November 13 Wednesday – In Christchurch, N.Z, at the Theatre Royal, the audience sang “For he’s a jolly good fellow” while waiting for Sam to come on stage. He arrived to cheers, stomps, and loud applause for several minutes. After the enthusiasm subsided he gave his No. 1 program of “At Home.”
November 12 Tuesday – Four miles outside of Oamaru, Sam lunched with John F. Miles, probably on his sheep ranch. Afterward Sam and Carlyle G. Smythe traveled the 150 miles to Christchurch, N.Z., “the city of the plains.” He was met by President of the Savage Club and Savages; and by Joseph J. Kinsey and family, and Mr. A.J. Peacock.
November 11 Monday – Sam backtracked from Timaru to Oamaru by train, arriving in the early afternoon, and was driven around Claremont by a local, W. Evans. He got a look at the steamer Flora, in which he would sail from Christchurch to Wellington a week later.
November 10 Sunday – In Timaru Sam was driven around the town and down to the beach, where he viewed the Elginshire, shipwrecked on May 9, 1892. He wrote, “big flowering mills; wonderful opaline clouds…a pretty town & cosy pretty homes all around it. Plenty of greenery & flowers…broom & gorse.” About the botanical gardens he wrote, “Why haven’t we have these?” [Shillingsburg, At Home; NB 34 TS 37]
November 9 Saturday – In the morning in Dunedin the Clemens party visited an art gallery with William Matthew Hodgkins, attorney who had opened the annual exhibition of the Society of Artists the evening before. In his notebook he mentions one particular painting: “Dickens’ son-in-law’s lovely picture of a girl blowing at a flower” [NB 34 TS 33]. Sam wrote in FE of the exhibition:
November 8 Friday – In Dunedin, N.Z., it was a rainy, windy day and Sam noted, “This is the beginning of N Z summer, I was told” [NB 34 TS 33]. Livy and Clara went to a tea at a “charming place” possibly meeting two young girls named Whyte and Tait. This may have been a luncheon party given by Mrs. Royse at Leith House. (In his Nov. 9 notebook entry, Sam calls them “Marion White & Miss Tait — Scotch descent” [NB 34 TS 33].
November 7 Thursday – Sam wrote in FE and in his notebook of Dunedin and events there:
The town justifies Michael Davitt’s praises. The people are Scotch. They stopped here on their way from home to heaven — thinking they had arrived. The population is stated at 40,000, by Malcom Ross, journalist; stated by an M.P. at 60,000. A journalist cannot lie.
To the residence of Dr. Hockin. He has a fine collection of books relating to New Zealand; and his house is a museum of Maori art and antiquities [FE ch. XXX 287].
November 6 Wednesday – Sam and Carlyle G. Smythe left Invercargill headed for Dunedin. On the train Sam was given news of the Melbourne Cup (Nov. 5) where “everybody bet on the wrong horse — a new horse [Auraria] won.” Aboard the train Sam’s notes later were incorporated into his travel book:
November 5 Tuesday – Early in the morning, the Mararoa arrived at Bluff, South Island, New Zealand, the country’s southernmost port. Livy and Clara stayed aboard. Sam and Carlyle G. Smythe took a train to Invercargill (pop.10,000). Sam made notes on the “rabbit plague” in N.Z. and on the scenery. Shillingsburg notes that NZ advertisements began on Oct. 31 but until Nov.
November 4 Monday – The Clemens party was onboard the Union Co.’s Mararoa en route to New Zealand. Sam’s notebook mentions Malcom Ross, who on Nov. 14 published an interview based on conversations onboard (Otago Daily Times Nov. 6, p.4). Sam made more notebook entries about convicts, Australian pronunciation, New Zealand history and scenery.