Berwick Register, July 10, 1929
A Welcome Epistle From P. F. Lawson
Dear Mr. Editor:-
"Thirty Years Ago," is a department of The Register in which I take much interest. My wife tells me it is because I like to see my name in print, and recently that department has had several references to my sea-going years.
I'm as much in love with the sea as ever. Because of my having been busy organizing a West Indies Cruise a number of months have elapsed since I have given The Register a contribution. Nevertheless I have been a diligent reader and not a word from Harborville, "The Man About Town," or any of your news reporters has escaped me.
We got back last Thursday, June 20, from a cruise to Cuba, Hayti, Porto Rico, St. Thomas and San Domingo and already I've outlined an itinerary for next year which will make the following ports of call: Havana, Cuba; Kingston, Jamaica; Cartagena, Columbia; and Colon, Panama and Balboa in the Canal Zone.
On my way home from last summer's homecoming I stopped in New York long enough to arrange a $90,000 charter for the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce of the Clyde Line Steamship Shawnee, the finest, fastest and most luxurious coastwise steamship in the world. My thirty-year-ago cruises of the West Indies in brigantine and schooner were not "luxurious," but I got more "kick" out of them than out of the recent voyage which has ended very successfully with everyone satisfied.
Some thirty-two or thirty-three years ago I sailed from Kingsport with potatoes and smoked fish for Demerara in the brigantine Evangeline - Capt. Jim Gould, Bob Hayes, of Pleasant Valley was mate. Bob will remember when we lost our anchor in that harbor and finally had it recovered by a couple of nude divers. Ever since that day I have longed to see St. Thomas again, so when it was put up to me to arrange a West Indies Cruise St. Thomas went on the itinerary.
St. Thomas was owned by Denmark when I was there in the Evangeline; today it is a possession of the United States, having been purchased for $27,000,000. Part of our cargo into St. Thomas in the brigantine was rum from Demerara. Today the Volstead act prevents such shipments.
I have just asked Agnes, my daughter, who with my wife was with me on the cruise of the Shawnee, to write about the trip for The Register. Her reply was "I'm going to write a letter to Hope Beardsley about it and, if she wants to, she can give the letter to The Register."
Please, Mr. Editor; if Hope submits the letter, look it over an, if you think it's worth the space, print it; if not, I may try to see if I can write about the West Indies as easily as I did thirty years and more ago.
P. F. Lawson.
255 Forrest St.,
Beaumont, Texas.
(Letter to which Mr. Lawson refers, is in our possession and will appear in next week's issue. - Ed.)
July 17, 1929
A Trip To The West Indies
The following letter by Miss Agnes Lawson of Beaumont, Texas, to her friend, Miss Hope Beardsley, contains an interesting account of a recent trip to the West Indies, upon which she accompanied her father, Mr. P. F. Lawson, who as Publicity Director of the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, organized the expedition:
Dear Hope: -
I just got through pasting a lot of pictures in my album that I took in the West Indies this month. Pictures on the beautiful S. S. Shawnee, of tropical scenes on the islands, typical native life pictures, pictures of our sensational "home-coming," and just everything that will keep alive the memories of this summer's cruise. But I know I won't have to look at my book to remember every little detail of the cruise; like my trip to Canada last year, it will remain with me always. However, while it is still the main topic of Beaumont's conversation, and not yet a week old, I'm going to tell you all about it from start to finish.
You have been told how long ago daddy first started planning on this cruise and of the many ups and downs that always go with a big undertaking. Well, that worry didn't end until the ship was tied up at the foot of our main street. It was supposed to have docked on June 5 but because of another ship being stuck in the river it didn't get in until the day of sailing, June 6. So we didn't get to do all we had planned before sailing, such as a dinner for the captain, etc.
Anyway it got here and even if some of the people did wait several hours to watch it come in, they weren't disappointed the least bit. About the sailing, I can't tell you so very much. I was in such a daze and everyone was so excited, things don't seem very clear. But I can remember that the docks were crowded with people, the traffic in that end of town blocked hopelessly, aeroplanes were circling around, and movie cameras were grinding busily. It must have been quite a sight to see us sail out with all the people waving and throwing that long stringy paper stuff that they use at dances. We all stayed on deck until we turned a bend in the river.
The minute we could no longer see any of Beaumont we all rushed down to see our staterooms and inspect the ship. I roomed with a girl friend of mine on the same deck with mamma and daddy and we were certainly pleased with our "bunking-place." The ship was like one grand hotel with everything one could wish for - except a swimming pool. So the first day was spent going over the ship and getting acquainted. The getting acquainted part was very easy; everyone was just like a member of one big family and we knew no such thing as a "stranger."
You didn't have to wonder what you could do to pass the time on board - no, indeed, you had to wonder where you could possibly find time to do such and such a thing. We had deck games of all kinds, nice deck chairs to sit in, bridge (and poker) games all the time, a library, dancing, and just all kinds of things to do to make time pass pleasantly. And, I forgot to mention the music. We had afternoon music programs everyday and although we all enjoyed these very much, the music that really sounded best to us and that no person ever failed to hear, was the delightful little tune a man would play on a bugle before each meal.
We arrived at Havana, Cuba, on Saturday about noon and although we hadn't had lunch yet we rushed madly for the gangplank and onto the shores of our first, as well as first wet, port. Autos were there to meet us and we just picked our car and got in to drive over the gay Cuban capital for several hours. We spied a big shiny green car and jumped into it hoping the driver would be one who could tell us all we saw. All the other cars were filled before our driver came up and then it was too late to change - our driver could not speak a word of English!
Needless to say we were very disappointed and settled down to just look. Now, as you know, I've studied Spanish in school a couple of years but you know how you learn a language in school. You get your lessons because you must and you never talk to a native because you think they will laugh at your many blunders. But we did want to know what this building was and why they did some things so queerly in Cuba, so I got brave enough to speak in Spanish to the man. And wonders! He understood and it just about tickled him to death. So we got in real conversation and he would tell me in Spanish what each thing was and I would tell the rest of our party in English all about it. Of course I wasn't an "expert" but if he would say something and I would fall to get the drift he would tell me the same thing but use entirely different words. So in this manager we found out all we wished to know about the different things. It was great sport talking to him and knowing that no one else understood us.
We went to all the places of interest both in the new and old parts of the city and then left our cars for a few hours of shopping around in the town. After that we met again at the Plaza Hotel and on the roof they had a sort of reception and served us Champagne Punch. I didn't care for the reception and the punch almost choked me but our bunch stayed for dinner and then danced, which was real fun.
After leaving the hotel we decided to take a drive along the wonderful beach, so we ordered a taxi. Being the interpreter I instructed the driver to follow the beach which he did without hesitation. Well, the beach ended and instead of turning around and going back our driver kept right on and as it was getting near sailing time we wanted to go back to the ship. So they told me to tell them to stop. I was about to do so when I discovered that I didn't know the Spanish word for "stop." Still we were headed in the other direction so we all started shouting "stop," but to no avail. He only looked s if he thought we were some more of those "Americanos Ricos" who didn't know when we had enough to drink. Then common sense came to my rescue, I poked him in the back and said, "We wish to go in this direction," and pointed back the way we had come - because I had even forgotten the word for "back."
Finally we reached the ship and finding ourselves a nice place we watched the gay Americans getting back to the ship. As you entered a whole mob of passengers were there and they made you walk a straight line to see just how much you had consumed - a test which a great many failed to do satisfactorily. It certainly was funny to see them. Some thought they were waiters, others thought they were selling coconuts while still others insisted that they were the captain and had decided to stay over another day. One thing that surprised us all was that every single passenger got aboard before we pulled out. Now I'm not saying how they got aboard but the main thing was they did. So, far into the morning we had songs on every deck and "Sweet Adaline" seemed to be the ship's anthem.
Another day at sea and then Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and "Black Republic." This port, although not the favorite, was really the most interesting because it was so different. Before the ship docked hundreds of small boats with natives swarmed around it. Then we had loads of fun throwing them coins to dive for. You have heard of those little black boys who dive for money that the tourists throw them, well, these were the first most of us had ever seem and they reaped quite a harvest from us. When we got ashore we were immediately surrounded with beggars of all ages and description and the only English they spoke was "Give me a nickle." If they had been crippled or something we wouldn't have minded it so much, but to have able bodied people begging for our hard-earned nickles was too much for us. How I longed to tell them to "beat it," but this was a French-speaking country.
This was the only port that wasn't somewhat like our own country. The people were so filthy, and all the small children were so embarrassingly dressed (undressed), the sidewalks were just pieces of pavement in front of the houses. One house might be rather high and the sidewalk would be high accordingly, the next maybe two feet lower and the sidewalk would be the same - as for the two feet difference, that was left up to you to jump. The real place of interest was the market place. If you could stand the odor long enough it was really interesting to walk around a bit. Everyone sat on the floor with their wares before them and each person usually sold only a few articles. If one old woman was selling candy and you wished to see what kind it was you had to brush the flies off to see if it were black or white. Of course the tourists bought only native hand-work here. Yes, it was an interesting place but it seemed good to be back on the ship gliding over cool waters again, instead of being pursued by half a dozen naked little kids demanding nickles.
San Juan, Porto Rico, was our next and longest stop. The first thing was another organized tour of the city and surrounding country. This time we had better luck, our driver was born in Chicago and worked down there with an electric company, and being from the States himself, he knew just what would interest us most. So after seeing everything there was to see we left our driver and went on another shopping tour.
After my success in Havana I was very confident of my Spanish, but they must not speak good Spanish there because I asked a policeman who didn't understand English where the post office was an it was only after several attempts that I made him understand what I wanted. Then he began waving his arms wildly around and pointing while all the time he was going at such a rate of speed I couldn't make any sense out of it. So I tried to look intelligent and kept nodding my head and when he finished I thanked him and we left. When the rest wanted to know how to get there I told them he said it was quite a distance and we had better take a taxi, so that fixed that for me without any embarrassment.
Our first night at San Juan they gave us a big dance at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. The next morning a party of six hired a car and we crossed the island to the city of Ponce. It is beyond me to try to describe the journey with the beautiful tropical scenery. It is only 80 miles across but because of the winding road it took us five full hours to make the trip. We saw coffee, bananas, coconuts and pineapples growing all along the way as well as great fields of tobacco and a few date palms. We were all delighted with Ponce and as the ride back was over a different part of the island we were not bored with seeing the same thing twice.
That night there was a big reception at the governor's palace for the cruisers and the Shawness sailed from the San Juan harbor at two in the morning.
St. Thomas was the next stop and one that most of the people weren't so very thrilled about in advance, but when we got in sight of the town nestled in the hills we all rushed to the decks and just gazed until they told us we must hurry and get ready to go ashore. The town far surpassed the others in beauty and the cameras had a busy day of it.
This was the first port that we had to take launches to the shore and it was quite exciting to climb into the little boats and go ashore. A native jazz band was there to meet us and the first thing was an exhibition by the marines of the island. Then we drifted into our own little groups and went sightseeing. Mamma and daddy were taken charge of by the governor of the island but I went with a group of young people to find a swimming place. You had to act too dignified when you went with daddy because he usually went with some official, and who likes to be dignified on a cruise like that!
The first thing we did was to buy some grass skirts and get a little native boy to carry them around for us. Then we visited Blue Beard's and Black Beard's Castle's. You have heard of those famous pirates. After that we got a taxi and had them take us to Paradise Beach to swim, after asking if it were safe from sharks. As those waters was full of sharks we hadn't been in swimming yet and were just about ready to go in sharks or no sharks. The beach was beautiful, as only a tropical beach can be with the palms and blue water, and we outdid ourselves seeing who could swim the fartherest out.
While waiting for the launch to take us back to the ship we overheard someone telling of a girl who had lost her life only about a month before. We told them we had been told there were no sharks around the beach but discovered the danger was not from sharks but from baracoutas. They do not bother the natives but the white arms and legs attract them to the white people. So although it was safe enough to just bathe on the beach we had taken a very great chance when we swam out into the deeper waters. That cured us of the desire to swim for the rest of the trip.
Another day at sea and we arrived at Santo Domingo, our last stop. Here again, we had to take launches to shore. It sure was funny to watch the people get on the little launches. The water was real rough and the small craft pitched around so that it took about eight men to get one passenger on.
Santo Domingo is famous because it is where Columbus landed on his second trip to the New World. We saw his fort, castle and cathedral where his bones are laid away. The bones were uncovered for the Shawnee tourists to see. Again we looked around the city and then went out to the country club for lunch. We had some of the most delicious fresh pineapple I have ever eaten. The fresh pineapple certainly is a lot better than the canned fruit.
It didn't take very long to see all we wanted to see so we returned to the ship. Back on board we found a lot of the tourists fishing for sharks and one of them had the luck to get one. It sure was sport trying to land him but after an hour's struggle he broke all the lines they had on him and that was the last we saw of that shark. That night there was a dance at the country club and the ship sailed at twelve.
Then came four full days at sea. To keep everyone amused we had fake trials, a mock marriage, bridge contest and all sorts of things to make the day full. The big day was the last day. Our last supper was turned into a banquet and everyone had the time of their lives. Then that night we had a masquerade ball which lasted until far into the morning. It was certainly funny the way some of the people dressed. My chum and I wore our grass skirts but after being told by several of our dancing partners that we felt like a bundle of splinters we went down and changed. We sure enjoyed ourselves that night and to make things even more beautiful we had a full moon and the water was as smooth as glass.
The next day everyone was in a state of excitement trying to get packed and getting everybody's addresses. We were to arrive at Beaumont about one o'clock but were delayed on the other side of Port Arthur until late that afternoon so we didn't dock here until seven thirty. It seemed as if even a larger crowd was there to greet us home than was there to see us go. We made quite a show of marching down the gangplank with our arms loaded with baskets, grass skirts, coconuts, parrots and all the other things we had purchased. Everyone stood and gazed in envy until the last passenger had stepped from the boat.
Most everyone was glad to get home but I don't believe there was a person who was sorry they had gone or who did not hate to leave the good old Shawnee where they had spent such a delightful 15 days. And everyone said if Beaumont had a cruise next year they were certainly going to be "Johnny on the spot!" So if daddy's plan for next year's cruise goes over it won't be such a job to fill the ship.
Next year we are going to Cuba, Jamaica, South America and Panama. Daddy wants to know where I get the "we," but if they do have a cruise I'm going to go if I have to stow away.
I hope you have a lovely time at your camp this summer and I sure wish I could go with you but I've had my vacation this year and will have to stay at home for the rest of the summer.
With love,
Aggie.
255 Forrest Street
Beaumont, Texas.
June 25, 1929.