The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-27
SAN FRANCISCO To HONOLULU
Mr.. crew Tells of His Trip from the
Golden Gate to Honolulu.
On Board Transport Grant,
Honolulu. II. /. Anril &

vi
Honolulu, H. l., April s.
Editors Messenger:
I left San Francisco Sunday, April 1,
at noon on the United States army
transport Grant as 1 wrote you 1 ex-
pected to do. My journey from the
least to the west" or from Wilmington
to San Francisco, was full Of interest
and instruction, very greatly charging
my view as to the extent and great
ness of the United States, but when the
Grant loosed from her dock, starting
me on my trip from the westward to
the far east" amidst h~andshaking,
goodbyes, waving of handkerchiefs and
blowing Of whistles, and sailed out
from San Francisco bay through the
beautiful Golden Gate on to the bosom
Of the broad Pacific 1 must confess I
have not quite command of words to
express to you my feelings. 1 must
say, however, that 1 felt that this de-
parture from San Francisco was one
more evidence that 1 would be permit
ted by a kind Providence to make my
intensely desired tour of the world.
Some distance out the ship slowed
up to let off the pilot and we had lin
ner, and a splendid dinner it was, such
a meal as l had beer used to getting
at The Orion, Lafayette, Kennon and
other good hotels in North Carolina.
We went right into bad weather and
in less than three hours 1 had contrib
uted my good dinner to the fishes and
I e to my berth Inc was not at the
table again till Wednesday morning.
Tuesday night the already severe
weathe hoe increased to a great storm
n the big ship rolled, pitched and
trembled as though she was making a
desperate fight against the mountain
like waves she was having to climb,
and the great troughS into which she
was having to plunge and against the
roaring winds, but by Wednesday
morning all was calm and Smoothe
sailing and her was when your CORE
spondent ventured to the table for the
first time since his Sunday dinner.
The remainder of the voyage of 2,100
miles from a Francisco to this place
was very pleasant most Of the time and
all aboard seemed to be enjoying the
trip. This, Monday morning, the Sth
day out, land was sighted and for some
time we were running nea some of the
most beautiful scenery l
have ever seen, and soon Honolulu was
in sight. The ship is now landed and
the work of unloading is going on, but
not a passenger is allowed ashore on
account of the plague.
Two or three days will be spent here
n then a $500 mile run to III
where another stop will be made-then
to Manila.
Orders have just been read stating
that any passenger who goes ashore
will not be allowed to return.
Of course it is regular summer
weather here now. and the vegetation
as seen from the ship is very pretty.
The city is situated beautifully along
the water front at theE9-ezof noun
tains and hills and stretches out for
some stance.
The Pacific coast official guide in de-
scribing these islands says: The
Hawaiian islands have more to attract
and fascinate from a travellers stand
point than any spot whatsoever"
Hawaii is indeed the Island Paradise"
"a perpetual spring-sunsrine, birds
and flowers all the year. The celebra-
ted volcano of Kilanea' is the largest
known active volcano in the world. Its
everything liquid lakes of fire are so
easy of access that delicate aides and
children are taken to their very brink.
Visitors to the Pacific coast should not
omit a trip to the Sandwich islands.
All passengers were vaccinated be-
tween here and San Francisco. 1t was
compulsory. The whistles in Honolulu
have just blown for dinner and my
Wilmington.
The old name of the Grant was Mo
hawk. She was built at Belfast and
was purchased by our government
from theAtlantic Transport Line(which
inc is operated between New York
and London) at a cost of $500, 600, and
is one of the finest and largest ships
now in The Pacific transport service
She is commanded by Captain Baker
and all told, has a crew of about $50
men, and about the same number of
relief surgeons, hospital and signal
service corps men and others bound for
Manila. Among the surgeons is DR..
Josiah NJ. Ward, of New Bern. The
ship also carries more than 5000 tons
of various kinds of merchandise. She
is ass feet in length, and her carving
capacity for passengers is about 1000.
Regards to all my friends in North
Carolina. Respectfully yours,
]. a. CREWS