The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-08-31
Our California Letter.

SAN FRANCISCO, August 18th, 1872.
DEAR COMMERCIAL You know how it is yourself.
' Life on the Ocean Wave - is all very fine as a
song, but its practical version is not as full of har-
monte rhythm as it might be. The gymnastics of
ones internal organs consequent upon being rocked
in the 80 cradle of the deep are more sensational
than pleasant.
DEPARTURE.
No cliques, every one agreeable and generally made
q pleasant party if a sad one as the last well known
landmarks of Honolulu grew dim in the distance.
The fortunate possessors of handkerchiefs, Nellie
Nettle not among the number, gently replaced them
in their pockets after they had waived a last adieu.
But the worst was yet to come, and when the pilot
boat drifted from the side of our vessel we felt if
possible more doiefui still. Our common sorrow
made us feel companions, and we drew together in a
group feeling en- macse a foolish sea-cure-ity against
the advances of
SEA SICKNESS.
But its victims were numbered. and one by one they
sought their rooms. Among those who were last to
succumb was one who, to your humble correspond
ent, mildly suggested the advisability of retiring
early the first night. He had hardly finished his
sentence when he suddenly disappeared down the
gangway with a " good night" that sounded very
much like Mark Twain's "Oh N.Y."
THE FIRST NIGHT OUT.
There is a time when church-yards yawn, and in
lieu of grave yards one TO see the procession Of white
robed questionables driven from their abiding place
by the intense heat would think the deep had given
up its dead. The charge of the six hundred can
give you DuJ d lalnI lQea OF the waking 6OnHmDu-
lists in front of you, back Of you, on cabin floors,
sofas on deck, and every side of you, everywhere in
fact where a current Of air could be created or
found, but as we reached cooler ATTITUDES midnight
perambulations grew less frequent, until at last they
entirely ceased and we could with comparative safety
leave our state rooms after the shades of night had
fallen.
DINING.
Gradually as time wore on the attendance at table,
at first rather meager, increased to a goodly number
and then and there we had On opportunity to observe
our fellow travellers. There were American cousins,
brother Jonathans, a live Yankee, bold Britishers,
Cornstalks, children of the Flowery Kingdom, leu
tonic brethren, Johnny Crapeaux, Shillaly Sprigs,
and Hawaiians loyal and disloyal, old and young,
rich and poor, some wise and some foolish, but alas
This world is full Of FOOLS,
Must shut himself within a cave
And break his mirror too"
AMUsEMENTs.
By way of amusement we had a series of concerts
in which a ~scriptural lady who admires David. off,
ciated as Prima Donna. A glee club of young gentle
men acquitted themselves quite creditably in a num-
Der of choruses learned during our voyage. Several
attempts 70 furnish an evenings general entertain
ment proved futile, SO we abandoned ourselves to
the dull monotony of the trip and to chronic growing.
RATE OF SPEED.
With q sea as still and calm as q millpOnd, no
head wind to speak of, we steamed along at the
breath, taking speed rate of six miles an hour,
stopping occasionally, because the engine would not
go. When we reach San Francisco, If we ever do
sight the FaralOnes, in our Rip Van Wrinkle Of q
bark, we expect to feel as much astonished as did
that parsonage returning TO his native town after q
hundred years sleep. Should we make port, which
at present seems questionable, we expect to find
everything revolutionized, ~chignons abolished, paniers
collapsed, fashions and things in an odd state gener-
ally. A lazy man was once asked if he had ever
seen n snail. lie replied, Yes, that he had. Well,
said the inquirer, you must have met him, for you
surely never caught up to him; so the Captain of
our steamer once exclaimed, Only wait till we get
=. II IN Il |
contented passenger spoke up; l guess We will have
to wait for one, as a certainty we never will catch up
to one. On |
SUNDAY,
Services were read by the jolly English Pastor, and
a. sermon delivered by 81 Old Specs as our reverend
clergy are somewhat Familiarity and ~profanely called,
but we all feel better for our few prayers, and go on
our way rejoicing. Great
EXCITEMENT
on deck. A whale a whale exclaims an
excited individual, rushing into the cabin where we
were all quietly lunchlng, forthwith We drop our
knives and forks, and leaving our napkins TO the
tender mercies of the walters, we appear on deck.
There she blows what a blow from an enormous 81
animal of six feet. We hasten for our journals. An
item Just think of 1t
MONDAY, AUGUST 18TH.
Our last beef killed to-day. Wines all out, no
bills Of fare, no cheese to our crackers, no nuts to
our raisins, and l suppose as Paddy says, sure and
there's rGtson for it all.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10TH.
Our Captain promises to gladden. our hearts with
The sight of land tomorrow, but as he at times enters
some subjects with unnecessary warmth, and at
other times is rather shaky, we prefer to wait and
see for ourselves rather than suffer disappointment
by our too easy credence. Packing is the order of
the day, and when our trunks are packed we will
settle down to blissful anticipation. All out in our
Sunday best. The lovely young widow is more
charming than ever. Pencillings by the way, a lady
languishing eyes that owe their effect to the
frequent application of pencil is glorious in renewed
bloom of youth an 4 animation The knights NJ fIa |