Tuesday, August 3, 1915

Turned out at 5 to scrub decks. I hadn't intended to scrub, but Wead[?] put me in charge on the forecastle, so I had to. We finished it as quickly as possible and went below, nearly frozen. At 10 we went ashore visiting the Mines, Machinery, and Transportation Buildings which were very interesting - and the Fine Arts building, in which, among a large number of excellent works, I saw one painting which appealed to me so strongly that I returned to it three times. It was the figure of a girl, standing before a golden yellow curtain, half facing it, as if about to enter a room beyond. She held a small tray with a decanter and glass upon it. On her haid[head] was a white, lacy cap that barely hid her beautiful hair. She wore a bright, but very soft, red skirt, a black bodice with white sleeves and collar and a white apron. I saw the skirt but a moment - there was something that caught the eye and held it. The face was a wonderful piece of work - it seemed to appeal to me as the face of a woman whose pure heart and noble soul are reflected in her features must always appeal to a man. And the beautiful body seemed to hide such a heart and soul. The painting was by Waay. Geok and I were still very much disappointed in everything we saw, and disgusted with the women, who paint like so many Spaniards - and who are as homely as they, too. At 7 we returned to the ships. Fireworks displays, and searchlights made an interesting scene from on deck. Turned in at ten. Again it has been cold from sunset on. I was the Golden Gate tonight as the sun set - and the reason for the name. The sun, falling on the mist that hangs over the entrance to the harbor, made a blanket of gold that hung over the hills and water for half an hour and made a really 'golden' Gate of the entrance.