From talks with certain of our passengers whose home was Honolulu, and from a sketch by Mrs. Mary H. Krout, I was able to perceive what the Honolulu of to-day is, as compared with the Honolulu of my time. In my time it was a beautiful little town, made up of snow-white wooden cottages deliciously smothered in tropical vines and flowers and trees and shrubs; and its coral roads and streets were hard and smooth, and as white as the houses.

Clemens, Clara, and Olivia aboard the S.S. Warimoo. Victoria, British Columber. August 23, 1895
Clemens aboard the S.S. Warimoo. Victoria, British Columber. August 23, 1895
S.S. Warimoo sailing for Australia, August 23, 1895

Mark Twain Archive, Elmira College courtesy of Kevin Mac Donnell, Austin, Texas.

Clemens and reporters. Hotel Vancouver, British Columbia. August 17
Mark Twain Archive, Elmira College courtesy of Kevin Mac Donnell, Austin, Texas.

Twain had a bad cold and his throat was in poor condition, but he lectured at the Lighthouse Theater, the fourth floor of a building with no fire escapes.

Clemens aboard the U.S.S. Mohican. Seattle, Washington. August 13
Mark Twain Archive, Elmira College courtesy of Kevin Mac Donnell, Austin, Texas.

[From: The Pacific Railroad Preservation Association]

The Northern Pacific line from Tacoma to Kalama began service January 5, 1874 and included runs between Portland and Kalama by steamboat on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

Kalama was entirely a Northern Pacific railroad creation. It was unofficially born in May 1870 when the Northern Pacific railroad turned the first shovel of dirt. Northern Pacific built a dock, a sawmill, a car shop, a roundhouse, a turntable, hotels, a hospital, stores, homes. In just a few months in 1870, the working population exploded to approximately 3500 and the town had added tents, saloons, a brewery, and a gambling hall. Soon the town had a motto: "Rail Meets Sail".

Clemens aboard the steamer Flyer. Seattle. August 8
Mark Twain Archive, Elmira College courtesy of Kevin Mac Donnell, Austin, Texas.

Flyer was the first vessel ordered by the Columbia River and Puget Sound Navigation Company, a concern formed by Capt. U.B. Scott and others, which already controlled the fast sternwheeler Telephone on the Columbia River, and on Puget Sound, the then new and fast sternwheeler Bailey Gatzert as well as the express passenger boat Fleetwood.

Twain's party transferred to the "Little Greyhound of Puget Sound", the Flyer upon arriving in Seattle. Twain was not impressed with the baggage handlers. They arrived in Tacoma at five o'clock. The ladies remain there while Major Pond and Twain travel to Portland, Oregon.