Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-18

nc iolloWlnB breezy ana very IN
teresting letter has been received in
Norfolk from Mr.. Ernest Staples,
popular young Norfolklan. who recent
~ received an appointment for service
in the Philippines:
Manila. Philippine Islands.
November Sth, 1900.
Dear ---: My great journey has
ended. The reflection OF the long trip
across the American continent by rail
and the Pacific ocean by steamer with
stop-offs at Honolulu. Kobe and Maya
Saki. SO completely fills my little era
mum with wonder and amazement that
scarce know whether l am in Nor
1olk or Manila. / cannot begin to tell
you now much 1 have enjoyed myself,
nor how much l wished for your com
pany on the voyage.
.W"on arrival at Frisco learned that
the transport would be two days late
In sailing. Having already allowed
several days to take in the cily. this
auultional time gave me all ! could
desire, and fancy You can guess my
exploits without my relating them or
course, theatres are an attraction to
me- ana as theatre town Frisco is
all right. At the Gram. where Quo
Nad's was being played had the
honor to be the sole applausler when
the orchestra struck up Dixie Miss
Jessie Bartlett Davis. formerly with
the Bostonians,' sang at the Orpheum.
ana she was all the rage. Seats had
peen reserved as far ahead as two
weeks. and | was compelled to buy n
standing room ticket. She has a fine
voice. TO he sure. but. in my opinion.
she cannot trot in the same class with
Mr. Morris sister. who sang at the
Monticello last winter
On the 18th OF September I went
ABOARD tho fThnotnc
i've land farewell. G. These
are ;ears.) The Thomas, Captain Coul-
ing. is one of the finest transports in
me service OF Uncle sam She is $50
1cet long. and averaged $50 miles per
cay She carried 1900 soldiers. also
ibo officers and passengers. BY his
Kindness and consideration. Cap;ain
CouliinS won the admiration and love
or all. and was the only Virrinian on
board except myself. The voyage itself
was plcasanter than Anticipated. and
me time spent aboard was far from
HOMOGENEOUS. No one fell overheard:
we ana not run aground. and nothing
or an exciting nature occurred-not
even did the machinery break down
MY own time was devoted mainly ia
The study OF Spanish. DIR. Sarrows. of
California. who came over here to be-
coine assistant superintendent of edu.
cation. was good enough to form y
class in Spanish. and under his tutor
snip we made fine progress When the
WAFER was not rough the passengers
INDUCED In dancing, but the principal
mode of amusement was card pla wing.
Inc daily lowering of the flag. while
the band played The Star Snanrre1
Banner and every soldier rose tn lie
feet and faced tho flag with head I'M
covered. was ever Inspiring.
we arrived ut Honolulu on the 25th
o. September, where 1t required three
GAYS TO coal. Never having before put
foot on foreign soil and having vag,,e
and indefinite ideas of what was
about TO see. my first knowledge of tho
Hawaiian Islands came to me no
surprise. Before the vessel had made
fast large crowd had gathered and
we were largely cheered by the natives
VINO could not yet be seen, 1t being
a aeserai hours afr sunset The very
first distinguishabe words that reach
ed my ears were Rubber neck,' An
other fellow sang I'd Leave NV Hannv
Home For You" and thought had
struck a strictly up-to-datc American
town With its Salvation Army. d.
Yorce courts working over time auto
mobiles and MiSs-Libhys works am
now convinced that my first imrression
was n correct one. Long before this
time everybody on board knew every
body else, and about twenty of us fell
lows went ashore.
IT would be as hard for me to de-
scribe the beauties OF the Hawaiian
Islands as It would he for the Norroll,
authorities to stop the Illicit sale OF
LIQUOR in Norfolk on the Sabbath. 7
VISITED the Pail, Waikiki. Diamond
Head. Punch Bowl and everything else
worth seeing, and came within an ace
or personally meeting Growers rag
eime gal Donovan, OF Beantown.
Swindelle. of Baltimore and 7 attended
concert given nj the Hawaiian hotel
by the two bands from the Thomas {,
1 made bold enough TO engage in con.
versation with resident of the cjtv
while my companions retired to the
writing room OF the hotel. where they
were shortly afterwards presented TO
Queen Iii. by Captain Coullng. Hullv
gee! but I was provoked.
The kanaNa. or native, is very in
teresting. His color is n little darker
than gingerbread. The men wear
clothes Just as we do and the women
wear Mother Hubbards. Boys ranging
from to Is years of age can speak
English nuently; and having compul-
sorry education and the curfew law. 7
believe they will make good .citizens.
AS rule the older inhabitants do not
sneak English. a conversation with
them consisting more of signs than of
words One thing I learned to my sor-
row. and that IS their aversion to be-
ing photographed had to resort to
strategy several times to get shots. hut
played the devil in developing the
plates The natives are excellent must
clans and the Hawaiian hand Is out
of sight. Every evening a some mark
or other. this band pays. besides which
there is music by two I<anaka ladies in
their native tongue the EXPENSE of
which is borne by the government I
attended a concert al the Hawaiian
hotel and 1t happened that one OF