“August 4th, 1887 On the “Olympian”
A beautiful day. This morning Mr. Herrick and I read “Much Ado About Nothing” and I enjoyed it very much. It is the first time I have ever read anything with a “He!” but I did not feel frightened as I though I should at first. Most beautiful mountains rose on our left and in one place a beach looked like a silver thread of sunlight. The scenery altogether was beautiful, at first being in Alaska and then in British Columbia. In the afternoon I had a couple of games of chess with Mr. Herrick, dear Mrs. Gilman helped me, but I did not win the game.”
(August 5th just says “Victoria, Port Townsend, Clam Bake and back to Tacoma.”)
“August 6th, Tacoma, Washington Territory
This morning did nothing special. In the afternoon I took a short walk with Edith Conner who was on the Olympian. We played cards later with Alice. In the evening till about half past light I listened to the music in the large parlor. At twelve, at least at one o’clock A.M., Mrs. Gillman went away. I do hope so much I will be able to see her soon again. She is too perfectly lovely and I felt dreadfully when she went away.”
“August 7th, Tacoma
This morning we went to the First Presbyterian Church and heard a lovely sermon by a preacher of Portland Oregon. In the afternoon Edith Conner, Alice and I took a walk.”
(Sally here: I found an amazing photo of the Vanderbilt’s, at least Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt. It was taken 2 years earlier in 1885 when they were also in Sitka Alaska.
http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/cdmg21/id/13750/rec/1
Awesome picture…, and so enjoying getting a glimpse all the details of this family’s wonderful journey, what the world and it’s ways were like so long ago.