To:
Erma Smythe

At Sea. October 14, 1923

Dear Erma:-

We are about 110 miles off the coast of Japan now but won't see land until tomorrow as we are going south along the coast. We do not stop at Yokohama on account of the conditions there but will reach Kobe Monday night or Tuesday morning. We have a lot of cargoe for there so will probably be in harbour for a day or more. I have met three whaling skippers on the boat who are returning to their ships in Japan. One of them is going to show me around Kobe. Lucky for me as he has been in the country for fifteen years. He is from Norway.

The voyage has been pretty rough. So rough one day that you couldn't go on deck. One sea(?) we shipped broke some benches and a door on deck. My stomach was not in very good shape when I got on so that I have had some sea sickness. We are in quiet waters now and will be to Shanghai. We expect to arrive there Friday night or Saturday morning. I will get a train Sat. night or Sun. morning and be in Tientsin a week from tomorrow morning. Will be glad when it is over. The trip has been very tedious. The 2nd class quarters are rather cramped so that you can't exercise much and the food is poor. The passengers are dead. Nearly all missionaries. Never saw such a dry voyage, although I can get it here I haven't had a drink since I left Wihart(?).

Hope you didn't write me c/o Mr. Cabef at Seattle, couldn't find any trace of him. Inquired at general delivery for letters but didn't find anything and was most disappointed.

Don't think of anything more now but may before I mail it Tuesday so will leave it open.