SANTA MARIA TO LOS ARROYOS 135 



many a resultant pleasure. It brings happiness 

 of a higher quality than can the momentary satis- 

 faction of a good shot at cost of a life. Life is a 

 sacred thing. We do not know what it is; we 

 cannot create it ; it is the mystery of the universe. 

 To wish to take it wantonly can only be explained 

 on the hypothesis of a survival of primitive in- 

 stincts. That this must be the case is demon- 

 strated in the fact that a people, representing the 

 highest type of civilization and who individually 

 are the kindest men and women in the world, enjoy 

 to the utmost the "sport" of slaughtering pheas- 

 ants by the hundreds and thousands that have 

 been raised for that special purpose. 



With a strong breeze we continued our way, 

 arriving at Los Arroyos about 6 p.m. and anchored 

 off the steamer pier. Los Arroyos is a port of call 

 of a coasting line of steamers from Havana and is 

 a town of several hundred. As we needed alcohol 

 and som.e few provisions, a shore party immedi- 

 ately landed. Our crew showed much interest 

 in Arroyos, and all of them made preparations 

 for a visit to the town. A vast amount of prink- 

 ing and unlimbering of neckwear followed, and 

 some of our crew we hardly recognized in their 



