The Elbert County tribune., 1906-09-13
What An Omaha Boy Has
TO Say Of the Navy
Day Of Enlistment u
til He Quar-

any officer. as such is the courtesy we
owe our superiors and which they have
earned, and which they return to
you.''
East day we received instructions in
physical culture. fencing, artillery and
rifle practice. infantry drill, setting
sail, fur.ing sail, making knots; also
Instructions in signals. ordnance and
gunnery; how ship is built, its many
decks. masts, holds, etc. Rowing was
our chief exercise and amusement and
each day we would visit some new part
Of the Day and harbor.
We soon realized that there were
great advantages to be gained by
study and attention to duty. and many
men soon gained the name OF being
smart, intelligent and frank, and won
the respect of the officers and the men
who We're their constant companions.
Competitive examinations were held
to determine who should be the petty
officers of their divisions, which office
man held one month or more, pro-
viding he was smart enough to keep
IL.
Shore leave was granted on
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
We organized a base ball team, foot
ball team, fencing team and as many
of the boys had guitars or mandolins,
glee club was formed, and many
happy evenings we spent in the moon
light on the 'forecastle" singing, dane
ing and frolicking to our hearts con-
tent.
Away for Practice Cruise.
After a few months under shore
training we boarded the United States
Ship Mohican, with three rousing
! cheers for those who were unfortunate
enough to remain on the old Pensacola.
Only $50 could go aboard for the
| eleven-months' cruise, and l was one of
the chosen ones. In fact, all the Omaha
draft was taken, as it was their turn
to go, further instructions and train
ing before boarding a battleship of the
line, as real, true, man-o,warsmen.
How lofty the ship looked; how
pretty it rode the waves; like a swan
on pleasure bent.
One evening in November we glided
smoothly out of the Golden Gate" into
| the Pacific, just as the sun was setting
in the fullness of gold beyond the dis
tant Faraiones islands. On board this
our lives broadened again. Here we
were doing the real sailors work, in
making splices, knotting, getting sail,
towering hills, bristling with guns and
mortars. We saw the Cliff House, Seal
Rocks and Mile Rock, on which the i'll
fated Rio Janeiro struck and sank one
foggy morning.
| AS evening closed and the curtains
of the night came softly stealing down
wards on the purple sea, and the little
stars were twinkling, peeping with
| flood of silvery light. and the moon
came stealthily creeping over the Cali
| fornia hills, we knocked off steaming
and set our sails and changed the
course to the southwark, toward Old
| Mexico. Old Father Neptune (the
keeper of all good saiIors) did not
favor us with good winds as we rolled
slowly along on the bosom of the
sleepy Pacific. Many of us got seasick,
but. thank goodness, it is not perma-
nent ailment, so all of us recovered,
and with sharpened appetites we rel
ished the hardtack, biscuits and coarse
food which we had so longed and pined
/ for. Soon our evenings were spent as
nicely, singing and playing, as they
had been on the old Pensacola, and we
liked this free healthful life. Our
drills continued and the ship rolled
lazily along.
Passing to Higher Grade.
When out seventy days at sea a no
tice was posted telling us that all who
wished to could hand in their names
and be examined for ordinary seaman.
Many of us were little afraid that we
didn't know enough to become an or
binary seaman, but the Doldest of us
put in our names and were examined
by a board of officers appointed for
that purpose. How we studied and
crammed splices and knots, tackles
and blocks into our brains. Good thing
I'm "chip of the old block" as
wooden things came easier. Many OF
us passed with high percentages and
had an additional stripe put on the
sleeves of our blouses, besides an in
crease in pay of SO per month.
How proud we were as we realized
that personal endeavor" was really
being appreciated and was the real
road to success In fourteen quickly
passed days we anchored in Magda-
lena bay, Mexico. Here we stayed for
three weeks, drilled ashore and on
board, had sailing and swimming
races, hunted turtles, went bathing in
the surf in Dead Mans cove" and on
Sundays would take boats and lines
and go trawling for the speedy. snappy,
fiashy yellow-tail and mackerel.
Sights in the Pacific.
Fresh fish of all kinds were our
main food item, but we received beef
from a ranchero who had a herd OF
steers. We reluctantly cast off our
moorings and were soon on our way
for Honolulu. Thirty days of sailing
brought us to the Garden of the Pa
cific," the most beautiful place we had
ever seen. Orange and banana trees
covered the slope of the "Old Punch
Bowl" on whose peaceful crater sugar
cane was growing.
Shore leave was given each day. SO
the boys" might have a chance to go
nm to old Mauna I.oa. the active vol