July 12 Monday – At 8 a.m. the Clemens family left London, bound for the Continent. Rodney points out they would be in “exile” for three more years [209].
The normal route Belgium, then to to Weggis on Lake Lucerne, Switzerland would have been Dover to Flushing, Cologne, Germany and south through Germany, then through Basle to Lucerne
[Rodney 198]. Note: the family had been in Lucerne before, arriving Aug. 12, 1878 when Joe Twichell joined the party and the men went mountain-climbing. See entries. See also chapters 25-29 TA for mention of Weggis, which Sam wrote as Wäggis.
Sam’s notebook gives particulars of the first day of their two-day trip, with stops at Rochester, and Queenboro, then across the channel to Flushing, Belgium:
Left London (Hans Crescent hotel) at 8 a.m. We spent all the previous day packing—till midnight. Various odds & ends no room for. Got Sue, Julie[,] Clara & Jean started down at last, at 7.40. No lift-boy; no clerk to take the money; nobody on desk but 2d hall porter. No cabs, said they should have been engaged the day before.
To Rochester in 45 minutes; to Queenboro within the hour. Left at 9.30 in the little steamer. Pretty indifferent food but not expensive; 10/ for a cabin; 6/ apiece to turn 2 d into 1st class fares—a considerable overcharge for an 8-hour voyage.
Arrived Flushing 5 p.m. Grand Hotel des Bains—Very quiet & cool; good bathing beach. Orchestra of young women in white; good music.
Dutch women good faces; plump; peasant dress.
On the continent you can’t get a rare beefsteak—everything is as overdone as a martyr.
We asked for the Zeeland Hotel, Flushing. The porter said in English “It is not made” (built) [NB 41 TS 46].
Note: strikeouts are shown for critical information.