The Republican journal., 1903-12-24


entrance of San Juan. There was a
heavy swell on and strong squally
wind. For our deep draft the channel
is quite narrow, and possibly it requires
some nerve to steer in for strange open
ing where the breakers were running SO
high and close on either hand. But all
went we'll and as we few in by the Nor
ro were quickly in smooth water and
safety. And then, Spanish fashion, a
boat load of pilots came on board. The
entrance-way to many tropical ports,
and in other parts of the foreign world,
is quite different from that of the most
of our harbors at home. Our gateways
are not so abrupt; there are soundings
outside, and outlying islands, so that
one comes in more gradually from the
rough and open sea through a wider
entrance, slowly narrowing to the har-
bor channels, making the change to
smooth water and river-like conditions
less sudden and sometimes less start
ling Off the entrance to many of these
strange places there may be consider
able sea, fresh gale and thousand
fathoms of water within stones
throw Of the narrow gateway, while
but ships length inside there is
smooth water and mild conditions
perhaps calm if the land be high. 1t
may be almost like entering a door
from the blizzard without to a mild
and peaceful room within.
San Juan has handsome, safe har-
Dor, and for vessels of moderate draft
| it is quite roomy when once inside. The
| island is doubtless the fairest in the
| West Indies, excepting that of st.
| Croix 1t is made up largely of big
hills, little hills and mosquitoes. There
are many tourists come here in the win
ter and spring-making the round trip
on the New York steamers. They no
doubt enjoy the excursion, but it seems
| to me that | would take a few warmer
garments and 60 somewhere else. On
the north side of the island there is
sunshine followed by black rain-s squalls
the showers followed by sunshine
with an uncomfortable moist heat at
all times. Within few generations
the island will become Americanized,
but doubtless the climate will continue
| about the same. There are but few
| signs of Americanism so far excepting
| 1ie,l, Of or1 of IA ,tc
| of labor trusts among a hungry and
over-done population.
After discharging part cargo at San
Juan we sailed around to MayagueZ
and delivered the balance there. While
in the two ports, the liquor question
among ourselveS) became more or
less interesting-bu rather more than
| less. | could never see why a master
mariner should not, perhaps above all
others, be an earnest Prohlbitionlst-
not for Maine alone but for the world.
All serious troubles, all tragedies and
the greater part of all minor annoyances
on shipboard come about directly from
liquor. For my part l most sincerely
/
wish that there was never any such
thing known ON the face of the earth
as this eternal and internal destroyer
of foolish mankind and the annihllator
of the peace, the comfort, and even the
lives of so many innocent people. Per
sonal liberty and "Resubmisslon' be
hanged, Liquor license is license for
riot, murder and other crimes in but
/ thin disguise, and the interested advo-
Gates know that as we'll as |. If have
not sense enough to properly use llber-
ty and freedom | have no business with
them The seller should not be pun
ished alone but the intemperate user
also-punish both parties to any crime
make the drinker equally guilty with
he who hands him the poisoned weapon
The liquor laws are entirely too mild,
the world over.
From Mayaguez we cleared for Punta
Gorda, sailing down north of San Do
mingo and through the Old Bahama
Channel. 1t was the season of north
ers along this route, but none came on
this part of the way. All vessels of
this class are now equipped with such
heavy chains, anchors, spring riders
and with power windlass that they
may, if occasion calls, be anchored and
lie in safety anywhere at sea, where the
water is not too deep for an anchor to
find bottom.
In case of being light or in ballast
conditions in which no vessel can hold
to windward in gale-if heavy blow
be forcing her on shore she may be an
chored almost anywhere off the United
States coast, from Maine to Texas.
But, like harbor-channels, all coasts
are not alike-some have no shelf OF
soundings and are SO steep that no
anchor-chain can reach the bottom be-
fore the vessel strikes the cliffs; and
such are the conditions around the
coasts of nearly all the islands of the
West Indies. For this reason one
needs to be more careful in approach
ing, or coasting along them than he
- Nrd