Norris: Diary, July - September, 1904

August 1, 1904

Arrived in New York about 8 o'clock. Spent the day arranging details of my trip - watches, gems, money etc.

At 7:30 P.M. gave a dinner at the University Club to a few friends. Those present were:

Dr. Jas. Decker A.W. Schumacher Jas. H. Britton Fitzhugh Speer? J. Linton Thompson T. Arthur Ball Jas. H. Hayes Jr.

It went off smoothly and they all seemed to enjoy themselves. They didn't want to go home however and talked & talked until nearly 2 o'clock. Very complimentary but a little tedious.

August 2, 1904

Spent morning arranging details of my trip. Spent afternoon packing Spent all night until 5 A.M. writing letters and keeping awake with very strong black coffee and a very little whiskey. Nursed it very well so that I wouldn't get nervous or have any relapse. At 5 A.M. took a walk in Central Park and returned at 6 A.M. Spent next two hours by packing, a cold bath, a shave and breakfast. Then went to steamer stopping to do a little shopping.

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Hvaing had no sleep it seemed like one day to me so I have forgotten and written in under this date what ought to be under "Wednesday".

August 3, 1904

Sailed on S.S. "Teutonic" at 10 A.M. for Liverpool nothing out of the ordinary happened. Day hot & sea like a mill pond. Passenegers fun? and exceptionally uninteresting looking.

Felt surprisingly well and only slightly nervous considering what I had been through. Had gone however so long without sleep that I didn't want to sleep. However got in about an hour before supper and slept all night until 8 o'clock the next morning.

Capt. of Teutonic is Capt. McKinstry Purser Mr. Lancaster

August 4, 1904

A most ordinary day at sea. Nothing interesting enough to record. Sea smooth, weather hot, partly cloudy.

Noon - Lat. 40.21 Long. 65.13 395 miles Light N.E. breeze

August 5, 1904

Same report as yesterday except that there is a man in band name "Datas" who is a music hall performer and very interesting. He has a phenomenal memory and knows history & especially dates of nearly every thing of importance. He is only 29 years of age and was a newsboy on the streets of London and then a stoker? for 10 years. Three? years ago he couldn't read or write. He remembers infalliably everything he reads and can memorize 72 dates of important events in 2 minutes. These seem positively to be facts. Practically everything you ask him about history he can answer off hand. He tells me his memory is visual. He sees photographed in his mind. This is I think quite remarkable as I have believed of recent years that the best memory was oral. At least it seems to be so in learning languages. Have attributed my own failure to learn languages to the fact that I was a visualist and had no ear for remembering sounds.

Noon Lat. 40.41 Long. 56.24 402 miles Mid. N.N.E. Breeze & swell