more than 400 miles ahead.
Mary Happer + Verdie and some of
the other ladies are quite busy to day
getting things ready for the children.
They are filling little papers with raisins
and candy and making little toys out
of cotton and sawdust + ribbons etc etc
so I expect by to-morrow morning
the children will find a good many
things in their stockings. It is a
bright sunshiny day after rather a
rough night. We have had so far a
very smooth passage for this time of
year. Last Sabbath was quite rough
so much so that we had no service
the first Sabbath Mr McGowan preached
and the second Sabbath I preached.
Last Sabbath Mr McDonald would have
preached had there been a service.
Our missionary passengers are
Mr + Mrs McGowan of the London
Mission Amoy and Mr + Mrs McDonald
of Bangkok . The McGowans have
5 children with them and the McDon
ald's two. We have on board in all
17 children . They eat at a separate
table so there is quite a childrens table.
Besides the passengers I have mentioned
there are two families bound for Shanghai
+ a young man in their company.

Then several men going to Japan
some to be in government Employ
and some to engage in business.
There is also a young man and
his sister from England travelling
on account of his health. His sister
is only 19 years old and we
all feel so sorry for her. She is a
[?very?] excellent person and she and
her Mother seem to be from a fine
family. He had studied medicine
but has overdone and his mind
is affected. He seemed himself until
about a week ago since which
time he has seemed quite upset
and not himself at all. One
night he wanted to walk the
deck all night and once in the
day time he started to go up one
of the ladders until some of the
officers got to him and got a
rope around him and brought
him down . She scarcely dares
to have him out of her sight. She
hopes he is a little better the last
day or two. She says he had never
been so bad before and seemed to
have been improving since he
left home. I hope he will get
better. She is a good deal troubled
as to how she can get home with
him . They did not at first intend
to come any farther than San Francisco
but he seemed to be getting so much
better that they concluded to come on
and go home by way of India.

The Captain's wife is on board +
a Miss Shepherd from Oakland who
seems to be travelling in their
company. All together I think we
have a [?very?] pleasant set of passangers
I forgot to say that we have also
the [u]Japanese Embassy[/u] on board
- the minister + his wife. Consul
General + his wife and several
others. Nearly all the passengers
except the missionaries will set of
at Yokohama. Possibly some more
may get on there. As to ourselves
I will say that I have not had the
slightest touch of sea sickness although
we have had some [?nice?] weather - three
or four days the second weekend
out and yesterday + day before.
Bella was sea-sick so that she could
not come to the table for nearly
two weeks has been better since but
still feels the motion considerably.
Baby had a little turn of sea-sickness
the first rough weather and then trouble with
his teeth for two or three days - since
then has been quite well. We have had
no remarkable occurrences on the
voyage except a day or two after
starting a Chinaman either fell
or jumped overboard. I watched him
for a long time (it seemed long) as
the ship went farther + farther away
+ still could see his head above
water. They got a boat manned as
soon as possible and went after him

+ it was not very long before
they had him safely on board
again. They said he was deranged
+ he was confined. It did not
prolong his life much for the next
morning he was found with his his
throat cut + the razor with which
it had been done lying on his
breast. Some doubt whether he
could have done it himself. He
had some money but that had all
been taken. Besides this one
several have died some 5 or 6
They Embalm them and put
them in the boats.
Dec 25th I wish you all a
Merry Christmas. The children had
quite a good time with them
stockings full of candy this morning
The Happer girls had quite a
surprise also Mrs Stockton
their cousin had entrusted a
box to our care to be give to
them Christmas morning. So I
hung it with a strong string to
their door knob and soon after
Bella Knocked on the partition be-
tween their room and ours +
waked them up. When they went
to open their door, of course they
found the box. They said

they had never been so surprised
in their lives. I expect we
shall have quite a time at
dinner to night 6 P.M.
The passengers were requested
all around to give mottoes for
sugar kisses + they are to be
put in the candy that we
shall have to night. Of course
the two or three who copied
the mottoes and arranged
them know what they all are
but the rest of us only know
the ones we handed in. I
believe about fifty different
ones were given in. Willie
got a little stocking full of
nuts + candy + raisins +
a little cotton doll made
I guess by Verdie Happer
+ a little box of A B C
blocks sent by Mrs Stockton.
I had from the same good
lady from the box a necktie
and Bella a handkerchief.

We have a head wind to day
but are getting along mod-
erately well are less than
200 miles from Yokohamma
and will get in by noon
to-morrow probably + will
likely leave for HongKong
Friday or Saturday morning.
It is getting near the chil-
dren's supper time and so
I will stop for now and
perhaps add a little more
in the morning if I get
time.
Dec 26th We sighted land
about 5- o-clock this morning
and are now 10-o-clock
steaming along with the land
in sight. I suppose we shall
not get to Yokohama until
sometime this afternoon but
I will finish my letters now
so as to have it all ready.
Last night was quite rough.

It was the strongest wind we
have had and right ahead so
that we were kept back a
good deal. We get in so late
to day that I presume we
shall not leave until Saturday
morning in which case my
fear is that we shall not
reach HongKong until Saturday
+ so have to wait over the
Sabbath there as Hattie did
Perhaps we shall get in Friday
however and get up to
Canton Saturday. It is quite
cold this morning . An hour
ago we could see Fusiyama.
It is the highest appearing
mountain I have ever seen
standing so much alone and
so far above everything around
it. It is covered with snow
now and looks just about
the color of the clouds around
it.

Now I will close as I have one
or two other letters to write. I
expect we shall find letters
waiting us at Yokohama from
the other End of the line. I do
not realise at all that we
are likely to be in Canton so
soon. I suppose Dr Kerr is
on the sea too now on his
way back. Altogether we shall
make quite a reinforcement to
the Canton mission.
Much love from us all
to you all
Your Affectionate
--- Henry --



[注:+c 转录为 etc]
东京市
1878 年 12 月 24 日
亲爱的在家
我们越来越接近
日本和我会拿起我的笔
发回一些帐户
到目前为止的旅程。我们有一些希望
去横滨过圣诞节
但是我们已经放弃了
前方还有 400 多英里的地方。
Mary Happer + Verdie 和一些
其他女士今天很忙
为孩子们准备东西。
他们在小纸上填葡萄干
还有糖果和制作小玩具
棉花、锯末和丝带等
所以我期待明天早上
孩子们会发现很多
他们袜子里的东西。它是一个
明媚的阳光灿烂的一天后
痛苦的夜晚。到目前为止,我们已经
这段时间非常顺利的通过
年。上个安息日很艰难
以至于我们没有服务
麦高恩先生讲道的第一个安息日
和我传讲的第二个安息日。
最后一个安息日,麦克唐纳先生会
宣讲有一个服务。
我们的传教士乘客是
伦敦的 McGowan 先生 + 夫人
Mission Amoy 和 Mr and Mrs McDonald
曼谷的。麦高文有
5个孩子带着他们和麦当劳两个。
我们在所有船上
17个孩子。他们在一个单独的地方吃饭
桌子所以有一张儿童桌。
除了我提到的乘客
有两个家庭开往上海
他们的公司里有一个年轻人。

然后几个男人去日本
一些在政府工作
有的从事商业活动。
还有一个年轻人和
他的妹妹来自英国旅行
考虑到他的健康。他的妹妹
只有19岁,我们
所有人都为她感到难过。她是一个
非常优秀的人,她和
她的母亲似乎是从罚款
家庭。他学过医
但过头了,他的心思
被影响。他似乎是他自己,直到
大约一周前
他似乎很沮丧
而不是他自己。一
晚上他想走
整晚都在甲板上
白天他开始往上走
的梯子,直到一些
官员找到他并得到了一个
用绳子围住他并带来
他下来。她几乎不敢
让他离开她的视线。她
希望他最后一个好一点
一两天。她说他从来没有
以前很糟糕,似乎
自从他以来一直在进步
离开家。我希望他能得到
更好的。她很困扰
至于她如何才能回家
他 。他们起初并不打算
比旧金山更远
但他似乎得到了很多
最好他们得出结论来
并通过印度回家。

船长的妻子在船上
来自奥克兰的牧羊人小姐
似乎在他们的旅行
公司。我想我们在一起
有一群非常愉快的乘客
我忘了说我们也有
船上的日本大使馆
- 部长和他的妻子。领事
将军和他的妻子和几个
其他。几乎所有乘客
除了传教士将设置
在横滨。可能还有一些
可能会在那里。至于我们自己
我会说我没有
轻微的晕船虽然
我们有一些好天气 - 三
或第二个周末的四天
出去,昨天和前一天。
贝拉晕船了,所以她可以
几乎没有来到餐桌旁
两周后情况有所好转,但
仍然对运动有很大的感觉。
宝宝有点晕船
先是恶劣的天气,然后是麻烦
他的牙齿有两三天——因为
然后一直很好。我们有过
上没有明显的事件
除了一两天之后的航程
开始一个中国人要么倒下
或跳海。我看着他
很长一段时间(似乎很长)
船越走越远
仍然可以看到他的头顶
水。他们有一艘载人船
尽快追上他

不久之前
他们让他安全上船
再次。他们说他精神错乱
他被囚禁了。它没
为下一次延长他的生命
早上他被发现和他的
割喉和剃须刀
它已经在他身上完成了
胸部。有人怀疑他是否
本来可以自己做的。他
有一些钱,但这一切
被采取。除了这个
有几个死了 大约 5 或 6 个
他们对它们进行防腐处理并放入
他们在船上。
12月25日祝大家
圣诞节快乐。孩子们有
和他们一起玩得很开心
今天早上装满糖果的丝袜
哈珀女孩有很多
斯托克顿夫人也感到惊讶
他们的表弟委托了一个
给我们照顾的盒子
他们圣诞节的早晨。所以我
用一根结实的绳子把它挂起来
他们的门把手,不久之后
贝拉敲了敲他们房间和我们房间之间的隔板
叫醒他们。他们去的时候
打开他们的门,当然他们
找到了盒子。他们说

他们从未如此惊讶
在他们的生活中。我希望我们
将有相当长的时间
晚餐到晚上 6 点
乘客被要求
到处给格言
糖吻,他们将是
放入我们准备的糖果
必须到晚上。当然
两个或三个谁抄袭
座右铭和安排
他们知道他们都是什么
但我们其他人只知道
我们交的那些。我
相信大约有五十种不同
那些被给了。威利
有一个小袜子
坚果、糖果、葡萄干和
做的一个小棉娃娃
我猜是 Verdie Happer。
有一小盒 A B C
斯托克顿夫人寄来的积木。
我有同样的好
盒子里的女士一条领带
和贝拉一块手帕。

今天我们遇到了逆风
但相处得还算不错
距横滨 200 英里
并且会在中午之前进入
明天可能和将会
可能会去香港
周五或周六早上。
快到孩子们的晚餐时间了,所以
我现在会停下来
也许再加一点
如果我早上得到
时间。
12月26日我们看到了陆地
今天早上5点左右
现在是 10 点
与土地一起蒸腾
洞察力。我想我们应该
不去横滨,直到
今天下午的某个时候,但是
我现在就写完我的信
以便一切准备就绪。
昨晚过得挺难熬的。

那是我们最强的风
已经有了,就在前面
我们被阻止了
好交易。我们进来这么晚
到今天我认为我们
直到星期六才离开
早上在这种情况下我的
害怕的是我们不会
周六到达香港
所以不得不等待
像海蒂那样在那里安息
也许我们会在星期五到达
然而,起床
广州周六。这是很
今天早上很冷。一小时
以前我们可以看到Fusiyama。
这是最高的出现
我见过的山
如此孤独地站着
远远高于周围的一切
它。它被雪覆盖
现在看起来差不多
周围云的颜色
它。

现在我将关闭,因为我有一个
或另外两封信。我
希望我们能找到信
在横滨等我们
另一端。我愿意
完全没有意识到我们
很可能在广州所以
很快。我想克尔医生是
现在也在他的海上
回来的路。总而言之,我们将

广州使命。
来自我们所有人的爱
给大家
你的深情
——亨利——

Original Format

Letter

Citation

Noyes, Henry Varnum, “Letter from Henry to "Dear Ones at Home," December 24, 1878,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 2, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/753.

Output Formats