The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-09-22

To have seen the Atlantic fleet ar
rive at it's first home port, to have seen
it leave it's last home port, and to have
met the Pacific fleet half way, out in
mid-ocean, was a trio of experiences
never to be forgotten. We sailed from
Honolulu Wednesday, August 26, and
as nearly as we could estimate it we
expected to meet the fleet on it's down
voyage, Saturday, August 3. Shortly
after breakfast some one up in the
bow caught the faint blur of distant
smoke upon the horizon in front Of
us, and everybody crowded to the bow
to see. Gradually the blur of smoke
widened, then separated into two blurs,
then three, then four and five and then
six and then over the line of the far
blue stretch of water there the hull of
a battleship. then another and another
and soon we saw the fleet steaming
toward us. In less than an hour we
were alongside Admiral Swinburne's
flagship, West Virginia, and we passed
on through the fleet, literally cutting
the others of the Big Four on our port
bow and the other ships, each towing
it's torpedo boat or torpedo boat de-
stroyer to starboard.
There were sixteen ships in all with
the auxiliary supply ship Solace, and
the sight was one which no one who
saw will ever forget. Our there on
the broad Pacific, just half way be-
tween Honolulu and San Francisco,
with not a sign of life about us save
an occasional flying fish darting
it seemed like adreamto suddenly finds
through the air above the sapphire sea,
it seemed like a dram to suddenly find,
ourselves the center of marine city.
Above the sky was as blue as tur-
quoise and the soft, fleecy clouds piled
high added to the beauty of the effect.
The seas were as smooth as 1t is pos
sible for seas to he and almost the
only movement of the waters was that
made by the rudders of the ships as
they plowed through the liquid sap
phire. AS the West Virginia passed so
near that we could almost count the
buttons on the officers uniforms, she
ran up the signal I'VE wish you a
pleasant voyage" and quickly to our
masthead sprang the reply Thank you
and the same to you
On and on they came, those great
white ships and cruisers all cleaning
white and gold with every bit of
bright work polished and shining and
back og each bobbed the funny little
smoke-green torpedo boats lying low
in the water and following on like lit
tie toy dogs drawn by a string. The
sight was all the more wonderful be-
cause no sound accompanied it save
when the passengers of the Alameda
gave three lusty cheers for the West
Virginia as she approached. There was
not bell nor a whistle nor any Other
sound and the great ships passed on
In all the majesty of great silence
coming out of the blue into the blue
and lost to sight even while We
watched them depart.
And this was our only glimpse o.
life till the day before we landed wher
the wild sea birds began to make theil
appearance. On our voyage down il
July when We had seen these birds WI
spoke of the gulls following the yes
sci, when the bo-sun, an old salt o
many voyages remarked with DISCUS
at our ignorance "Thems goonies."
Tuesday, September first, came Il
meet us wrapped in veil OF fog tina
hung so low and so heavy that W,
moved very slowly. feeling our wa!