April 12 Sunday – On board the Wardha at sea, Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, principally about the Archer County, Texas land that Livy purchased. (See Oct. 27, Nov. 25, Dec. 30 1882 entries.)

Do you remember that Texas land? First & last it cost Mrs. Clemens something more than $1000 I believe, without counting interest. You see by the inclosed that it has advanced in value, & Mrs. Baird wants to buy it back again…And Mrs. C. believes that the reason Mrs. Baird offers $1000 is because it is worth more than that. I suspected that myself, but I didn’t say so.

Sam asked Whitmore if he might “stir up a better” offer. He then related their travel progress:

We left Calcutta March 26, & are now within three days of Mauritius, where we expect to be pretty tediously quarantined, for the natives were dying 200 a day with cholera in Calcutta while we were there. However, we are well & enjoying the ship & the voyage & the weather, & shan’t mind a quarantine of a fortnight or so [MTP].