March 31 Tuesday – The Wardha was piloted into the harbor of Madras, India at daybreak for a 24 hour stop. Sam was again suffering from a cold and cough. He was interviewed by the Madras Standard; the interview ran on Apr. 1; a longer version on Apr. 11 in the Calcutta Reis and Rayyet (see Budd,
“Interviews” (119) p. 69).
From the interview, Sam was quoted:
I am killed with this cold since morning. We went ashore and breakfasted at the hotel near Spencer’s shop intending to drive around Madras afterwards, but I found I could not manage it. I wasn’t equal to the heat with this cold, so I left my family to do that. ...
I hope to reach Colombo on Friday. I am engaged for two “At homes” there I believe — not three.
Thence I go to Mauritius and South Africa. This boat I am in, just suits my mood at present. I am in no hurry to get along. The more salt air I breathe the better I feel. We had a fine passage down from Calcutta except for a current that took about 30 miles off the rate of our travel each day. The Wardha is not one of those boats that cover 500 miles a day, but without running away from herself she keeps in the neighborhood of 200 [Budd, “Interviews” 71].
Note: the interview ended with the reporter observing that Sam “strolled to the other end of the deck to watch Harmston’s menagerie being hauled inboard.”
(Fears)