r prepared
than most any other country.

The transport Warren sailed from Nagasaki July ninth for San Francisco,
taking the northern route of the Pacific Ocean. This route is claimed
to be about two thousand miles longer than the southern route over which
we sailed in going to Manila. The ocean currents and winds make a great
deal of difference in which route a vessel is sailing in, and the
northern and southern routes give the advantage to the vessels. Ships go
the southern route from San Francisco to Manila and return the northern
route.

After a few days out from Nagasaki we found colder water, which
continued most of the way to San Francisco, only getting warmer a short
distance from San Francisco. After getting out into this cold water the
temperature of the atmosphere also fell, and every man who had an
overcoat or even a heavy uniform put it on. Those who had only the thin
uniforms called khaki worn in the Philippines, suffered from cold.

It was cold and disagreeable for all on board except the officers, who,
as usual, fared well at all times and in all places.

There was a casual detachment of discharged soldiers numbering one
hundred and thirty-eight on board, two hundred and forty-one officers
and privates of the Twenty-third Regiment, sixty prisoners and
twenty-one passengers, a total of four hundred and sixty men on board
besides the crew. The transport Warren is a large vessel, and all on
board had plenty of room.

Those men who were not thoughtful enough to start back to the United
States with their heavy uniforms looked somewhat pitiful crowding around
the engine rooms and boilers, and getting anywhere that offered some
protection from the chilly air and sea breeze. I was fortunate in not
being one of that number. I had plenty of warm clothing and fared well
returning. I was on the lookout for myself, and provided myself with
everything I desired, and had to call on no one for anything. My rule
was to look out for myself all the time I was in the army, and usually I
had everything I desired. If I wanted anything to use I always went
where I could buy it, and never borrowed from the soldiers.

I always thought that was a good rule for a soldier; I noticed that
those who did that fared much better than those who did not practice
that rule.

I never liked to loan my gun and belt to a soldier when he has all those
things of his own. But some soldiers would keep their guns polished and
oiled, and set