Twains Letters vol 2 1867-1875 | Page 6

you, but the work was
distasteful and I dropped it.
You observe that under a cheerful exterior I have got a spirit that is
angry with me and gives me freely its contempt. I can get away from
that at sea, and be tranquil and satisfied-and so, with my parting love
and benediction for Orion and all of you, I say goodbye and God bless
you all--and welcome the wind that wafts a weary soul to the sunny
lands of the Mediterranean! Yrs. Forever, SAM.

VII.
LETTERS 1867. THE TRAVELER. THE VOYAGE OF THE
"QUAKER CITY"
Mark Twain, now at sea, was writing many letters; not personal letters,
but those unique descriptive relations of travel which would make him
his first great fame--those fresh first impressions preserved to us now as

chapters of The Innocents Abroad. Yet here and there in the midst of
sight-seeing and reporting he found time to send a brief line to those at
home, merely that they might have a word from his own hand, for he
had ordered the papers to which he was to contribute--the Alta and the
New York Tribune--sent to them, and these would give the story of his
travels. The home letters read like notebook entries.
Letters to Mrs. Jane Clemens and family, in St. Louis:
FAYAL (Azores,) June 20th, 1867. DEAR FOLKS,--We are having a
lively time here, after a stormy trip. We meant to go to San Miguel, but
were driven here by stress of weather. Beautiful climate. Yrs. Affect.
SAM.
GIBRALTAR, June 30th, 1867. DEAR FOLKS,--Arrived here this
morning, and am clear worn out with riding and climbing in and over
and around this monstrous rock and its fortifications. Summer climate
and very pleasant. Yrs. SAM.
TANGIER, MOROCCO, (AFRICA), July 1, 1867. DEAR FOLKS,
Half a dozen of us came here yesterday from Gibraltar and some of the
company took the other direction; went up through Spain, to Paris by
rail. We decided that Gibraltar and San Roque were all of Spain that we
wanted to see at present and are glad we came here among the Africans,
Moors, Arabs and Bedouins of the desert. I would not give this
experience for all the balance of the trip combined. This is the
infernalest hive of infernally costumed barbarians I have ever come
across yet. Yrs. SAM.
AT SEA, July 2, 1867. DR. FOLKS,--We are far up the intensely blue
and ravishingly beautiful Mediterranean. And now we are just passing
the island of Minorca. The climate is perfectly lovely and it is hard to
drive anybody to bed, day or night. We remain up the whole night
through occasionally, and by this means enjoy the rare sensation of
seeing the sun rise. But the sunsets are soft, rich, warm and superb!
We had a ball last night under the awnings of the quarter deck, and the
share of it of three of us was masquerade. We had full, flowing,
picturesque Moorish costumes which we purchased in the bazaars of
Tangier. Yrs. SAM.
MARSEILLES, FRANCE, July 5, 1867. We are here. Start for Paris
tomorrow. All well. Had gorgeous 4th of July jollification yesterday at
sea. Yrs. SAM.

The reader may expand these sketchy outlines to his heart's content by
following the chapters in The Innocents Abroad, which is very good
history, less elaborated than might be supposed. But on the other hand,
the next letter adds something of interest to the book- circumstances
which a modest author would necessarily omit.
To Mrs. Jane Clemens and family, in St. Louis:
YALTA, RUSSIA, Aug. 25, 1867. DEAR FOLKS,--We have been
representing the United States all we knew how today. We went to
Sebastopol, after we got tired of Constantinople (got your letter there,
and one at Naples,) and there the Commandant and the whole town
came aboard and were as jolly and sociable as old friends. They said
the Emperor of Russia was at Yalta, 30 miles or 40 away, and urged us
to go there with the ship and visit him--promised us a cordial welcome.
They insisted on sending a telegram to the Emperor, and also a courier
overland to announce our coming. But we knew that a great English
Excursion party, and also the Viceroy of Egypt, in his splendid yacht,
had been refused an audience within the last fortnight, so we thought it
not safe to try it. They said, no difference--the Emperor would hardly
visit our ship, because that would be a most extraordinary favor, and
one which he uniformly refuses to accord under any circumstances, but
he would certainly receive us at his palace. We still declined. But we
had to go to Odessa, 250 miles away, and there the Governor General
urged us, and sent a telegram to the Emperor, which we hardly
expected to