254 To the River Plate and Back 



was his intention to immediately write to Mr. Car- 

 negie, thanking him for his present to the Museum, 

 which he was pleased to accept on behalf of the people 

 of Argentina. The interview, which naturally was not 

 protracted, was marked by the interchange of pleasant 

 compliments and a little merriment due to the fact 

 that while the President spoke in Spanish, I was with 

 his gracious consent allowed to use the French lan- 

 guage, which the President understands perfectly, but 

 which he does not care to employ when he knows that 

 his hearers understand the language of Castile. 



It was pleasant after we had withdrawn to hear Mr. 

 Garrett remark that the President had plainly mani- 

 fested greater pleasure and interest in the meeting than 

 he had known him to show on any similar occasion. 



President Pefia is a man of fine appearance, tall, and 

 dignified in his bearing. He had gained wide experience 

 in the service of his country as a diplomat before his 

 election to the Presidency. Throughout his administra- 

 tion thus far he has proved himself to be a most capable 

 and efficient head of the Government. His father 

 before him was President of Argentina from the years 

 1892-1895. He therefore came to his present exalted 

 position possessed of an inherited acquaintance with 

 the requirements of the office. 



Before the installation of the replica had been com- 

 pleted we were informed one bright morning as we 

 entered the Museum that Dr. Samuel A. Lafone- 

 Quevedo, the Director, had returned from his lengthy 

 absence in Europe. We found him standing with a 

 group of his friends in the rotunda of the Museum, and 

 were delighted to receive from him such a cordial and 

 unaffectedly hearty greeting as only he knows how to 

 give. "Don Samuel," as he is affectionately called by 



