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Immediately after our arrival and before our hats were off, Mrs. Kate Garrett came with the results of her correspondence concerning our itinerary. Together we went to Cook's to get the time of trains looked up and I got back to the Hotel at 10 o’ clock just in time for lunch. I then attempted to open my trunks and to take out the things I should need for an evening[g] reception. Alas my precious wardrobe would hot [not] come open. The drawers had fallen out and it was only after a long siege with the porter that it was forced open and I was desperately tired. I had a caller who was most interesting. She was the wife of the Government Entomologist and he was a graduate of Ames. I shall see him later in Pretoria. Their name is Malley. By this time it was necessary to dress and get dinner
We were all desperately tired and the rain was coming down pretty fast but we went to [Magor's?] Hotel(kept by a woman born in America and a good suffragist) The reception was given by the Citizen'$ League but was rather a stiff affair for every one was seated and expected spee[x]ches. So tired as we were we had to supply the demand. We were home but when in bed it was difficult to sleep and we all experienced a giddiness and felt the the motion of the ship. This lasted fro three days, but doubtless would have left us had we not been overworked by the kindness of the good people of Cape Town. Tuesday August 9th I arose only in time to get dressed and hide away to a Committee meeting of the Women's Enfranchisement League. This League thought it had withdrawn from the Alli[ance] A tremendous amount of bitterness had been engendered , the League had been split and the National Committee had formed for the purpose of auxiliaryship to the Alliance. My busine[ss] there that morning was to talk it over. Good was done and the atmosphere was cleared in inside even though it still poured outside. I took a little rest after lunch and then dressed for another reception given by the Enfranchisement League at the Y. W. C. A. at 5o'clock. There i made another speech and went home for dinner and again to the same building for a public meeting under the auspices of the Citizen's League. There was an a audience of I50 which was not so bad co[n]sidering the night which was as [horrid?] as could be imagined. Dr. Jacobs spoke 20 minutes in Dutch and I about an hour . She has rebelled at the reception and went to ed leaving the rest of us to apologize for her absence. Miss Cameron surrendered to fatigue in the evening and went to bed while we were trying to convert the citizens, Mrs. Boersma was tired out and couldn't get up t[he] next morning, but I went through the program laid out for us and i n addition did a good deal of work on the itinerary. yet I shall never forget the overstrain of those first days.
On [Wednesday xx] Thursday, the 11th Miss Cameron went into the town, the hotel being a littlenout, called on Cook's, the Union Castle Office and got back for lunch. In the evening there was a public meeting for the Enfranchisement League.in the City Hall. The evening was somewhat better than the night before, but was bad enough. The hall was larger and it was packed with standing room taken. Sir James Rose Innes, acting Chief Justice presided. With that meeting over we heaved a great sigh of relief and slept peacefully. We also felt that we had become somewhat familiar with the chief features of Cap[e] Town. The most impressive thing there is Table Mountain which has a top as flat as a table and is well named .It is a most unusual formation and is a mile wide on the top. There the City [has? had?] placed three reservoirs. An enterprising tourist should always climb the mountain and see the top, but as am not expert at climbing I contented myself with a couple of photographs of the top. Wherever one goes the big rocky mass is to be seen and the City is nestled at its base as though seeking its protection. To the North is another mountain called The Lion's Head and at the left there is the Devil's Peak. The mountains are seemingly solid rock with no trees and little vegetation except at the base. Their majesty grows upon one and it is no wonder the all Africanders love them
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The top of Table Mountain showing one reservoir and giving an idea of its breadth
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On Friday the [22xx] 11th we were escorted to Lady Innes' at Kenilworth a beautiful suburb where we met a party of ladies at lunch. The rain descended in torrents as we came from the train but we gathered our fine feathers about us and waded through the mud, to the house which lay in beautiful grounds not far away. Lady Innes herself is a most gracious charming woman and the lunch was indeed a feast of good things for the body and soul. After lunch about 50 ladies came for tea and we did not get back to our hotel until dinner We were tired out and as it was the first evening we had had, we gathered in the cozy drawing room where a grate fire somewhat moderated the temperature and wrote letters. The next day we were off on the same railroad to Plumstead where we were to lunch wit[h] Mrs. Garret We went early in order to talk over the suffrage difficulties with her and find a way out of them if possible. After lunch several people came in for tea a and again it was late when we returned. The rain had stopped for a little while and the sun tempted us to walk through the park and botanical garden to the hotel. We e[n]joyed the process and the flora was mostly unfamiliar and much was very beautiful. Coming out of the Garden we entered the Government Avenue which leads to the hotel. We turned into our beds that Saturday night with tired bodies, but the satisfaction of ours [that?] our program was now about finished and we could make some plans of our own.
