The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-11

ing to the Hong Kong hotel There Is
another hotel there, the King Edward,
but it is not so good as the Hong Kong
house.
When the ships run was posted to-
day, we found the run since yesterday
at midday was 1872 miles. We will leave
the ship between four and five, as the
barber stated. I have packed my trunk
and suit case. and there are lot of
things lying around the room that
can't get in. shall go down stairs
presently and ask the barber what to
do.
In spite of rather bad weather, and
a delay of three or four days at Yo-
kOhama, we will beat the schedule
three days: we sailed November 4th,
and were due in Hong Kong on the 9Th;
we will arrive there on the Sd. After
reaching Yokohama, the trip is very
pleasant, as the sea is usually smooth,
and the stops at Kobe, Nagasaki and
Shanghai very interesting. The days
trip through the Inland sea is probably
unsurpassed in the world, but the trip
Of 16 days between San Francisco and
Yokohama is very dreary, and will long
remain nightmare in my memory.
From Hong Kong, the trip VIII also
be more interesting: to Singapore, four
days, and there are frequent stops be
yond that point. We Will go through
India by rail, and across the continent
by rail, thus breaking the monotony OF
the sea.
By sailing from Vancouver or Seattle
and taking the northern route, (Which
cuts out Honolulu), it is possible to
shorten the time to Yokohama to ten or
eleven days. But the northern route IS
very rough, and in winter, very cold
The Minnesota" which lett Seattle the
day after we left San Francisco, had
very tempestuous voyage. and disabled
one of its screws in the heavy seas. and
landed at Yokohama the day after we
did. its passengers pale with tr1gnt-
many of them said they never expected
to reach land. The tales of seasickness
they told were very unusual.
But I heard the banner story of sea
sickness last night. A man who once
crossed in a government transport, says
that the ship was in a typhoon for SIX
or seven days, and that the captain
| twice gave up the ship as lost The pas
sengers were battened down in their
rooms. and the servants could not get
to them to give them attention the
passenger says that when the servants
finally got into the staterooms, the
rooms were as filthy as hog pens sew
eraI sailors were washed overheard
The same man says horses become
seasick. and that the sight IS pltiful,
Many of them die. Horses are shlppso
in narrow box stalls, and cannot lie
down. When they show signs OF as
tress, they are swung up for rest,
by passing wide straps under ther
| bodies.
except that it blows great guns for
days. The monsoon is less herce- II
seems to be a trade wind that blows in
the same direction for days at time.
The loneHest spot I have ever seen,
we PASSED this morning: a bald rock
/ hundred feet high, and not more thal
a thousand feet across at the base. II
was not marked by a light house, or IN
any other manner It must De cor cor
/ slant menace to navigation 1t IS Salu
that all ship captains figure to pass the
rock during daylight
| After the Kansas traveller reaches Hong
| Kong he might as well go on around the
H4ori3 as return by way of Yokohama,
/ Honolulu and San Francisco; the oi lL :
4 ence in time is less than three weeks week 81 IL
/ he goes bv the quickest route Resides
/ tbe fast steamers between continental
! ports and New York spend only SIX days
! at sea and being very large, l1ey are
/ steadier than the Pacific steamers
while out on deck this afternoon It j. /
] o'clock watching big steamer paSsiIs ~
/ the opposite direction, made out lahd IN
the hay distance ahead. II IS lurAiAs
! ont lust as the barber said.
! / also remarked that the fishing schoon-
I ers work in pairs; a gill net extends from
one to the other If could slanq the the
+ pitching and tossing I would like to go
out in one of these boats and watch the
work but I cOuldn stand It, Even IN the
] fine weather when pfGFdliS t1eaS tllS NJ
! tie fishing schOoners pitch and roll IN q
! frightful way I was SO near seVeI RAJ. u
/ them that I could see the gill net extend
/ ing from one to the other, and the men
1 moving about.
] When we reach Hong Kong know Just
/ what will happen: I have been through 1t
J So often We will come to anchor out in
the bay and a lot of little boats viii
! gather about us. Finally q tender EgllI
/ come off and after a long delay, we will
walk carefully down the double stairway
with which am now so familiar and go
! aboard the tender. Then, after another
4 long delay, we will go up to the dock and
put on the gloves with the hotel runners
and hack drivers Then we will go up to
/ the hotel and be shown to rooms that
( look strange to our Kansas eyes. Then
we will read the rules and regulations,
hours for meals. etc, and be ready to see
/ often that I can do it with my eyes shut
The stewardess of the siberia" former
" lived in Hiawatha, though she has been
away from there IS years She has been
in AtchisOn many times and says her
father and the late w. w Guthrie were
} friends Her name is now Mrs Pearson
! I don't know what it was as a girl. She
/ has been very kind to Mattel. and when
| said she was glad of it. Formerly of Kan
sas people turn I'D everywhere. / expect
to meet them in Singapore and in Jerusa-
lem Mrs. Pearson is now a widow and
has a daughter who is preparing to be-
come teacher. Then Mrs Pearson will
/ swallow the anchor and quit the sea. as
/ all Kansas people should. E W. H.
1860