Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-07


ture has somehow, authorized cats to act as
weather bureaus for Volcanoes, for their in
stincts teach thems somehow when an erup-
sSe to d. e to aes On .arnins
Stromboh 10 always active: A cloud OF
smoke by day and.a pillar OF nre by night
are the regular Program and the discharges
the crater in livid streams are the finest
fireworks in the world, There is no regu-
larity about the explosions. Whenever a
load accumuiates On tie machinery inside
trail America, there is a volcano called
Ixalco, Which, fires at exactly regular inter-
vals and has continued to do SO for a CEN
fury or more, but yesuyius. stromboli and
You can catch a. glimpse Of the summit Of
Etna and the plume OF smoke that orna-
ments its crest from The deck of the steam
the clouds. Etna lies about forty miles back
from the coast. 1t would be great accom-
mediation II all the Volcanoes and other nat
ural curiosities could be moved down into
the regular track of travel. 1t would save q
great deal of trouble and expense.
Millinery Shows on Shipboard.
Fashionable families are gradually turn
Ing ocean voyages into social festivities and
millinery shows. People used to wear their
old clothes when they went to sea and took
as few with them as possible. Now they
dress as much On shipboard as they do at
house party and show off all their new
clothes on the deck regardless of the dam
age from dampness. They come to dinner
in full dress also, with low necks and bare
arms and diamonds and bracelets until the
dining room on a big steamer nowadays is
as gay as banquet hall.
The English are responsible for this ridic-
ulous custom, which was originally intend
ed to relieve the monotony Of long voyages,
but has gradually spread until every steam
ship line Is infected with the vanity. But
the idea Of wearing 1ewelry on shipboard
is even worse. That is English too, for 1t
is the Duchess So-and-So and the Countess
Whats-Her-Name and Lady Lighthead
who lie around in their deck chairs wearing
all their gold and sily er and precious stones
ike the women OF savage race. At first
l thought they were the wives and daugh-
tiers OF Chicago pork packers, because they
are the only people who do such vulgar
things in the novels Of English society. and
1t Is quite shock to an American to dis
cover that the British nobility are robbing
us OF notorfety We never deserved.
And the same women sit around on deck
after dinner and smoke cigarettes. 1t is
considered smart for them to do so. / have
Chicago pork packers In different parts OF
the world but I have never known them to
make such vulgar displays or be guilty Of
such rudeness as is frequently shown by
English women with long titles.
Port Said Mushroom Town.
Port Said is strictly modern town at the
mouth Of the Suez canal, of mushroom
growth, very wicked and peopled with the
representatives of every race on earth. Like
Colon and Panama, Singapore. Hongkong
and other ports where the ships of all ma
tons trade, 1t catches human driftwood.
Down at Puenta Arenas, in the Straits of
Magellan, was once rowed to shore in
boat with eight oarsmen, and each Of them
belonged to a different race. In Port Said
Arabs predominant, but the business signs
upon the business streets are good index
Of the inhabitants. Everything Is well man
aged.
The town is under English control, and
notwithstanding the desperate character of
the inha bitants it is very orderly The DO
lice are native Arabs wearing uniforms
similar to those of the boobies of Lon
don, and they conduct themselves with
great dignity and airs of Importance.
When the steamer drops it's anchor off the
center of the town it is Immediately sur
rounded by a large feet of rowboats, but
none of them attempt to approach the gang
way until a signal. is given by the police
man in charge. Then the boatmen climb up
the stairs over each others shoulders like
so many monkeys, gclamoring for patronage,
which seems to be an unnecessary waste of
energy, because all the boats belong to the
same company, which pays for the privilege
of landing passengers and is allowed to
charge only a very small fee Strangers
are well taken care of. All they have to do
is to turn their luggage over to the runner
from the hotel they intend to stop at in
Cairo, and he will put them aboard train
on the baby railroad that runs across the
desert and see them safely started upon
their journey. There is a custom house. of
course. but 1t gives travellers very little
trouble. The inspectors take your name
and nationality and some other information
for the statistical reports; they ask If you
have any cigars or spirits, and accept your
word for it. unless your behavior is suspi-
cious, when they trouble you to open your
trunk.