Schlagwort-Archiv: on ship

At Sea to Steamer Point, 21 December 1892

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Our national hymn, the Egyptian and the British anthem rang out from the afterdeck when we departed from the harbour at 8 o’clock in the morning and entered into the Suez Canal. The Northeast wind continued to blow; but the weather was fine and the thermometer showed 22° Celsius in the sun. The passage through the Canal does not offer beautiful impressions of the landscape but is interesting nevertheless because of its full desert character on both the African and Asiatic shores. On the right as well as on the left there is nothing but sand, glimmering yellow sand in which from time to time meagre grey-green bushes appear. On both sides a bare,  deserted plain continues seemingly without end, often the place of a treacherous Fata Morgana.

The first 20 kilometres one proceeds along Lake Menzaleh, separated only by a broad dam from the canal. Those who haven’t see it themselves will not be able to imagine the multitude of water foil that is milling around Lake Menzaleh during this time of the year: Thousands upon thousands of flamingos are standing immovable in the water, creating rose red walls; in between are flying large flocks of ducks and grebes while staid pelicans with imperturbable persistence watch for fish or fly lumberingly over the water. Most conspicuous are the huge number of sandpipers and plovers which appear, swift as an arrow flying from here to there, depending on the turns of their flights, as silvery glitters in the sun or as dark cloud and thus resemble a glittering silver band that flies in the sky.

Having reached the end of Lake Menzaleh, the ship continues at half speed between numerous buoys along the narrow Suez Canal, that modern wonder of the world created by human energy and endurance in a relatively short span of time. Every 10 kilometres, there are passing points and signal stations, small neat looking houses adorned with verandas and enclosed by little green gardens. Officials of the canal company are living there while guarding and policing the canal. Signals for the ships are hoisted on large masts. Large excavation machines are labouring assiduously during the whole year to keep the canal bed in order as the pressure from the bank and the drifting sands deposited from the desert verge to silting up. The natives carry the excavated earth with camels to a deposit farther away – and there are important restoration works going on without interruption which explains the rather high fees ships have to pay for passage. Our ship register was reduced by a fee of 13.000 francs.

The Suez Canal company offered the courtesy to considerably speed up our journey by ordering all approaching steamships by telegraph to moor at the passing points to let us pass. This will not have improved the moods of the captains of those ships, so that probably many a strong word escaped from the sailors’ mouth when we passed the impatiently waiting ships at full speed and disappeared out of their view. A large English steamship ran into ground while mooring and was working hard without success with his engine to free itself as long as we were watching.

In the evening, „SMS Elisabeth“ reached Ismailia where the pilot was switched only to continue the journey without interruption. Of Ismailia we only saw a few houses located on the bank and a little vegetation which supplied an agreeable contrast to the monotonous desert. The sun set in horizon colours typical for this place, dark saffron and crimson reds. The large electric projectors were activated and illuminated our route bright as daylight, so that one could distinguish every single buoy from a great distance. In the bitter lake we drove up on an English four mast ship and had to wait for the end of the small bitter lake until three steamships had moored at the next stop. I remained on deck until 11 ’o´clock in the evening as I found it interesting to notice the exchange of the different signals between the stations and the ships as well as observing the skilled pilot, a compatriot from Porto Rè, navigate the ship on its often tortuous course.

Links

  • Location: Ismaïlia, Egypt
  • ANNO – on 21.12.1892 in Austria’s newspapers. The Neue Freie Presse laments that there are no public but only religious holidays in Austria. While the English commemorate Guy Fawkes Night, the French their revolution and the Italian their constitution day, Austria-Hungary does not do so due to its strange composition of its member states. Still, on 20 December 1892, Austria-Hungary commemorated the 25th anniversary of its new constitution.
  • The k.u.k. Hofoperntheater is performing Luigi Manzotti’s ballet Excelsior.

At Sea to Port Said, 19 December 1892

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During the night the northeast wind had stiffened considerably. “Elisabeth” was rolling strongly, in the cabins, some of the during the day improperly fixated objects were performing a true witches’ dance.

When I came to the bridge at 6 o’clock in the morning, the officer of the watch reported that the sea had been stormy during the night. The rolling continued during the full morning even though the wind calmed down. 22 degree Celsius.

Today, no land was visible, for the first time we saw but sky and water during the whole day.

Links

  • Location: at sea between Crete and Egypt
  • ANNO – on 19.12.1892 in Austria’s newspapers. The Neue Freie Presse mentions that the Emperor, Archduke Ferdinand of Tuscany, Archduke Leopold Salvator and Prince Louis of Bavaria spent Franz Ferdinand’s birthday on the train departing at 2.45 pm to a hunting retreat. They will return on the 21st December 1892.
  • Hunting is dangerous: The Neue Freie Presse notes that Baron Alphonse Rothschild has been hit in the eye by a piece of lead from the hunting rifle’s recoil on 18th December 1892 in France. A special private telegram from Paris informs that the eye is not fatally threatened. The doctors recommend 14 days‘ rest in bed to recover.
The Wiener Vivarium advertizes talking parrots and domesticated apes as Christmas presents.

The Wiener Vivarium advertises talking parrots and domesticated apes as Christmas presents.

At Sea to Port Said, 18 December 1892

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Already while waking up, I noticed that the sea must be running high as rolling movements were felt strongly in the cabin. After having tediously dressed myself with the assistance of a marine servant, I went on deck where I met many a distraught face as Father Neptune demanded his first victims. A stiff breeze was coming from the North-East and wave upon wave crashed upon the deck. Otherwise the day was clear and the sky above us painted in an intense blue.

In the morning, the assigned meeting of the staff and the mass in the battery had to be canceled due to the strong rolling motions; only at noon, when we arrived near Crete, was the sea calming down. We changed our course slightly and navigated alongside the coast of Crete and between it and the island of Gavdos. Crete offers picturesque scenic sights. The peaks of Mount Ida at up to 2457m crowned the view, while steep rocky sides fall off towards the sea. The island seems to be almost as poor in vegetation as in human settlements, despite their numerous markings on the map. Only on a few prominent spots were visible small white buildings, apparently monasteries or churches. The snow on Mount Ida, reaching far down, the violet-red illumination of the mountains and the deep blue sky united into a powerful panorama.

After lunch, a raffle (tombola) for the crew was arranged as a Sunday distraction for which all the off-duty crews had assembled on the middle deck. Our good boatswain – the good old school type, with a certain animosity against all modern maritime fixtures – called out the numbers in the manner that he combined each number with an Italian joke word what caused much amusement. Wine, cigars and other trinkets served as prizes.

In the evening, a procession in honour of my birthday was organized by the sailors. The procession was very successful and amusing, attesting to the humour and imagination of our peoples. With the simplest means such as flax tow, grime, broken belts, fish hooks and so on, they managed to achieve the funniest effects. Behind the music band marched in first position an Italian choir that produced a number of well-tempered songs; then followed a Bohemian music band, dressed in various uniforms borrowed from the cadets, that played the known song „Nejde to“ in the most audacious modulations. At the same time, an animal tamer lead a large group of lions, apes, elephants and camels. The elephants were especially imaginatively constructed: a two-man team had covered themselves with a tarred gun cover and used the barrel protection as its trunk. A very uncanny beast with a moving mouth studded with teeth, a crossbreed between a marabou and a crocodile had been born in the shoemaker’s workshop. A Schrammel quartet filled the air with real Viennese melodies. In conclusion a magnificent chieftain led a horde of jet black Zulu kaffirs who shivered in the cold faced with the stiff north east breeze dressed only in their swimming trunks and a coat of grime. The savages carrying a banner with my name roared “hurrah” and danced lustily. Their lively movements warmed them somewhat up in their skimpy dress. As the music incidentally used the common rhythm of a jolly polka all the sailors were dancing pair-wise in rounds.

The easy gaiety of our sailors made a favourable impression. Given the severe even harsh and dangerous demands of the service, this can be seen as a proof of the physical and psychological sanity of the crew and also attributed to the good influence of a well-regulated military lifestyle. It is good to see how the members of the most diverse nationalities and countries share a common bond. Germans from Lower Austria, namely from Vienna, from Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria and from other countries, Slavs from Bohemia, the Croatian coast and from Dalmatia, Italians and Hungarians are fully intermingled. Notwithstanding the individual nationality, the polyglot crew feels to be joined together to form a part of the service under one proud and glorious flag. This nurtures and strengthens the awareness of the union of all nationalities under own ruling family and in one common fatherland – certainly an educational outcome of military service that can not be cultivated and promoted too carefully enough.

Links

  • Location: Gavdos (Greece)
  • ANNO – on 18.12.1892 in Austria’s newspapers. This being Franz Ferdinand’s birthday, the newspapers naturally congratulated. The Wiener Salonblatt opened with a portrait of Franz Ferdinand and informed its readers about Franz Ferdinand’s departure from Trieste and announced his predicted arrival date at Port Said in Egypt on 20th December.
Title page of the Wiener Salonblatt with a portrait of Franz Ferdinand

Title page of the Wiener Salonblatt with a portrait of Franz Ferdinand as a Major General: Se. k. u. k. Hoheit der durchlauchtigste Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Österreich-Este

At Sea to Port Said, 17 December 1892

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During the night, the strong Bora wind made the sea rise: the heavily rolling ship dislocated many objects that hit the walls. The noise made us get up at 3 o’clock in the morning.

The morning weather, however, turned out beautiful and the sea was calmer but still choppy from a North-eastern wind. At 8 o’clock, we had arrived alongside Corfu and saw the wonderful Albanian mountains in the distance. In the afternoon, we passed Kephalonia that had never played a historical role but still had its own moving history. Only a small canal was separating it from Ithaka, known to classicists. We could make out the distinct shape of Kephalonia despite the distance of several miles from the coast; later appeared Zante, the flower of the Levant.

The setting sun created colorful effects that reminded me of the southern sky on the stony mountains on whose flanks little hamlets with olive orchards and vineyards were situated. In the evening I was surprised by a premature birthday celebration. A tattoo was beat. The crew shouted „Hurrah“, an improvised firework started. Rocket upon rocket went up into the star spangled sky straight as an arrow, while signal lights illuminated the deck clear as day.

Links

  • Location: Zakynthos (Greece)
  • ANNO – on 17.12.1892 in Austria’s newspapers. The Neue Freie Presse hotly discusses the government’s initiatives regarding certificates of proficiency (first introduced in 1883). In Paris, the Panama Canal Company scandal is in full force. Charles de Lesseps and his co-defendants were escorted to the Mazas prison on the evening of 16 December 1892. Ferdinand de Lesseps, staying at Le Chesnay Palace, will stay at liberty, for the moment. It is announced that Vienna’s first grand Hofburg ball will take place on 9 January 1893.
  • Vienna’s K. und k. Hof-Burgtheater offered a comedy “Gönnerschaften” (Patronages). The K. und k. Hof-Operntheater played the comic opera “Gute Nacht, Herr Pantalon”.

At Sea to Port Said, 16 December 1892

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We were greeted by a wonderful day and a completely quiet sea. The stronger force of the sun was already noticeable. In the morning we viewed the landside mountains with Monte Movar at Rogoznica: around 9 o’clock we were passing between Lissa and Busi and saw the little island of Pelagosa in the distance: a few hours later the high mountains of Bocche di Cattaro appeared.

Barely visible with the eyes, a sailing warship appeared on the horizon which we thought might be one of our winter squadron, either “Nautilus” or “Albatros”.

In the morning a battle stations exercise was completed for all hands. The guns were also maneuvered. Exercises our navy completed with its own special precision. During the journey the Italian coast became visible above the tender blueish contours of the sea. After a wonderful sunset we were regaled by a clear starry sky, a spectacle we enjoyed to the fullest on the afterdeck to the music of our felicitous band.

Links

  • Location: Lissa (now: Vis, Croatia)
  • ANNO – on 16.12.1892 in Austria’s newspapers. The Neue Freie Presse informs its readers about the riches of fertile Africa. A German expedition of 120 persons marched 3000 kilometers from Cameroon to Chad. It also notes that Maria Antonia, widowed Grand Duchess of Tuscany, arrived from Gmunden for her winter stay in Abbazia. Meanwhile, 360 persons of Steyr, on their own will as duly remarked by the paper, departed to Genoa for their emigration to Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Emigration fever is spreading.
  • Vienna’s K.k. Burgtheater offered a comedy by Gustav Freytag, „Die Journalisten“ (The Journalists). The K.k. Hof-Operntheater played Giuseppe Verdi’s „Un ballo in maschera“ (Ein Maskenball).

Trieste – At Sea to Port Said, 15 December 1892

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Vienna’s sea of houses disappear on the horizon: a last salute to the beautiful city – only after a long journey around the earth will I see her again! My parents, my younger sisters, Otto and my sister-in-law accompanied me to Trieste. On 14th December we arrived there in the evening. Just after my arrival, I embarked upon the ram cruiser “Elisabeth” where I was welcomed on board by its commander, Captain of the Line v. Becker and his staff. Not far from “Elisabeth” lay moored “Greif”. My parents and my sisters passed the night on board of that ship.

Today in the morning my family – Ferdinand had also arrived – came on board of “Elisabeth” to while away the last hours before my departure.  After the belated arrival of Admiral Baron Sterneck and finally of Count and Countess Thun as well as Prince Starhemberg a thorough visit of the ship in all its parts and all its equipment for the long voyage was undertaken. The batteries, the torpedo installations, the colossal machines of 9000 horse powers, the giant 24 cm tower guns, the officers’ mess as well as the magazines with the munitions and supply depots were duly admired.

The last hours together with my family passed away all too quickly and now it was time to separate! To the salute of the guns and cries of “Hurrah” I accompanied my parents and siblings back on board of “Greif”, took my leave with a heavy heart and returned to “Elisabeth”.

At 2 o’clock the ship was unmoored; the anthem was sung, a hundred times the officers and sailors shouted “Hurrah”  – majestically, “Elisabeth” went into action. We drove past “Greif” and two Lloyd steamships “Arciduchessa Carlotta” and „Danubio“ packed tightly with ladies, officers and gentlemen. On all ships, the people’s hymn rang out; kerchiefs, caps and hats were swung as greetings. In a plethora of languages they shouted to us “Farewell” and “happy voyage” which were answered with “Hurrahs” and a flag salute. It was a touching moment!

The tender ship „Büffel“, the two Lloyd steamboats and „Greif“ went along with us. Our two ship bands added patriotic color to the air of departure – the sounds of the Radetzky march and Prince Eugene march, the glorious “O you my Austria” (O, du mein Österreich) were drifting across the sea. Home seemed to want to imprint itself as a beautiful image into my memory, as the sun was beaming out of a clear sky, reflected in the deep blue fair Adria and from afar, the snow covered mountains were offering their salutes with their glistering peaks.

But the separation has to happen at last! A few miles out of Trieste, level with Piran, “Greif” signaled on the mast top “Good journey, good bye and good hunting”, then it turned about sharply to starboard; a final salute from the bridge and we were on our own on a southern course into space. For a long time, I was observing “Greif”. The distance kept growing, the homeward bound ship grew smaller and smaller till it was but a point swimming on the horizon where the blue sky and the water seemed to flow together. Then it disappeared from my view. In my thoughts a feeling of eternal longing for my home and my dearest welled up, it was homesickness which I didn’t know before. Just a moment ago, it was wanderlust that had capture me with all its magic and now, only a few moments after the separation from my country, my parents and my siblings, it was homesickness that constant fellow of the home centered traveler which appeared unexpectedly out of the thought that I would be living abroad for a year.

Never did I experience the power more strongly that a nation can hold over its sons than when I was leaving it behind with every second.  The thought comforted me that distance does not equal separation. Hope about a fortuitous return home was building a bridge to a joyful reunion.

Willingly, I humored my mood and lost myself in the thoughts that had triggered it for a few moments. Then I banned them. It was expedient for everyone to make one’s stay on this floating piece of home as comfortable as possible. In the cabins, photographs and pictures were hanged, the books of the large travel library sorted, weapons unpacked and checked. Soon the work was completed and I went again on deck. The well-known coast of Istria with its spare rocks and the nice white hamlets was passing by: from afar, the peaks of Monte Maggiore were glistening. A glorious sunset completed the day. In the evening, we met in the lunch room, and the approaching night met us writing the first letters home.

Links

  • Location: Trieste (Italy).
  • ANNO – on 15.12.1892 in Austria’s newspapers: The morning edition of the Neue Freie Presse opens with a report on the German Reichstag discussing contentious military issues. In Vienna, too budgets are discussed in parliament.
  • Vienna’s K.k. Burgtheater announced Ludwig Fulda’s new play „Das verlorene Paradies“ (Lost Paradise), while the K.k. Hof-Operntheater played Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde.
Scharf's diamond imitations, of world renown. Christmas presents for travelers by Herman Waizner, 1. Vienna.

Scharf’s diamond imitations, of world renown. Christmas presents for travelers by Herman Waizner, 1. Vienna.

At Sea to Havre, 8 to 14 October 1893

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Aeolus promised much when „Bretagne“ ventured out into the sea but kept few of the promises. Our high expectations about an agreeable voyage were diminished more and more and finally totally shattered. It was as if we who had been happily been borne on the back of the oceans had to endure their huge forces once more before we could set foot on Europe’s old soil again.

The sky refused itself to be seen by us, as we drove in dense fog that partly fully obscured all views partly heavily impeded it with a few rare interruptions which required increased caution in navigation given the large number of Atlantic Ocean steamers on this route.

The sea was choppy during the whole voyage and at times even stormy. Wave upon wave rolled against „Bretagne“ that however as a charming French lady was not looking to turn things into a tragedy and danced in elegant movements over the menacing dangers. Unfortunately the living freight aboard danced with her and not always as gracefully and without consequences. But we were spared worse misery than seeing our suffering fellow travellers. At times, one might have believed that the angel of death had enclosed the ship with its dark wings when only we sea-proof world travellers appeared on deck and entered the bleak empty dining hall.

As soon as the sea had calmed down a bit, but only to recover its strength and to have us feel her moods again, there was a general resurrection on board and the persons assumed dead reappeared and every nook of the ship was filled with laughter, talk and lust for life, as the large majority of the passengers was of French origin. When even the clouds were cracked open for once, the activity on the ship resembled those of a mosquito swarm that disperses at the start of a storm only to reassemble at the first rays of the sun and fly up and down enjoying the light and the warmth.

Very exciting and interesting in a psychological analysis of the people were comparing the life on board of the „Empress of China“ among the English and here on board of the „Bretagne“ among the French. In the tight conditions of human relations on a ship the characteristic qualities of the two nations were distinctly on display like on a zooming mirror. As we Austrians were in our natural means closer to that of the French, even if a bit more earnest, it is no wonder that life on board was quite harmonic and that, despite the bad weather, we spent quite agreeable hours on board of the „Bretagne“. To be fair — it was not only the travel companions that produced lighter tones into the image of our fog-filled existence but also the outstanding equipment on board of „Bretagne“ that made life quite bearable, most notably in the first place by the excellent cuisine.

In combination with a good conscience, a good dining table — it might sound prosaic but is nevertheless true — is one of the prerequisites of a long sea voyage that keeps the soul in an equitable balance in order to tolerate worse events more easily and to appreciate agreeable ones more joyfully.  Especially thankful were we who had already travelled around the globe and thereby tasted all imaginable culinary output for the perfect creations from the cooking artist of „Bretagne“ and will keep the chef in good memory in recognition of our already too often severely tested stomach.

When „Bretagne“ was steering over the Newfoundland bank, we witnessed an interesting spectacle. Far in the distance one could see jets of water spout out of the sea and soon a dark shapeless mass was getting closer to the ship which finally revealed itself as whales. Eight or ten of these animals were circling the „Bretagne“ at such a shallow depth that we could not only clearly distinguish the shapes of the creatures but also some amateur photographers on board managed to take images of the colossi but without being able to recommend them to prior adopt a friendly mien prior. We vividly regretted not to be on board of „Elisabeth“, as in that case her rapid fire canon might have been used successfully for me to make my debut as a whale hunter.

During the first days of the voyage we were still able to contain our impatience to reach. The closer „Bretagne“ approached the destination of our voyage however, the greater became our inquietude until finally the expectation reached its maximum strain.

Ex Oriente lux! On 14th October late in the evening — in our yearning we had rushed ahead to the heart of our homeland — the light fire of the Scilly islands appeared far off in the distance, twinkling like a star and indicating the right course to the „Bretagne“. An indescribable feeling of joy overcame the mariners in view of the first greeting from the old continent. The light house rises, in roaring storms and weather, and sends its friendly, helpful saving light out into the dark night that like an angel overcomes the demon of darkness and enters by its rays into the mind of man.

Links

  • Location: At Sea near Newfoundland, Canada
  • ANNO – on 08.10.1893 in Austria’s newspapers.
  • The k.u.k. Hof-Burgtheater is playing the drama „Der Meister von Palmyra“. The k.u.k. Hof-Operntheater is performing Wagner’s opera „Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg“.
  • While Franz Ferdinand is already on his way to Europe, the Wiener Salonblatt informs its readers that he will next visit Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
The Wiener Salonblatt No. 41, informs its readers about Franz Ferdinand's visit to Philadelphia and Washington, DC. A visit to Independence Hall would have been quite unlikely. Anyway, Franz Ferdinand is already on board of the SS Bretagne returning to Europe.

The Wiener Salonblatt No. 41, informs its readers about Franz Ferdinand’s visit to Philadelphia and Washington, DC. A visit to Independence Hall would have been quite unlikely. Anyway, Franz Ferdinand is already on board of the SS Bretagne returning to Europe.

 

Penticton — Priests‘ Landing, 16 September 1893

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In the morning I felt a bit better but still stayed on board whiling away the time by buying leather moccasins and gloves from the Indians.  The Indian ladies were so curious and really wanted to have a look at the foreign prince so that they dared to come on board guided by the missionary. I was then just occupied with entries into my diary when they arrived and stared at me. Imhof used this moment to photograph the dainty beauties who had very energetic facial features and strong bodies. The Indian women soon became aware of it but this realization produced various results. Some cried and covered up their brown faces with a shawl whereas others less shy and apparently quite vain, took off their shawl to accentuate their dense black hair.

At the pier a vivid trade had developed as the travel organizer was selling off at a considerable loss all the objects acquired for the expedition and now unnecessary such as field beds, cooking utensils etc, then the remaining tins and alcoholic beverages. Most of it was bought by Mr. Ellis, who celebrated the acquisition by getting fully drunk on the spot.

Towards noon, shortly before departure, a heavy stormy wind came up that churned up the lake so that the departure of the bulky steamer became almost impossible.  A rope with which the aft of the ship should have been swung free snapped and we drifted again to the pier and hit it booming, to the greatest pleasure of Mr. Ellis under alcoholic influence who was howling with joy about this failure of the vehicle of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company he hated thoroughly and was waving his hat.

The maneuver was repeated, the rope snapped again and this time the rebound and crash into the pier was even harder so that the pier was screeching in all its joints and we too on the ship had to absorb a mighty hit.  The excitement was now general, the wind was blowing stronger and stronger, the captain was shouting and swearing, Mr. Ellis was rejoicing, the missionary told me that he intended to come along to prepare me for death and the journey to the next world, a kind offer that I however thankfully declined for now. A third rope was launched to shift the ship. As the crew on board was insufficient, a colorful company of in part quite ludicrous guys was thronging at the gangway working eagerly for the common good. The paymaster, the passengers, the waiter in  shirtsleeves — all were pulling strongly until the joint effort proved successful. The aft turned towards the lake, the machine started and we could gain the open water.

At the station of Kelowna, which consisted of a few settler houses, I used the stay of a quarter hour to inspect a steam saw at the shore that was driven by a machine with 42 horsepower. There five circular saws and a planer turned the mighty spruce trunks of the virgin forest within the shortest time into plain boards. In a small merchant store we bought still a few leather Indian costumes and gloves. Towards 6 o’clock we were at Priests‘ Landing and stayed on board of „SS Aberdeen„. Late in the evening the rain started again.

Links

  • Location: Penticton, Canada
  • ANNO – on 16.09.1893 in Austria’s newspapers.
  • The k.u.k. Hof-Burgtheater is playing the tragedy „Der Erbförster“. The k.u.k. Hof-Operntheater is performing the ballet „Excelsior“.
Die Neue Presse reports that Franz Ferdinand will depart from New York on 14 October to England and pay a visit to Queen Victoria. Apart from the New York departure, the information is completely wrong.

Die Neue Presse reports on 16 September 1893 that Franz Ferdinand will depart from New York on 14 October to England and pay a visit to Queen Victoria. Apart from the New York departure, the information is completely wrong.

Vancouver, 5 September 1893

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After the beautiful evening, a dense fog appeared as a herald of the close coast. Already at 4 o’clock in the morning fog signals of our ship given with the steam whistle and siren in five minute intervals. As one could hardly see from the middle of the ship to the fore, the commander did not dare to continue the journey but had the machine stopped and awaited the morning while continuously sending out acoustic signals. At dawn our identification signal was whistled and soon repeated by a fog horn of a signal station at the coast — a convincing proof for the precision of the navigation on board. At 9 o’clock in the morning we finally started moving again, an hour later veiled contours of mountains became visible and we now could drive again at full speed. In time, the rays of the rising sun pierced the fog so that more and more some contours of the coast, mountains and wooded slopes could be recognized.  Further signs of land was the copious driftwood we saw, among it mighty cedar trunks. Many white butterflies were fluttering around the ship and also small birds paid a visit to our rigging from time to time.

The fog lifted, blue spots became visible in the sky and we saw, even though there still was a layer of fog on the sea, quite clearly the quite high coast of the American continent and could perceive even with the naked eye mighty spruces, cedars and thujas whose high trunks rose straight up. Small white houses of settlers were gleaming under the dark green of the trees.

„Empress“ steered into the Strait of San Juan de Fuca that separated the British island Vancouver from the mainland of the United States, Washington state, so that we had at the same time territories of two states in front of us. The sun provided agreeable warmth and after a number of cool days the passengers were comfortably sunning on deck.

Towards 2 o’clock in the afternoon a trumpet signal announced that Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, had become visible and soon we anchored in the harbor. The city is situated on the South-east coast of Vancouver island and Victoria harbor entertains vivid trade and shipping as a mutual place of exchange for ocean and river steamers with the harbors of the Strait of Georgia and Fraser river. The bay offers a quite friendly view. Around the bay the city is built on a ring of green hills and islands. The city reveals at first glance its modern American character: the streets run straight, the houses are mostly built out of wood in a tasteless fashion, painted reddish and covered by a forest of pillars that carry a network of telegraph and telephone wires as well as the cables for the electric lighting. In the harbor, the masts and parts of the aft of the sunk steam boat „San Pedro“ protruded sadly out of the sea.

Our stay in front of Victoria lasted but one hour that was spent for the medical examination by the harbor administration and the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers. For this purpose the giant harbor wheel steamer „Yosemite“ whose beam engine towered over the deck approached the „Empress“ closely. Apart from the passengers embarking to Vancouver there were also a whole crowd of nosy persons on board and long before the steamer had docked, a lady shouted from it who among the travellers was the prince. But I did not grant her the pleasure of my appearance and thus she had to return on land without having seen me.

Right from the first approach to America we had be exposed to one of the plagues of this country —  reporters who are notorious for their unavoidable aggressiveness and wanted to interview us immediately. The departure of „Yosemite“ shut off this fruitless undertaking and we too hoisted the anchor, steering through a number of smaller islands that presented themselves quite picturesque with their beautiful trees breathed upon by the blueish mist of the evening air. In a small channel we encountered the maneuvering English Pacific Squadron, — consisting of the flagship „Royal Arthur“, a mighty armored ship of 7700 t, a corvette and two gunboats — intended primarily to protect the fishing industry in the Bering sea and which is stationed in Esquimalt, about 48 km South-west of Victoria.

In the Strait of Georgia we enjoyed one of those rare beautiful sunsets. The sun showed itself almost in a Nordic way as a  crimson ball in the foggy air before it disappeared behind the mountains of Vancouver island. The purple contours of the islands created a sharp contrast to the evening sky.

To recover the delays from this morning caused by the fog, we drove at full speed on all boilers so that we managed up to 18 sea miles per hour. The second captain told me with a smile that the the commander and the first machinery engineer had only recently been married and where doing their utmost to reach their home in Vancouver as quickly as possible. I found this marital bliss very touching and very agreeable for all passengers as we thus could expect to land already in the evening. Quite many maritime journey would come to an end more quickly if the ship captain only had been married recently.

We still had to pass through a narrow channel. Then we saw many electric lights that indicated the presence of a harbor nearby. At 10 o’clock in the evening the „Empress“ moored at a mole, on which I immediately, despite the darkness, discovered Imhof who was expecting the arrival of the ship and whom I was to meet here. What a joy to meet a good friend, after such a long absence from home, who comes directly from there to us! No wonder that Imhof still had to answer our questions deep into the night and had to give us all kinds of news. That he also brought the mail, made him doubly welcome.

The hotel we stayed in which was also owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company instantly showed the discomforts of American hotels we were already expecting: The bad or better said non-existing service, the annoying ban on smoking and the lack of salons and smoking rooms where one could while away some time after dinner. Finally the cooking. I am certainly no gourmand and count eating among the least of life’s pleasures. Anyhow I can not become friends with the English way of cooking that is used in America too. All roasts are prepared in the same manner „à Ia roast beef“ and are notable for their one and only taste, the vegetables are only boiled with water and another dessert than the inevitable pudding seems to be totally unknown.

Links

Wiener Salonblatt No. 37 notes the safe arrival of Franz Ferdinand in Vancouver.

Wiener Salonblatt No. 37 notes the safe arrival of Franz Ferdinand in Vancouver.

At Sea to Vancouver, 26 August to 4 September 1893

Hinterlasse eine Antwort

During the first two days the weather was mild and agreeable, we could spend the time on deck in light clothing. Then we came into the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands and the region of the North and North-east winds which carry ice cold air from the polar regions so that the thermometer suddenly dropped to 7° C.  and the temperature difference was keenly felt. A few days ago we were exposed to 34° C.! All passengers put on winter clothes, furs or plaids and the air heating of the cabins was activated.

Life on board takes a rather regular turn. At half past 7 o’clock the gong calls to breakfast. The meals are eaten in a  beautiful spacious dining room. Otherwise we spend most of the day on the long deck. A very active committee consisting of the second captain and some passengers arranges a number of games which entertain the majority of passengers. Those who do not want to participate in the games sit, covered in plaids, in long cane chairs and read or run to and fro to stay in motion. These „runs“ are especially popular after the meals, namely among the English and American ladies who do almost incredible things. They would probably break the best records by running arm in arm of two or three persons with very long not always gracious strides and turning the edge of the deck unsafe.

During the first days my time was spent adding my travel recollections of our stay in Japan. Later I met more and more of our fellow passengers among whom there were some kind people. Opposite of my cabin lives an English painter who thankfully is able to speak French. He travels around the world for the third time, while his wife is undertaking this „small journey“ already for the eighth time. The turbulent life seems not to please the artist anymore. When we asked him if these numerous voyages of his wife were not burdensome, he answered: „Enfin, c’est une maladie comme une autre!“ Among the passengers on board is also a Prince Galitzin, who has lost an arm in Paris  in a rather prosaic way, a rich tea merchant with two blond daughters as well as a number of other ladies of various ages.

With a charming small American woman I play daily multiple games of tennis without being able to make conversation with her as she only speaks English. But we nevertheless entertain ourselves very well. Clam and another American woman are the partners. Our ground is actually terrible because it is much too small, about half the normal size and covered at 3 m in height. During the pitching movements we furthermore stand on shaky ground. We also have to always pick up the two available balls ourselves that roll around on the whole ship after each play so that there is always a small chase and search. This all does not disturb our pleasure to play tennis on the open sea.

Three other games I often participated in require a certain skill in throwing disks and rubber rings at certain numbers. Cricket, which the English would not miss, was always very agitated so that already on the first day a gentleman had broken a finger and two further players left the field of battle with injuries. A ball organized by the entertainment committee was a failure as nobody wanted to play music and dance at first and later when the Wagner enthusiast played a waltz, even though he considered this beneath him, only American couples began to dance so that the ball ended quickly. If all the ladies in the New World obey the custom of only dancing with their husbands, how boring must balls be on that continent!

Besides the games on deck, especially during the evenings, singing was honored both in individual and choir form. But due to the complete lack of good voices and the circumstance that the participants tended to sing off-key on principle the performance did in no way equal the effort put into it and produced no entertaining feasts for the ears.

With true English rigor the strict Sunday rules were executed. The paymaster performed a service. In the morning and afternoon endless chorals were sung. No game was allowed to be played. Even the Wagnerian had to stay away from the piano and when our hunters tried to play a harmless game of cards in the bar room, this was instantly prohibited. In the evening of 3rd September there was even a disputation between two Protestant pastors that the passengers listened to with devotion. One of them was Anglican, the other a Norwegian missionary, actually an unfortunate misshaped man who had lost nearly all the knowledge of European languages and customs during his six year stay in the interior of China and became the butt of jokes and taunts on board. Special hilarity was caused when he was photographed by Hodek in the costume of a Tibetan Lama.

Until 1st September the sea remained calm only a North-eastern wind produced some light ripples — weather conditions that are actually not to be expected during this season. The horizon was cloudy in the morning and the evening but the weather cleared up a bit up to noon. During the first nights we had beautiful moonshine. The color of the sea was no longer the beautiful blue or green that we were used to seeing. It was more of a leaden blue turning toward black.

A large number of various guillemots, seagulls and stormbirds were flying around our ship. Even a small representative of an albatross species showed up. But I could not determine these sky fliers more closely as there existed no sufficiently knowledgeable expert about the named bird species as this was a very unexplored and quite unknown field of ornithology.

On 30th August we passed 180 degrees longitude and now the 24 hours lost on our journey towards the East were recovered so that we countered two consecutive days of 30th August.

The ship covered 350 to 360 miles per day. In favorable winds, the sails were also set but this did not have a visible effect on the speed.

As mentioned,  the calm weather until 1st September changed and wind jumped to South-east and brought so high waves with it that even the giant „Empress“ was mightily thrown around even though the ship is well adapted for the sea and moves quite comfortably. Nevertheless all passengers became more or less sea-sick and when the weather did not calm down on 2nd September there was almost nobody else on deck beside me and my gentlemen. Staying on deck, by the way, was not very comfortable due to the cold and breaking waves. The next day returned us the sun and we had once more as beautiful a journey as earlier.

On 4th September, the next to last day spent on sea, a collection was made among the passengers and the amount collected was donated for crew games that were quite animated and offered the English sailors the opportunity to display their skills. The program covered 12 numbers among them an obstacle race over rope barriers and banks as well as through life-savers. The competitors had in the „Finish“ to crawl through a wind sail  strewn with flour and caused many hilarious scenes. Also a flat race,  a sack race, a tug-of-war and a „potato race“ were organized. In the latter those could claim a prize if they managed to be the first to to put a certain number of potatoes that had been distributed on deck into a bucket. Then followed cock fights,  a long jump etc.

After the dinner a festive air dedicated to captain Archibald and his officers composed and authored by the Wagnerian was performed by a mixed choir with dreadful dissonances.

Finally came the moment where I was pleased not to speak English as this lack spared me a bad fate. After the canons had ended,  the name of one of the gentlemen rang out among the circle: „Speak, speak“, so that the miserable chosen one could not but rise and give a speech. This custom was upheld until nearly all the gentlemen had spoken and the ship and the happy voyage praised sufficiently. When later everybody’s ship uncle Prince Galitzin with a friendly smile and some encouraging words awarded brooches and photographs of the ship to the ladies and gentlemen who had been the most skilful at the games, the speech torture was repeated for its uncomfortable victims.

Finally it was again time to sing but I fled as everybody was fully committed to mercilessly present all their complete repertoire and enjoyed the splendor of the cloudless starry sky on deck.

Links

The Wiener Salonblatt No. 35 reports FF's departure from Yokohama towards North America.

The Wiener Salonblatt No. 35 reports FF’s departure from Yokohama towards North America.

  • The k.u.k. Hof-Burgtheater is closed for summer until 15 September. The k.u.k. Hof-Operntheater is performing the opera „Die Afrikanerin“.