ent of bone and muscle in large families
of small children, owing to the constant use of so much meat and
strong soup, is very remarkable. When once they have attained the age
at which they can run about, children get on very well; but the
climate, and the difficulty of obtaining a proper supply of milk in
hot weather, often prove fatal to infants. It is very difficult to get
good servants here, as they can easily obtain much higher pay in other
capacities, and are very soon enabled to set up in business for
themselves. Returning to the hotel, we collected our parcels and had
some luncheon, and then proceeded to the pier, where we found the
children waiting for us to embark in the gig, and we soon arrived
safely on board the 'Sunbeam.'

At about half-past six, Tom and Mabelle returned from their expedition
to the largest and most comfortable estancia in the country, where
they were received most hospitably, and enjoyed themselves very much.

After dinner, some of our party left in the whale-boat, being anxious
to be present at Madame Almazilia's benefit performance at the opera,
for which I fear they arrived too late after all. Whilst we were
waiting at the railway-station to-day, some of the bouquets, which
were to be presented at the theatre to-night, arrived by train. The
flowers were arranged in all manner of strange shapes and
devices--full-sized tables and chairs, music-stands, and musical
instruments, and many other quaint conceits, composed entirely of grey
Neapolitan violets, marked out with camellias and other coloured
flowers.

_Sunday, September 24th_.--Most of us went ashore in the whale-boat at
ten o'clock, to attend the English church, reopened to-day for the
first time for some months. After our own service we met many friends,
and walked to the Roman Catholic cathedral. The streets were full of
well-appointed carriages, and in the interior of the building we found
a great many well-dressed ladies, and a few men. Mass had not
commenced, and a constant stream of worshippers was still entering;
but we remained only for a short time, and then returned to the Mole.
By this time the wind had freshened considerably, and several of our
friends tried to persuade us to remain on shore; but as we knew Tom
was expecting us, and we wanted to get the things we required for our
next journey, we thought it better to go off.

It took us two hours and a half, beating against the wind, to reach
the yacht, sea-sick, a