At the time Italy was at war with Turkey and there was an air of animosity towards the Bahá'ís, who were taken for Turks. Three of their party, Áqá Khusraw, Mirzá Munír-i-Zayn and Shoghi Effendi were diagnosed as having eye infections, deemed unfit to make the journey and put ashore. Dr. Amin Farid supported this decision and insisted to 'Abdu'l-Bahá that Shoghi Effendi should be sent away although he had earlier discredited the diagnosis of the Italian doctor on earlier. [MD22; AB171–172; PP19-21; JourneyWest27Mar2012]

Some North American Bahá'ís who were waiting for the steamer boarded the ship to see `Abdu'l-Bahá. Among them were Mr and Mrs [Percy] Woodcock and their daughter from Canada, Mr and Mrs Austin from Denver, Colorado, and Miss [Louisa] Mathew, a friend from London, who made the rest of the journey with them to New York. [Mahmúd's Diary p22]