, as the guide said, "views most
grand" might be seen. As we advanced on our way we looked down from the
height upon many continually changing scenes of picturesque beauty. Now
there appeared a vista through a wooded ravine of striking grandeur, now
a view of a rocky gorge penetrating from the ocean, and again a wide
panorama of city, harbor, and ocean.

[Illustration: THE SLIDE IS TWO MILES IN LENGTH.]

Our return to the city was in a conveyance indeed unique. The descent of
the mountain in sleds from the summit to the city below, through narrow
lanes paved with small stones worn and slippery from years of service,
was an experience long to be remembered. Our sled, without any means of
propulsion but our own weight, glided rapidly down the hill over the
smooth surface of the pavement like a toboggan on an icy slide. It was
controlled by two men, who, sometimes running alongside, sometimes
clinging to the runners, regulated the speed and guided the sled around
corners by means of ropes attached to its sides.

"That was a wild and exciting ride," exclaimed one of the ladies who had
been tightly holding to her seat during the descent. "What is the
distance from the summit?"

"The slide is about two miles in length, lady," replied one of the
conductors.

"Don't take our picture now with our hair flying wildly," exclaimed an
occupant of a sled just arriving, to a friend with a camera.

"Your request comes too late," he answered. "I have pressed the button."

"I hope it will not be a good one," she wished, but it was.

When we returned to the Moltke many row-boats were clustered around the
vessel. Some of these had brought visitors who desired to inspect the
ship. Some contained Portuguese merchants, who, with cargoes of
embroidery, wicker chairs, straw goods, fruits, photographs, and curios,
had been patiently awaiting our return. When they were permitted to come
on board they displayed their wares upon the deck and made many sales.
Other small craft contained half-naked boys who shouted to us to test
their skill as divers by throwing pennies into the clear but deep
emerald water, claiming that they could secure the money before it
reached the bottom of the bay. We complied with the boys' request and
exhausted the ship's supply of pennies in putting their dexterity to the
proof. When the money was thrown into the sea the young experts, diving
like beavers and successful in securing the money, rose to the surface
an