Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
our departure. Two friends of mine sailed on her, and both had the good fortune to be saved,
whilst over a hundred other passengers came to a sad end in this maritime disaster.
It was with mixed feelings that I left Washington to return to New York, where I had to
makefinalarrangementsbeforesailing.EverybodyhadbeensokindtomethatIfeltlikestay-
inglonger,butthenBuenosAireswascallingme,andIwaslongingtobebackwithmypeople
and friends once more. On December 1st the horses were in comfortable boxes on the lower
deckoftheMunsonliner
Pan-America
,andreadytotravelasthecompany'sguests.Therules
donotallowstocktobetransportedonthesepassengerliners,butoncemoreIwasgivenproof
of American friendship and appreciation when orders were given by the head of the company
that my horses be accepted, and that no fees be charged for their transportation. Not only did I
enjoyAmericanhospitalitythroughouttheU.S.territory,butevenuntilwelandedinthedocks
of Buenos Aires did we enjoy the benefits of this wonderful spirit for which I shall ever feel
deeply grateful and indebted.
Quite a number of friends had come to give us a final farewell on the ship, and I could see
them waving their handkerchiefs on the wharf as we slowly glided away. Presently the en-
gines began to throb, and by degrees the marvellous skyline of New York faded away behind
amantleofgreymist.Outsidetheharbourwedroppedthepilot,anactwhichalwaysseemsto
interest the passengers, and gives them the opportunity to break the ice and get into conversa-
tion, which is almost stereotyped in its sameness.
We had a wonderful trip all the way, and the sailors thoroughly enjoyed the presence of
the horses. Every night a large group would sit around them and smoke their pipes whilst the
horses munched away at their hay, seemingly enjoying the cool night breeze as much as their
admirers did.
We called at beautiful Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Monte-video, and after twenty days
Buenos Aires came in sight in the far distance. In spite of the midday heat of an unusually hot
summer's day, a large crowd was patiently waiting at the docks, and gave us a rousing recep-
tion as the ship tied to the side.
SoonafterIwascaughtinaregularwhirlwindofshakinghands,beingslappedontheback
and answering questions, and when I came down the gangway I was swept off my feet and
slightly hurt by being trampled on. However, I was soon rescued, and when it was all over I
began to see the funny side of it.
The horses were unloaded at once, and an enthusiastic crowd accompanied them to the
grounds of the Argentine Rural Society, the very place from where we had started out nearly
three years before.
