Before we had reached the Golden Gate we acted like some great happy family, eager to enjoy every minute. After we stopped waving our tired arms to the crowds of friends on the docks and the last bouquet aimed at the Mayor's tug had landed in the bay, small groups, with radiant faces, discussed what do you suppose? No, not the crossing of the Bar, but the opening of the ship's bar. As you know, Uncle Sam seems to consider the dry law impossible on the water.
We were all saying that @San @Francisco's farewell made us proud to belong to such a city, when @M.A. @Gale told us that he wanted to add a word of praise for one of San Francisco's traffic officers, who let him by when he made a speedy trip for some valuables left behind, which had just been missed at the last moment. But, do you remember who was the last passenger? She was nervous and fidgety ever since she came on board, too. None other than @Bulah, the handsome mare bound for @Yokohama. It was worth going through the steerage to watch her enjoy one of our "eleven o'clock" apples.
When the lunch gong sounded, we all went below (doesn't that sound real nautical?) to try and get settled in our home for the next three months. Apparently there was no place left for even our hats, thoughtful gifts, fruits, candy and flowers, filled every inch of ordinary space. Christmas time was tame by comparison.
Many were down to lunch, fortified by a highball, but at dinner, seasickness had claimed its victims, and there were only a few brave spirits on deck to indulge in dancing the first night.
The second day out everybody was trying to remember everyone else by name. One positive lady insisted that @A.I. @Esberg was Dr. @Morton, but these little mistakes were forgotten, and many of the committee were soon calling each other by their first names.
There were other discoveries in the steerage. A @Serbian girl, @Alma @Karlin, who speaks ten languages fluently, but could not afford a first-class passage (although once well-to-do) on account of the low exchange value of her country's money. She is on a three-year tour to study conditions in the @Pacific Islands, to learn if her countrymen can successfully immigrate to this region.
A young @American married to a @Chinaman, a group of @Orientals devouring an odd-looking concoction with chop sticks, a motley group of @Hindus with their fezzes, made the picturesque gathering, that gladly received the surplus fruits distributed by the belles of the ship.
We struck a squall that surprised many of us enjoying the salt sea breeze in our stuffy state rooms, by washing the spray over our neatly put-out dinner clothes. That night it took real sea legs to dance while the ship rocked. But it was great sport, and @Sidney @Kahn's University Orchestra "jazzed" on as if they were on solid ground.
The third day all of the officers appeared in white. White duck curtains replaced the wooden doors. The women blossomed out in the daintiest of summer frocks, the men in white flannels, and although most of us found our shoes difficult to put on (in spite of the fact that we all had shoes a half a size larger) deck games were in full swing and seasickness was a thing of the past.
@Commissioner @Krull was the first to jump into the open-air swimming tank, some of the ladies following. But it took deck tennis and the tropics to make the tank popular.
@Captain @Nelson took us on a tour of inspection, and as eating was the principal occupation, we asked to see the electrically operated galley first, for, next to the bar, it was the chief attraction. We all have heard of electric dish washers, potato peelers, knife sharpeners, bread bakers, cake mixers, etc.
