20 To the River Plate and Back 



Originally beginning life as a jeweler in a small town in 

 western New York, he had drifted to Chicago and 

 found employment with a firm engaged in making agri- 

 cultural implements, and years ago had been sent to 

 Argentina as a demonstrator. He was a typical "New 

 York Yankee, ' ' and the recital of his experiences, told 

 in his drawling vernacular, interlarded with Spanish 

 expressions, was infinitely quaint and droll. The 

 learned professions were represented by several physi- 

 cians, lawyers, and clergymen, the latter missionaries 

 returning to their charges after their furloughs. All 

 were men of culture and refinement with whom it was 

 a pleasure to converse. 



The " Crossing of the Line" occurred on August 3ist. 

 The event had been anticipated by many with interest 

 and curiosity. One gentleman, speaking about the 

 matter, remarked: 'We shall no doubt feel it an hour 

 or two before we get there, and probably an hour or 

 two afterward. ' As the equator is an imaginary line, 

 what my friend expected to feel I am at a loss to imagine. 

 Another fellow-voyager approached me and seriously 

 inquired ' how long I thought it would take us to get 

 over the line." When I told him the feat might be 

 accomplished in about a second of time he looked mysti- 

 fied and even disappointed. I did not press him to 

 explain himself. It would hardly have been polite to 

 do so. To what sort of nautical acrobatics he was 

 looking forward will ever remain a puzzle to me. On 

 the morning of the eventful day a proclamation was 

 read at breakfast, announcing that Father Neptune 

 and his daughter, attended by their court, would appear 

 on board at two o'clock in the afternoon, and then pro- 

 ceed to initiate into the mysterious rites of his realm 

 all those who were for the first time invading his do- 



