The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-05-02
ON THE PLACID PACIFIC.

From Portland to Frisco by Steamer.
Sea-Sickness on the Briny Deep.
Editorial Correspondence.
Aboard Steamer State of California,
off California Coast, April 24.-Since
my last letter we concluded to visit
San Francisco instead Of Seattle and
Puget Sound and left Portland at 8
O'Clock last Saturday evening on this
steamer, one of three run by the Oregon
Railway & Navigation company be-
tween Portland and San Francisco. We
will arrive at the latter place about l
O'Clock tomorrow (Tnesday) morning.
making the voyage one Of fifty three
hours duration on the mighty Pacific.
The steamer looks like a monster to a
landlubber from Montana and the trip
is one full of interest. The ship itself
is something Of a wonder, being 3l5
feet long. AZ feet beam, 1900 tons
burden and having accommodations for
about 400 passengers. Her cargo is
mostly miscellaneous freight this trip,
there being about 100 passengers
aboard, only thirty of whom are travel
luR lIsU'C!nSS' Ancy oAo "0AA SoACu
for, the meals being equal to those of
any $3.a.day hotel, while the state
rooms, cabin, dining and smoking
rooms and "Social Hall" are models of
comfort. The second-cab passengers
seem to be we'll provided for also, but
those in the steerage, who are away
down below the water line. must neces-
sous1- ~, Yar cnppo ico0vo$ortc Tho
difference in the fare is only 81 be-
tween the steerage and first.cabin, the
rates being $l2 first-class, $40 second
and So for the steerage. But you get
your full moneys worth, whichever
way you travel, and will never regret
the trip if you are fond of the ocean.
This is my first trip ON the Pacific.
Fifteen or twenty years ago / had sew
e1al voyages on the Atlantic between
eastern and southern ports, but zone of
them were as pleasant as this. The
weather has been prrfect-bright and
clear, the breeze being just cool enough
to make wraps comfortable and to be
invigorating. The nights are moon.
light. too, and if you have never been
at sea on a moonlight night you have
missed one Of the great beauties Of ma
ture. The distance by water from Port
land to San Francisco is called 600
miles. Most of the time the ship is
within sight of land. but for a couple
of hours yesterday afternoon terra firma
was nowhere visible and we were on
all sides surrounded by the "limitless
deep" 1t is a novel sensation to those
who have not before experienced it; it
teaches II what a mere speck on the
universe humanity is when compared
to nature, individuals are brought to a
full realization of their w insignifi-
canoe and stand in awe Of the Creator
when out of sight of land on the ocean.
At least that is the effect it has on me
and the experience is the same with
most of the people with whom I have
talked. Nearly all of them aboard are
travelling for pleasure, like ourselves,
and the company is a very pleasant
one, indeed.
The seasickness is the only drawback.
Fully half the passengers kept their
berths yesterday, including many of
the men, but most Of them were fully
recovered today. I escaped that incon.
venience, but my wife and little daugh-
ter were not 80 fortunate. Both Of
! them took sick almost a. soon az we