CHAPTER XIII 



FIRST WEEKS WITH THE ROOSEVELT SOUTH 

 AMERICAN EXPEDITION 



THE S. S. Van Dyck of the Lamport and Holt Line, with 

 Colonel Roosevelt and his party on board, arrived at Bar- 

 bados on the morning of October 10, and late that after- 

 noon pointed her nose southward toward Bahia. The plans 

 of the expedition, with which I was immediately made ac- 

 quainted, called for a rather short and not too difficult trip 

 up the Paraguay River and down the Tapajos, having for 

 its prime object the study of the fauna and collection of 

 zoological specimens in the region traversed; but all this 

 was changed within a very few days as we shall subsequently 

 learn. Besides Colonel Roosevelt, the expedition consisted 

 of Geo. K. Cherrie, Anthony Fiala, Jacob Sigg, Father Zahm, 

 and myself. 



Bahia was reached on the 18th; Kermit Roosevelt joined 

 the expedition at this place. The Van Dyck remained at 

 anchor the entire day, thus allowing sufficient time for a 

 casual inspection of the city. Two days after, we arrived 

 in Rio de Janeiro. The paucity of the English language 

 does not permit of an adequate description of the natural 

 beauties of the harbor and the city. All steamers entering 

 the bay must sail through the narrow passage between the 

 famous Poo de Azucar and the mainland on the opposite 

 side. The great loaf-shaped rock rises to a height of twelve 

 hundred feet above the water; if one craves excitement, 

 it is possible to ascend to the top in a small car travelling 

 on steel cables. 



In few cities is there such a display of great wealth. 

 The main street, the Avenida Central, is wide and beau- 

 tiful, and the sidewalks are of coarse mosaic. There are 



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