The San Francisco call., 1898-06-16

every one gay WILL COlOAs eSAi0 AAOAAA each coming a chorus of good-bys, strain of melody, while handkerchiefs and flags were waving and nodd1ng as might the flowers in garden when swept by a breeze. And fairer than the flags were the women who Haunted them.
 As the moment of starting ap- preached the clamor grew. Bands could be seen playing. AS well might the instruments have been dumb. A naphtha launch, decked to the peak with banners, raced by, devoting much of its power to the production of noise, and every craft sought to initiate it. The trim little Transit appeared with Its decks damned, each man with hat on high. each woman with the red, white and blue displayed. The Ukiah, unwieldy but speedy, fairly black with people, circled about, and each time 1t got near a transport drowned all but its own tumult. So it was everywhere. The boys of the other States got a parting salute as ringing and sincere as fell upon the ears of California; S sons.
 Up near the Union Iron Works the noise was a marvel for volume. The great whistle there did it's best to sub due and humiliate all the others. Imagine a lost soul doing it's wailing by steam and you have a fair idea of this whistle. But for all the uproar, the nicety of lodging, the close slaves, there was no accident worth mention ing. One schooner did drift almost down against the China, and while the p1 +O pretty scheme for the artist there was neither danger nor alarm. On the, yards of all the transports, dizzily high above the decks, the sailors were ranged, and they stood there silhouetted. While the decks were so crowded that it seemed none could be below, faces peered from each porthole-smiling, happy faces-and shouted messages came bounding across: Don't forget Colorado." Three cheers for Ne braska!" Just tell them that you saw a boy from Pennsylvania" And it's hurrah for all of you, and We won't forget any of you, and may God keep you.
 But the Senator gives three warning toots and slips from the dock. The NebraskanS fill her to the rail. No JoIller lot ever set out on the mission or war. They wear cork hats, which make them look like animate mush- rooms and swing them in the air until one thinks a trip to an alien shore must be thing of joy. Far above a balloon sails almost motionless. The boys catch sight of it and cheer. They would cheer two balloons. They have cheers to spare.
 The moving of the Senator was the signal for a movement all along the line. There was a rattle of anchor chains, a renewed storm of sound from uncounted whistles. Far uptown the signal was repeated and echoed back from the hills. From the tall and dis tant building where The Call cannon says hail and farewell a puff of smoke issued out on the haze Those who happened to see it and listen could single out the report The majestic march to the open sea had begun. The China led, followed by the ZeaIandia. with the Senator next and far in the rear the Colon. From every funnel poured cloud of smoke black as night. and the ships seemed to. cleave the wat CTS with a conscious pride. The scene had been one of life; it changed to one of actual grandeur.
 Imagine a land-Iocked bay over which pass and repass countless craft. On one side a great city crowning the hills, the wharves at it's water front crowded by cheering thousands. Im- agine these little craft, each decorated to the top by flag and streamer, cluster in a hO1lt with soldiers. Then think of the four getting in motion, strengthening out for the Pacific, which can be seen through a rift guarded on either side by forts or giant guns on the heights, and the brood which has been lowering about starting after them and trying to keep the pace of the vast machines. Bear in mind that as the parade starts the throng gesticulates and shouts, that the flag is dipped in salute. Bear in mind that the spray is flying, the fog lowering, the wind from the ocean beating each. flag until it quivers on the pole. Think what the event means to the soldiers, to those who fol- low, to the multitude straining their eyes from every eninence. Remember the cannon at Alcatraz and at the out posts are speaking their mightiest tones, and that the smoke of the guns mingles with that of the ships glowing furnaces until with the shifting clouds it forms a banner draping the sky. and leaves behind a trail of ebon, while the foamy wake of the quartet losses the boats which hurry after so they plunge and lunge and seem to trihe with threatened destruction. Trace the picture so far that the little boats turn back from the fierceness of the ocean swell and the transports car rying the armed men of the republic vanish in the mist and the distance, for a space, four points of somber dark against the horizon, and then gone and away. Such was yesterdays moving picture and its setting.
 It happened that I was on the Reli- ance, swift nd powerful tug. It has a facility for getting where there seems necessity for it, and so those aboard were able to be close to the transports. Indeed, we made fast to both the China and Zealandia, and it was in the former instance that there was a rain of tokens, including a gold