Fri. Dec 1. [1 December 1899] Incredible! it's as warm as May.
Perfect day, much enjoyed my hot sea bath and the general sense of
Ship. We were running down the Corsican coast, hilly with Aiguilles of
rock and a little snow higher up inland. Very bare and unpopulated.
Made friends with a nice Australian and his wife over breakfast and
sat by them at luncheon. We passed through the Straits of Bonifaccio
[Bonifacio, Strait of] at 11. Bonifaccio [Bonifacio] itself a most
charming little white, walled, town growing out of the chalk cliffs on
which it stands. Long afternoon. I read Stevenson and AndrÈ
CornÈlis. After tea walked abouth with the Austrian. At dinner we had
a ludicrous conversation between Prof. Macalister and the Austrian,
whose English is a pure joy. His greatest triumph was: If one
measures by anions[?] it wd take many ears. After dinner played
Patiences with the Australians.