Late one Friday night, written at the stroke of twelve, Karl’s mother wrote a letter to him—it’s the only correspondence I've found from her, and it’s pretty touching:
"I had letters from Karl today, along with a package of photos and papers from a man in MacKay. He sent a postcard letting me know he'd sent them and asked me to hold onto them until the return of my son, 'whom I am proud to have met.' His name was Harwell, and his picture was among the photos. Karl also sent a photo of a large group of young men with bicycles. He’s probably in Japan now.
Why do you not write?
Jean wrote that she received a letter from you; she’s back at work. Minerva leaves in the morning, and they’re on the same train heading to Denver. Lily Munro was here this week for a brief visit. Aunt Rae is going with Minerva to see Minnie.
When are you coming home?
Art will tell you about Aunt Susie’s plans for you this winter. Let me know what you think. Mary is between schools right now and plans to attend Normal School unless she finds a teaching position.
We had a visit from Jessica Creelman.
Are you getting homesick?
Tell us when you’re coming home. If you can’t manage it soon, we’ll try to send you some money.
All my love—I’ll expect a letter next week.
Your loving mother."
I’m unsure if Karl ever received this letter or if it was simply his mother’s way of putting her thoughts to paper, but it found its way to the archives. At the time, Karl was wrapping up his travels in Vancouver and seeking passage on either the Empress of Japan or the Empress of China. However, due to the Boer War, he altered his plans and arranged to sail aboard the Ivy for Sydney, NSW, Australia, working his passage “before the mast.”
Before setting sail, Karl made an impression in Vancouver—and not just with his travels. On December 10, 1899, The Truro News reported:
"Before leaving Vancouver, Karl Creelman gifted a rather unusual pet to a hotel proprietor—a creature far from tame. According to The Vancouver World, the Acadia Hotel now has a ‘pet’ that is less than affectionate: a young mountain cat that refuses to submit to domestication. The mountain cat was a gift from Karl Creelman, the round-the-world bicyclist, who encountered it while riding at full speed, nearly 40 miles an hour. After a collision, he discovered his wheel had hit something hefty—the young mountain cat, which had been knocked out by the impact. He tied up the dazed animal and brought it along. But a word of caution—no one should mistake its grogginess for gentleness!"
Karl anticipated reaching Sydney, Australia by mid-February.
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