cheaper there than here. When settled down on board you will find yourself surrounded with all the luxuries of a first-class hotel in one of these splendidly equipped steamers, and you are not long on the voyage when you commence to have a home-like feeling, which is hard to shake off when you find all too soon that you are obliged to bid farewell to your pleasant environments.

The scene at the Steamship Company's dock on the day of departure of one of their trans-Pacific liners is at once novel and interesting. The custom officials are busy marshaling on board the hundreds of Chinese, who constitute a large percentage of the human freight carried by these steamers. The Gaelic on this trip carried over 450 "Celestials," who occupied a portion of the ship especially set apart for them, and are, therefore, not brought in contact with the cabin passengers in any way that is offensive. Passengers who have not already had their baggage checked are rustling around attending to this important duty, assisted by obliging and courteous employees. Friends of the passengers form an interesting feature of the crowd which is always present to watch the departure of one of these vessels. It was particularly noticeable on this occasion, as Lieut. Hobson, the hero of the Merrimac, was to be one of the passengers, and the esteem in which this gentleman is held by his admiring countrymen and "countrywomen" was shown by the great throng which had gathered at the dock to catch a glimpse of him and, if possible, shake his hand and wish him a pleasant voyage. The autograph and kodak "fiends" were well represented, and the gallant and obliging Lieutenant had much difficulty in elbowing his way through the crowd to the ship, shaking many hands and leaving his autograph on many slips of paper thrust before him.

The chorus of good-byes shouted back and forth soon make us realize that we are slowly backing away from the dock, and, as the ship swings around and points her bows toward the setting sun, we remember that it will be many moons before we can hope to again see those left behind. Out through the Golden Gate, past the light-ship, and we are on the great Pacific Ocean, steering a course for the Hawaiian Islands.

The trip from San Francisco to Honolulu has been described as "drifting to paradise on an even keel." Whether the expression originated with some enterprising real estate dealer of Honolulu, or is the product of a bard of modern lore, we are unable to say, but, after having made the trip, one must become convinced that there is at least as much truth as poetry in the statement. Certainly no ocean voyage could be more delightful than this, and it would be difficult to imagine any combination of earth, sea and sky that would better represent the average mortal's idea of an earthly paradise than that which unfolded itself in these beautiful islands of the sea. Masters in the art of word-painting have sung their praise in poetry and prose; yet, after beholding this marvelous work of nature, one can but realize the inadequacy of words to describe this "Paradise of the Pacific."

Our life is much as we make it, whether aboard ship or elsewhere. After finding yourself pleasantly ensconced in one of the light and airy cabins for which these ships are justly famous, if you are like the rest, you soon join the genial

throng and become one of them. On the Gaelic there was a continued overflow of this exhuberance, and acquaintance speedily ripened into friendship, the memories of which will be life long.

Our cabin passenger list, as is usually the case with the vessels of this line, ran up to the ship's full complement, and while the different walks of life were represented, the highly cultured class predominated. As it is desirable to have the best associations during this long voyage, one should be careful where he pitches his tent. The real luxuries of life are less in food supplies and physical comforts than in the satiation of our mental desires.

From

The courtesies of the ship were soon marked by the whole cabin. genial Capt. Finch down through the gradation of attendants there was appar

ently nothing left undone that would add to the welfare and comfort of the passengers. A good library supplies the best literature, and a piano, organ and music-boxes furnish opportunity for those musically inclined to gratify their tastes. Games for upper deck, such as shuffle-board, quoits, etc., are provided, and an obliging attendant is always at hand to supply your slightest wish.

All the passengers, as a rule, participated in these sports, and even the venerable Dr. Allen, who, for forty years, has served as a missionary in China, and during this time has crossed the Pacific a dozen or more times, seemed to forget that he had passed the three-score-and-ten mark, and joined in the games with

as much enthusiasm as the two little girls who called him Santa Claus. Lieut. Hobson was always ready to join the party, and we found him a very agreeable and interesting traveling companion. His unassuming manners and gentlemanly conduct won for him the esteem of all on board, and the charming young lady from Georgia voiced the sentiments of us all when she said that "he was just the nicest gentleman that she ever did see.”

We must not forget to speak of the ample provision made for supplying the desires of the inner man. To say that this far exceeded our expectations is but to poorly express our appreciation of the excellent fare served on the Gaelic. To give the reader an opportunity to judge, for himself, we print one of the daily dinner bills of fare.

The Chinese servants, dressed in their long blue or white robes, move noiselessly about, and seem to know intuitively your every wish, and before you have reached the journey's end you are convinced that there are no better servants than those on these steamers.

It is such surroundings as those described above that make life on board one of these splendid modern steamers, "one continual round of pleasure," and it is not to be wondered at that by the time the journey's end is reached you feel like a new being, and treasure up in your store-house of memories this most delightful experience and leave the ship with feelings not unmingled with regret

After six days of this kind of life, land is sighted, which proves to be Diamond Head, and now we have reached the famous Paradise of the Pacific. There is a charm about the Hawaiian Islands which increases with your stay. The delightful langor of a restful repose is the first pleasing emotion of a visitor to these islands, and he then easily finds himself en rapport with his surroundings. The climate is so equable that one scarcely notices the change of seasons. For instance, the morning temperature at six o'clock, for the year, runs from 67 to 75 degrees, a variation of eight degrees. The noon temperature, from 72 to 84 degrees, and the evening, nine o'clock, from 63 to 76 degrees. The rainfall at Honolulu averages twenty-five inches a year. On other parts of the island the rainfall is very heavy, while in others it is much less. The Hawaiian archipelago consists of about twenty islands, the entry ports of any note being Honolulu, on Oahu; Hilo, on Hawaii, and Kahului, on Maui. The resources of the country

are now in process of rapid development, and if the traveler has the time the situation will well repay his consideration. The population of Honolulu, prior to annexation, was about 25,000, but this is rapidly increasing, and the English language is generally understood. One will want to see the Punch Bowl Hill, an extinct crater-a few minutes' walk from the hotel. Go from this to Mount Tantalus, where you reach an altitude of 2000 feet, and the view covers a large area. Mount Konahuanui has an altitude of 4000 feet, from the summit of which the island of Oahu may be viewed. All these tours take the traveler through a country grandly picturesque, and in which the flora is bewilderingly beautiful. It takes about ten days to make the trip. Waikiki is the bathing resort. This is some three miles distant from Honolulu. It is said that no one has had the full luxury of a sea bath unless he has laved himself in the sea at Waikiki. After spending a most delightful day in Honolulu, we reluctantly returned to the ship, regretting that circumstances would not permit us to take advantage of the stop-over privilege which cabin passengers are entitled to. As if to more firmly rivet the chains which Honolulu's natural charms have placed about the admiring tourist, young ladies are at the dock with garlands of flowers which they place about the necks of passengers, and a native band plays some of their weird pathetic music, which adds a peculiar fascination not easy to shake off. As the steamer backs away from the dock the passengers join in singing "Some Day I'll Wander Back Again," and you sincerely hope that Providence may so direct your footsteps. The usual schedule time from Honolulu to Yokohama, is ten days. The voyage is largely a repetition of the trip down to Honolulu. Friendships become