The Dickinson press., 1909-04-10

making it difficult to see beyond
q few yards in any direction.
We anchored there for twenty hours
and did not get under way to getout Of
the harbor until s o'clock the following
morning.
The wireless telegraph instruments
were busy and rumor had it that a
steamer outside the harbor was in
trouble. and in the morning the bulletin
wat posted announcing the ramnine of
the steamer Republic by the Italian
liner. Florida, the death of Mr.. Mooney
Of Lanedon. N. D.. and Mrs. Lynch of
Boston and serious injury to others, 1t
was several days before we received
New York papers giving the details OF,
the disaster and information of the
eoodly number Of North Dakota people
on the wrecked steamer.
We were now under way and our first
chaerin was to find our names register
ed from St. Paul instead. of Dickinson.
N. D. The Darrows and Fargo Jared
no better. The chumps-just because
our tickets were purchased at. ST. Paul.
We now commenced to. study our
steamer, the Oceana. Of the Hamburg
American line.
1t was evident that the crew was en-
tirely made in Germany. A clean,
wholesome looking lot, and nearly all
could understand and speak English
,. The Qceana is a twin-screw vessel,
5000 tons. Sit feet. long; formerly an
English transport in the Boer war, and
belonged to the Hamburg American line
about five years, built in Belfast, Eng
lish machinery, Scotch boilers. l
found this out in, the engine room and
went down among the stokers. The
assistant engineer: was going to fire
me until told him r used to be an
eneineer.6n the railroad, and then we
got acquainted. ~. T. 's3.','
Read Kipling's .''McAndrew's Prayer"
and, when you get q? chance to 60 to
the engine room of an ocean liner you
will feel glad that you are alive amid
the mighty works of man and his creator.
Our course lay south southeast about
midway between the Carolinas and
Bermudas. and. for five days. we ~journeyed
The ocean was a dream and a novelty.
When anyone suggested we we're past
Cape Hatteras or opposite Charleston; I
said, PLEASE excuse me I'm not study
ind eeosEaphy. I'm resting When. a.
new found companion aimed to be: brill
liant and >impart information, l said;
Quit Il, 1don't want to improve my
! : 5:f'tt - z; ~ ':.*'a;4t; =: !.
I ate everything that was, passed to
me in enormous aauantities, and was
warned by my wise neiehbor from
ScrantonasPRa.. a .my. left at the table
that:I tw0uld4rue my eluttony. $3.50:
The second day out, the weather was
IS to~'72INafter that anywhere from 20
upwards ;cbut not much yer 80 at any
time. TIE ocean breeze was W with
usys executing for two or: three nights
whenseYHEe port hole was -bolted tight:
But one day when the atmosphere was
dead in3slr cabin. the head steward had
an lrish-American: rebellion on. his;
hands and asked me ifI wanted to sink.
the ship We compromised and he left
It open and: said he would hope. for
the best" Germany is all. right.
9 To remain, out doors on deck with a
fur ~collar::or an overcoat on: vas a de-
lieht. The r~estfulness of a; warm air
where drafts are not to be feared was
soothing: . The animation of the crowd
was 'e~xhilerating, while the study of
the passenger: list and identifying GER
tain people was novel and entertaining.
The relaxation of the all-night's sleep
beginning early and lasting until the
bugle sounded breakfast call late in the
morning, was most enjoyable. Then a.
nap in ones chair after breakfast and
another afternoon was more than pleas
ant. j.
The ocean was ever in evidence: only
a day or two Of rolling seas and then to
be told that We would enter ST. Thomas
harbor about s a. M, January % arous-:
ed me from the joy of laziness.
It was i''brite and fair the early
morning as we pulled into St. Thomas
and soon the boats of the darkies came
alongside and, al the passengers threw
pennies or silver into the water. the
boys would Jump from their boats and
dive for it and as they went down.
four or five of them after
one silver piece, the white soles of their
feet were skyward and later they would
come up and blow the water from their
nostrils and Chamber back in their
boats, while the lucky one would ex-
anime his catch, store it in his mouth
until later deposited in the bottom of
kI>@ h~oH -..n..a-. ..-.... . .t...