Mark Twain’s book The Innocents Abroad was based on his trip on the Quaker City side-paddle steamship. Twain’s ticket was paid for by the Daily Alta California newspaper in San Francisco, which paid the $1250 ticket price (roughly $25,000 in today’s dollars) in exchange for 50 letters during the journey which would be published in the paper. Some letters were lost in transit, and made up later. In addition to the letters sent to the Alta, Twain also sent several letters to papers in New York. Below is a list of all of the letters sent based on the Quaker City trip, which are the basis for The Innocents Abroad. To read the article, click on the publication date. Locations are those given in the article, even if made up by Twain (i.e. Baldwinsville). The table is sortable and searchable.
For the perspective of other passengers on the Quaker City, see the articles written by Moses S. Beach and Julia Newell.
| Newspaper | Location | Written | Published | Sub-Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Alta California | New York | 1867-03-02 | 1867-04-09 | Grand European Pleasure Trip |
| Daily Alta California | New York | 1867-04-19 | 1867-06-02 | (See last paragraph) |
| Daily Alta California | New York | 1867-06-06 | 1867-08-18 | To Whom It May Concern |
| Daily Alta California | Horta, Fayal | 1867-06-19 | 1867-08-25 | A Glimpse of a Strange Land—Out of the World. A Slumbering People—Curious Manners and Customs—Oddities and Curiosities—-The Pains of Donkey Riding—“John Brown” at the Azores. |
| New York Tribune | At Sea | 1867-06-23 | 1867-07-30 | Ship Time—Fayal—Love at First Sight—Character of the Islands and the People |
| Daily Alta California | Gibraltar | 1867-06-30 | 1867-08-27 | The Flag in a Foreign Land—The Gate of the Mediterranean—Impregnable Gibraltar— Sight Seeing—Geologic and Historic—Portrait of an Old Acquaintance—Other Portraits—Brown Redivivus. |
| Daily Alta California | Tangier, Africa | 1867-07-01 | 1867-08-31 | A New Sensation— A Thoroughly Foreign Land—Antiques and Ancients — Some Scraps of History— Tangierian Legal Tenders— Arab Financiering— Dangers of Moorish Wealth. |
| Daily Alta California | Tangier, Africa | 1867-07-01 | 1867-09-01 | The Ubiquitous Brown-Rough Arabic Surgery— No Country for Courting—A Good Deal Married—Three Sundays in One Week— Ancient Customs—Moorish Notions of Foreign Countries—But One American Family in Tangier—A Dull Place. |
| Daily Alta California | Paris | 1867-07-12 | 1867-09-05 | Twain Enraptured—A City of Palaces—Trees, Sculpture and Paintings—Sharp Contrasts in Paris Sight-Seeing—The Emperor and the Sultan—french Railway Travelling |
| Daily Alta California | Genoa, Italy | 1867-07-16 | 1867-09-08 | The Land of Syrens—Bewitching Beauties— Concerning Cigar Stubs —Genoa Superba — Gossip about Fine Arts—A Blast at Guides—Church Architecture and Decorations—Saintly Relics— Everyday Life in Italy. |
| Daily Alta California | Milan, Italy | July 1867 | 1867-09-15 | The Wonderful Cathedral at Milan—Saintly Side Shows—Condensed Biography of St. Borromeo—-The Splendors of a Saint’s Sepulchre—Ecclesiastical Extravagance— Some Dry Figures—How the Great Cathedral is Built. |
| Daily Alta California | Naples | 8/2/1867 | 1867-09-16 | Mark Twain in Quarantine |
| Daily Alta California | Lake of Como | July 1867 | 1867-09-22 | Como and Tahoe—The Lady of Lyons a Myth —The Barber of Seville and other Barbarous People—A Specimen of Brown’s French-English—A Brief Essay on Old Paintings—A Yankee Serenade on the Lake of Como. |
| Daily Alta California | Italy | July 1867 | 1867-09-26 | A Financial Problem—ltalian Extravagance— Absorption of Church Property—The Government “Running the Churches”— Splendid Poverty—The Italian Priesthood —Description of a Princely House of Cheek —A Gorgeous Tomb—A Blast at Abuses and Extravagances. |
| Daily Alta California | Naples, Italy | August 1867 | 1867-09-29 | An Exhumed City — The Dead Alive—How the Pompeiians Lived—Relics of the Past — A Pompeiian Advertisement— From Antiquity to Modern Times—The Old Catastrophe. |
| Daily Alta California | Naples | August 1867 | 1867-10-01 | Resting at Ischia—Annunciation and the Annunciators — A Town of Beggars —A Shameful Spectacle — The St. Januarius Miracle—Hair-Growing Extraordinary — An Insatiate Hackman—Ascent of Mount Vesuvius. |
| Daily Alta California | Naples | August 1867 | 1867-10-06 | Bird’s-Eye View of Naples—A Charming Picture—Not so Charming in Detail—Sharp Social Contrasts—Work and Wages—A Wonderful Cave—The Poisoned Grott— A Dogged Experiment. |
| Daily Alta California, via New York Tribune | Sepastapol | 1867-08-26 | 1867-10-09 | A Newspaper Correspondent on his Travels—American Sovereigns Before Russlan Imperialism—A Gracious Reception-Taking Tea with Royalty —Our Countrymen on their Good Behavior. |
| Daily Alta California | Naples | August 1867 | 1867-10-10 | Ascent of Mount Vesuvius—A Weary Climb— The Summit—Cooking by Volcanic Fires —Vesuvius and Kilauea—The Romance of the Venetian Gondola—Venice by Moonlight—A Fete Upon the Water—The Descent of Mount Vesuvius. |
| Daily Alta California | Venice | 1867-07-29 | 1867-10-13 | The Glorious “City of the Sea”—The Sights of Venice—Relics of Old Tyrannies— The Chamber of the Council of Ten— The Bridge of Sighs—Ruins of Ancient Art—The Legend of St. Mark. |
| Daily Alta California | Grecian Archipelago, At Sea | 1867-08-15 | 1867-10-18 | A Distant Glimpse of Athens—Bitter Disappointment—Blockade Running—A Moonlight Expedition—Sight-Seeing under Difficulties—The Parthenon and its Glories—A Vision of Beauty—Athens by Moonlight—Marauding Yankees—The Anabasis concluded. |
| Daily Alta California | Constantinople | 1867-08-20 | 1867-10-20 | “Living Greece No More”—A Forbidding Picture—Historical Reminiscences—Passing through the Dardanelles—The City of the Golden Horn—Constantinopolitan Nuisances—Street Scenes. |
| Daily Alta California | Constantinople | 1867-08-23 | 1867-10-23 | Nature’s Failures—The Lions of Constantinople; —Oriental Life and Manners—The Wild Dervishes—The Thousand-and-One Colonnade—A famous Mausoleum—Other Curiosities. |
| Daily Alta California | Constantinople | August 1867 | 1867-10-27 | Turkish Morals—Much Matrimony—Selling Slave Girls—A Model Market Report— Commercial Morals—Honesty at a Discount—Fleecing Strangers—Effects of Evil Example. |
| Daily Alta California | Constantinople | August 1867 | 1867-10-29 | A Canine Nuisance—An Unhappy Race—Dogs Considered Sanitarily—Constantinopolitan Journalism—Censorship ExtraordinaryHow Newspapers are Managed in Naples —Turkish Cookery—Fastidious Travellers. |
| Daily Alta California | Sebastopol | 1867-08-22 | 1867-11-01 | In the Crimea—Hospitable Receptions—lnvitation to see the Emperor—Battered Sebastopol—Surveying the Battlefields— Hunting for Relics—Brown’s Collection of Curiosities. |
| Daily Alta California | Odessa, Russia | 1867-08-22 | 1867-11-03 | In the Far East—Distractions and Distresses of Time—How Odessa Looks—Sounds from Home —No Show Lions—Historical Reminiscences of Odessa—Novel Bathing Costumes—Preparing to Visit the Czar —Fluttering Among the Republicans. |
| Daily Alta California | Yalta | 1867-08-27 | 1867-11-06 | In the Crimea—More Souvenirs of California—Diplomatic Preparations—Reception by the Czar—Among the Royalties—Royalty in Plain Clothes—Family Relations—What Republicans Think of in Imperial Presence—The Unterrified Brown—”Twain” Reads his Piece. |
| Daily Alta California | Yalta, Russia | 1867-08-27 | 1867-11-10 | Visiting the Grand Duke—Imperial Condeseension—An Obliging Grand Duke—Lunch with Royalty—How it Looks Behind the Seenes—A Troublesome Poet—Majesty Returning Compliments—An Irruption of Inferior Notabilities. |
| Daily Alta California | Smyrna | 1867-09-05 | 1867-11-17 | An Oriental City—Smyrna’s Crown—Ciphering Out the Prophecies—How Ihe Smyrniotes Live— Flirting Under Difficulties—Camels and Camel Trains — A Recollection of the “Arabian Nights.” |
| Daily Alta California | Smyrna, Asia Minor | 1867-09-06 | 1867-11-21 | Relics of Sacred History—Singular Mine— Geological and Ethnological Speculations —Do Oysters Climb Hills?—Smyrniote Millerites—An Asiatic Railway. |
| Daily Alta California | Ephesus, Asia Minor | 1867-09-08 | 1867-11-24 | The Ruins of Ephesus — Classic Reminiscences— The Seven Sleepers— How They Took a Long Nap — What They Saw When They Awoke. |
| Daily Alta California | Syria | 1867-09-11 | 1867-12-01 | Pilgrims to the Holy Land—Difficulties of Transportation—A Queer Beggar—Travelling by Guide Book—Camping Out—A Glorious Lay-Out for Pilgrims. |
| Daily Alta California | In Camp near Temnin El Foka, Valley of Lebanon | 1867-09-12 | 1867-12-04 | Tent Life in Syria—A Wonderful Horse— ln Bible Land—Seeing Bible Pictures—RecolIections of Joshua—The Tomb of Noah— Taxes and Taxation in the East— The Splendors of the Pilgrimage. |
| Daily Alta California | In Camp, Eight Hours Beyond Damascus | 1867-09-17 | 1867-12-08 | A Pattern Syrian Village—A Sorry Picture— Something about an Ancient Sport— The Mighty Temple of the Sun—Wonders of Old-Time Engineering— A Cut at Ambitions Nobodies—Magnificent Ruin of a Horse. |
| Daily Alta California | Banias | September 1867 | 1867-12-15 | The Oldest City in the World—Paradise— “Beautiful for Situation”—The Gardens of Damascus—Abana and Pharpar— Modern Adaptation of the Story of Naaman—The Horrors of Leprosy. |
| Daily Alta California | Banias | September 1867 | 1867-12-22 | In Damascus—Unexpected Comforts—Street Scenes—The Story of Paul—The House and Well of Ananias — Other Damascene Lions—”Christian Dogs”— Turkish Ingratitude. |
| Daily Alta California | Banias | September 1867 | 1867-12-29 | The Pains of Travel—The Umbrella Nuisance—A Novel Caravan—Jonesborough in the Desert and El Yuba Dam—A Stately Ruin—On the Borders of Holy Land—Vandalic Relic Hunters |
| New York Tribune | Baldwinsville, Galilee | September 1867 | 1867-11-09 | First Day in Palestine |
| Daily Alta California | Williamsburgh, Canaan, (Ain-Mellahah) | September 1867 | 1868-01-05 | “From Dan to Beersheba”—The Sources of the Jordan—Ancient Filibusters—The Roman Colossus of Roads—Glimpses of Oriental Life—A Naked Treeless Land—Descendants of the Patriarchs. |
| Daily Alta California | Williamsburgh, Palestine, (Ain-Mellahah) | September 1867 | 1868-01-12 | The Waters of Merom—Ancient Battles—An Old Prophecy Fulfilled—Ancient Story Modernized—A Dramatic Chapter with a Thrilling Denouement—Etc. |
| Daily Alta California | Capernaum | September 1867 | 1868-01-19 | Tiberia and Tahoe—An Accursed Land—Agricultural Capabilities of Palestine—Its Smallness—A Sacred Locality. |
| Daily Alta California | Tiberias | September 1867 | 1868-01-26 | At the Sea of Galilee—Enthusiasm of the Pilgrims—A Bitter Disappointment—Fine Arts and Magdalen—Syrian Architecture—Extraordinary Reception of the Pilgrims—Mary Magdalen’s House. |
| Daily Alta California | Nazareth | September 1867 | 1868-02-02 | Determined to be “Enthused”—An Arab Militiaman—A Novel Source of Revenue—Famous Localities—A Crusader’s Battlefield— Historical Reminiscences. |
| Daily Alta California | Nazareth | September 1867 | 1868-02-09 | A View from Moitut Tabor—The Plain of Esdraelon—An Old Story Modernized—The Palestine of To-day— A Bit of a Moral. |
| Daily Alta California | Nazareth | September 1867 | 1868-02-16 | Travelling in Palestine — Arabs and Israelites— Nazareth and its Holy Places— Grottoes and Monkish Legends—Convenient Faith. |
| Daily Alta California | At Large in Palestine | September 1867 | 1868-02-26 | The Arabs of the Desert—The Home of Jezebel—Story of Jezreel—Gideon’s Band—History of the Same—ln Samaria. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-03-01 | First Families—Joseph’s Tomb—The Well of Shechem—Camping— The Ladder of Jacob—Sacred Places—Accomplishment of the Pilgrimage—Jerusalem, at Last. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-03-08 | Jerusalem—A Knobby City—The Holy Place—The Story of the True Cross—The Sword of Bouillon. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-03-15 | Traditional Holy Places—At the Centre of the Earth— The Dust of Adam—Curious Relics—A Noted Relic-Hunter—Myths and Mysteries. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-03-22 | Among the Chapels—Sacred Places—Traditions and Inventions—The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-03-29 | The Sorrowful Way— St. Veronica’s Handkerchief— Sacred Places—Where the Wandering Jew Started From—Some of His Wanderings—The Temple of Solomon—Mahommedan Superstitions, |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-05-17 | The Hard Road of Jordan—At the Dead Sea—More Disappointments—A Funny Bath—Bethlehem and its Sacred Places—The Discomfort of Eastern Travel. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-04-05 | A Forbidding Picture—A Model Travelling Library—Sundry Exploded Delusions—On the Jordan Road. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-04-12 | The Great Temple—The Stones of Jerusalem—Surfeited Tourists—“Twain” Blase— A Crowd of Notable Places. |
| Daily Alta California | Jerusalem | September 1867 | 1868-04-26 | Dyspeptic Sight-Seers—Local Disturbances—Some New Points about Lazarus—A Bedouin Raid—Ancient Jericho. |
| New York Herald | New York | 1867-11-19 | 1867-11-20 | The Cruise of the Quaker City |
| Daily Alta California | New York | 1867-11-20 | 1868-01-08 | Home Again—Disembarkation of the Pilgrims—A Motley Crew—Review of the Trip—What Might have Been—A Model Pleasure Excursion—Passenger List Extraordinary. |
Most of the letter publication dates were initially sourced from Daniel Morley McKeithan’s Traveling with the Innocents Abroad (1958), then the information was supplemented with additional information, such as the sub-titles, and the links to the articles online added. Some articles, such as the pre-trip articles, were located in our own searches.
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