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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Sunday, 30 May 1920
Awake early from a very vivid dream. I had gone back to New York and wanted—after all sorts of varied adventures—to borrow some money for my passage home from Carrington [Hereward Carrington], who had just given an interview to the papers about a scheme he had for a 'South-West-Passage' underground to cut off the bays of Africa. He made out some extraordinary cheques which were to help some scheme of his-one was for £1,122,122 11118. (at the end, the figures kept altering). All this faded and I find myself flying the Atlantic in a 'plane with another man. We reached land in 20 h[ours] 19. m[inutes] 3 s[econds] from New York. Then, there was 'company' waiting to receive me; but when they learnt my name, the lackey went off to see what was to be done about it. He came back and said I was to have a private interview with George and Mary—some Germans of the period.
George reproached me for being barefoot, and I had a long argument with him. Meanwhile my sandals had been brought upstairs and Mary took them over to me. After some further discussion while I put them on, I woke.
Shall I go to Palermo today? [I Ching Hexagram] XLII, Yi—my favourite symbol for moving. Note my recent depression of several days—Mars retrograde on my Sol and Venus.
Shall I go to Naples for a bit? [I Ching Hexagram] Pi. Doubtful: union and attachment.
1.10 p.m. (post longum intervallum!) Opus[1] I, B.S.H.N. [Ninette Shumway], p.v.n.[2] Operation, brief but excellent. Elixir, strong and good. Object, Invocation Pan, with especial idea of getting partners.
Took the alleged 2.55 p.m. to Palermo. Fare now 32.10 [lire] and it started at 3.26. Wrote poetry 'Terminus' in train. Hotel des Palmes—strawberries and cream—another poem, unworthy of the subject, on them!
Reflection: 'The other disciple did outrun Peter' as I boasted in my silly youth to G. H. Frater D.D.S. [George Cecil Jones]. Would I had been content not to outrun the constable too!
1—[Crowley refers to a magical sexual operation.] 2—[Per vas nefandum. By the unmentionable vessel, i.e. anal intercourse.]
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