After writing last night, I went to bed ― a very comfortable berth, ― & slept well. Relieved, as I woke towards morning, by hearing torrents of rain, which seemed to indicate less wind. At 7 ― rose ― & found myself just before the Line Wall ― just out of sight of Condi Terrace. ― Coaling going on till 9 ― & various boats to & fro ― but none came off with letters. At 9½ we were off ― & simultaneously at breakfast. A German ― young & intelligent, with a ditto ditto wife ― & one French mercantilious sort of man all the passengers. On going on deck ― Giorgio & I observed the shores of diminishing Κέρκυρα ― & those of Albania. Parga &c. Farther down it began to get rough, & about 2 ― off Santa Maura1 was highly disreputable. Yet somehow I kept tolerably well ― at least less stupified, & less irritated than often. Off Sapphos’ leap2 ― at 4 ― the swell was disgusting, & there we dined ― yet not uncomfortably ― the dinner was excellent, & the Captain agreeable. Afterwards, going on deck ― we were between Ithaca & Κεφαλόνια ― but it became squally & rainy, & I came down at 7 ― & wrote this. Giorgio seems tranquil & says ― Ecco due Turchi!3  ― who are his fellow lodgers below, when he is “buttato giù.”4 ― The Cameriere5 is a Corfiote & says all the Μάγειροι6 in these boats are “Ἕλλαδες.”7 ― There is much to be thankful for in this voyage ― so far. ― Walked up & down deck once or twice ― then had some tea at 8½ ― & to bed ― stupid & nervous. Nerves horribly bad from the creaking & noise, & the rolling. No sleep ― X7 X8 ― most unhappily. Lay awake ― ill & dreamy most of the night, ― slept unsoundly from 5 to 7. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

  1. Lefkada. [↩]
  2. Cape Lefkada, on the island of the same name, where the poet Sappho is said to have tragically leapt to her death in the VI century BC. [↩]
  3. “Here are two Turks!” [↩]
  4. Literally: “thrown down.” Giorgio probably meant: “when I am lying down,” or “when I am downstairs.” [↩]
  5. “Waiter” in Italian. [↩]
  6. “Cooks.” [↩]
  7. This is the plural of “Greece,” so “Greeces.” As Denise Harvey observes, Lear is probably attempting a complex joke: Greeces = greasy Greeks. [↩]