Vol 3 Section 0101

[Rodney 198]. Note: the family had been in Lucerne before, arriving Aug. 12, 1878 when Joe Twichell joined the party and the men went mountain-climbing. See entries. See also chapters 25-29 TA for mention of Weggis, which Sam wrote as Wäggis.

Sam’s notebook gives particulars of the first day of their two-day trip, with stops at Rochester, and

Queenboro, then across the channel to Flushing, Belgium:

Left London (Hans Crescent hotel) at 8 a.m. We spent all the previous day packing—till midnight. Various odds & ends no room for. Got Sue, Julie[,] Clara & Jean started down at last, at 7.40. No lift-boy; no clerk to take the money; nobody on desk but 2d hall porter. No cabs, said they should have been engaged the day before.

To Rochester in 45 minutes; to Queenboro within the hour. Left at 9.30 in the little steamer. Pretty indifferent food but not expensive; 10/ for a cabin; 6/ apiece to turn 2 d into 1st class fares—a considerable overcharge for an 8-hour voyage.

Arrived Flushing 5 p.m. Grand Hotel des Bains—Very quiet & cool; good bathing beach. Orchestra of young women in white; good music.

Dutch women good faces; plump; peasant dress.

On the continent you can’t get a rare beefsteak—everything is as overdone as a martyr.

We asked for the Zeeland Hotel, Flushing. The porter said in English “It is not made” (built) [NB 41 TS 46].

Note: strikeouts are shown for critical information.

July 13 Tuesday – The Clemens family left Flushing, Belgium and traveled on to Cologne, arriviving after midnight (July 14); they took rooms at the Victoria Hotel. Sam’s notebook gives particulars,

beginning with the railroad station in Flushing.

Huge map 15 x 15 feet (Holland) in the RR station—made of tiles—brilliant polish, strong colors, vividly readable at a great distance—beautiful—& good sense.

These villains cart you to the station nearly 2 hours before train time.

A very jolty road till we passed the German border, then smooth. It cost 6 of us $5 a day at Flushing.

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.