Correspondence from Harold C. Roberts to Faith N. Roberts 20 September, 1928

Correspondence from Harold C. Roberts to Faith N. Roberts 20 September, 1928

Summary: One page river sent four miles above Yali River in Camp on side of Coco River. Roberts detailed information about camp life on the river to incude injuries and one death by drowning of a Marine. Roberts wrote about the scenery, insects, animals, and vegetation.

Transcription:

"4 Miles above Yali River in Camps
on side of Coco River.
2o Sept. 1928

My darling:

                A line to let you know I am well and feeling fine brown as a nut + losing the fat on hard work and two meals a day. We are held up here temporarily as the river rose twelve feet overnight, carrying away one boat and leaving us with two boats at our camp below the last rapids and one above as we didn’t have daylight enough to get it down yesterday due to the interference of having one man hit in head with a bag of chow strapped from a plane + one man washed down rapids whose body we could not recover. It was his own fault. He was only ten feet from the bank and insisted on disregarding our repeated warnings. Naturally we were all pretty low yesterday and didn’t get much work done. The boy who was hit has concussion of the brain so even if the river was not impassable, we would be held up here by his condition. We are now through over half the rapids but are just held up and will probably be here four or five days waiting till the man who was hit by a plane drop is well enough to be transported to the nearest marine post by patrol. When that is done + if the river has dropped we will proceed on down the river. The natives through here are all peaceful so we are perfectly safe. They bring us fruit and [?]  and if there are bandits in the vicinity, would bring the news to us as well as come to us for protection. The bunch is in good spirits again today and working hard in proving the camps, digging heads, improving the galley etc. It’s a fine crowd. Yesterday we received a letter of accommodation for all hands from the Colonel commending us on the work we had accomplished over enormous difficulties through hard work and dogged determination. I say: no damned wonder, no white man ever went down this river before, who would want to? and when you have done it, what have you done. But we’re proving it can be done and we’ll go down too if they don’t call it off and I don’t expect the Col. To do that.

                Your life at home, does sound hum-drum enough and I don’t blame you for griping. I would too, But, the work, the red ants, mosquitoes etc. keep us but too busy. However we have one recompense which is that he scenery is magnificent. Butterflies with the wings spread of rubies and such gorgeous colorings. Plenty of tropical fruit and fish in the river which look like big [?] fish but very good eating.

                The news of David always thrills me to pieces and I just eat it up. You say you have no news and then fill a letter with Davids doings and I am just as pleased. Am glad you [?] the birthday present. Please don’t save it. Buy something with it or pay for your coat with it. And, for God’s sake have as good a time as you can for there is no sense in your having a dreary time just because I have to. No use in us both laying low because one of us has to. Do not worry about me I am as happy as I can be; away from you, am feeling fine and healthier than I have been in a long time and getting tough as nails – even started the moustache again.

                Havent’ heard from Harrison in a couple of months. Trust I haven’t offended him and he’s probably pretty busy to write but did receive a couple of “Judges” + “Lifes” and a program of the show about ten weeks ago. But that’s all.

                Give my love to your family and heaps of love + kisses to David. How I would love to see him. That time seem like an impossible dream, it seems so far away and I love you and want you so, My darling it seems like heaven when the time does come for us to be united again. I have loved the adventure of this campaign down here but it has fallen flat because of my need of you and I do need you for nothing is complete without you. I love you, I love you baby and will send you another when we send in the next pick-up message.

                                Your sweetheart

                                Bob”

Harold C. Roberts

Correspondence from Harold C. Roberts to Faith N. Roberts 20 September, 1928, Folder 25, COLL 2678, Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division, Quantico, VA.

20 September, 1928

text

Coco River, Nicaragua