60 To the River Plate and Back 



leave the ship and go ashore. A strong argument for 

 this course was the fact that I had discovered at Bahia 

 that immediately over my cabin there was a steam- 

 winch, which would be in operation both by day and 

 by night. Proximity to this noisy monster would make 

 sleep on board impossible. When selecting cabins for 

 a coasting cruise, let me recommend fellow-travelers 

 to look out well for the location of the winches. A 

 winch overhead is worse than nightmare. 



We had scarcely come to anchor when we were sur- 

 rounded on all sides by small rowboats and lighters. 

 One of them brought a man who ran up the ladder, and 

 called out my name. It was startling. Fancy at 

 once conjured up visions. Could he have some dread 

 message to convey to me which had come from far off, 

 under the seas? I was speedily relieved and reminded 

 that two days before I had sent from the ship a Marconi- 

 gram asking that a room be reserved for me at one of 

 the hotels. The man who sought me was the messenger 

 of the house, who came to inform me that the only 

 vacant room was at my disposal, and to help me on 

 shore with my luggage. I was glad that I had sent 

 my message. There are numerous excellent hotels in 

 the city of Rio de Janeiro, located on the main avenues, 

 but, as a naturalist, I wished to be a little nearer 

 Nature's heart than I could be in these, and therefore, 

 on the advice of friends, had selected a hotel which 

 was in the outskirts of the city, half-way up the flank 

 of Corcovado and embowered among the rich forests 

 of its slopes. It was for me a happy choice, and a happy 

 chance that my message had found its way through 

 the air when it did. 



Leaving the care of my luggage to the courier of the 

 hotel, I joined a large company of my fellow-passengers 



