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.