The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-29
First Letter Since Sailing From
San Francisco.
Mailed by Globe Editor, EnrOute.
From Honolulu.
HIS FIRST FIVE MEALS
Comprise an Orange and a Bowl
Of Soup.
Incidents Of the Early Days at
Sea.

When we left the hotel for the Pa
cifc Mail dock, the clerk directed us
to take a certain green car, and get a
transfer. When paying the conductor
and getting 8 transfer, I asked him to
notify me at the transfer point. you
can't go wrong" he said; "all the
people on this car are going to the
Pacific Mail dock" We were not so
very exclusive. for the car was crowd
ed, mostly with Chinese, which re-
minded Mattel that before starting
from home she called on q lady to
say goodbye, explaining that she was
going around the world. $50 many
are going now" the lady replied.
We entered an immense building,
and, away down at the further end,
we got our first glimpse Of the
Siberia" on which we are to live
month and two days; one Of the new
est and best of the Pacific Mail fleet.
Tbs dock was already crowded with
drays, wagons, carriages and foot pas
sengers, as the ship was advertised to
SAT- in an hour and half We
walked up the gang plank to the
eteerage deck and then I'D a stair
way TO the main deck, where we be-
gan looking for our rooms. Mine was
"a, and was very favOrably located
amidship, with a door opening on
deck MateePs was also an outside
an inside hall. Both rooms had been
decorated with flowers by Eugene;
We remarked that he climbed out of
bed particularly early that morning.
Z suppose people viii say the boy
never thought of that; they will say,
no doubt, that some woman suggest
ed the idea to him. A boy never gets
any credit In order to gain admis-
sion to the ship, he had probably gone
to the general Offices Of the company,
and secured an admission card.
Eugene didn't appear for half an
hour, ard when he did come. he rode
I'm a carriagei
There were thousands of people on
the dock-mostly Chinese and Japa-
nese. The ship was to sail at 1 o. m,
and no visitors were allowed on board
after -; at 1880 officers went about
the decks. ordering all visitors ashore.
Mrs. r.. 3. Drury and Misses Anna
and Clara Selby were our only visitors
who came aboard as they appeared
early, but good many other friends
appeared near the gang plank, and
we went down and visited them.
Among them were Harry A. Smith
and his two sons, Jerome Pillow and
wife, Lester and Frank Selby, Miss
North, Mr.. and Mrs. Perkins. and Mr..
sullivan the last three named friends
OF the children from Idaho.
At I p. m two clerks were busy
selling tickets to Chinese steerage
passengers, who went aboard the ship
by means Of a gang plank near the
stern At 1870 this plank was drawn
fl. the lines east off, and a tug began
pulling the ship into the stream.
There was a great waving Of hand
kerchiefs back and forth. Dick
MCKEE appeared at this time on the
roof Of the dock, with a camera. Mr..
MCKEE formerly lived in Atchisons
he IS now port warden of San Fran
cisco II he secured a picture, it will
show young woman loaded with
her side.
Away down at the extreme end of
the dock among the thousands of
chinese, we saw Eugene; he was the
last one Of our friends we saw. And
he waved a handkerchief until our
ship began moving with its own
power and passed out among the
shipping toward the Golden Gate.
In working its way along at half
speed the snip used its whistle a good
deal. In ease of fog we viii hear a
lot Of this whistle which sounds al
most exactly like that at the soldiers
orphans home. 1t is terribly hoarse,
and seems to have a bad cold.
The ship gains speed, and by the
time we pass out the Golden Gate.
it Is using its full power. The day
Is bright, but the wind fresh and al
ready the snip is gaining ssmotion''-
dipping and rolling A Chinaman
comes along beating a gong an
Rounoing that lunch is ready The
young lady goes down stairs and re-
appears within twenty minutes. BY
this time we are outside, and the
motion" is very pronounced. She is
not doing very well and shows If
after returning from the rail. and
vytpinE her mouth with a fluffy hand
kerchief she said:
II thought so: the first one on board
to act aiclz@
So far as noticed, she was the only
passenger who was sick over the rail-
as they say here, although a good many
were sick during the night. in their
rooms. AT $50 p. ~. the pilot went of,