first. The rows
are so engrossing that I have not enjoyed the country as I expected.
Still, I am everlastingly glad we came. It is an entirely new life and
aspect. It completes so much that we have read and seen. In spite of
the bother over the war passes I learn things daily and we see
beautiful and curious things, and are educated as to the East, as no
books could have done it for us. John Bass who was my comrade in arms
in Greece and his wife are here. They are the very best. Also we see
Lloyd daily, and the hotel is full of amusing men, who are trying to
get to the front. Of course, we know less of the war than you do.
None of the news from Cheefoo, none of the "unauthorized" news reaches
us. Were it not for our own squabbles we would not know not only that
the country was at war but not even that war existed ANYWHERE in the
world. We are here entirely en tourist and it cannot be helped. The
men who tried to go with the Russians are equally unfortunate. Think
of us as wandering around each with a copy of Murray seeing sights.
That is all we really do, All my love.

DICK.

YOKOHAMA--April 2, 1904.

DEAR MOTHER:

I just got your letter dated the 28th of February and the days
following in which you worried over me in the ice coated trenches of
Korea. I read it in a rickshaw in a warm sun on my way to buy favors
for a dinner to Griscom. We have had three warm days and no doubt the
sun will be out soon. The loss of the sun, though, is no great one.
We have lots of pleasures and lots of troubles in spite of the Sun.
Yesterday the first batch of correspondents were sent on their way. I
doubt if they will get any further than Chemulpo but their going
cheered the atmosphere like a storm in summer. The diplomats and
Japanese were glad to get rid of them, they were delighted to be off.
Some had been here 58 days, and we all looked at it as a good sign as
it now puts us "next." But after they had gone it was pretty blue for
some of them were as good friends as I want. I know few men I like as
well as I do John Bass. Many of them were intensely interesting. It
was, by all odds, the crowd one would have wished to go with. As it
is, I suspect we all will meet again and that the two columns will be
merged on the Yalu. None of the attaches have been allowed to go, so
it really is great luck for the correspondents. Tell Chas I still am
buying my Kit. It's pretty nearly ready now. I began in New York