He wore European clothes for the first time and began his journey on a steamship. The Pacific Ocean astonished him. For three weeks he did not see land. When land finally appeared it was the New World. He explored North America by train and riverboat, and often walked for days on end. Deserts with rocks like enormous sculptures amazed him. The endless farm fields reminded him of the ocean he had crossed. Huge cities of factories and tall buildings bewildered and yet excited him. He marveled at the towering mountains and rivers as clear as the sky. He met many people along the way. He shook hands with black men and white men, with yellow men and red men. The more he traveled, the more he longed to see new places, and never thought of returning home. Of all the places he visited, he liked California best.
