Catharine Robb Whyte – Letters

last minute but the last second. I'm not telling this at all well. For I never said anything about the men who went around lashing this and that firmly to the deck. and removing all movable things and taking in the Radio mast and Antenna. Anyway all this was done and all the men inside and we in the Coning tower with the hole still open & the Captain on the bridge. Orders were given to dive at such a time and one sailor stood under the open hole giving the time left to the Captain. "ten seconds. Sir" I was wondering what in the world the Captain was doing up there "five seconds Sir." and still he didn't appearto tell the truth I was a bit impatient. the bow had already gone under, as we could see looking through the portholes, then "4 seconds" and the Captains

where we would be. Each submarine has to make so many emergency dives a year to be in the competition for efficiency. 200 a year I think. We were told to go down through the hole to the Coning tower below, by a straight little ladder, being warned not to touch some sort of control on the way. What would have happened had we I'm not sure. I think it would have shut doors or something. Needless to say we were very careful. The little ladder continued down through another hole to the Control room below. We were allowed to stay in the Coning Tower where we would be able to see the ship submerged through tiny portholes. I was sure we would forget and step back & into the hole for there was just about a foot of room to stand on round the open man hole. It was all sort of quiet after the order was given to dive. The Captain has to remain on the bridge until not the

Coning tower below. There wasn't much room and always the feeling of stepping through the hole. It was blowing a gale, or felt like it and was very choppey. We went out of the entrance to the harbor and looked for a good place to dive. (Tell Aunt Nela to remember I'm writing the letter so not to worry.) {strikethrough: not legible} (also that I'll have to make a good story out of it, so take it with a grain of salt) The American Navy seems very democratic in the way they do things. There's none of the snap and saluting and all that we saw on the Karlsruhe, but then who can say which is best. It was more like a pleasure cruise or someones private yacht than anything else. We got outside a way and there seemed no one around. a fishing boat in the distance a few submarines way off. So they decided to make a dive. The Army was shooting at targets off shore but they didn't think it was near

last hectic days. The Nichols had called us to say we could go out on a submarine that morning. So Wednesday we were up at six and waiting at quarter of eight for Philip Nichols. He drove us out to Pearl Harbor where we went aboard S 18. on of the Submarines built during the war completed after. There were several ladies already aboard who were going out, young officers wifes, five in all. Phil Nichols submarine was in dry dock but it may have been better the way it worked for he had nothing to do but show things to us, and otherwise would have been busy commanding. They started out soon after we got there, backing easily out [....ing] and then going out the Channel into the open sea. The Submarine is very narrow, though under water it is much larger. We stood on the deck going out the Channel and were served delicious coffee. Then we climbed up into the bridge which is like a box in an opera house, being about that size maybe smaller. Say 6ft by 5ft. including steering geer, compass. shelf for chart, 2 seats and a hole in the center to go down through to the

father came from Canada, but didn't know from where, and her Grandfather is a Doctor there, again knew no place. We decided her father must have been a sailor. Her mother wrote several of the well known songs they sing. She insisted we drink a toast together so I would remember her. As you click glasses 3 ways you say. "Never above you." Touching the base of your glass to the rim of the others. "Never below you." the reverse, your rim to their base. "Always with you" and then click glasses together. Its rater nice.

Just before going up ther I started to sneeze steadily as I often do here with hay fever. and every once in a while I would sneeze at the Luau. but there were lots of flowers to agravate it. However Wednesday morning I was all stuffed up, still a sort of hay fever feeling. We had been late getting back near midnight, and stayed to listen to them singing some of Hawaiians songs which are very sentimental but fine. It was the beginning of our

and somehow they didn't seem to enter in to things very much. We were sorry we hadn't come alone in a way. However [E...ie] brought us in their car and stayed quite a while after {strikethrough: 'we did'} which was something. It was all very informal and a good deal of piano playing and singing. A very attractive Chinese girl was there with her friend who danced the snaky hula, and I spoke to her quite a bit and sat next her during the entertainment. We were much amused when the girls danced alone and then would get {strikethrough: 'men'} tourists to dance with them, who loved trying to dance hula's and were very amusing. After it was over the Chinese girl, Sally, introduced me to her friend, Harriet Robbins, the latter was terribly nice to me and we had quite a chat. She had just returned from Bali Java. China and Japan saying we'd like Japan best. the the dancing in Java was wonderful. She wanted to come 'down?' to the boat to see lus off. They would do anything for one. She said her

entertainment. There were several girls or older women singing. tow girls who danced and Mr & Mrs Bray & their son who did 'this show?'. Then there were two girls who used to be hula girls, one was very 'snakey' in a way and the other did the livliest hula I have ever seen. She was the largest girl or woman I ever say outside a side show and was dressed in a ti leaf skirt and all. She was so shamed at first that it was hard to get started. but once she started she was away. the surprising thing was that she was very light on her feet and did all sorts of old steps one doesn't see now. The Hawaiian boys loved it and some people weren't sure how to take it. but it really was a real hula. The Moores came with Mr & Mrs Stewart who are rather correct or try to be. sort of Y.M.C.A. type but very nice. They left soon after the entertainment, and, I'm sure took things too seriously. [E.....] was crazy to go and 'thought?' an Australian girl, Miss Clayton,

quite a lot of us. The feast was very much like that we had at Joes. but no crab.

Just before dinner we all went outside and saw the pig packed in ti leaves being brought out of the ground well roasted. and really it was delicious. The {inserted above: 'word'} Luau comes from the dish of chicken with a spinach sauce. very nice but hard to eat with the fingers. Its funny how really messy it is eating with fingers when you aren't used to it. Its quite an art. There was Poi. [.....] Salmon. backed sweat potatoe. baked banana. coconut pudding and fresh pineapple. It was all delicious. and they started you off with small portions, giving you all you could manage later on. After dinner they played music in the tiny living room until the tables were cleared away and then we all went onto the porch again sitting in a circle while they gave a grand Hawaiian

and besides we did a lot. Tuesday night we went to a Luau, a Hawaiian feast. given at the Brays. for tourists 'nally?' everyone paying. but lots of Hawaiians were there to help entertain. The 3 Moores went too. and 'Hiram?' one of the Beach boys. The Brays are quite a family. Mr. Bray is Hawaiian and his wife mostly Irish and the family both! They make you feel right at home in their house by serving cocktails in the kitchen and being busy putting the last things on the tables which are laid on a large covered porch at the back of the house. The real kitchen being down in the cellar somewhere. The house being on a hill that slopes away at the back the porch is up in the trees really. or seems so. Its much larger than our porch at home and plants in pots and hanging baskets are around the walls so it is all rather nice. There were about forty other tourists there too and a good many Hawaiians making

bundle is a sleeping bag to be protected from moths, and inside is a valuble box. all our films we have taken. The humidor might be the best place for them. They are all in their special [......] containers. In still another package are two books. one a present for you from me about Japan. The other Rockwell Kents book which we wanted to have in Concord when we get back. Its most interesting reading. In yet another package is the album of sketches in pencil of Petes and some of our tiny oil sketches. only a few are any good. In a large flat package is not Ebbs and Frances Christmas present but a lot of miscellaneous experiments of ours. I think thats all. but why I forgot to write you about them I can't think.

Well to coninue. There were a hundred and one things to be done besides packing. as there always are