Chapters 1-3 Summary and Analysis

Mark Twain writes a series of travel letters from Hawaii, intended for publication in the SACRAMENTO DAILY UNION. Each chapter corresponds to a single letter written by Mr. Twain between the months of April and November of the year 1866. The first three chapters cover Twain's turbulent voyage to Hawaii, where much of the crew becomes seasick and where the author rails against Balboa for naming the uncooperative ocean "Pacific."

As Chapter 1 begins, Mark Twain boards the steamer Ajax in a drunken state, like his fellow passengers. The ship is soon beyond the Golden Gate and out to rough seas. After failing to attain his "sea legs" Twain goes below deck with a newly won concussion. The constant rocking of the boat makes life difficult, and several passengers fall seasick. Considering the ocean's violent behavior, Twain questions the wisdom of...