July 23, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Friday Afternoon 4 Oclk, July 23rd, 1897

Dear Emma, Fred, Anna and Aldana,

My last to you was mailed on Tuesday the 20th since which time there as been so much business on shore, driving excursions to the interior etc. etc. that I have really had no time to write.  We arrived here, “Odde” at 8 Oclk this morning and immediately after breakfast went ashore where we took carriages and drove some ten miles up through a wonderfully beautiful ravine, huge mountains of rock on either side, three and frou thousand feet above us and lakes and rivers here, there and everywhere, there were also numerous cascades and glaciers very, very grand ~ We had a good lunch and rest after which returned to the yacht well pleased; weather fine ~ There are further excursions tomorrow as we are to remain here until Sunday when we leave for “Sundal” (sp?) some six hours run from here, there we remain until Monday then sail for London where we are due Wednesday morning, I shall not stop over there but leave at once for “Wabern” (sp?)  Our excursion for Wednesday and Thursday last was most enjoyable we drove some 50 miles in carriages the first day through most lovely scenery, stopped over night at a hotel and in the AM boarded a train for a run of 70 miles it was a charming ride, arrived in “Bergen” 60,000 people and spent the afternoon sight seeing and driving and in the evening away here ~ I shall hardly write again on this trip as there will be no mailing place short of London.  My next to you will send from “Waebern” (sp?) most likely ~ Everyone seems to be happy and all hands are quite well.  The cold weather we have left behind us but we have run into some extreme hot, eighty in the shade ~ I am feeling bang-up generally.  Much love to you all from your affectionately Father and Brother Cassander~ Emma please forward

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

This is the first time I saw that he actually named himself in the salutation, also the first time I see that he asks Emma to “please forward”.  I can’t figure out why he does this, as the letters are always written to the same four people.

Also note, he is as unsure of his spelling as I am of his spelling!  An example in this letter is the town of “Wabern, spelled this way in one sentence, and further below he spells is “Waebern”.

July 19, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Monday Evening 9 Oclk July 19th, 1897

We arrived here in “Loen” (sp?) at 8 Oclk this morning, it is nothing more than a small hamlet but situated in a most picturesque spot amongst the mountains, English people come here to spend their summers there are no shops or stores but there is a very good hotel ~ Most of the passengers went ashore where we took carriages and drove some few miles away to an inland lake where we went on boarrd a small steamer and then down the lake some miles to a landing where we got off and organized quite a picnic party eatables having been brought along from the yacht, we had a pleasant time and the day was just perfect it was rustic in the extreme but everyone was sociable and the thing was a success ~ We sail in one hour for “Bolhomen” (sp?), arriving there tomorrow at noon and remaining over until Wednesday morning the 21st, then we start on a 40 mile carriage drive, remain at some Hotel over night and the following morning take the railway for “Bergen” arriving there about noon on Thursday the 22nd where we go aboard the yacht again, it having been brought around from where we left it on Wednesday ~ Further movement I will give you in detail later on I will try also to give you an idea of what we may see tomorrow and Wednesday ~ I popose mailing this tomorrow morning therefore this letter will be brief.  Everyone continues well but we have a few who grumble, the world would stand still provided we had none of these people I am thinking I find things quite to my mind and nothing to kick about.  I hope you are all well and enjoying yourselves as well as I am.  Shant I be pleased to hear from you once more.

With much love I remain all ever Affectionately Yours Father and Brother

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

In order for me to get these letters copied properly I have to copy them onto paper by hand before inputting them into this diary.  As I was trying to explain to my sister, it’s impossible for me to get the full reading value out of them until I have input them, edited them, and then go back and re-read them.  It’s then that I can read it with the flow of the intention, and I can sit back and picture what he is doing.

I only wish he had been taking photographs (which I’m sure were quite expensive at the time).  I don’t even know if photographs exist from this trip.  I do know that I have some photographs of the family during this period, but they of course are clearly studio taken.  I do however have one odd one.  It is of a steam locomotive pulling only one or two passenger cars.  It was taken in a very rustic place, very tree lined and wooded heavily.  There are no markings on either the front or back which is highly unusual given that nearly all the photographs I have of people are marked up on the back in pencil by my grandmother, listing dates, the full names of people, their immediate family etc.  Once when giving me some of these (and she never gave me the entire lot in one go, it was given to me over years only a few at a time) she told me that she had done these write ups on the pictures so a full history could be gleaned from them years from now.  In my childish head (pre-teen, early teen) I was thinking how silly, she of course would be able to “tell” those stories, no need to sit and write and write and write.  My how I’ve grown up!

These letters came from my Auntie (Augusta Flagg Sisk) whose grandfather is Cassander Flagg.  She is the one who had all of this in one place.  Including the picture of the train.  I can only assume that the train must have been something he either saw or traveled on, but unlike my Grandmother (Hazel Sarah Elizabeth Hodgman Flagg), she didn’t keep the notes on the backs of pictures.  The only thing I can do is assume or guess.

July 18, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Sunday Afternoon 5 Oclk July 18, 1897

We are again on the move; left “Meraak” (sp?) promptly at One this afternoon having got in there at 9 Oclk this AM.  We, all hands went ashore for a stroll about the place, a very small village but a pretty on and so delightfully situated at the foot of immense mountains, it was quite hot on shore and we were glad to return to the ship we saw some of the most beautiful waterfalls rushing down the mountain sides three and four thousand feet in height there was a considerable body of water but it was nothing in comparison to Niagra for volume, it’s beauty consisted in its scarcely consequently it seemed to spread out like a veil being shaken int he wind, the affect was most marvelous and wonderful ~ The fiord or stream through which we sailed to visit this place was in many places quite narrow, say 300 feet wide while on each side of us were walls of solid rock towering from 3-5 thousand feet above our heads and it was in every conceivable form and shape ~ Now just imagine if you can that up amongst the walls the natives have homes, here they live from one year end to another and raise their children, it can hardly be realized nevertheless it is a fact ~ The natives are a hardy looking people just as you see them in the States and they appear quite content with these humble homes ~ I saw crowds of them to-day it being Sunday many of them had come into town for church and had rowed in a boat 14 miles to get there, I am told that they are not exact in religious matters ~ Tomorrow, Monday we shall spend at ” illegible name”  where I shall mail this letter Tuesday we are to be in “Batholmen” (sp?) will tell you about them in my next ~ All hands are well and so far as I know are having their money’s worth.  The days are still long little or no darkness as yet and we shall not have any until we reach England I am told ~ My Norway letters I suppose are beginning to reach you by this time, hope they may give you some pleasure.  Love to you All from Affectionately Yours Father and Brother

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

There were a couple of places in this letter where the town was illegible.  Unfortunately I have no way to go research these places because I really have no where to start from.

July 17, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Saturday Evening July 17, 1897  9 Oclk

Dear Emma, Fred, Anna and Aldana,

We are just leaving “Naes” (sp?) where we have been on shore since morning taking a long, long drive it was through most delightful scenery and everyone was enchanted.  I have traveled some myself but what I saw to-day was so different from past experience that I enthused quite strong ~ The drive was through great ravines with towering hills or mountains rather on both sides of us, this with the rushing waters, cascades etc. etc. was simply grand.   It has been a lovely day and lots of sunshine, no over coats required and everyone pleased and good natured ~  Tomorrow we reach a place called “Meraak” (sp?) at 8AM there we remain until 1PM and then off to “Loew” (sp?), getting in there on Monday, I will write you about these places later on, at present I know nothing about them only that they are worth seeing ~ I mailed you a letter this morning and this one I hope to get off by not later than Monday next, my purpose is to write you every day more or less but I am afraid I am sometimes a little sort of (illegible word) as I am at a loss to properly describe what I see in my journyings.  It is the best I can do so you must take the will for the deed and get what comfort you can from my letters I mean well if I do fail to write you interestingly ~

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

This was a long letter compared to some.  I realized that I did not have any diary kept for the Mediterranian trip that he speaks of three years prior to this one.  I suppose that one was lost.  I am however so grateful that my Grandmother (Hazel Flagg) and my Auntie (Augusta Flagg Sisk) saw fit to keep these in such great condition.  Only recently have I chosen to enclose each letter individually in an acid free, archive plastic cover.  My husband uses them for his collectible comic books.

July 16, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Friday afternoon July 16th, 1897  5 Oclk

We arrived at the port, “Walde” (sp?) early this morning and a pretty place it is, some 2000 inhabitants and a cleanly looking lot of people they are~ the town lies at the foot of the hills and in a quiet little bay all by itself, it is a sort of summer resort and at this season of the year many tourists are here from England and Germany, there are a number of very good Hotels well furnished and filled with guests ~ We leave here in a few hours for “Naes” (sp?) some 20 miles from here where we stop for a few hours only and then off again further south ~ There are still seven more landings for us before we sail for England and I am advised that they are all more or less interesting from one standpoint or another ~ The weather to-day is fine and mild and the Ladies of our party are in high glee to be able to get about without their cloaks, capes and furs.  Last evening there was quite a concert musical given by the passengers and it was really entertaining; it was both vocal and instrumental and there was also some few recitations alltogether it was quite a unique affair ~ I mailed a letter from here the first thing this morning addressed  , it should leave this evening for London, the mails do not go from this Country daily there being no railways so far north but they are gathered up once or twice a week by crossing steamers or boats ~

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Friday Evening 10 Oclk

We have arrived at “Naes” (sp?) and are to lie out in the stream until morning, then go ashore and take a drive of some 50 miles through the country getting back to the ship again tomorrow night when we get off once again ~ I will write you Saturday and Sunday further particulars of my trip ~ I am well as usual tip-top generally no mistake ~ Much love to you all from affectionately yours Father and Brother ~ Please forward ~

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

I’m sensing that he is trying to find things to talk about in his letters.  The hours spent simply inching along a canal must have been dreadfully boring.  I have noticed too, that he isn’t discussing the type of food being served.  He talks about dinner and breakfast, but doesn’t let us know what that entails.

I also see here that for the first time, he has included two letters in one.  For the most part I want to post each letter per date, per post, but when they are continued letters I will keep all of one day for one post. I add the “Steam Yacht Victoria” on the continued page, as that is how is appears with the letters.  He uses a new sheet of letterhead to do a continued letter.

July 15, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Thursday Morning 10 Oclk July 15th, 1897

Dear Emma, Fred, Anna and Aldana

I closed yesterday a twelve page letter to you but as yet have not mailed it.  We hope to make some port to-day and get our letters started for London meanwhile I commence this which will keep me agoing for two or three days thus keeping you more more less posted as to my whereabouts and what I am doing.  We are still plodding along the Fiords but have not made much headway for 24 hours as there as been such a dense fog we could scarecly see 20 feet ahead of us.  Again the channels are so very narrow in many places that the ship has to squeeze her way through so to speak, the shores are rock bound and it requires the most careful handling to keep clear or them; occasionally the sun breaks through and then it just more than fine, the scenery is beautiful indeed.  Mountains fo solid granite towering thousands of feet about you and in many cases they are snow capped which gives them a wonderfully grand appearance.  Yesterday we re crossed the Artic Circle and therefore are once more in the temperate zone they however are in no ways dark as yet, I was reading at One Oclk this morning by the sun rays and with perfect ease, no artificial light required.  The weather has moderated very much indeed everyone on board is today out in light colors and summer clothes.  Overcoats have been discarded for the present at least.  Sea sickness for the most part it a thing of the past but in ten days from now when we come to cross the “North Sea” I anticipate seeing more or less of a circus amongst the passengers who by the way are just at present in a jolly mood, they are all on d3eck and music, games, books, etc. etc. is the programme for one and all.  You cannot imagine any happier or more contented crowd than those on board this ship.

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

If you notice, there are some words clearly spelled in the American way, while others still maintain their English spelling.  An example of this would be the word used above, “programme”.

I’m finding as I continue on, that Cassander Flagg did indeed have a sense of humor.  If you were to see his picture he is such a proper looking gentleman, certainly not one to laugh at a crowd of people on board ship “throwing up here there and everywhere”!

July 13, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Tuesday Morning July 13, 1897 11 Oclk

Dear Emma, Fred, Anna and Aldana,

Yesterday was very quiet, nothing occurrring worthy of special mention, it was a cold raw day and many of the passengers remained in their rooms preferring to sleep rather than be roaming about the ship.  I wrote to some of my London friends, took a nap in the afternoon and in the evening was busy with my book.  We have quite a library in the dining room and it comes in good play often times one can’t be continually watching the wind and waves ~

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

Here again we see a very long, rambling sentence.  Because he wrote with nib pen and ink, some of the small markings are indistinguishable from spattered ink.

July 11, 1897

Sunday Evening July 11, 1897   11 Oclk

My Dear Emma, Fred, Anna and Aldana,

Here we are at the “North Cape” where we remain until after 12 Oclk then southbound we go.  We had church service this afternoon the Captain reading the prayers, there was a goodly number to attend him.

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

As I translated these letters I found it difficult to copy what he was writing, knowing that there were blatent mistakes in it!  For example the above sentence “….they make it a point to interact (  ) each individual passenger.”  I had to insert the (with) since I KNOW that’s what he intended.

I’m not an editor so editing marks are not my forte.  At this point in time I wish they were.  I would know how to insert words that weren’t written, or correct the spelling, without destroying the original content.  So, to remedy this I have just done what I can to make the sentence legible by adding things in parenthesis, or putting things like names of places in quotes (which he did anyway), or adding a (sp?) after something I just know is wrong.  I wanted these letters to be transcribed exactly as written.

I will also protect my great great grandfather at this point and provide a disclaimer for him.  At no point in these letters does he come across in a racist way or say things derogatory about other lands.  What he does do is write his opinion.  After all, these are private letters that were sent home to family.  He I’m sure never meant for them to be published in this manner.  I did ask my father permission to do this project before I started and I was granted that permission.

Remember please that we are in Victorian era manner of dress, speak and behavior.  This is an American man living on the East Coast, traveling to places he only ever dreamed of seeing.  It was his eventual retirement I’m sure that made this travel possible both financially and time wise.

July 5, 1897

The Steam Yacht Victoria

Monday Morning July 5, 1897 11 Oclk

The gale has blown over and we are in waters that are quite calm; in two hours we should arrive at Scudesuaes (sp?) Norway, where we take on a Pilot only and proceed at once to Troudheim, arriving there Wednesday the 7th when we are to go ashore for some eight hours and look the town over this letter will be mailed from there ~

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

This is the last letter until July 11th.  I don’t know if there were gaps with missing letters lost possibly in the mail, or just not sent at all.  The top few letters were in good shape, but not compared to the others.  It would be highly unlikely they were destroyed over time, since everything was in one neat pile, tied together.

Cassander spends a lot of time in his letters speaking of time, date and mailing posts.  I don’t know if this was a character trait, or just a “hyper” need to keep track of time.

“Independence Day”

“Independence Day”

10 Oclk AM Sunday, July 4th, 1897

My Dear Emma, Fred, Anna and Aldana,

Had a very good rest last night but towards morning it began to blow and now as I write the yacht is more than just pitching and rolling.  I can scarecly keep in my chair you can imagine that from my unsteady writing.

There were only two out of fifty passengers down to breakfast and I was one of the two, a pretty sick crowd I tell you, it makes me laugh to see them, they are throwing up here there and everywhere, Oh my how the yacht is rolling at this very minute, I however have eaten well and am feeling tip-top in every way, my morning pipe was good.  I smoke a pipe continually, have two good ones and I manage to keep them hot.  It is clear overhead today but rather cool than otherwise an overcoat is comfortable out on deck.  Tomorrow morning we should touch Norway but I hardly think we go ashore still we may will tell you more about that later on one cannot make calculations very much in advance ~

© 2008 All rights reserved

My Own Thoughts:

I have many pictures of Cassander Flagg.  He is always impeccabley dressed, well groomed, and adorned with his wedding ring on his left hand, which is always pictured with two partly amputated fingers.  One being his ring finger.

I do not know the circumstances of his travels, but I have discerned that he has retired recently (within ten years) from his job with the Pullman Car Company, and has decided to live out his plan to see the world.  It appears that living on the East Coast was not enough for him, he knew there was more out there, and he was determined to see it.

At this time he is married to Emma.  Fred is his son, and Aldana is Fred’s wife.  I am assuming that Anna would be a child of that marriage.  He always addresses every letter the same, always with the date, and the time.

His “Indpendence Day” letter is one of two.  There is the first page missing to this letter, so what I have is only part of his description of the sea sick crowd.  From here on out every letter is in order, neatly stacked together, one for almost every day from July to September.