August 23 Friday – In Victoria, J. B. Pond’s diary on the day of departure:

“Mark” and I were out all day getting books, cigars, and tobacco. He bought three thousand Manilla cheroots, thinking that with four pounds of Durham smoking tobacco he could make the three thousand cheroots last four weeks. If perpetual smoking ever kills a man, I don’t see how “Mark Twain” can expect to escape. He and Mrs. Clemens, an old friend of “Mark’s” and his wife, now living near here, went for a drive, and were out most of the day. This is remarkable for him. I never knew him to do such a thing before [Eccentricities of Genius 223-4].

Allingham suggests that the shop where Sam likely bought his cigars for the voyage was Edward Arthur Morris’s on the west side of Government Street, directly across from the Driard Hotel [“More of MT in Victoria,” etc. 15-16].

Major Pond and wife lunched with the Clemenses aboard the 3,300 ton R.M.S. Warrimoo [MTB 1007]. Again from Pond’s diary for this day:

The Warrimoo arrived about one o’clock. We all went on board and lunched together for the last time. Mrs. Clemens is disappointed in the ship. The whole thing looks discouraging, and our hearts are almost broken with sympathy for her. She tells me she is going to brave it through, for she must do it. It is for her children. Our party got out on the deck of the Warrimoo, and Mr. W. G. Chase, a passenger, took a snapshot of our quintette. Then wife and I went ashore, and the old ship started across the Pacific Ocean with three of our most beloved friends on board. We waved to one another as long as they kept in sight [Eccentricities of Genius 224-5]. (End J.B. Pond’s diary entries.)

Note: the photograph referred to above, and dozens others may be found in Overland with Mark Twain: James B. Pond’s Photographs and Journal of the North American Lecture Tour of 1895 (1992) eds., Karanovich and Gribben.

In FE Sam wrote of sailing away from Victoria:

We moved westward about mid-afternoon over a rippled and sparkling summer sea; an enticing sea, a clean and cool sea, and apparently a welcome sea to all on board; it certainly was to me, after the distressful dustings and smokings and swelterings of the past weeks. The voyage would furnish a three-weeks holiday, with hardly a break in it. We had the whole Pacific Ocean in front of us, with nothing to do but do nothing and be comfortable. The city of Victoria was twinkling dim in the deep heart of her smoke-cloud, and getting ready to vanish…[25-6].