The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-08-09
REV. ROBERT BELL
ON Scandinavia
Sends the Conrier Interest
ing Letter on What
He has Seen.
THE OCEAN VOYAGE
The Captains Dinner and
How it was served-Irn-
pressions of Country.

Having seen a little of Scandinavia
and not a few scandinavians since
leaving New Haven some weeks ago
/ write to give you the following i'm
pressions, made rapidly of course,
of places and people, 1t was under
the colors Of Denmark that we steam
ed down New York harbor on the
Fourth of July. 1t was evidently
proper on such day that the ships
band should include in its program of
selections such an air as the Star
Spangled Banner Life on board
ocean liners in many respects has a
marked sameness, whether American,
English Danish or whatever they be.
There were, however two little things
not commonly observed, 50 far as l
know, that I want to tell you about,
and they are mentioned, not because
they are in any sense important but
interesting. First the captains dinner,
and the serving of us a la Sptzber-
gen."
N~-The former was given the day
before our arrival at our first port of
call, whether in appreciation Of the
commanders skill in bringing his ship,
so far on her way or not l cannot say,
but whatever the reason, it proved to
be most festive affair The dining
saloon was tastefully decorated with
flags and bunting, and at each passen-
gers place there stood miniature flag
of tho country to which he protested
allegiance-there was a goodly supply
of Stars and Stripes. These We're kept
as souvenirs Of the occasion. Another
feature of the event was the swapping
Of bonbons and the extracting Of it's
sue paper caps Of many hues and
shapes. You should have seen ladies,
and grave gentlemen like the writer,
adorned with the fantastic headgear
1t was a very enjoyable time in which
everybody took part regardless Of
years.
Now I must give you a brief ac-
count Of IFS la Spitzbergen" Din
ner has been eaten with the portfolios
curtained, although it is broad day
light without, The electric lights are
shining. There is a feeling that some
thing is going to happen you know
not what The stewards have all gone
away somewhere. Suddenly the lights
90 out, the doors open and the stew
ards enter in single file, each one
bearing a tray on which stands a little
house with colored windows through
which shines light from the inside
(the effect in the darkened room was
very pleasing). To make it all more
4 s5irtuTesGue a diminutive fir tree and
polar bear found place on each tray,
but the us" was the sweetest thing Of
all and consisted of mounds of white
Ice cream These were the only Ice
bergs we saw on the whole voyage,
and their appearance was very brief.
Aften ten days, half of them, more or
less foggy, we We're off the coast of
Scotland. The usual way is to sail
close to the mainland, but owing to
the thickness of the haze our ships
course lay to the outside of the islands,
lying north. 1t was in this region the
Inflated Norge" went down year or
two ago, Two or three hours before
sighting Norway the fog lifted and
many eager eyes We're able to feast
on the view presented which gradually
grew more beautiful as it grew more
distinct,' AS we neared the land-loexed
harbor Of Christian sand a scene pre-
scented itself long to be remembered.
1t was nine O'clock at night, the sun
going down in a blaze of gold behind
the hills that seemed to rise higher
and higher as we approached. A gentle
breeze from off-shore waited the od0r
OF the pines in our direction The town
itself remained hidden until the narrow
entrance was passed and we had
steamed into the natural basin where
we came to a standstill. AS the biz
ship moved in many of the townspeo.
pie stood in rows on the rocks and
among the trees waving a welcome. A
great company Of small boats contain
Ing well-dressed occupants, some of
them in characteristic native costume
surrounded the steamer, many of them
remaining for two hours or until elev-