Dora's Diary ~ 1905 to 1945

Dora's Diary

The handwritten diary of Dora Lobaugh Hudson - 1905 to 1945

The handwritten diary of Dora Lobaugh Hudson (1877-1959) - covers the daily life and travels of this fascinating woman in the early 1900's to 1945. Married to photographer/cameraman Will Hudson; the diary includes her family life in the Pacific Northwest, their 3 year trip to China, the Arctic expedition, and daily struggles during the 1900's to the 1930's. 

Dora kept writing in this incredible diary for most of her life covering the ups and downs in great detail. One can learn not only about her family but what life was really like during those years - another view of history from a woman's perspective.

Dora was born in 1877 and attended Washington Agriculture College (now Washington State University) where she graduated in 1899. In college she met her husband, Will Hudson, a photographer. They married in 1900 and started a family. In 1905 they took an opportunity to work in China - leaving all behind and getting on a steamer to China with two young children. After spending about 3 years in China they came back to the Pacific Northwest and settled in Seattle. In 1913, Will went to the Arctic as a photographer on a scientific expedition. They got iced in, lost the boat, and went to Fairbanks by dogsled. His book 'Icy Hell' tells of this adventure. Will worked as a photographer and newsreel cameraman for Pathe News and the Seattle Post Intelligencer. He covered many historical events and got to see a lot more than the average person. Will was always traveling - and Dora was at home holding down the fort and keeping this wonderful diary.

Dora Lobaugh Hudson
1877-1959

This wonderful diary is in 3 volumes and sadly, one is missing. It covers part of their time in China from September 23, 1905 until January 1, 1907.  If anyone has any knowledge about this missing part, please let me know ~ it would be wonderful to have a complete diary.

Please note....this diary contains many comments and references that are certainly not “politically correct” today - I have typed them as they were written in the diary and it is not my intention to offend anyone reading this - yes, we have come a long way.

1 ~ The journey begins ...Pullman to Seattle

September 16, 1905 ~ Saturday
Will and I with the two children, Marjorie and Dorothy started today to Shanghai, China, where Will has a five year job with The China Photo Supply Co.. We have been rushing around for a month getting ready, as the letter telling us his application was accepted only reached us Aug. 2, and as Will was up at Wallace, viewing, it took a little time to accept. Nettie goes as far as Seattle with us on her way to the Fair at Portland. At about 10:55 a.m. after bidding friends and relatives good-bye, we boarded the Spokane train and start on our long journey. It is hard to say good bye, harder for those who stay than for us who are going. The children are very much elated over their prospective trip. A few of our friends are down to see us off but as the rain is coming gently down the most of them stayed at home. Rev. Dr. Hays says he hardly knows whether to commiserate or congratulate us but decides that congratulations are more appropriate. "The Gang" are all down to tell Will good bye and wish him all sorts of things. While waiting for the train Papa gave me the note of Will's that he had.

Our trip to Spokane was the usual uneventful one. The children were very tired when we arrived and we went directly to the White Hotel. We had hardly got in our rooms when Miss Irma Brown called and spent a pleasant half hour. She goes to the W.S.C. this year. We ate lunch and then went downtown, settled on a number of bills, collected 50 cents, bought some dolls and finished up business generally. At 10:30 p.m. we went to the depot where we had to wait about "steen" hours for the Seattle train. Somewhere about midnight we boarded the train for Seattle and had our berths made up at once. Soon we were fast asleep and knew nothing more until morning.

Our tickets from Pullman to Seattle were $11.20 apiece with $2.50 extra for the two berths.

September 17, 1905 ~ Sunday
We traveled all day and passed some very pretty scenery. Both the children were sick all day and we kept the berth made up all the way. Strange to say, I did not get sick, and hungry. We were almost starved. The lunch was surely all right.

Arrived in Seattle about 3:30 p.m. and went to the Brunswick Hotel. This is a bum place but we thought it best not to move for such a short time as we would have in the city. The first thing that impresses us about Seattle was the big ships. The water front is dirty and not a very attractive place. Seattle is a busy bustling burg but we did not have time to see very much of it as our time was so fully taken up. Mrs. Taylor, Mabel, Alice and Mr. M. called on us at the hotel and Nettie went out to stay with Mrs. Taylor Sunday night. Alice had all sorts of trouble over a telegram to Spokane.

September 18, 1905 ~ Monday
After breakfast at the ‘Toke Point Café’ where Dorothy made a hit with our waitress, we - Mrs. Taylor, Nettie, Alice, Will, the Babies and I went out to see the Dakota. She is surely a big ship. Over 600 ft. long, 78 ft. 6 inches wide, she is the largest boat afloat, being a few inches longer than the Minnesota. Everything was bustling getting cargo loaded, supplies aboard, etc. We went all over the ship from intermediate quarters to bridge deck and were very favorably impressed. Everything is so clean, Chinese boys are cleaning and scrubbing all the time. New paint is very much in evidence. Upstairs was a library, smoking room, ladies parlor, children's play room, barber shop, bar, etc. all finely fitted up. The furniture has a great detail of it upholstered in leather. In the library were tables for writing, furnished with ship's stationery. The dining rooms were fitted with stationary tables and chairs, sideboards with all accessories necessary to a first class dining room. On each floor were toilets and bathrooms. The staterooms were very comfortable, most of them fitted with an upper and lower berth. Some of the $500 suites have brass bedsteads, private bath, and other furnishings to correspond.

On deck were benches and chairs, while lifeboats etc. were numerous. The boats were 8 ft. wide and intended to accommodate sixteen people. We met the ship surgeon Dr's who showed us his room and told us that stubborn people never get seasick. He also said that if one did not let the motion of the ship influence him, but would keep the diaphragm being depressed he would not be so apt to be seasick. Later I found this true as when I felt squeamish if I would take deep breaths of fresh air I would soon feel all right.

It was about one o'clock when we got back to the hotel and after lunch Nettie and Will went out to see the town while the babies and I took a nap. Alice found us all asleep when she came to tell us goodbye. She went home on the 4:00 o'clock train. Nettie and Will went to the train and saw Josie and Frank Thungate who were also starting home. They said they asked for us at the hotel but the clerk told them there were no such people at the hotel. When we started for our dinner we met Mrs. Hill and the Bryant girls.

The children have named their dolls, Nettie-Dorothy, and Marjorie-Ruth. They want to take them with us wherever they go. They had to open the little bucket Grandma fixed for them and ate the little sandwiches. Dorothy can hardly be parted from her little bucket.

**photo of anchor on deck

I forgot to mention the big anchor on the ship - they are immense -- each link of the chain holding them weighs 600 lb. to the link. Alice wanted me to swipe one and mail to her for a watch charm. Alice has a new raincoat she paid $20 for, but I can't see that it is very much nicer than mine. More stitching on it but I am pretty well pleased.

2 ~ Bon Voyage - departing Seattle

Dora, Will, and children aboard the Dakota - departing Seattle.

September 19, 1905 ~ Tuesday
We went out to take dinner at the Taylor home stopping at the Gaily Supply House to see Vernie. She has changed a great deal since she left Pullman as she was only a little girl then and is now a young lady. The ride out took almost an hour and was through beautiful part of the city. Green Lake is in sight most of the way. We got off the car at Tahoe and had quite a little walk then to the house. The place is a lovely one with simply loads of flowers even in September. The gallery is in the same yard as the house and here I saw a number of pictures of old friends and acquaintances. We had a good dinner and while Mabel, Nettie, and Marjorie washed the dishes Mrs. Taylor and I went to call on Justine Hayes Thompson but did not find her at home. Mr. Taylor took a great fancy to the children and they seemed to like him. Dorothy found the two faced doll and he liked to tease her by asking her to kiss the black baby. She was very emphatic in her refusal however. We had some ripe strawberries from their own vines that were fine. Fred has two babies now. He lives in Spokane. Mrs. Taylor thinks Will has found his "Jane" too so there will probably be another wedding in the family soon.

At four we started back to the city having had a very enjoyable day. In the afternoon while we were out to Justine's, Anna Ellis telephoned. I was so sorry to have missed her. Coming in it poured all the way and we got sprinkled going from the car to the hotel. Will had come in earlier and after seeing about our tickets, luggage, etc. had invested in a full outfit for finishing pictures on shipboard. Mr. Lussier of Cramer Plate Co. said he knew Lee Munjon, the man Will is to work for and that we would find him O.K.

Our tickets, 2nd Cabin were $115 apiece with quarter fare for the children or $287 in all. Nettie got a metal doll head so in case one of the dolls lost its head I could mend it. She also got Marjorie a First Reader to amuse herself on the way.

September 20, 1905 ~ Wednesday
We ate our last meal on shore for some time. Took breakfast at the Toke Point Cafe and noticed at one of the tables a little girl with a Japanese nurse, who wore regular Japanese costume. I went up to a store to do a little shopping before we sailed and then had to hurry to get to the car in time.

We arrived at the dock about 9:30 where we found a large crowd gathered to witness the departure of the Dakota. We went aboard at once while Will looked after our trunks, Nettie and I went to our cabins. We found the steamer trunk already in 310 and we cached our other luggage and started up on deck. In the hall we met the little girl with the Japanese nurse with her mother and found they were going to Hong Kong. On deck everything was bustle and confusion. Mr. King and the S S Co. agent were looking after everything and was everywhere at once. An Austrian woman was having a dreadful time getting her affairs settled. She did not speak very good English and no one seemed to pay any attention to her. The Japanese girl took all the children over on a bench and Nettie and I were left together. Soon we saw Mrs. Taylor and Mable but they were not allowed to come aboard as it was getting near starting time. In a little while Bay and Mr. Hall showed up and I went down to the dock. Anna could not come and I was so disappointed as I had counted so much on seeing her. Bay said she was having her teeth fixed and was having a dreadful time. The babies were worrying for fear I had left them so I went back up on deck. Rev. and Mrs. Mason then appeared on scene. Soon everyone was ordered ashore. The last thing to come aboard was the mail for the Orient - 24 sacks for Yokohama alone. In the crowd on the pier were the Japanese Counsel, his wife and daughter were all dressed in American costume. The most of the Peace party were aboard and a great many Japanese were down to see them sail. We saw the satchel, an old disreputable affair that contained the peace treaty. It was carried by two Japanese and carefully guarded until it was turned over to the purser for safe keeping.

About 10:30 the gang way was removed and the big ship slowly started on her long journey amidst cheers and waving handkerchiefs. An immense crowd was gathered on the pier - some of the Japanese going out over the water as far as was safe. We stood on the deck as long as our friends could be distinguished and then went below to our cabins.

The babies and I had No. 310 while Will took 312 next door. Each room was fitted with an upper and lower berth, commode and dresser combined fitted with a small mirror and a number of drawers, two electric lights, water and a telephone. The berths were very comfortable having nice big pillows, clean sheet, blankets, etc. Under each lower berth were two life preservers. Around the walls were a number of hooks for clothing. Some of the rooms have lockers but ours did not. The floor was covered with ingrain carpet. Each berth had curtains much like sections in a sleeping car. Our rooms had no porthole but were furnished with air through a ventilating shaft. The doors were so they might be fastened open about six inches or closed and securely bolted. Outside, the hall was covered with linoleum. The smell of fresh paint was sickening. Marjorie had broken a bottle of peppermint just before we started and the odor of this kept us from noticing the paint smell so much.

Our first meal was Tiffin (lunch) at 12:00 and was very good. Soup was the first course and we had soup all the way over for Tiffin and Dinner. At our table were Mrs. Wilson, little girl and Japanese nurse from Hong Kong, and ourselves. The chairs were so low and anchored so far from the table that the children had quite a hard time of it. There were white linen tablecloths and napkins, silver knives and forks, spoons and butter dish, and very nice china marked with a G.N.SS. Co. mark. In the room were two large tables and five small ones capable of seating 34 people. The chairs were revolving armchairs with reversible seats - leather on one side - cane on the other. A sideboard completed the furnishings. There were three entrances, one from the kitchen, two from the halls. Electricity, together with the portholes along one side of the room furnished the light. The service was all done by two Chinese boys who understood English very well. The first meal not many people were present as naturally everything was irregular.

After Tiffin the babies went to sleep and Will and I went up on deck and it was certainly delightful here. The ship rocked just enough to let you know you were on shipboard and the air was fine. We walked up and down drawing deep breaths and thanking our lucky stars that we had been permitted an ocean voyage. The air was cool and bracing and my coat felt comfortable. We marveled at the size of everything. There is truly nothing small about the ship, even her crew are mostly large men.

Word was sent around that there would be a chance to send mail ashore at Port Townsend so there was a scramble for postcards. We wrote 10 to our numerous friends and relatives. At 4:30 the pilot having brought us out to sea, was sent ashore in a rowboat that came out to get him. With him went a large bunch of postcards.

We had gone very slowly up to this time but now began to make time and were soon out of sight of land. We then went below to get settled in our rooms and get ready for six o'clock dinner. Nearly everyone was present. A Swedish missionary woman and a Dr. Cole from Manila were put at our table. Yei, the Japanese girl was moved to another table. After dinner I put on a kimono and was lying down when Mrs. Wilson came to see if I did want to go up on deck. I put on my raincoat and the children's wraps and started out. It was a beautiful night and we spent an hour on deck, then came below, went to bed and slept soundly for the night. Marjorie and Dorothy slept one at each end of the upper berth. I took the lower one. There were side pieces but we did not use the at all. I felt so happy all day and went to sleep rejoicing over my lot. Everyone we talked with in Seattle seemed to think we had a good proposition.

3 ~ On board the Dakota

September 21, 1905 ~ Thursday

We awoke about six in the morning and when I first got out of the berth had a touch of mal de mer. I felt better as soon as I had breakfast but the children were pretty shaky. We had all of our meals served in our room and stayed inside all day. Toast and fruit were all we could eat. It had stormed during the preceding night and was cold and disagreeable on deck. The seas were running pretty high. Will went to the table for his meals and stayed up on deck most of the day.

The Dakota, owing to her size, does not roll but pitches the same as any boat. We notice the throb of the engines a great deal when in our cabins. The fairy tale they told us in Seattle about no water being slopped from a level glass full set on the table is a mistake. I suppose a smaller boat would be much worse but never-the-less you can tell you are on the sea even when riding in the Dakota. The boy set our Tiffin on the wash stand and a lurch of the boat sent it all on the floor and broke a plate. Several of the passengers were quite sick. Upstairs they are tossed around worse than we are and the creaking of the woodwork is awful. Several of the officers who have rooms upstairs have moved down in our part of the ship so they can sleep. Late in the afternoon Marcise came in. She has been sick most of the day but got over it sooner than the rest of us. There is a pole in our room - in iron support of some kind and the children had great fun sliding down it from the upper berth. Yei was so sick but follows Marcise around and tries to look after her.

September 22, 1905 ~ Friday
The weather is better this morning and everyone feels fine. We went on deck just after breakfast and did not come down until Tiffin time. Our appetites are good and everything tastes fine. There is not much variety but everything is cooked good. All the work is done by Chinese boys. The chief steward told us this morning if there was any little thing we wanted just to let him know and we sure will. I have learned two Chinese words: cho=to eat, chit=a note. At four we have tea and toast. We sent a note to the chief steward asking for some fruit but the boy said he threw it on the floor. The boy picked it up and took it to the storekeeper and got some apples anyway. He is very indignant at the way the chief steward acted. The children play in the dining room after the tables are cleared and get along nicely together. Yei looks after them so I am free a great deal of the time. Marcise brought lots of play things and with those the children have kept busy. Marcise keeps Yei busy. She never holds still for one minute. Mrs. Wilson had her horoscope read when she was a baby and the astrologer said if the baby was named Marcise, since she was born in March, she would have good luck. Rather a pretty name I think. She is now 5 1/2 years old. Mr. Wilson is a dentist in Hong Kong. Marcise was born in Alaska. They have been in the U.S. visiting relatives for six months are now on their way home. Yei has full charge of the little girl and seems to take good care of her. She is paid only $12 a month. Help is cheap in the Orient.

After dinner we played whist for an hour. A son of Senator Piles was one of the players. Mrs. Wilson thinks he is just right but I think she is inclined to toady to people whom she thinks are somebodies.

September 23, 1905 ~ Saturday
Today is a beautiful sunny day and we spent most of the time on deck, reading and dreaming. The deck steward got us chairs and we are very comfortable. I have some new magazines and we are perfectly happy. Time passes so quickly. The children help to keep things interesting. Dorothy is a little afraid of Yei yet but Marjorie thinks she is O.K. We went throughout the intermediate quarters today and found them quite comfortable. Each room had four berths and that is about all they contain. I think there are only two passengers, the Austrian woman and a young man going to Manila.

Will has been all over the ship, in the engine room, through the laundry and in fact has seen everything. The engines are enormous, being 6000 horsepower. Screws were turning about 75 turns a minute and we were going about 13 knots an hour. There are about 450 on board counting crew and everybody. Quite a little village all by ourselves. 

4 ~ First week on the Dakota

Green ocean water coming over the bow.

September 24, 1905 ~ Sunday
Today is cold and windy. One of the missionaries came down to invite us up to church in the upstairs dining room at 10:30. Mrs. Wilson and I went up but decided we did not care to go again. Rev. Carson of Burma preached a very good sermon. A good many of the 1st Cabin people were present. There are a good many missionaries aboard, all but one going 1st Cabin. Miss Anderson, a Swedish woman sits at our table. She cannot speak very good English and does not get very much to eat. She has been in America six months and is finishing a trip around the world.

In the afternoon Yei took the children up to Sunday school in the children's play room. Marjorie wants me to tell Ruth that she did not miss Sunday school even when she was on the ocean. The rest of us read in the dining room all afternoon. There seems to be a number of nice people aboard. Dr. Cole has moved from our table but spends a good deal of his time loafing with us. There is a Chinese boy in our department going to Canton to take a position with a new railroad being built there. His name is Herbert Lee and he is 20 years of age. He wears European clothes, has cut off his queu and speaks very good English. Does not seem to be very much like a Chinaman.

We are about a thousand miles from Seattle and are running very far north. It is uncomfortably cold and we all wish we had heavier wraps. Will saw a dead whale this morning; also two live ones spouting some distance from the ship. We made 331.6 miles today, the best run we have had so far.

One of the Peace Commissioners began taking his meals with us today as he says he does not care to put in so much time dressing for meals as they have to do in 1st Cabin. Some consolation for going 2nd Cabin anyway.

A Chinese sailor died in the forecastle. They tell that one of the men went to wake him up when he did not appear and tickled the soles of his feet to wake him. Getting no response, he investigated and found the poor Celestial had gone to a better land. Heart disease so the ship surgeon said.

Mrs. Wilson, Miss Anderson and I went up to the song service at 8 but as we were snubbed so plainly did not stay long. The 1st Cabin people are very exclusive. Mr. James, president of the SS company with his family are aboard and things are just about so.

Some of the missionaries are so exclusive that they will not eat with the common gang but after the others have finished dinner they come down in full evening dress, low necks, diamonds, etc. and have dinner all by themselves. I can't for my part see any missionary spirit in such actions. Snobs I would call them. One of the missionaries has a $500 suite.

While we were gone Marcise and Marjorie got hold of the little bucket and almost emptied it. I was so provoked. Nothing is private when Marcise is around.

September 25, 1905 ~ Monday
Oh Dear! Oh My! It has been awful all day. Everyone was sick, even some of the sailors. Will kept going till evening but passed up his chance for dinner. We had all of our meals served in our rooms but did not care for very heavy meals. I have not missed a meal yet, but my dinner came up tonight. A great many of us "swallowed backwards" as Rollin used to say. The children were awfully sick. I felt so sorry for Baby. She kept saying "I did not want to come on a big boat. I wish this would stop." I kept saying to myself "Mr. Captain, stop the ship! I want to get out and walk."

The wind blew between 50 and 60 miles an hour and as the steering gear was also out of order we had quite a serious time of it for a little while. Water was dashed clear up over the flying bridge and the railing forward on the starboard side was smashed by the heavy seas coming aboard. A fish washed on deck and the carpenter has it in a bucket of water. Several of the men, Will included, lost their caps overboard. Chairs and everything movable were lashed fast. Some cargo got loose in the hold and danced around in great shape. It is generally conceded that we got the tail end of a typhoon.

While the seas were at their worst, Will was out making pictures. He got some fine negatives of the big waves. Everything was covered with salt spray when he came in. The Chinese sailor who died was put in a life boat aft so his spirit could go to Heaven. The SS Company is held by contract to deliver the body of all Chinese, dead or alive to the authorities at Hong Kong so cannot put them overboard as is usually done when anyone dies on shipboard.

September 26, 1905 - Tuesday
Today is smooth but cloudy and so cold. I don't feel very good but over my seasickness. Would give a small fortune for a box of Palouse apples. We have fruit only for breakfast and then it is doled out to us one piece to each person.

The children have fine times in the dining room. Yei helps me out so much. She has taken quite a fancy to Dorothy for as she says "White baby, I like, no likee brown baby". She has a two year old boy in Nagasaki, her husband was in the war and she does not know whether he came home safely or not.

The steering gear got out of order again this morning and we went around in a circle for about an hour. They had to change from the electrical gear to steering with steam gear.

We are passing through the Andreanoff Isle but can see only hazy outlines of them. Saw an active volcano far away on port side. Everyone trying to see land. First since we left Seattle and this does not count.

September 27, 1905 ~ Wednesday

Another windy rainy day. The equinoxial storms are surely hitting us hard. We are so far north as to really suffer with the cold. There has been no heat on at all so far as I could feel. No more northern circle route for me in the winter time. Last night we could dimly see the Aleutian Islands but today are far from land again. It is a standing joke among the crew that Captain Franke is afraid of lands and keeps as far from it as possible.

We have been out to sea just a week and in lots of ways it seems like a month yet each day goes by so quickly. Living on a ship is a lazy existence. I am the only one who pretends to work and have been stitching napkins. Upstairs I understand cards are popular. The Dr. came down to see us today and was lamenting the fact that the original plan of having 2nd Cabin Dining room for a cafe and general loafing place had been changed. He brought us down some magazines and was very cordial. Among other things he told us to be careful what we ate and drank after we get to Japan. And by all means let scotch and soda alone in China. Worms are another thing to watch out for, especially in the children. He thinks Shanghai is the best town in the Orient so I guess we are O.K.

I met the boilermaker, Mr. Nelis and his wife today. They are from Buffalo, NY and are making the round trip. I should judge they have not been married very long. Their rooms are in our hall and they eat at the little table with Dr. Cole.

September 28, 1905 ~ Thursday
We have crossed the international dateline so Thursday ceased to be. 

5 ~ Week 2 on the Dakota - no land in sight

September 29, 1905 ~ Friday

Cold and damp as usual. Not many out on deck. It is no pleasure to go out when you have to bundle up so to keep from freezing. We passed through a school of porpoises last evening. Will saw them but as we were below we missed them. They followed the ship for an hour or so. I would be outside much more if it were not for the babies. It is too cold for them and I do not like to leave them very long at a time.

Everything on the ship is bum lately. The meals are simply awful. I am really hungry for something good again. The steward is known as Mutt Medley because he serves so much mutton. He is drunk half the time and is always quarreling with the 2nd steward.

September 30, 1905 ~ Saturday

Still cold and disagreeable. The dining room is our loafing place. Dorothy's teeth are bothering her and she is so cross. Marjorie is having a splendid time. The first officer Mr. Barrison has taken a fancy to her. She calls him the big man and he surely is a big fellow. Seven of the officers eat in our dining room and as they don't have a very strenuous life of it they stop to play with the children. The 4th officer, Mr. Smith, teases Marcise all the time, while they all seem to like Dorothy. Mr. Piles, the 3rd Freight Officer, is known as the man who can't hold a job. One young fellow looks so much like Storm Chapman. Mr. and Mrs. Nelis have joined our crowd in the dining room and have some great times. They have traveled a great deal and are interesting company. Mr. Nelis spent the spring in California then came to the Fair at Portland, then to her brother's at Seattle. She did not know until the night before she sailed that she was coming, but expected to start for NY instead. They were married a year ago last April but have not been together very much. Something like our own experience only Mr. Nelis had a good job all the time. He is erecting engineer at the Sterling Boiler Co. and I imagine gets a pretty good salary. I like her so much, she is so quiet and prim in her ways, so different from Mrs. Wilson who seems to think dress is the most important part of a woman's life.

I sent some clothes to the laundry and almost tumbled over when I got the bill - $3.30 for thirty pieces. One of the hats that blew over in the storm Monday was found lodged on the place at the side of the ship where the quartermaster stands when sounding the depth of the water.

October 1, 1905 ~ Sunday
Foggy and cold this morning. There is church upstairs but none of us care to go up. They are too exclusive to suit me. One of the missionaries is taking over a phonograph with full set of records to assist him in his missionary work. Wish I had some of the money he has spent in his tour around the world and to think that the poor suckers at home are paying for it all. No foreign missions for me. My money stays home.

A Japanese man died in steerage last night and is to be buried at sea sometime this evening. The fact is kept very quiet as they do not want the passengers to know about it. The poor fellow's story is a pathetic one. He has been sick for some time with consumption and was going home to die. No friends or relatives were with him and all the attention he received was from some of the men on board. His mother was to have met him in Yokohama. No one knew when he died. One of the boys went down to see if he could get him anything for breakfast and found him dead in his berth.

The only way we tell it is Sunday, we have chicken for dinner and every one puts on their Sunday clothes. Mrs. Nelis dresses very plainly but Mrs. Wilson wears some flashy clothes. She dresses Marcise much better than I do my babies, but then she only has one while I have two to provide for. She or rather Yei keeps Marcise's hair curled up in rags every night. I tried it for a few days but Marjorie says she likes braids best because they don't pull.

I have started to write letters home and write some every day. There is not much to write about each day. We have not seen a ship since we left Seattle. They say the captain stays just as far from every other ship as he can. We have never seen him down in 2nd Cabin. He is a "Dutcher" and draws the color line very closely. Mr. Roberts, superior officer, is all right. He is always joking. The crew, with one or two exceptions, seems very pleasant. The chief engineer is in the room next to us. He has a parrot that keeps life interesting. Every day the children want to go see Polly.

After dinner we left the children with Yei and went up on deck. At seven o'clock the man who had died was thrown overboard. There was no impressive service such as you read about but everything was hurried through with. The body was dressed and put in a wooden coffin, weighted with scrap iron. A Japanese flag was draped over the coffin. Chinese deck hands carried the coffin to where a part of the rail had been removed. There a slide made of a plank raised at one end had been placed and at a word from the commanding officer the coffin was placed on this and slid into the sea. Not a dozen words were spoken. No burial service was read although there were a number of ministers aboard. No taps were sounded, no volley fired but silently and quickly he was sent to his last resting place. Only a few passengers were present. It had a very depressing effect on us who were there. We learned that there were no metal caskets on board and a white person would be treated the same way if he should die on board the Dakota. The captain had not increased his popularity any by what he had done. We are only about three days from Japan and everyone felt that it would have shown much better spirit to have carried the body home so that the poor fellow's friends could have given it decent burial.

There is a Chinaman upstairs who has been in America for 27 years and is going home to take charge of the new railroad being built at Canton. He is to get a salary of $1000. Mex a month. Mrs. Wilson says that is not very much but it sounds big to me. Mrs. Lee, his wife is a German woman and is very nice, is well educated and a refined woman in every way. They have three children that look like Americans rather than Chinese. The little girl is a little beauty. She is five next Xmas, has the most beautiful eyes and olive complexion. I just fell in love with her. They all wear European costumes of course and seem like a very nice family. 

6 ~ Frustrations and more ocean...

October 2, 1905 ~ Monday

We got up feeling fine and went up on deck to get up an appetite for breakfast. It is raining but as we are in the Japanese current it is warm. On the lee side of the ship it is dry and we had a fine promenade. We are about 500 miles from land and the wind is helping up right along so we are making good time. Most of the way we have gone at a snail's pace. Things are getting monotonous but I have enjoyed the trip so much. In a way I am sorry we are almost to Japan. The boy came to call us to breakfast and so we had to go down. After breakfast I hemmed a napkin and played with the children until Tiffin time. They are so reckless upon deck that I am nervous all the time for fear something will happen to them. One day they played on the hatches but I stayed near them.

The 1st Officer brought Marjorie an apple and teased her for awhile. It was fun to hear her call him down. "Git at, I say" Mrs. Wilson never worries about Marcise but trusts everything to Yei. I can't do that and sometimes I want to shake Marcise for getting the other children into trouble... She does not mind a thing Yei tells her. In fact does not mind anyone. The upstairs children were down on our deck a while. Helen James wears white stockings and a blue buster brown suit, a big white bow sits on top of her head. Her stockings are more often black than white. She seems to be the leader upstairs among the children. Mr. Lee told me his little girl did not like to play with the children upstairs. I imagine they snub her because she has Chinese blood. They lost their baby by drowning the day before they started for Seattle. He was almost three years old.

After Tiffin we tried to take a nap but failed and played whist the rest of the afternoon. My partner was Herbert Lee the China boy. Will wrote to Nettie today and told her all about it. He is sore at the management, nor is he the only one. Things are getting bummer every day. We have spoiled fish for a change once in a while and spoiled fruit is common. Everyone is sore at the Chief Steward. I do not like the 3rd Steward as he gets altogether too familiar and is drunk a good deal of the time. He is always growling at the children. One day Mrs. Wilson took a nap and did not bolt her door, pretty soon she was awaken by some noise and there he was in her room. The noise of the door opening had waked her. He asked her if she was comfortable and she jumped up and said "I wonder where Yei and Marcise are?" and ran out of the room. He makes me think of a villain anyways with his black mustache and sneaky ways. This is his first trip across the Pacific as heretofore he has run to Alaska and does not know how to act on a decent steamer.

October 3, 1905 ~ Tuesday
Today is warm and pleasant, the first really nice day since we left Seattle. Everyone is on deck, the children in full force. There are about a dozen upstairs and just three down. Two Japanese Amahs and an English nurse girl take care of the 1st Cabin children. The stewardess is awfully cranky at them. The carpenter has an old cat and kittens in his shop and brought them out for our children to see. Pets seem scarce. Dorothy says "I 'ish Murphy was here."

I met Mrs. Edwards the bride missionary this morning. They were married and took the train for Seattle the same day and to avoid being caught bride and groom took separate berths in the sleeping car. They are Swedes from Minnesota and are very much in love. Mrs. Edwards said she would live anywhere with him, even in a pig pen. The children like her because she fed them an apple. She is only twenty, a green country girl and will have a lot to learn before she gets through this world.

After tiffin all the 2nd Cabin people had their picture made. There are only twelve of us. The children behaved abominably. Marcise and Dorothy quarreled about who was going to be in the picture. Dorothy said "My papa won't make your picture, he going to make my picture." They don't get along very well together lately. Dodo won't give up her rights to anybody and she will also fight for her relatives. They have both broken their dollies we got in Spokane. I put the metal head on one body and Dorothy calls it 'Alton' I tried to get her to name it Effie because it had red hair but she would not hear of it. I hardly know what to do with them sometimes they get so obstreperous.

Dr. Lopp asked us into his room and showed us a lot of pictures he had made. There are several Kodak friends on board so Will may have some developing to do. His wave negatives came out fine. He made a group of the 1st Cabin people this afternoon.

We are only two days from Yokohama and then we will be pretty near our journey's end. After dinner Will got a bottle of Rainier beer. It was the awfullest stuff I ever tasted.

October 4, 1905 - Wednesday
Will has been developing and printing most of the morning. The 2nd Cabin negative is bum, but the 1st Cabin is fine.

Marjorie learned to spell 'do' today. She knows most of her letters.

Tonight is the last night before we get to Yokohama - they are celebrating upstairs with a general farewell party since a great many people go ashore at Yokohama. The upper deck has been enclosed with canvas and they are dancing up there. Will and I went up to the smoking and drawing rooms to show proofs to the group. Everyone is well pleased with it and we got a good order. The girls were dressed in white and evening dresses and the men wore full evening suits. They seem to be having a splendid time. The chief steward almost smiled. We met Mrs. Ferguson of Shanghai. She knows Lee Munyon but does not say much about him. We have found several who know him but none speak very highly of him. Mrs. Wilson said he left Hong Kong under peculiar circumstances.

When I went into the dining room this evening, the First Officer Mr. Barnison had both babies up on his lap talking to them. He seems to like Marjorie particularly. The other day Miss Giffy, one of the young ladies, came down and took Dorothy upstairs and kept her awhile. The children were playing with Yei and I did not know she was gone until she came back with a box of candy. Dorothy took one piece and Marcise took possession of the rest of it. She is the awfullest brat I ever saw. I am glad my babies have respect for other peoples’ rights.

It is beautiful out on deck this evening and I would like to stay up there all the time. After the babies went to sleep, Will and I did go up for awhile. We watched the light on the water and sat on the anchor and waited to hear "Eight bells and all is well" but did not hear it. I thought they called this every night but they did not tonight.

This evening Will and I went to the fo'castle to watch the chinks getting their dinner. Of all the messes and smells these take the cake. The crew has its own mess and cook regular Chinese grub. The smell is all I care for. They have all kinds of meat and fish hung up to dry. The stench is awful.

Marjorie and Marcise have been quarreling most of the day. Dorothy is so good everyone seems to like her. Mrs. Nelis says she would like to steal her while the cabin boy thinks she is all right when she calls him Al Tow. He is going to leave the ship at Hong Kong as he does not like the Steward. Several of the men say this is their last trip on the Dakota if things are not changed radically.

Will says he wants one of the big anchors for a watch charm. They are monsters. I've gotten used to the ship's bells now. Two bells is One, three bells is 1:30 etc. Eight bells at 4:00, 8:00 and 12:00 o'clock. 

7 ~ Japan...land at last!

October 5, 1905 - Thursday

Sailing ship - Sea of Japan

Land in sight! Everyone is excited and field glasses are at a premium. There was not much to be seen, then we went on deck this morning but it was not very long before the rugged coast of Japan came into sight. The coast is so rough and islands seem to rise straight out of the sea. We saw lighthouses all along the coast and little patches of green - evidently cultivated ground could be seen on the hillsides. About ten o'clock we saw our first sampan. These were fishing boats apparently. They were some distance from the ship and seemed to be long canoe shaped boats fitted with sails. They were in groups and the men looked like dolls moving around.

Will and I were printing pictures and could not stay on deck long at a time so missed some of the sights. Today I tasted grapefruit for the first time. They are much like oranges but more sour. We all liked them very much. The meals are better today, looks as if they were trying to make us forget the meals we have been having the last week.

After Tiffin, we quit working and went up on deck to see all there was to be seen. Everyone got so excited over each new thing that came in sight. We soon meet literally hundreds of fishing boats but did not pass any other boats on our way in. As we got closer we could see the little houses and garden patches scattered along the coast. Not a foot of land is wasted but is all used for something. We saw several buildings, evidently temples judging from their structure, also passed a wireless telegraph station. Smoke from steamers were seen but none came within hailing distance.

Soon we reached Tokio Bay and our boat began whistling for a pilot. The bay is heavily mined and it is not safe for any ship to try and get in without a pilot to show the passage through. It was about 4:30 when the pilot boat appeared and about 5:00 we dropped anchor. Immediately a swarm of little brown men were aboard with all sorts of guides to Japan, cards and advertising folders. Every launch in the bay seemed to be out to meet us. I never saw so many boats. Each of the leading hotels have a launch that meets all incoming steamers.

The medical examining board came aboard and we were mustered in the dining room to pass quarantine. The examination was not very strict - noses are counted and the ship surgeon's word is taken that we are all in good health. Miss Anderson can hardly keep up at all but she was not examined any more than the rest of us. AhTow was counting us all and getting us into the dining room and seemed the responsible man of the hour.

After the medical examinations we went up on the promenade deck to see the sights. The lower deck was simply thronged.

The commissioners went directly to Tokio in the government launch. As they got clear of the ship a torpedo boat going at full speed struck the launch and knocked a man overboard. Many think this was not an accident but a deliberate attack on the commissioners. It was reported that the feeling concerning the treaty is not at all favorable towards its farmers. The man was fished out of the bay with a boat hook. It is so warm that I imagine he will suffer no bad effects from his involuntary bath. The launch was not injured and proceeded on its way to Tokio. A great many people went ashore. It was fun to watch some of the people get into the sampans. They would throw their luggage in, then wait for a favorable opportunity and make a jump and land on their feet or their knees or sprawled out in the bottom of the boat. We are still outside of the breakwater and it is pretty rough.

The bay is full of boats, mostly launches and sampans. It soon got dark and we had to go below, tired but happy to think we are in sunny Japan at last. Will says "Am I really here or am I dreaming?" It is hard to realize that we are so far from home. We spent the whole evening writing letters and postcards. Will and I quarreled over the fountain pen so Dr. Cole loaned me his. The Minnesota is still here and will take mail home for us. We have sold a good many souvenir postals. Some of the boys from the Minnesota came out to see us. It was eleven o'clock when we got through writing and I was so nervous and excited I could not sleep for a long time.

The carpenter was one of the first men to come back from shore and he had some great tales to tell. He had ridden in a rickshaw, sampled a Japanese meal and done everything else he could in the short time he was ashore. I am anxious to go to see for myself. Will can hardly wait for morning. Letters cost 10 sen or 5 cents, postals 2 cents. Japanese policemen are on the boat. They ate dinner with us this evening. The steward gave us keys and told us to keep our staterooms locked.

Not any of our people went ashore tonight but all are anxious for tomorrow to come. Mrs. Wilson has been here before so she does not get so excited as the rest of us. The cutest little boy talked to us upon deck this afternoon. He was about five years old and had the cutest way of saying 'perhaps'. His father is a missionary and the family is going to Japan.