May 8 Friday – In Durban, Natal Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

We reached here day before yesterday, 41 days out from Calcutta — breaking the journey a couple of days in Ceylon and near a fortnight in Mauritius. We have been in the pitiless and uninterrupted blaze of summer from the time I saw you last until we reached this place — more than ten straight months of it. …

But here in Durban it is cool. Their autumn is closing; before this Month of May is ended their winter will have set in. The days are warm, but not too warm; coolness begins with sunset; an hour later you must put on an overcoat; and your bed must have several blankets on it.

We shall be in South Africa 3 months — address Cape Town — then sail for England end of July or early in August — most likely August [MTHHR 212-3].

In FE under a May 9 listing:

A drive yesterday [May 8] with friends over the Berea. Very fine roads and lofty, overlooking the whole town, the harbor, and the sea — beautiful views. Residences all along, set in the midst of green lawns with shrubs and generally one or two intensely red outbursts of poinsettia — the flaming splotch of blinding red a stunning contrast with the world of surrounding green. The cactus tree — candelabrum-like….

Saw one bird. Not many birds here, and they have no music — and the flowers not much smell [ch LXV 646].

Sam dined with the Durban Savage Club [Philippon 14].