1893 Aug 28 JM to Louie p1

[Page 1] (Hotel Metropole, London) August 28, 1893 The leaves are from an island in the midst of the falls of the Rhine at Schauffasn where I had a wonderful view. Dear Louie I arrived before six o’clock this morning after a continuous journey of 20 hours from Basli Switzerland, crossing the channel in the night was impressive but the journey altogether was wearisome & of course with want of sleep I feel rather stupid. I went to bed at six this morning & slept till ten. Then after a cup of coffee went to the bank & found two good long telling letters from Wanda & one from Maggie dated July 25 and Aug. 4. The one you were to write next day has not yet arrived, but I hope to receive it & others by a later [Page 2] mail. One of the first things I did this morning was to purchase a ticket for New York, so I shall soon be once more at home I hope,, and beneath the stars and stripes after which seems a long range of travel in Norway, Belgium, Germany Switzerland, France & Britain. I sail August 16th from Liverpool on the Campania. Tomorrow I am going to Keiv to see Joseph Hooker if I can find him. Then to Edinburgh & the north of Scotland & Melrose Scotts country. Then to Dunbar again, then with Maggie Lunam I mean to go to Liverpool to visit my cousins the two Hays architects who live near there and are anxious to see the great man as they call me. Then of course to New York [Page 3] and home, stopping as I suppose I must a day or two in New York also a day or two with Mother. Will be home probably by the middle of October. I was surprised to hear that Keith was home so soon. I think he went on the trip mostly because Scott wanted him to go & paid considerable part of his traveling expenses besides bringing his pictures and giving him that reception. More than ever I see it would not have done for me to have traveled with him, our aims are so different. It was lonesome on the continent not being able to speak the languages but everybody used me well & I found my way by means of maps and scraps of bad French without much trouble. [Page 4] The weather has been very hot but is now cool. I am delighted with my Swiss trip. Have been over nearly all Switzerland and have gained a good general knowledge of its mountains glaciers forests & flora. By my long minute studies elsewhere I was able to read the main features easily. Just as I foresaw Norway and Switzerland were the main objects of my long trip & I feel that I have learned more by far than I could have hoped to do in so short a time. The Swiss Mountains & valleys are glorious & truly sublime. The forests and glaciers not to be compared to our own. The lakes also are very beautiful those of Lucerne, Zurick, Neuchatel, Thun, Brienz Geneva Constance in [Page 5] particular. I also saw much to interest me in the formation of the broad plains of Belgium & northern France. The people too were interesting and the old towns and castles. I’ll tell you about them when I get home. This afternoon I spent an hour in Westminster Abby – Heavens what a place. Before leaving for the north I mean to see the Tower also around which so much of the history of England centers. I keep fretting and wondering about your trouble with your eyes Wanda keeps telling about the pain they give you. Do try & find the cause and take the necessary steps no matter what to get rid of it. Maggie too I learn is suffering with prostration from the heat as I feared she would. Tee her to go to the coast and never mind [Page 6] expense as I will gladly attend to that when I get back. I’m glad however to hear that Helen sweet Helen darling Helen keeps well & that you have a good teacher for her and Wanda. Tell Wanda she is a capital letter writer & that she has been my mainstay and comfort in keeping me within touch of home while on my long lonely journeys. From what I can make out Grandma is about the same as when I left. I trust you will all be better with the cooler weather of autumn. Any how you will soon again have me with you to tease you if nothing else. How you and Grandma would enjoy Westminster Abbey. I sent you all letters from the Continent which I hope you received. With love good night every yours John Muir