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S.S. Pentakota. March 9 Off Siam [Thailand]. Dearest Father. I think I may gain a few days if I post a letter at Penang [Pinang], where we arrive tomorrow morning. How we get on to Singapore is wrapped up in a mystery, but we hear vague rumours of Chinese boats which sound as if they would afford an adventurous sort of sea faring! We are having a delightful voyage. I, by the kindness of an affable captain, have been given a large 2nd class cabin to myself. I don't use it much, for it's extremely hot and the cockroach is a burden. So I sleep on deck, in company with most of the other passengers. Our party is mostly American and German, and the Hanburys, with whom we play Bridge every night. Some of the Americans are very nice. My neighbour is a young man, recently retired from business and looking out for somewhere to settle down in. He thinks he will fix on England because in the States he can't find any place to be idle in. Everyone is busy and he couldn't get so much as a partner for a game of golf except on a Saturday afternoon. Doesn't that throw a curious light on America! I like the Hanburys; we seem to be going to croquet them often again on our travels and we look forward to unlimited Bridge with them on the Pacific. One of the Americans is a retired singer of great Yankee reputation, married to the son of her impressario, one Strokosch. They are a curious couple - most entertaining. But I'm glad I'm not married to Strokosch. The Fosters are also on board. By this time I know the Captain's exact income and what it will be in 2 years' time; all about his relations with the Company and his differences with the Chief Engineer, where his family in law live and almost what they have for dinner. His mother in law is a very religious woman, but I'm sorry to tell you his father in law is a bit of a free thinker. And he, as you may gather, is a bore. The Chief Officer is very nice. He takes us to see the charts and behaves as a ship's officer should to intelligent passengers. If you were here, you would have the free use of his sextant! There is a friendly old Dutchman who gives us advice about Java [Jawa] where he has lived for 25 years. I do hope we shall succeed in getting there.
Hugo is very anxious to see something of the States. We think of leaving the Canadian Pacific at a point and going down through the Yellowstone to Denver. What shall we do then? We wish to visit Chicago, Boston, Washington and New York, but all depends on whom you give us letters of introduction to. Couldn't we go and stay with the Nortons or someone nice? We shan't have much time so don't send us very far afield, but I think you will be able to contrive a few pleasant experiences for dear family.
Tuesday 10th. [10 March 1903] We've got our Chinese boat - she's very Chinese! however it's only a day and 2 nights. We sail today at 4. I'm writing from Penang [Pinang]. It's very pretty - atmosphere of a vapour bath and everything smells musty.