March 21 Friday – On board the Kanawha at Nassau, Bahamas, Sam wrote on Hotel Colonial letterhead to Livy about activities of the prior day (see entry). He added after this narrative:
The sea-colors here are all beautiful—splendid bars & stretches of brilliant green—others of brilliant blue—others of rich purple & bronze, & so on. A lady (so report says) brought away a bottle-full of each color to show home at America.
They keep hurrying me—the launch is ready to go to the bathing-beach [MTP].
And, from his Mar. 22 to Livy he wrote more of this day’s activities:
We had the grand sea-bath again at noon yesterday [Mar. 21], dear heart …
Yesterday at 3.30 we brought off him [Gov. Carter] & some ladies in the launch—17 persons in all, & the launch still had some room to spare & did not notice the weight. We champagned them, showed them over the ship, returned them to shore & set sail immediately [MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “To the sea-bath & fruit debauch again. Saw James Dodge’s wife, Miss Van Buren, McVicker, Dominick & others. They will come aboard 3.30. Sea colors—green, blue, bronze, purple, Woman bottled a sample of each to carry home. / Left after 3 p.m.” [NB 45 TS 6]
Sam’s ship log:
Friday, March 21. The sea-bath & fruit-orgy again.
Flock of visiting ladies aboard at 3.30 p.m.
Sea (in the harbor) a gaudy display of mingling & dissolving shades of four colors again: green, blue, purple, & a faint veneer of bronze. An Indiana woman bottled a sample of each to carry home & exhibit. This can be trusted—it came from Archbold.
Mr. Gladstone came at noon, on the part of the Governor.
At 2.30 we returned the visit in full force.
Sailed about 3 p.m. [MTP].