October 23 Wednesday – From FE: Got up at 6, left at 7.30; soon reached Castlemaine, one of the rich gold-fields of the early days; waited several hours for a train; left at 3.40 and reached Bendigo in an hour. For comrade, a Catholic priest [Father Henry W. Cleary (NB 34 TS 21 misspells as “Creary”) ], who was better than I was, but didn’t seem to know it — a man full of graces of the heart, the mind, and the spirit; a lovable man. He will rise. He will be a bishop some day. Later an Arch-bishop. Later a Cardinal. Finally an Archangel, I hope [Ch. XXV 241].

Shillingsburg lists several hours wait at Castlemaine, with arrival in Bendigo at 4:40 p.m. the same as Sam’s account. In Bendigo the Clemens party took rooms just across from the post office, no hotel name given. Sam gave his “At Home With Mark Twain” (No. 1) at the Royal Princess Theatre, which was not filled. Reviews published Oct. 24: Advertiser, Independent [Shillingsburg, “Down Under” 18].