well and so am I. It is
good to get back to drawing water, and carrying baggage and skirmishing
about for yourself. The contractor gave us a good meal and the
servants are efficient but I like doing things myself and skirmishing
for them. We make a short ride this morning of six miles to Kin Chow
and then 30 miles by rail. "Headquarters" is about a five days ride
distant. Tell Chas my outfit seems nearly complete. Maybe I can buy a
few things I forgot in Boston at Kin Chow. Fox and I will get out just
as soon as we see fighting but before you get this you will probably
hear by cable from me. If not, it will mean we still are waiting for a
fight. The only mistake I made was in not going home the first time
they deceived us instead of waiting for this and worst of all.

to you all.

DICK.

MANCHURIA, August 14, 1904.

We have been riding through Manchuria for eleven days. Nine days we
rode then two days we rested. By losing the trail we managed to
average about 20 miles a day. I kept well and enjoyed it very much.
As I had to leave my servant behind with a sick horse, I had to take
care of my mule and pony myself and hunt fodder for them, so I was
pretty busy. Saiki did all he could, but he is not a servant and
sooner than ask him I did things myself. We passed through a very
beautiful country, sleeping at railway stations and saw two battle
fields of recent fights. Now we are in a Chinese City and waiting to
see what should be the biggest fight since Sedan. The Russians are
about ten miles from us, so we are not allowed outside the gates of the
city without a guide. Of course, we have none of that freedom we have
enjoyed in other wars, but apart from that they treat us very well
indeed. And in a day or two they promise us much fighting, which we
will be allowed to witness from a hill. This is a very queer old city
but the towns and country are all very primitive and we depend upon
ourselves for our entertainment. I expect soon to see you at home. In
three more days I shall have been out here five months and that is too
long. Good luck to you all.

R. H. D.

MANCHURIA, August 18th, 1904.

We still are inside this old Chinese town. It has rained for five
days, and this one is the first in which we could go abroad. Unless
you swim very well it is not safe to cross one of these streets. We
have found an old temple and some of us are in it now. It is such a
relief to escape from that c