March 22 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Sailed in the Kaiser Wilhelm II at 11 a.m.” [NB 33 TS 4].

After boarding and departure, Sam began a letter to daughter Jean on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II that he finished on Mar. 23:

We have just left Genoa (it is noon), & the city & the blue mountains & the villas & the blue sea & the brilliant sunshine & the flitting sails make beautiful pictures. The passengers began to crowd aboard before I was up, this morning. The vessel is full. Lady Oppenheim & her daughter are aboard, making a trip to Gibraltar & then through Spain. They inquired very particularly after mamma & the family. There are several other people on board whom I have met before; among others the consul; he called on me a the New York hotel [in Florence] a year ago….

In the Lodge of Sorrow up stairs — the fine big salon where the sea-sick women congregate — there is a darling picture of a baby sitting in the grass in a meadow, with only half a shirt on, & a rabbit as big as himself sitting straight up in front of him, with its ears standing up like lances — & the rabbit has never seen a baby before & the baby has never seen a rabbit before, & both are surprised & the child is scared [MTP].