Fifth Trip to Bermuda: 1908 January 25 – February 6

January 25 Saturday – Sam left for Bermuda on the Bermudian. The New York Times, Jan. 26, p. 4 noted his departure and added:

“Mr. Clemens has been ill at his home for some days, and when he arrived at the vessel went direct to his stateroom and did not emerge while the vessel was at her pier. He was ordered south by his physician because of an attack of laryngitis.”

January 26 Sunday – After traversing stormy seas, the Bermudian docked in Hamilton Harbor, Bermuda in the morning [D. Hoffman 89]. Note: The passage took 45 hours; Sam left shortly after a ten-inch snowstorm in NYC [A.D. of Feb. 12].

Woodrow Wilson, at that time President of Princeton, arrived in Bermuda on Jan. 20, and wrote his wife, Ellen Axson Wilson on Jan. 26:

January 26 to February 2 –– Sometime during the short stay in Bermuda, Sam traveled to Somerset to see 29-year-old Upton Sinclair, who had arrived on the island on Dec. 20, 1907 for a six-month stay. In 1906 Sinclair sent a copy of his best-known book, The Jungle, to Clemens (see Gribben 644). At this time Sinclair was collaborating with fellow socialist Michael Williams on a book about health. The Royal Gazette of Feb. 8 reported on Sam’s trip to Somerset. D. Hoffman writes, quoting the Gazette:

January 27 Monday – At the Princess Hotel in Hamilton, Bermuda Sam wrote to daughter Clara  .

Clara dear, we arrived early this morning, after a voyage which began in good form but soon degenerated into storm and turmoil.

January 28 Tuesday – Elisabeth Marbury wrote to bug Miss Lyon to return the contract with John W. Postgate ASAP [MTP].

January 29 Wednesday – M. Howard wrote from Richmond, Ind. to Sam, having been “very much entertained” by CS. He disagreed that Christian Science would spread over the world and mentioned past religious fanatical women whose movements failed [MTP].

Homer Saint-Gaudens wrote from Windsor, Vt. on “Estate of Augustus Saint-Gaudens” letterhead to ask Sam for any letters to his late father. He was planning a book and added:

January 30 Thursday – Capt. John W. Crawford, “The Poet Scout” (1847-1917) wrote to Sam, enclosing a poem “To Mark Twain,” and two printed sheets, one picturing Crawford in a Buffalo-Bill-like outfit, and the other “Poems and Songs of the Poet Scout.” He also enclosed two post-card sized copies of a poem “A Sunshine Boomerang,” and the following note:

January 31 Friday – Sam was in Bermuda.

Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Such a delightful two letters from Ashcroft about the King & his journey down to Bermuda” [MTP: IVL TS 17].

John W. Crawford wrote on Hoffman House, NY notepaper to Miss Lyon after learning Clemens was gone to Bermuda. He asked if she might make sure Sam saw his Broncho Verse and asked for an autograph [MTP].

February 1 Saturday – Sam was in Bermuda.

February 2 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Stevenson makes Gilbert in Urir falter mislon say he’d ‘had great gale of prayer upon my spirit’—& it’s a perfect expression” [MTP: IVL TS 17].

James D. Macnab wrote on Plainfield High School, NJ notepaper to ask Sam “the title of the composition and its location which contains the rhyme: ‘Punch, brother, punch, punch with care” [MTP]. Note: Lyon wrote on the letter, “Answd. Feb. 5, ‘08”

February 3 Monday – Sam left Bermuda on the S.S. Bermudian [D. Hoffman 100].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Homer Saint-Gaudens has written to ask if the King has any of his father’s letters, & there are some” [MTP: IVL TS 17].

Gertrude W. Arnold wrote to Sam (not found at MTP).

February 4 Tuesday – William Dean Howells, in Rome, replied to Sam’s Jan. 22:

February 5 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “Mother & I went to see Margaret Illington [Frohman] in The Thief. She was very fine & we went to talk to the dear impulsive creature after the play. Dan Frohman tried to find a cab for us, for ours didn’t stay for us & so we had to get home by trams in a driving snow storm” [MTP: IVL TS 17].

February 6 Thursday – In the evening, the S.S. Bermudian arrived in N.Y.C. with Sam and Ashcroft [Feb. 8 to Nunnally].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:  “The Bermudian is just slipping up along side the dock” (here at 8:15) and “the gang plank will be laid in minute” the man at the telephone at Pier 47 tells me.