The San Francisco call., 1910-10-16

cabin and the steerage and very interesting
is it to study those who. with well filled
make happy and comfortable the old people
in the little village w hence only few years
ago they travelled to the shores of golden
America.
osition as to It's passengers is one thing; go
ing TO America is another, a case of before
and after fully exemplifed.
The moonlight nights a calm sea are
certainly romantic and afford one much pleas
ure to stroll the decks and gaze out upon the
mysterious golden way paved the ever
shifting waters by the chanseful moon
To see a crossing liner advance out OF the
darkness and pass through the lunar illumin-
alton as 1t bisects the glittering way Is a
sight long to be remembered,
The disagreeable fog and constant blowing
of the fog whistle that keeps up all night
with the regularity of the swinging of a
clock pendulum and the penetrating mists
coupled with sense of danger that always
goes with fog at sea. danger to the steamer
and danger to the fishing craft that line the
way and pursue their dangerous calling, and
the fact that you can run down a trawler or
two and even the fishing smack itself and
never know that you touched anybody, does
not add any pleasure to the situation.
Then thewinds blow and the ropes whistle
In the rigging aleft, the seas dash up against
the bows of the steamer and the matches are
battened down and things made shipshape and
all passengers ordered below, none too soon.
for the decks are flooded with tons of water
as every now and then great wave mounts
high and falls like an avalanche upon the
deck to sweep everything before it and rush
out the scuppers.
Steam is lowered and enough speed kept to
make steerage way only. for to pound into
the tremendous seas euld be out Of the ques-
fion. 1t Is wild night, but hour after hour
passes and finally the storm abates and the
good ship, save for some rolling and pitching
and creaking OF woodwork, has gone through
safely and without straining bolt. 1t was
a night when, unless well housed aboard a
staunch ship, tt were better to be on land
Land may be sighted at any time and as
we rush along lumber craft is sighted,
masts broken, sails and ropes hanging over
sides, decks awash and yet, because of her
load of lumber, the ship floats. We slow
down and stand by and scour the ship care
fully, but no signs of life appearing the
crew either having been washed away or
taken off by some passing ship. we pass on.
But we were glad to be nearing port The
experience of the stormy night and the Wis
ible effects. .of the storm in front of us were
not an exhilarating spectacle. The leaden
lowering skies, the swelling waters rolling
from the after effects of the storm the wash
ing of the waves over the cargo and the
tangle Of wreckage hanging to the sides of
the ship told only too plainly as to what
combined wind and waves could do when at
war with each other.
Land ahoyl speck at first and then a.
long line and finally distant hills and iight-
house. eoastwise ships and at last the Jour
ney is over. Strange boats and strange peo-
pie and everything different and you realize
you are in a foreign country and your travels
on land have begun.