January 12, 1896 Sunday

January 12 Sunday – The Clemens party was at sea on the Oceana en route to Colombo, Ceylon. Shut up in his “cabin with another allfired cold,” Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

I shall have to read in Colombo if there is time; and we are trying to doctor-up my voice. But I don’t care if it never gets audible again. I have been persecuted with carbuncles and colds until I am tired and disgusted and angry.

January 6, 1896 Monday

January 6 Monday – The Clemens party was at sea on the Oceana en route to Colombo, Ceylon. Sam was still suffering from carbuncles, and a lingering cold. Lorch writes, “Twain spent most of his time reading, finding particular fascination in Sir John Lubbock’s books on ant life” [192]. A check of Sam’s NB 37 TS 38-44, however [supplied by Gribben, 428] reveals this reading to be on his Apr. 11-23 voyage, and, though Lorch may have found documentation of an earlier use, he does not offer it.

January 5, 1896 Sunday

January 5 Sunday – The Clemens party was at sea on the Oceana en route to Colombo, Ceylon.

January 5. At 9 this morning we passed Cape Leeuwin (lioness) and ceased our long due-west course along the southern shore of Australia. Turning this extreme south-western corner, we now take a long straight slant nearly N.W., without a break, for Ceylon. As we speed northward it will grow hotter very fast — but it isn’t chilly, now [FE ch XXXVII 335].

January 4, 1896 Saturday

January 4 Saturday – The Clemens party was at sea on the Oceana en route to Colombo, Ceylon. Sam’s notebook reveals anchoring off Albany, Western Australia for mail pickup and delivery, and newspapers. [Shillingsburg, “Down Under” 34; NB 36 TS 14]. Tied up in the “perfectly landlocked roadstead — the most desolate-looking rocks & scarred hills.” Many ships were arriving, “full of people rushing to the mines,” hoping to get rich [At Home 196].

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