Compton High School - El Companile Yearbook (Compton, CA)

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,,..,-H, -. -- Y-Y., Bon Voyage! The S. S. Sierra is leaving San Francisco, bound for Honolulu. Promptly at 10 a.m., from his watch on the bridge, the Captain gives orders for depar- ture. instantly, a long shrill whistle is heard, gangways are hastily drawn in. and the boat cut loose from her moorings. On deck the bugler strikes up the tune of Cheer L'p Mary, and with smiles and tears the passengers take up the refrain. The network of brightly colored paper ribbons, the only tie bind- ing those on board to friends on shore, breaks gently as the big liner slowly leaves the dock. A few days later, as the Sierra is steadily ploughing her way through the waters, the passengers are engaged in various activities, such as playing quoits. deck billiards, cards, and deck golf. A steward serves bouillon on deck promptly at eleven oyclock each morning. The evenings are passed pleasantly in dancing or giving concerts in the music room. Fifth day out, weather ideal, and old Diamond 'llead sighted in the dis- tance! All is excitement on hoard as we slowly steam into the harbor. The excitement increases as several large sharks are distinguished through the pale green water. ,Xs we near the wharf, the boat becomes surrounded by na- tive divers, whose antics are very amusing as they dive for the coins thrown out to them, which they invariably bring up in their mouths. And now the bugler is playing the sweet strains of 'fAloha. XYQ are in Hawaii, The next Five days we spend in getting acquainted with Honolulu. XYe climb the Punch llowl back of the city, visit the aquarium, said to be the finest in the world, and go in swimming at lovely XX'aikiki lieach. Honolulu indeed a little paradise, The liritish liner llarama is at the wharf and we go on board in joyful anticipation of a voyage among the South Sea islands. Our felloxv-passen- gers are from Vancouver, and the atmosphere is decidedly English. Four o'clock tea is substituted for eleven o'elock bouillon, deck billiards is discarded for cricket, and a light supper is served at nine o'cloek. The weather grows steadily warmer as we near the equator and the sea is calm as a mill pond. NYe celebrate crossing the line with the important ceremony of ducking the 24

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new sailors on board. As we sail along beneath the tropical sun, much ti1ne is spent in speculation over the day that we drop going west, and pick up coming back. Land ahead! Samoa, the gem of the South Sea Islands. The little har- bor of Pago Pago with its picturesque setting is the dearest, quaintest little spot on earth. We carry with us a pleasant memory of the tiny village sur- rounded by fern-covered hills, and of the friendly, sleepy-eyed, soft-voiced natives. VVe spend one of the most interesting days of our trip sightseeing in Suva, the capital of Fiji-land of the cocoanut, banana and bread fruit tree. The Fijian Islands are quite different from the islands of Samoa. The natives, unlike the Samoans, are tall, strong and well built and are exceedingly proud of their thick mop of hair which they shampoo with cocoanut oil so that it stands up like the quills of a porcupine. VVith a friendly farewell, we steam out of Fijian waters, bound for New Zealand. The second day out from Suva, when the gong sounds for breakfast, it brings no response from the passengers. They have lost all interest in life, for outside the wind is blowing a hurricane, the billows are rolling mountain high, and the ship is rearing and plunging like a bucking bronco. The waves break over our vessel and run off the decks like rivers. One moment we rise with the swell, then with shivering, creaking timbers, plunge headlong to what seems to us a watery grave. The Marama has run into a typhoon. For two days we are confined to our staterooms, too sick to care whether we live or die. The third day the storm abates and we venture out on deck. There are many interesting things to be seen. Some flying fish have been washed aboard by the waves, porpoises are leaping from the water about usg a magnificent albatross is circling overhead, and in the dis- tance whales are spouting water high in air. We are safe at last! The Marama has triumphed over the terrors of a typhoon. VVe steam into Auckland, New Zealand, twenty-four hours late. After a few hours run on the train, through some of the finest scenery in the world, we arrive at Wellington, a most picturesque little city built on the hillsides surrounding the harbor. Several days later, we embark for Mel- bourne on the S. S. Manuka. We sail around the South Island of New Zealand, under the Southern Cross, and stop a few hours at Hobart, Tas- mania, and on the ninth day arrive at Melbourne. This beautiful, modern city has the distinction of having the finest Botanical Gardens in the World. Here we tranship to the British liner Macedonia, and leave for Sydney. just after the sun has risen, our boat sails into Sydney Harbor-that veritable paradise of little hidden bays spread out in the big harbor in the shape of a maple leaf, so feathery is the shore line. The surrounding hills and promontories are covered with the native gum trees, shrubs, tree-ferns and other tropical foliage. VVhite houses with red roofs clotting the hillsides make a pretty picture against the green background. And along the 'water's edge are some wattle trees in bloom, their soft golden blossoms gleaming in the sunlight and casting a reflection in the water. One cannot imagine a more charming spot than this second finest harbor in the world. As we round the last promontory, Sydney comes into view, and our voyage is at an end. Steaming up to the wharf, our boat is made fast, and' we realize that we are now prepared to answer the inevitable question of all loyal Australians,- Have you seen Sydney Harbor?,' JEAN STEPHENSON, '21, 25