June 10 Wednesday – Sam and Carlyle G. Smythe left King Williams Town at 8:20 a.m., traveling the 42 miles to East London, S. Africa, arriving at 11:10 a.m. They took rooms at the Beach Hotel on the Esplanade, with a view of Marine Park [Philippon 21]. A lonely Sam wrote to Livy:
Its no use, Livy dear, I am homesick for you all the time. It is unusually bad yesterday & to-day. If you were here no doubt I would be reading some book or other, but no matter, I should be conscious of you, & that is communion & satisfaction. But this afternoon I can’t even read the book.
Well, I will try again. I wish Smythe would come. Maybe we could play cards. But no, he is busy. Lord, it’s a tiresome life. What is there so hateful as lecturing!
Sam felt he still would have to “cover” the U.S. next year. The letter ended with Sam saying it was “train-time,” which argues that this letter was written in Kings Williams Town before 8:20 a.m., assuming that the travel times cited by Philippon are correct [MTP].
Wednesday, June 10, 1896—East London
Letter: a Livy, re: homesickness for her, “unusually bad today”
Traveling: Departs King Williams Town at 8:20 a.m.; arrives East London (42 miles) at 11:10. a.m.
Afternoon: MT lonely; Carlyle Smythe too busy for cards or billiards
Interview Published: “Mark Twain at Queenstown,” Diamond Fields Advertiser, p. 6 (rpt. Diamond Fields Advertiser [weekly], June 13, p.4)
Newspapers: East London Dispatch; Kafrarian Watchman
Accommodations: Beach Hotel; on esplanade with view of Marine Park, roadstead
[see Philippon, 2002]