Cloverdale Union High School - Spectator Yearbook (Cloverdale, CA)

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A good many of those aboard felt sad. Most everyone had left someone dear behind him. Evening came nearer, darkness was creeping over the sky, and soon the sun, which looked like a big ball of fire lying on top of the water, had gone down, and it was night. Fast and silent the boat was gliding down the river. Only the splashing of the waves against the banks of the stream could be heard. About 9 o’clock the blink-fire of “Cuxhaven,” the spot where the “Elbe” runs into the North Sea, was sighted, and a little later reached. A small steamer came alongside to take the pilot aboard. Our real voyage had begun. “Full steam forward,” ordered the captain, and at full speed the boat was making its way to¬ wards the next port, which was “Antwerp.” A strong northeast wind was whipping the already wild North Sea. Once in a while a breaker washed over deck, and made things uneasy for those who had to go to the fore part of the ship, especially for the crew, who have their sleeping quarters there. The boat was now rolling and tossing. Not a single pas¬ senger could be seen on deck. They had gone to their cabins, where the most of them were paying tribute to “Neptune,” and were wishing they never had left the safety of the shore. From the bridge came the sound of a bell, which was repeat¬ ed by the sailor in the out-look. He rang six bells. It was time to go to bed. The next morning the situation had changed a little. Only a light breeze was blowing, and the sea, too, had quieted down Quite a few passengers still with pale faces, were sittin on deck, and were enjoying the pure sea air. When the gong announced that it was time for breakfast, most of them remained on deck, as they thought it would be safe not to take any chances in going to the dining ' -room. where the aroma of the cooking works a kind of peculiarly on those who aren’t used to traveling much on water. Well, we arrived next day at the Shelde, and sailed up to Antwerp, where some of the passengers went ashore. 14

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A Trip to Japan at the Time of the Revolution Following the War It was on a cloudy November day. A light breeze was play¬ ing with the little blue flag with the white field in the center, which was hoisted on the signal line of the steamer “Silvia,” and which showed that she was ready to leave port. On the hindmast could be seen the yellow flag with the dragon, which showed that the destination of the heavy-loaded boat was the Far East. Along backboard laid a tender on which the passengers had just arrived. Everything was ready. On the bridge was Captain Jaeger, with the third officer at the machine tele¬ graph, and the quartermaster at the wheel. “Its about time the pilot showed up,” said the captain. The third officer said that he had just seen him coming over the gangway. A minute later he came up the bridge, having a friendly “How do you do?” with the captain, and then was ready for his duty. ‘Gangway over; lines loose,” came the command from the bridge, which was instantly obeyed. “Slow forwards,” re¬ peated the third officer, which was the order he had just re¬ ceived from the pilot, and he turned the telegraph over to slow forwards. A minute later the huge steamer was in mo¬ tion. Handkerchiefs were waved by the people ashore as the last farewell. In the eyes of the women and girls ashore, a few tears were visible, which were probably for the husbands or sweethearts they had aboard. 1 he ship was moving half speed now, and soon the order same, “Full speed, forwards!” harther and farther grew the distance between the ship and the shores of dear old Hamburg. Soon, only the tower of the old Mechailis church was visible, and after a while, that, too, had disappeared. One thing was sure, and that was that no one aboard would see Hambu rg again for at least five months. 13

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The next day we continued our trip. We steamed down the Shelde, then went through the English Channel, into the Gulf of Biscaja, through the Strait of Gibraltar, and into the Med¬ iterranean Sea toward Port Said, our next port. Now we went sout hward again through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. When passing Cape Perim, we signaled. From here the telegraph reported our whereabouts to those at home, several thousand miles away. 1 he next port to be made was Colombo. Then came Pan- nang, Singapore, Hongcong, Sanghai, Moji, Kobe, Jokahama, and Nagasaki. An order awaited us here to sail to Jokaitsy, from which place we had to take Russian soldiers and officers, which had been the prisoners of the Japanese, to Vladivostok. We left Jokaitsy January the nineteenth, and arrived in Vladivostok on the twenty-second of January, 1905. It was very cold there, the thermometer showing thirty-three degrees below zero. The Bay of Vladivostok was covered with ice, which was about seven or eight feet thick, and only with the help of a very large ice cutter were we able to get into port. About a half a mile fr om shore, we fastened our steamer, and landed the soldiers and officere on the ice. Vladivostok, which is merely a Russian naval sea port, on the Japan Sea, was at that time in a terrible condition. There wasn t a single building in town which wasn ' t demolished, almost everyone being sho or burned down. lhe streets were crowded with revolting soldiers and dirty Coreaner, natives of that country, which look like Chinamen, only that the men have a beard. I never saw a soldier saluting an officer. The latter ones were glad when they were not bothered with them. We were to have the pleasure of getting acquainted with these Wodka loving warriors. On January 28 we took two thousand two hundred men, in¬ cluding seventy officers aboard, to take them back to Odessa (Southern Russia.) We left Vladivostok the next morning at 6 a. m. At 2 15