The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-01-06

tWo uOuIuS tt Scd.
 We stayed ashore several hours and enjoyed 1t greatly. this being the first real white mans town we had hit since leaving San Francisco. We met the boys who came thru as guards with us before when we came thru the canal and visited with them for a while, finally returning to ship about p. m. We found the crew all sore because they didn't get to go ashore. One man they call whiskers went up to the captain and told bim if he did not let him go ashore he would paint snages all over '.is cabin.
 The next morning I was aroused by couple of aeroplanes flying over, and found we were under way, just entering the canal. We had a nice trip thru. but having seen 1t beforc it was not so interesting. spent most of the time talking with the sailor guards who went thru with us. We passed several ships in the canal, one of them from Seattle with two wireless men from camp on 1t. We mad lots of fun with the negroes on board, and bot some stuff from them. l have several curios to send home as soon as we hit the states again. We bot some cocoanuts and lines from them. The nuts were fine They are full of milk, which Is better than ice cream soda; and the meat is firm and crisp like divinity fudge. They do make fine eating. The lines make fine lemonade. one small lime to big hottleful. as they are very strong.
 We did not stay at Panama bu put right out to sea, only waiting long enough to take on water and stores It is really cold here; just like an Alaska fall. even if we did pass the equator last night. Some of the nights are grand with big moon shining and the sea all glimmering like silver, and once in a while big ship passing by. There certainly Is a real fascination to the sea life, even if 1t does get kind of monoto- nous, We pass lots of ships. some steamers, some schooners and some- times big stately sQuare-rigged sail ing ships. (Later) Once more we are on the southward path for Chile. This run certainly is tiresome one, and I wish we would put back to a real American port for change. We'll, 1t looks like the old war was over. We have no news as yet as to what disposition will be made of naval reserves. but we hope to get out sometime before very long. Our crew certainly did rejoice when posted the press notice telling of Germany's surrender. Most of them are shipping board men and can go back to civilian life now. From the news reports I see that they are going to demobilize the army right away. so they may do the same with the reserves. Here's hoping. l can't say that enjoy this sea faring any too much. Me for the dry land every time from now on. We have had a particularly bad lot of weather ever since leaving Colon. There have been heavy winds all the time, and that means a heavy sea. It gets beyond joke after while to go around making your way by holding onto whatever you can grab. Last night we had the climax of the whole business when we struck the tail end of hurrican which has been doing all kinds of damage along the coast. and which did up several ships. It was sultry all day, but about six o'clock 1t began to blow and shortly after that to rain. And such rain; regular cloud burst. and the wind bringing it down in sheets. The sky was continually lit up by lightning. but there wasn't sound of thunder. For while 1t would be as light as day from lightning, and then so dark that we had to blow the whistle for fear of collision. The wireless shack leaks like a sieve and 1t took five buckets and continu. ous hopping for two hours to dry the place up. Finally the storm came to an end just about as quickly as it had started, but there is still a neavy sea running. The lightning raises the dickens with the wireless. It creates static electricity in tho air; which crackles in the receiver just like someone cracking nuts, and drowns out all signals. It almost drives a man to drink to copy thru it, and there is always static down here. I got press from Key West last night and lost whole sentences when there would be particularly viciouh flash of lightning. Our work is easier than ever now, as in a recent order all war time radio regu- lations were abolished and we can use the set at discretion now. The other night l copied a long message