board was
similar to that on an English steamer; many games were projected and
prizes given, the most elaborate things being reserved for the Fourth of
July, both for children and adults. Greatly to my surprise, I was
awakened on that morning by a volley of fire-crackers from the end of
the deck. A festive spirit prevailed all day, and in the evening an
extensive concert was given in the salon.

The first real excitement was our arrival at Honolulu on July 9th, where
we were allowed one day. The city, with its beautiful location and
tropical vegetation, is too well known to need description. We went
first by automobile to Mt. Pali, quite a distance in the country; here
we had a wonderful view looking across a long level stretch to a point
beyond which were rice-fields in the stage of early green, and beyond
that a sugar plantation, and beyond that still farther off a mass of
green foliage. The landscape at once marked Honolulu as being somewhat
akin to Java. The mountains here are volcanic in their origin.

[Illustration: _Mount Pali, Honolulu_]

Returning from Pali, we went to the Punch Bowl and Diamond Head, an
extinct volcano. Next, we took a long drive along the sea front to the
beautiful hotel called Moana, where we met friends. The ride led through
one of the principal residence streets, and we noticed beautiful homes
with their extensive grounds and profusion of palms, shrubs, and
flowers. We also saw the former palace of the Queen, which is now
reserved as the Governor's residence. We then went to Young's Hotel for
lunch, and, after that, visited some minor points of interest and some
shops, returning to the steamer in the late afternoon, feeling that
Honolulu was indeed one of the beauty spots of earth. On reaching the
ship, it seemed as if every passenger--man, woman, and child--was
decorated with long wreaths of flowers reaching to the ground; the
flowers are ruthlessly pulled to pieces and strung together to tempt the
tourists. It was really a very beautiful sight, but unfortunately the
flowers soon faded.

The day following we saw the battle fleet, only about two miles distant,
_en route_ for Yokohama; there were fifteen war-vessels, and it was
indeed a wonderful spectacle.

We arrived in the harbor of San Francisco at noon on July 14th, and,
after the usual delay with the health officer, we were soon in the
throes of the custom house, and it was an ordeal never before
experienced. We had been told by