The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-01-11
Vacation Notes.-No. !.

The common l9ce story at sea. a few enterprising
gentlemen seek an early morning bath One or two
colonial men taking advantage Of the early hour,
walk unconceFnedly about on the harricane deck in
psjamas and bare feet. After breskfss, the deck Of
fers more variety and is therefore more interesting;
the chairs are occupied; the smokers enjoy their
weed; ladies and gentlemen talk with each other,
and considerable chatting takes place; some are read
ing, some walk, while the children have a good time
playing together and p~erchance getting up a grand
and merry romp with some bearded man who has
not forgot his childhood. Later, here and there con-
valescent persons crawl up and subside into reclining
chairs and melancholy. The meals are hailed by the
well passengers with enthusiasm, but are regarded
by the others with i'll concealed trepidation aud are
treated by some with an inattention and brief con-
sideratiou approaching contempt. \ stormy day
somewhat modifes the usual routine. The doubtful
travellers disappear or NOPE IN corners of transoms,
wonderfully wrapped up in shawls and eomforters.
The hitherto exasperatIngly " good sailors y keep
about, to be sure-most of them, but without their ac-
customed careless and defiant expression. They are
less active than before and show signs of q crum-
bling self confidence. On a day Of this kind a
prominent member Of the Honolulu party was him
self till toward the middle Of the afternoon. He
was being beaten at backgammon by a lady, in which
euthralling play he showed a singular degree of ab-
sentmindedness. In the middle of the third game
be rather abruptly remarked 10 his fair opponent
that he guessed he should have to stop playing for
N"N BAN1~bN - IL 49, ~ 49, 'J "Sr
with earnest determination depicted on his counte-
nance, he rushed out of the saloon and across the
deck to the rail regardless of the conventional usages
Of society let us draw a vail over the remainder Of
the occurrence, -sufice it to say that some of the
numerous and admiring spectators approyiugly said
that they had never known him TO make better time.
nor to act with a more accurately calculated preci-
sion. He coon retrested to the lower regions, gus
tanned and soothed by a good dose Of yhiskey, and
was not seen again until the next day.
The evenings are relieved with games and music.
One was made ever memorable by a combined dra-
matte and musical entertainment in which distin-
guished artists as well as talented amateurs gave US
q delightful programme.
The daily lottery on the chances of the ships run
was attended to with an unfagging interest by
many of the passengers. who appeared to make almost
q religious duty of it, so much so that Sunday made
no exception to their devotion to this way of study
ing the ships progress. But even this became mo-
notonous at length, and n grand pool was made up
on the last day of the voyage, as to which particular
letter Of the alphabet should be the initial letter OF
the name of the boarding pilot. l am glad TO say
that a Catholic priest, who had been lucky once or
twice before, won this venture and probably remem-
bers the pilots name with gratitude, which is more
than l can say for myself.
And so the days pass with little of incident, with
the usual sea opportunities of making acquaintances,
with the varying sky and ocean views, and the ex-
liberation of the open air exercise on the hurricane
deck and the study of the waves from the lofty bows
of the great ship, and then before the little commu-
nifty have time TO grow tired Of each other, the voy-
age is over and the steamer exchanged for San Fran
cisco or as some one calls il, . the Paris of the Ha-
Waiians.o