242 To the River Plate and Back 



tology in Spanish to the small circle before me, I have 

 a latent and horrible suspicion that I may have inno- 

 cently said something dreadful, without meaning to 

 do so. 



A pleasant afternoon was spent in the company of 

 Professor Rollin D. Salisbury, who accompanied by a 

 friend paid a visit to the Museum ; and on the afternoon 

 of October the I2th we had the pleasure of welcoming 

 at the Museum, Mr. John W. Garrett, the American 

 Minister, together with Mrs. Garrett, her mother, Mrs. 

 Warder, and Sir Reginald Tower, the British Minister. 

 They arrived about one o'clock, and, after spending a 

 couple of hours in the Museum, visited the Observatory, 

 where they took tea and met a number of the members 

 of the Faculty of the University and their wives. It 

 was the first visit which the American Minister had 

 paid to La Plata and it was a pleasure to present him 

 and his distinguished companion together with the 

 charming ladies of the party to my kind friends, who 

 were greatly pleased with the intelligent interest which 

 they took in the work of the Museum. It was through 

 the kindness of Mr. John W. Garrett, among others, 

 that Professor John B. Hatcher was enabled to make his 

 now classic journeys of exploration into the interior 

 of Patagonia on behalf of Princeton University, and 

 our eminent visitor showed that he was well acquainted 

 with the scientific importance and value of the noble 

 collections w r hich are housed under the roof of the 

 Argentine Museum. 



One of the daily sights was the drilling of the 

 troops, who marched from their barracks and paraded 

 on the avenue immediately in front of the Obser- 

 vatory. They appeared to be stalwart and well- 

 trained men, comparing favorably in appearance with 



