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 and kept on in
Boston, San Francisco, and here. It always was my boast that
I had the most complete kit in the world, and in spite of
Charley's jeers at my lack of preparedness everybody here
voted it the greatest ever seen. For the last ten days all
the Jap saddlers, tent makers and tinsmiths have been copying
it.
DICK.
