To the River Plate and Back 



Our course lay so far out at sea that we did not detect 

 the fact that we were crossing the mouth of the Amazon, 

 which like the Rio de la Plata discharges a vast mass of 

 muddy fresh water into the ocean. For the same rea- 

 son we detected little of the influence of the Orinoco 

 upon the sea, into which it pours its waves, except a 

 certain dulling of the tone of the blues. Each day was 

 like the other, but the temperature on board was never 

 distressingly hot. The mercury during the entire 

 voyage never rose much above 80 Fahrenheit in the 

 hottest part of the day, and at night generally fell to 

 about 75, or even lower. The rapid movement of the 

 steamer created a breeze on deck, so that it was always 

 possible to find places in which to sit and read and chat 

 in comfort. The cabins were unusually well ventilated. 

 The one I occupied had two large windows, which I kept 

 open all night. Sleep under these conditions was 

 possible. 



We were off the coast of French Guiana on November 

 5th, the day upon which, had we been at home, we 

 would have taken part in electing a President of the 

 United States. A ballot-box was improvised from a 

 cracker-box, inspectors and judges of election were 

 appointed, and all citizens of the United States, including 

 the ladies, were requested to repair to the palm-garden 

 on the after-deck at the time of the afternoon tea, and 

 there cast their ballots. The result of the balloting 

 showed that the respective candidates had received 

 the following votes: 



Woodrow Wilson . . .24 



Theodore Roosevelt . . .18 



William H. Taft . . . 12 



Total . 54 



