August 16 Friday – In Vancouver, Canada, Sam wrote a paragraph to Rudyard Kipling:

Dear Kipling. — It is reported that you are about to visit India. This has moved me to journey to that far country in order that I may unload from my conscience a debt long due to you. Years ago [1889] you came from India to Elmira to visit me, as you said at the time. It has always been my purpose to return that visit and that great compliment some day. I shall arrive next January and you must be ready. I shall come riding my Ayah with his tusks adorned with silver bells and ribbons and escorted by a troop of native howdahs richly clad and mounted upon a herd of wild bungalows; and you must be on hand with a few bottles of ghee, for I shall be thirsty [MTP].

J.B. Pond wrote in his diary:

Friday, August 16th, Vancouver.

Our tour across the continent is virtually finished, and I feel the reaction. “Othello’s occupation gone.” This morning “Mark” had a doctor, who says he is not seriously ill. Mrs. Clemens is curing him. The more I see of this lady the greater and more wonderful she appears to be. There are few women who could manage and absolutely rule such a nature as “Mark’s.” She knows the gentle and smooth way over every obstruction he meets, and makes everything lovely. This has indeed been the most delightful tour I have ever made with any party, and I wish to record it as one of the most enjoyable of all my managerial experiences. I hardly ever expect another. “Mark” has written in a presentation copy of “Roughing It”:

“Here ends one of the smoothest and pleasantest trips across the continent that any group of five has ever made.”

“Mark” is better this evening, so we shall surely have a good lecture in Victoria [Eccentricities of Genius 221].