La Plata 113 



for use. He said: 'There is here enough scientific 

 apparatus to fully occupy the time of half a dozen 

 astronomers." We returned to the residence. It is a 

 large building, one story in height. In the middle are 

 two open courts or patios. Surrounding them are the 

 living apartments of the Director and certain members 

 of his Staff; the library, containing a fine collection of 

 books relating to astronomy and physics ; and a number 

 of offices and laboratories. The style of the building, as 

 that of most of the homes in La Plata, recalls Granada 

 and Seville. It was time for breakfast, which we 

 enjoyed all the more for our little promenade through 

 the grounds of the establishment. 



We had not finished our meal when Professor Roth 

 was announced. " He appeared with smiling face, an- 

 nouncing that he had come to guide us to the Museum, 

 which is situated in the park facing the Zoological 

 Gardens, only a few steps from the Observatory. As 

 the Museum was the objective point of our long journey, 

 I was glad to immediately go with the genial Doctor, 

 and confess that when I first saw its exterior and entered 

 the building, I felt astonishment at finding so noble an 

 edifice, so well adapted to its purposes, in this far-off 

 land. The National Museum in La Plata owes its 

 existence very largely to Dr. Francisco P. Moreno, 

 naturalist, geographer, and statesman, who enjoys 

 the reputation of being one of the leading citizens of 

 Argentina. He devoted the earlier years of his life to 

 the exploration of southwestern Argentina and Pata- 

 gonia, and applied himself with unremitting assiduity 

 to researches in various departments of the natural 

 sciences. He thus laid broad and deep the foundations 

 of the knowledge of his country which subsequently 

 enabled him, as the High Commissioner of Argentina, 



