December 24 Tuesday – The Clemens party was en route to Melbourne on the P&O Co.’s Oceana. Shillingsburg writes Sam “Evidently working on the Australian poem in his notebook, adding verses first recorded in Melbourne in Dec. 26 performance” [“Down Under” 32].

While en route Sam wrote three letters of introduction for Justice Sir William C. Windeyer to Laurence Hutton, Henry C. Robinson, and Chauncey Depew (the first two survive). He then enclosed these letters to Windeyer.

I enclose a note or two of introduction — couldn’t get a chance to write them before I left Sydney.

Chauncey Depew is a distinguished lawyer & after-dinner speaker, & President of the Vanderbilt railway systems.

Laurence Hutton is on the staff of Harper’s Monthly & knows all the literary folk.

Henry C. Robinson of Hartford is counsel for the great Consolidated & a director of that road — knows everybody.

Sam mentioned the “delightful society” of Hartford and listed several distinguished residents. He wished that his family could go with the Windeyers to Hartford [MTP].

Frank W. Sprague wrote to Sam about his JA article in Harper’s Magazine. Sprague noted Sam “did not give an illustration of her birthplace,” and told of his visit there [MTP].