To the River Plate and Back 



ney into the waters of the South Temperate Zone. 

 We faced no stormy weather during the voyage. Not 

 a single person, man, woman, or child, in a company 

 of over one hundred and fifty first-class passengers, 

 complained of sea-sickness. The 'fiddles'' or table- 

 racks were never used in the saloon, and the purser 

 informed me that only once during the past three years 

 have they been called into requisition, and then it was on 

 a midwinter trip, as the ship was approaching New York. 

 ' I was afraid, ' he said, ' that we could not find the 

 fiddles on that occasion, as they had been so long stowed 

 away, but they turned up after we had made a hunt for 

 them, and were in use for two meals. ' It is impossible 

 to choose any route out of New York harbor which is 

 more certain than this to lead into pleasant weather. 



The life on our steamer in most respects was like 

 that on any other great liner, with certain exceptions. 

 On the North Atlantic, between New York and Europe, 

 in the middle of the morning passengers are offered 

 hot broths and tea and coffee, and in the middle of the 

 afternoon are served with warm drinks, even in summer. 

 On the Vasari clam-broth and bouillon were replaced 

 by ice-cream; the tea was iced; and most passengers 

 elected lemonade instead of coffee. On the North 

 Atlantic, even in July and August, rugs and heavy 

 wraps are much in evidence; on the Vasari the ladies 

 toyed with their fans and danced at night in airy 

 costumes. Nobody thought of closing the ports until 

 we had passed the equator, when it began to be cool at 

 night. 



The first day out a huge canvas tank was set up on 

 the forward deck and from time to time was filled with 

 fresh water from the sea. Here every morning many 

 of the passengers, arrayed in bathing suits, came for a 



