At 5 or 6 A.M. ― I had hope for finer weather ― but it became the same dark gray terrible gloomy scirocco. However, by 9.30 all was ready ― & at 10 I set off, leaving G. to follow. I went up to the Casa Candoni, & returned Ida Pfeiffer’s last travels,1 wh. have immensely interested me.

― So on, by the busy fields below Ποταμῶ & through the town, & passed poor Διονύσιος. And to the road, which I shall never be able to draw & yet never enough admire. ― Then, at the Govino or Kondokali “Inn” I stopped ― at 11.30 ― & had one egg & some wine & water: the people were all civil & kindly as usual. George & the cart came up at 12.20 ― & we went on to the 9th nick. & at the Grand Junction Hotel stopped to bait. Αὐγᾶ τεγεμισμένα2 & garlicky sausage ― but really good wine was the order of the day. Osteria Life3 is always a delight to me ― I cannot quite tell why, except that it began from Roman days. ― Afterwards, at 2.30, I walked on alone, ― & at the 10th nick drew ― soon joined by a Χωρικὸς,4 who talked no end, & insisted on walking on with me: he called Sir H. Storks ― ὁ πρώτος πολὺ κάλλιστος ἀρμοστής5 & said he had been to his place ― Μακράδε, ― where, later he asked me to come to a [Panaghia], this day week. Finally he said ― [“]άς ὑπάγωμεν [] στην Αγγλίαν:”6 ― & declared he would lean English directly. At the 12th nick, the rock & olive scenery is immensely fine ― & perhaps not less so in such a day of clouds ―― but it was not easy to draw. ―

Bye & bye ― it was then 5.30 ― the double bay came, & the vast rocks of St. Angelo: ― & so on & on to below the Convent ― at 15½ miles ― a wondrous scene of calm sea & massive seaside promontory. ― Of course, found that G. had all the house very tolerably ready ― but he had broken my lampshade to my disgust ― it fell from the cart, where he had insisted on keeping it all day for security. ― At 8 ― cold mutton & a bottle of beer were refreshing, & later, coffee & a cigarette still more so.

G. was here 4 years with the Conyers, & says ― “Mi pare un sogno ’sta casa.”7

I said I was sorry I had been so angry last night, to which he replied. Non è niente Signor ― bisogna che ogni uomo fa così qualche volte.8

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

  1. The Last Travels of Ida Pfeiffer: Inclusive of a Visit to Madagascar. London: Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1861. [↩]
  2. Stuffed eggs (NB). [↩]
  3. Inn life. [↩]
  4. Peasant. [↩]
  5. The first very good Commissioner (NB). [↩]
  6. “Let us go [] to England.” The middle word, perhaps τιμά, does not make sense for Nina. [↩]
  7. This house is like a dream to me. [↩]
  8. That’s no problem, Sir ― everyone has to be like that now and then. [↩]