November 6 Wednesday – Sam and Carlyle G. Smythe left Invercargill headed for Dunedin. On the train Sam was given news of the Melbourne Cup (Nov. 5) where “everybody bet on the wrong horse — a new horse [Auraria] won.” Aboard the train Sam’s notes later were incorporated into his travel book:
November 5 Tuesday – Early in the morning, the Mararoa arrived at Bluff, South Island, New Zealand, the country’s southernmost port. Livy and Clara stayed aboard. Sam and Carlyle G. Smythe took a train to Invercargill (pop.10,000). Sam made notes on the “rabbit plague” in N.Z. and on the scenery. Shillingsburg notes that NZ advertisements began on Oct. 31 but until Nov.
November 4 Monday – The Clemens party was onboard the Union Co.’s Mararoa en route to New Zealand. Sam’s notebook mentions Malcom Ross, who on Nov. 14 published an interview based on conversations onboard (Otago Daily Times Nov. 6, p.4). Sam made more notebook entries about convicts, Australian pronunciation, New Zealand history and scenery.
November 3 Sunday – A cold south wind blew on the Tasman sea, and Sam stayed in bed on board the Mararoa en route to New Zealand. He gathered some information by visiting the smoking lounge, and made entries in his notebook about Victorian railroads, convicts, aboriginals, rabbits, and other details that struck his fancy and imagination. Clara recalled him singing and playing the piano on this voyage. Other passengers were the Irish nationalist Michael Davitt, journalist Malcom Ross, and Carlyle G.
November 2 Saturday – At 5:30 a.m. the Mararoa arrived in Hobart, Tasmania. R.S. Smythe had initially planned for lectures in Launceston and Hobart, but Sam’s carbuncle attacks had resulted in a shorter schedule. All that was allowed for was a morning shore leave. A little after 7 a.m. the young Mr. Dobson arrived at the ship and invited Clemenses to breakfast in Hobart with his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Dobson, a former Premier.
November 1 Friday – The Clemens party was en route on the Mararoa from Melbourne to a brief stop in Hobart, Tasmania [Shillingsburg, “Down Under” 21].
Sam’s notebook:
Nov. 1 — noon. A lovely day, a brilliant sun. Warm in the sun, cold in the shade — an icy little breeze right out of the South. Passing between Tasmania & neighboring islands — islands whence the poor exiled Tasmanian savages used to gaze at their beloved land & cry; & die of heart-break.
November – The Peterson Magazine, V p.1159-64 ran Ellen A. Vinton’s article, “Who Are Our American Humorists?”: “The most popular of all our humorists, Mark Twain…has acquired both education and literary culture, and has shown himself capable of success in a wider field of literature than the one he has chosen to fill” [Tenney, ALR supplement to the Reference Guide (Autumn, 1979) 184].
October 31 Thursday – In Melbourne, Sam attended the wool-sales for half an hour with John H. Wagner. Sam said, “wool brokers are just like stockbrokers” [Shillingsburg, “Down Under” 20].
Sam’s notebook recorded the visit:
Oct. 31. Melbourne. Went to the wool exchange with John H. Wagner. Selling the “clip” in lots — at 6 & a farthing. When a man has the clip of 100,000 sheep to sell (6 pounds of wool to the sheep) the difference of a farthing makes a big difference — 600,000 farthings.
October 30 Wednesday – In Melbourne at the Menzies Hotel, the Clemens ladies were busy packing for the voyage to New Zealand. Frederick W. Haddon wrote to Sam inviting him to write an article. This letter is not extant, but is mentioned and responded to on Nov. 14 [Shillingsburg, “Down Under” 20].
October 29 Tuesday – Livy and Clara remained in Melbourne. Sam commuted from Geelong to Prahran by train, where he gave his “At Home” lecture in the 1,000 seat Town Hall to a “vast audience,” which “filled the building in every part.” He included his Australian poem (which was received with bursts of laughter) and “Punch Brothers” — a somewhat different program than Oct. 26’s matinee performance. The Prahan Telegraph reviewed the lecture on Nov.