April 24 Friday – In Curepipe, Mauritius Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

We have been here about ten days, and shall be here 3 or 4 more before our ship will be ready to receive us on board. This holiday comes very handy for me; I am very glad to have a resting spell; I was getting fagged with platform work….

This village of Curepipe is up-country….It is on high ground, and is cool, and rains all the time, and is very damp and pleasant. Cigars are mushy and clammy, and a match that will light on anything is a curiosity. It is believed to be the wettest place in the world except the ocean. But it is in a beautiful country, surrounded by sugar plantations and the greenest and brightest and richest of tropical vegetation, and we like it. …

There are some Protestant missionaries here, but there is nothing doing in their line. The Catholics control the market. There are 18 daily newspapers in the island, but there wouldn’t be any money in it if there were a million. Nobody knows what they live on.

Clara has a large carbuncle, and suffers a great deal with it; but her mother’s health keeps in pretty good shape.

If I think of any more facts about Mauritius that will be valuable in Wall street I will write again. I send love to you all, and if you think Harry would like a mongrel I will get him one. Sincerely… [MTHHR 209-11].