Despite the heavy burden of work that faced him, it is nevertheless clear that Mark Twain had determined, even before his arrival, to lecture in California and Nevada, covering, in general, the same itinerary as his 1866 tour. He needed money, and he knew that no other activity promised so lucrative and quick a financial return as the platform. He lost no time in making his plans known. In reporting his arrival in San Francisco, the Alta California announced on April 3 that the genial and jolly humorist proposed to lecture in a few days. (Lorch, p.
Pilgrim Life Tour - Day By Day
April 14 Tuesday – Sam spoke at Platt’s Hall, San Francisco to 1,600, a full house. His lecture was titled “Pilgrim Life,” from his Holy Land material and his “The Frozen Truth” lecture.
April 15 Wednesday – Sam repeated the Apr. 14 lecture again at Platt’s Hall [Fatout, MT Speaking 23]. Lorch says “there was less obvious straining after effect” for this second lecture [78].
April 16 Thursday – Sam took a steamer to Sacramento [MTL 2: 210].
April 17 Friday – Sam gave his “Pilgrim Life” lecture, no doubt revised, at the Metropolitan Theater in Sacramento. Lorch says “he greatly amused many by apologizing for the absence of Elder Knapp, a well-known local revivalist who had distinguished himself recently in his campaigns against theaters and dancing” [78].
April 18 Saturday – Sam gave his lecture in Marysville, California. The Sacramento Daily Union ran this revealing review Sam’s performance of the night before:
April 20 Monday – Sam gave his “Pilgrim Life” lecture in Nevada City, Nevada, where he announced that the “doors will be surrounded at 7 o’clock and the insurrection will begin at 8” [Lorch 79].
April 21 Tuesday – Sam gave his “Pilgrim” lecture in Grass Valley, California.
April 22 Wednesday – Sam returned to Sacramento [MTL 2: 210]. Sam was learning that he could not base his Holy Land book on wholesale ridicule of what many felt were sacred sites and edifices, nor could he write essentially a put-down of the Pilgrims on the voyage, no matter how well done or deserved. The newspaper reviews of his California lectures were definitely a mixed bag.
April 23 Thursday – The Grass Valley Daily Union gave Sam this review:
April 24 Friday – Sam arrived in Virginia City at 5 AM [MTL 2: 211n1]. The day was clear and pleasant. Alfred R.
April 26 Sunday – Sam’s “Holy Land Excursion. Letter from Mark Twain Number Fifty-four” dated Sept. 1867 at “Jerusalem” ran in the Alta California [McKeithan 291-6]. The Virginia City Daily Trespass reported that Sam appeared “a little lean to what he used to,” but that he talked as rapidly as ever—“gets out a word every three minutes” [Fatout 80].
April 27 Monday – Sam gave his “Pilgrim” lecture in Virginia City at Piper’s Opera House. Sam competed with two large balls given in honor of the 49th anniversary of the Odd Fellows, so did not get a full house for his lecture [Sanborn 394].
April 28 Tuesday – Sam and Joe Goodman called on Alfred Doten and Philip Lynch at the Gold Hill Daily News office. The four shared a bottle of champagne [Clark 996].
In the evening, Sam repeated his “Pilgrim” lecture at Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City. From Doten’s journal:
April 29 Wednesday – Sam went to Carson City and gave his “Pilgrim” lecture at Carson Theater [Sanborn 394; MTPO].
April 30 Thursday – Sam gave his “Sandwich Islands” lecture in Carson City as a school benefit [MTL 2: 213].
May 1 Friday – Sam returned to Virginia City, where he began a letter to Mary Mason Fairbanks:
“My Dear Mother—I cannot go a-Maying today, because it is snowing so hard—& so I have been writing some newspaper letters…”
Sam left the letter unfinished until he returned to San Francisco [MTL 2: 211]. Sam spent a couple of days “to shake hands and swap yarns with his old friends” [MTL 2: 213].
May 3 Sunday – Sam left Virginia City for the trip over the Sierra Nevada, which, due to the late spring snows and railroad repairs, was one of train plus stagecoach for a 30-hour trip to San Francisco [MTL 2: 213n3-4].
May 4 Monday – Sam was in transit to San Francisco, by stage and by train. He spent the night in Sacramento [MTL 2: 215n8].
May 5 Tuesday – Sam departed Sacramento at 2 PM on the California Steam Navigation Company’s Capital, with his friend Edward A. Poole as captain. Sam arrived back in San Francisco and stayed at the Occidental Hotel again, and finished his letter of May 1 to Mary Mason Fairbanks.