The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-22
THE LAST NIGHT AT SEA.

!
Saturday, July 18.-Lat % deg. 16
min. N, long. 154 deg. 46 min W.
| Distance 1856 miles.
| So this is the last night aboard the
Hawaii. That is unless the unfore-
seen happens, for we were a scant
175 miles from Diamond Head at noon
and there is a steady breeze taking
as along at 8 knots an hour
| think that, sorrow and regret are
the uppermost of many striving emo
lions in my mind tonight. Sorrow that
the gallant yacht should lose the race
and regret that the open, care free
days Of the voyage are almost over.
For me it has been a time Of un-
equalied delight. The blue sea and
sky, the touch of the wind and sun,
the perfect freedom from every sort
of worry, the kindly, open-hearted
companions around me: all have COM
/ bined to give one poor scribbler a
fortnight of Paradise. I have wan
+ dered around quite little in different
/ parts of the world and have had the
undeseryed extra share of good times
that always come to those of a cheer
fully irresponsible nature. but there
has never been anything like this and
/ don't think there ever will be again
At any rate the owners of the yacht
the people of the Hawaiian Islands.
may know their guest is no graceless
/ migrate and that is all to be expected
of a guest. God wot I wish that some
day it may lie in my power to render
quid pro quo thousand fold.
Because the Hawaii did not win the
race you must not rush to the con-
clusion that she is a failure. by any
means. / am firmly convinced that,
if she had had the winds that We're
expected, she would have won Even
with the light airs that prevailed dur
ing the first ten days, she did very
fairly well. The Hawaii is not light
weather boat, but I state unreserved-
ly that she is a wonder in a blow.
Coming before the wind as we have
been for the last four days. she show
ed a steadiness and an aptitude to
gain speed as soon as the wind in
creased that astonished me- From
noon July to noon July 9 we made
100 miles with very ordinary breeze
scarcely abaft the beam. I do not think
that even the Lurline could show any
such distance under the same condi-
tions. None of the conditions have
been favorable to yacht of her de-
sign. The first two days there was
practically no wind and there was
nothing that a punt couldn't have sail
ed in until we had made most of our
latitude. Then, when the wind did
come, it blew from dead aft instead
of over the quarter, where we hoped
to have it.
There is plenty of tuning up that
might be done. especially in the dis
position of ballast. But that is mere
detail and takes much time and ex-
perimenting. The Hawaii is a sea-
going yacht of the staunchest qualities
and is wonderfully fast when there is
any wind and this is clearly proved
by the chart which shows how she
sailed 5000 miles in less than thirty
four days.
ARRIVAL IN HONOLULU.
Honolulu Harbor. Sunday, July 10
For me there was but little sleep last
night. I was too much on the lookout
for my first sight OF the islands. Tt
was not till well after daylight that
land showed clearly. In the dawning
light there was a thick bank of land
fog on our port beam, but no land
showed through until the sun was
well up. Then the fog cleared away
and Molokai shot bold, rugged point
into view. Then the rest of the north
shore Of the island unfolded itself and
we had a clear view of the steep cliffs
and mysterious canyons where the is
land dips into the Pacific.
Captain Harris pointed out the
green slope where the leper settlement
keeps itself in sad secIusion and I felt,
as everybody must, the SOLDERING touch
OF the contrast between the joyous,
smiling beauty of the scene around US