[New York, 15 April 1867]

Dear Folks--

I need not have hurried here so fast, but I didn't know that. All passages had to be secured & the Twelve hundred & fifty dollars fare paid in to-day, the 15th, for the Holy Land Excursion, & so I had to be here I thought -- but the first man I met this morning was the chief of the Alta bureau with a check for $1,250 in his hand & a telegraphic dispatch from the proprietors of the Alta say "Ship Mark Twain in the Holy Land Pleasure Excursion & pay his passage." So we just went down & attended to the matter. We had to wait awhile, because the chief manager was not in & we did not make ourselves known. A newspaper man came in & asked how many names were booked & what notabilities were going, & a fellow (I don't know who he was, but he seemed to be connected with the concern,) said "Lt. Gen. Sherman, Henry Ward Beecher & Mark Twain are going, & probably Gen. Banks!" I thought that was very good -- an exceedingly good joke for a poor ignorant clerk.

When my jolly old Captain came in, we squared accounts & then went down to look at the ship (steamer Quaker City.) She is a right stately-looking vessel.

My book will probably be in the booksellers' hands in about two weeks. After that I shall lecture. Since I have been gone, the boys have gotten up a "call" on me, signed by about 200 Californians.

Don't forget to remember me to Essie, & "Lou," & all the folks at 1312, -- & tell my pet, Annie, that I will write her just as soon as the press of business is over. I will write Katie Lampton, too.

Send letters to Metropolitan Hotel till further instructions.

Yrs affictin
Sam.

Scrap-book my letters in Alta.