Carrie Chapman Catt - Diaries, Europe, South Africa, August 2 - November 15, 1911 (Box 1, Folder 1)

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Diaries of Carrie Chapman Catt, a noted leader in the woman suffrage movement, written during a trip around the world.

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wifeof [wife of] the Premier ([Botha?]), one by Mrs. Hull wife of Minister of Finance. I attended 14 afternoon teas; 3 morning teas; 6 dinners; 3 picnics; 12 committee meetings.

Of the 76 days, eleven and a half days full and 11 nights were spent on the train [.] About 2 weeks or 14 full days were spent in sightseeing which included four days at Victoria Falls, an excursion to Camp's Bay and a days [day's] drive in Cape Town; a visit to an Ostrich farn [farm] and the ostrich market in Pt Elizabeth; a visit to a farm in Bloemfontein; a visit to the DeBeers mines in Kimberley; a visit to a Kaffir Kraal in Maritzburg.

Each of the above took the whole of a day, but sometimes tired nature was prodded up to go to something in the evening. The 36 days spent in sightseeing and travel left 40 days spent with suffragists. The functions including public meetings number 76 making an average of nearly two things each day. We made many visits to railroad stations, Cook's etc., visisted [visited] many shops in search of postals and photos, did some shop-ping [shopping], and incidentally visited many places of interest which could be put in when there was time to spare. These last mentioned incidentals included visits to eight museums all of which we found extremely interesting and instructive. The above record was performed in a climate varying from cold which required loading ourselves with all the clothes possible and sleeping with hot water bottles, bed shoes, and flannel nightgowns to tropical heat rendered indurable only by the continual whirr of electric fans. I should add to the above record three and a half days spent with the convention in Durban. Now, passing up the East Coast, we visit 7 additional towns belonging to East Africa, [.] This record would not be complete without listin g [listing] the reading done in connection with it and which was the necessary preparation for understanding the conditions of this part of the world. Since leaving Southampton I have read the following books: The Militant Suffrage Movement, Billington Greig: [;] Woman and Labor, Olive Schreiner; S. Africa, Story of the Nations, Theal; From the Great Trek to the Union, Frank Cama; Man Eaters of Tsavo, Col. Patterson; Jock of the Bushveld; The Partition of Africa; The Ruins of Rhodesia; The Dark and Yellow Skinnned People of S. A. Theal; Tropical Africa Drummond; The Romance of Empire-S. A.; Letters of Lady Barnard; Christian Missions in S. A. J. Du Pless; InterRacial Problems- Report Races Congress; Guide to S. Africa (twice); A Pilgrimage to Jerusalem; Guide to Egypt; Guide to India; the Dop Doctor (an African story of the Boer war) two novels and several magazines and pamphlets- F 21 good sized books, mostly octavo and the magazines. The [inelligible] of the Congo

In view of the reputation I have of being delicate I consider the above a fair four months [months'] work. Meanwhile the rest has restored my health and strength to a surprising degree. A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER. The first calico brought to the East Coast was brought by an American ship. It was cut into suitable strips for the wraps the Natives wear and was used as a medium of exchange in the interior. It was called Americani. Now it is brought by German ships and is made in Germany but goes by the old name. Told by American Counsel Zanzibar. One of the chief occupations of Durban is whaling- about 1000 whales are caught there each year. Between Maritzburg and Durban the 4 hours journey was through fields of pineapples and bananas. We had a drink of fresh cocoanut in Zanzebar. When used for a drink, the fruit is green. It is not so sweet and was a palatable, cool and refreshing drink.

Last edit almost 2 years ago by shashathree
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[73 overwritten] 74 On Monday early Miss C and I were dressed and ready for shore. As usual at these ports we took a small row boat with black men for oarsmen and went ashore for a tikkie each (6 ets) The little trolley pushed by Natives was not to be seen and the sun was blazing and no shade at hand. So we slowly toiled up the hill where we found the cars and entering one we were soon rattling on our course toward the town. On Saturday morning before we were up our Nairobi passengers were gone, but previous steamers had brought so many passengers for this booming town that there was no room on the train for more and we saw all the people disconsolately moving about and mopping their foreheads. They would get off at noon. When in town, we took a ricksha and visited the old Portuguese fort, now used as a prison, found some good photos, visited the market, a queer place containing queer things, and kept and patronized by Natives, Arabs and E Indians, and were soon ready to return to the ship. There are [comparatively?] few whites Miss Cameron called at the Bank of India where British men were at the head, and E. Indians clerks. Thanking our stars that our fate did not lie there, we got back as soon as possible. At four o'clock Miss C and I accepted the invitation of Mr. Schneiders, a table mate, very young, and went out for a two hours sail. It was a delightful experience. We turned around a point of land and found ourselves in a big bay surrounded by distant mountains, over which the Uganda Ry passes. The banks were densely covered with cocoanuts

Last edit over 1 year ago by EricRoscoe
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Some interesting people came on board here, a Dr. and wife, young, who had come from Uganda. He had been Dr. in a sleeping sickness camp. The men had been removed from the region of the tsetse fly, but cures have not been satisfactory. They were going to England for a six months rest and will then return. Another man has written a book on the Nyassa land. A man, wife and child were returning to west Lake Nyassa from their vacation. He is on a rubber plantation. There are trees which exude the juice which becomes rubber when exposed to the air and there are also vines, which put out a juice when cut. The Natives rub this on their skin where it quickly dries. They rub it off then, and roll it into balls, in which form it is sent to market. These people would travel a month before reaching their home. They got off a chinde. They would travel by boat up the Zambesi, then the Shire and then overland by [ham?]- [mouk?] [insertion illegible] Lake. These people who come on at Mombasa travelled long distances by [hammouk?], each person having a company of 16, four serving at a time.

Two days later we passed C. Guadafui [Guardafui], a cruel, bold forbidding rock with no vegetation and a long stretch of yellow sand upon its table top. Here a boat from Australia, bound for England had been wrecked in fog a month ago. One boat of passengers was lost, but all the others were picked up. Among those lost was the wife of the young deck steward. His pale grief stricken face as we passed the spot won the sympathy of all. The Natives on the Somali

Last edit over 1 year ago by EricRoscoe
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74 Coast are said to be very cruel and when wrecks take place there, and it said this happens once a year, they murder people to get their valuables. Some even say they are cannibals. The next evening at 5.30 we arrived at Aden and [insertion: as] usual[?] out from shore and were soon surrounded by small boats. We decided not to go ashore as it would be dark so soon. The officers would not allow the number one merchants to come on deck until late in the evening and so there was a lively bargaining over the rail. The Blackies sending up their goods on a rope trolly for inspection. They had Swahili baskets pretty but rather coarse, wild ostrich feathers cigarettes etc. What else they had we couldn't know. Aden is picturesquely situated or at least Steamer Point is at the foot of a log jagged big rock now owned by Briton and well protected by [illegible - guards?] Across the narrow channel is another jagged row of rocks or mountains. There was a glorious yellow sunset behind them. These narrows are one of the most picturesque spots I ever saw and certainly a strategic point which Gt Briton aid will [to gobble?]. It was a fairly comfortable night, but the next day was [underlined] hot. There was land on both sides and we passed the town of [Mocha?]. In the afternoon we massed many steamers and we were out of sight of land. The night was fearfully hot. My door on hook, my window open with curtains pulled back and electric fans going and [illegible] not even a sheet for cover, enabled me to sleep. Today is hotter, the hottest day we have yet had. Everyone

Last edit over 1 year ago by EricRoscoe
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is perspiring and the workers are dripping. They told us we shall have another hot night and perhaps one more hot day and then it will be cooler. Tomorrow at 8 o'clock [insertion: Thursday Nov 16] we stop at the uninteresting Pt. Sudan. We shall stop also for a call at Suez, also uninteresting. We shall arrive in Pt Said on Saturday evening. This must end my record of [insertion: the] South African trip and [illegible] begin. It is only a daily to refresh my memory and could never be written on the day when events occurred. Nor could it include many interesting details

Signed Wednesday, November 15, 1911 Carrie Chapman Catt

Last edit over 1 year ago by EricRoscoe
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