CHAPTER 75 (1923—Continued)

CHAPTER 75 (1923—continued)

Visit Lima, Cusco in Peru—Pass through Bolivia to Chile—Experience in Valparaiso— Important Meetings in Santiago—Cross the Andes Mountains—Sojourn in Argentina. Wed., Mar. 7. We met a Mr. Lind, a fellow-passenger on the “Santa Luisa,” and took breakfast together. We then visited the great cathedral on the beautiful Plaza de Armas, in Lima, where we saw the bones or mummified remains of Pizarro, the conqueror of Peru. We next took an automobile ride to places of interest and then called on Dr. Alehandro Puente, who received us very kindly and immediately set to work to obtain audience for us with His Excellency Augusto B. Leguia, president of the Republic of Peru. He saw the president who in the midst of some special meeting with representatives of Central American republics could not receive us until the next day, which of course would be too late for our itinerary; but he dictated letters of introduction to the prefects of Cusco and Arequipa, which Dr. Puente gave us as we called on him again at noon. We also called to see Hon. Alberto Salamon, Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, but failed to make connections with him. But this gentleman afterwards sent a special messenger on board the “Santa Luisa” with letters of introduction to the prefects of Cusco and Arequipa and another officer at Molindo. This messenger came on board just before the ship sailed. While in Lima we visited the office of “The West Coast Leader,” the only English newspaper published at that time in South America between Panama and Valparaiso. Finally we visited the Museum and then returned to Callao. There we took a walk and then went back to the ship, which lifted anchor at 6.00 p.m. After sailing past the barren island of San Lorenzo we were once more on the broad face of the Pacific. We had enjoyed our short visit in Lima, which is one of the oldest cities in America, being founded by Pizarro in 1535 and at the time we were there had a population of nearly 250,000. Callao, the seaport of Lima, had about 50,000 inhabitants in 1923. Thurs., Mar. 8. We cast anchor for a short time off the seaport town of Pisco and after that found ourselves sailing between the mainland on our left and some barren yet pic- turesque island on our right. The weather was cool and pleasant. A heavy mist hung over the land looking east so that the Andes Mountains were hardly visible, although not so very far away. The coast was still barren, and looked like a continuous desert. Only where a river puts into the ocean, or where irrigation had been resorted to, was there anything green in sight. In the evening Captain Dexter invited Bro. Page and me into his cabin and chart room and took great pains to give us information about navigation, showing us the different CHAPTER 75 559 uses to which the nautical or astronomical instruments on board were put in steering and managing the ship’s machinery. Capt. Dexter was a native of Nova Scotia, about 40 years old. He was sociable and well posted in regard to affairs generally. Without entering into a religious discussion, we explained briefly some of the fundamentals of “Mormonism.” Fri., Mar. 9. About sunrise we were sailing a few miles from the Peruvian shore, which at this point was skirted with lofty but barren desert hills. The sky was clear, but every day the weather seemed to get colder as we got further away from the equator and reached the point where the cold Humboldt current strikes the coast nearer the Antarctic south. About 11 o’clock a.m. the ship cast anchor off Mollenda, and about an hour later we bade farewell to the “Santa Luisa” and landed, being hoisted from the launch (which took us ashore from the ship) in a chair to the top of the wall. After attending to mail matters and taking a walk through the town which contained about 10,000 inhabitants, we boarded a Southern Peru Railway train and started for the inland town of Arequipa, 107 miles away. This railway journey was very interesting as we climbed the mountains to an elevation of 7,750 feet above sea level, most of the way through a genuine desert where the only green spots were a few cultivated acres by the various railway stations, and these spots were irrigated from a pipe line built in connection with the railway from Arequipa to Mollenda. The building of the railway exhibits great engineering skill indeed, the climbing being made over a somewhat easy grade all the way. We arrived at Arequipa at 8 o’clock p.m. and hired an automobile to take us to the “Quinta Bates Home” at 604 Jerusalem St., where we engaged lodging and board for four days as it was considered best to stop in Arequipa a few days in order to become used to the high altitude, instead of going still higher at once. After taking a walk to the “Plaza,” and back, we returned to the “Home” but the high altitude would not grant us sound slumber. Arequipa has about 60,000 inhabitants and is in point of population the second city in Peru. It lies near the foot of Mount Mista, whose snow-capped summit is 18,960 feet above sea level. We found the atmosphere cold and invigorating at Arequipa and our heavier clothing comfortable. Sat., Mar. 10. Elder Page and I spent the forenoon visiting cathedrals, churches, gov- ernment buildings, and other places of interest at Arequipa. In the afternoon we took street car rides to Tingo Miroflores. We also waited on Dr. Juan Manuel de la Torre, the prefecto of the Department of Arequipa, to whom the president of Peru had given me a letter of introduction. As the prefect could not speak English and we could not speak Spanish, we had to converse through an English-speaking Peruvian. Sun., Mar. 11. Together with four other persons (two men and their wives) Bro. Page and I walked about four miles across the Chili River and through the village of Yanaguara to the Harvard University Observatory which is situated on elevated ground overlooking Arequipa and the whole basin in which it is situated. Here we were kindly received by Prof. Bailey, who had charge of the observatory. He made explanations to us concerning the telescopes and other instruments, and permitted us to look through one of the power- ful telescopes at Mount Mista, 11 miles distant, on which an iron cross, 30 feet high, had been erected by the observatory men. Two other mountains, namely, Chachani, 20,000 feet high, and Pechu Pichu, 18,967 feet high, raise their snowy summits heavenward near Arequipa as parts of the Andes range. In the afternoon we took an automobile ride to the so-called Jesus Springs (mineral water) and thus had another splendid view of the Arequipa Basin from a point high up on the mountain side. These springs are about eight miles from Arequipa. On this trip we saw the first llamas which we had seen in South America. 560 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW JENSON

Mon., Mar. 12. We purchased railway tickets for La Paz, via Cusco, and changed some of our American currency for Peruvian money. Tues., Mar. 13. We left Arequipa and started on our long railway journey further inland. As we proceeded up a heavy grade, we saw beautiful fields and gardens as long as irrigation was continued, but after that there was nothing but badlands with an occasional plot of irrigated spots, at the base of the foot hills of the Andes Mountains. After traveling 44 miles we had reached an altitude of 12,000 feet above sea level and crossed the summit of the Andes at an elevation of 14,688 feet. The descent on the east slope was quite steep, and we soon passed between two large mountain lakes, and after crossing another divide we found ourselves following a river, and thence across a broad pampas or plain, until we reached Juliaca, a small railroad town. Here we lodged at the Ratti Hotel for the night. Both the room we occupied and the food served us were miserable. We also felt the altitude quite oppressive, that of Juliaca being 12,550 feet above the level of the sea. The least exertion made us pant for breath and in order to sleep we had to place a very high pillow under our heads. Our hearts beat unusually fast and we began to feel concerned about our physical condition, but while we did not sleep soundly during the night, we breathed more freely after relaxing from all physical exertions. During the day, as we traveled along, we saw numerous herds of llamas and alpacas and a number of Indian villages and ranches, where the habits and industries of the inhabitants were most interesting to us. Some of the country through which we passed reminded us of our mountain country in Utah. Juliaca is 189 miles by rail from Arequipa. Wed., Mar. 14. After partaking of a very poor breakfast we boarded the semi-weekly train for Cuzco and rolled out of Juliaca. Our course was northward up the Rio Pucaro and its tributaries until we reached the summit of the mountains, 14,153 feet above sea level, at Santa Raya, 99 miles from Juliaca. This summit divides the waters draining into Lake Titicaca from those falling into the Atlantic Ocean through the great Amazon River system. It was with some degree of satisfaction that I found myself on the headquarters of that great river of which I had read since I was a young boy. From the summit we descended very rapidly down the Rio Villeonota (one of the tributaries of the Amazon), and about sundown we had descended to an altitude of 10,000 feet. Leaving the river, we traveled up grade, following a small stream to Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incas and now a city of 30,000 inhabitants. At Cuzco, 210 miles from Juliaca, we were met at the railway station by a colored man who conducted us to Hotel Colon, where we put up for the night. Later we made arrangements to stop there during our sojourn in Cuzco, agreeing to pay five solos (about $2.50) per day for room and three meals. During the day we noticed Inca ruins along the railway and terraced farms on the mountain slopes, while the narrow strips of land along the river were highly cultivated. When crossing the divide we were within a few hundred feet of the perpet- ual snow limit. On our arrival at Cuzco we had traveled 506 miles inland since we left Molenda on the coast. Thurs., Mar. 15. With a Mr. Wilson as guide, we visited the Cathedral and a number of Catholic churches on Cuzco, among others the San Domingo church, which is built on the ruins of the ancient Inca Temple of the Sun. We also saw very interesting ruins from the Inca period in several other parts of the city. In the afternoon with Mr. Wilson as interpreter I called on the prefecto of the District of Cuzco, to whom I had letters of introduction from the President of Peru, the Peruvian Minister of the Interior and the prefecto of Arequipa. The prefecto received me kindly, but could not speak English, and as I could not speak Spanish, our conversation was short; but he sent a uniformed officer of his court with me to the University, where Elder Page and CHAPTER 75 561

I and four other travelers had the pleasure of being introduced to Dr. Albert A. Giesecke, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Giesecke, although not a Catholic, had charge of the Cuzco University and was formerly mayor of the city. He took us through the most interesting museum (made interesting to us by his intelligent explanations) and showed us much kindness and advised us how to see the Inca Fort and other points of interest in and near Cuzco, which city is perhaps the most interesting place in South America because of its Inca antiquities. Once it is believed to have had 200,000 inhabitants. In the museum we saw a number of mummified Incas, much Inca pottery and weapons of war, numerous skulls, utensils, tools, images, and other articles which enabled us to understand Inca history better than ever before. There was also a large collection of old Spanish and Latin books, some pictures and three interesting bronze statues—one representing a nude Inca slave with her hands tied behind her and two Inca chieftains. Fri., Mar. 16. The past night and the morning were stormy. It continued to rain on and off all day, and the mountains all around were covered with heavy clouds. I called again on Dr. Giesecke and then hired a horse for five soles and together with a fellow traveler, who could speak Spanish, I ascended to the top of the hill, 700 feet above Cuzco, to visit the immense Inca fortifications which were wonderful indeed. The query is: Who built these great walls? Was it the Nephites or the Lamanites? Who were the Incas? What I have seen in Cuzco will perhaps cause me to study the Book of Mormon more thoroughly hereafter. We were gone on our mountain trip about three hours, and we suffered no inconvenience except that caused by the rain. If I had not been provided with a good heavy overcoat, I should have suffered from the wet and cold. My companion, Bro. Page, was not well enough to make the ascent. He felt the light atmosphere so oppressive to his lungs that he breathed with difficulty. Being somewhat heavily built, such a trip as this was really dangerous for him and could easily have cost him his life. I spent the afternoon writing, paid 15 soles for three days’ keep according to an agreement made beforehand, though the hotel man wanted to charge us 24 soles. It is a general rule throughout South America to charge English-speaking people about double price for everything. One of our fellow-travelers who could speak Spanish got through much cheaper than we did at the hotels and elsewhere. Any man who cannot speak Span- ish experiences all kinds of inconvenience while traveling in South America, and finds himself fleeced almost everywhere. Sat., Mar. 17. Before awaking in the morning I dreamed that I had had a conversation with Pres. Heber J. Grant and that I called upon my family in spirit, although I seemed to understand in my dream that my body was in South America. We traveled by mule tram- way to the railway station, boarded the train and left Cuzco at 8 o’clock a.m. We enjoyed our daylight ride down the valley of the Rio Custanay, where flourishing towns, villages, haciendas, farms and Indian huts greeted the eye, and we became better acquainted with the country than we did at our arrival the previous Wednesday, when we traveled after dark. The morning was misty, and in places heavy clouds rested on the mountains nearly down to their base. I found my overcoat a great comfort to me all day. We traveled down grade for thirty miles until we reached Huanbutia where the Cus- taney empties into the Villeanota River, a tributary of the Amazon, which we now fol- lowed to the summit at La Raya, 14,153 feet above sea level. This summit divided the waters flowing into the Amazon from those flowing into the great basin of which Lake Titicaca is the center. On our journey up the Villeanota for a distance of 99 miles we enjoyed the scenery immensely. There were quaint villages, well cultivated and irrigated farms in the long valley or canyon; and far up on the mountain sides farther up in the valley we saw immense herds of llamas, alpacas and sheep, generally herded by native women. 562 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW JENSON

At every station where the train stopped there was a regular mob of men and women offering food and home-made articles of clothing, shoes, hats, and shawls for sale. We were often amused to see men, women and children squat down before the multitude and our car windows to seek relief from nature’s calls, evidently without the least thought of doing anything immodest or wrong. At Juliaca we changed cars and then traveled 30 miles to Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, where we boarded the splendid steamer “Inca,” after having our passes viseed by the Bolivian consul, and about 11:00 p.m. we sailed from the Puno Mole, bound for Bolivia. Sun., Mar. 18. We arrived at Guaqui, Bolivia, at 6:30 a.m. after viewing the beautiful sunrise over the snow-capped Andes Mountains. During the voyage of 120 miles I made the acquaintance of Capt. Santiago Ymo Tynan, whose mother was a Swedish woman, and C. V. Sampson, manager of the Guaqui and La Paz Railway, who both acted in a very gentlemanly manner towards me. Captain Tynan was particularly interested in having me tell him something about Sweden where his mother was born and treated me to the best in the shape of eatables which the steamer afforded. We landed at Guaqui about 7:30 a.m. and boarded a train waiting for us, and at 8:15 a.m. we left Guaqui for La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. We saw on our left the ruins of an Indian village, and at Tiaguanaco we saw two or three Inca monoliths on our right. At or near Viacha, a Bolivian city, we were interested in seeing from our car windows hun- dreds of men and women on foot carrying heavy burdens on their heads and backs, con- sisting of foodstuffs such as fruits and home-made articles to sell on the market. At Alto (13,396 feet above sea level) we looked down upon La Paz, 1,300 feet lower, and found the descent to that city over a very steep roadbed interesting. At the railway station at La Paz we hired an automobile which took us to Hotel Pullman, where seven of us engaged rooms and board for 8 bolivianas a day each. We spent the afternoon taking in the sights of the beautiful and clean city of La Paz, which in 1923 had about 110,000 inhabitants. During the day I made the acquaintance of Mr. Reni Hoffman-Bang, a Dane who had spent a number of years as an engineer in South America. In his pleasant company I visited the National Museum and other places of interest, including the celebrated market which is supposed to be one of the largest and most interesting markets in the world. La Paz is situated 12,000 feet above sea level on a tributary of the Amazon River. Fruits and products from the lower valleys are brought to the market on the backs of burros and llamas in great quantities. In the evening I listened with interest to the music on the band stand, and participated in the grand march of thousands of people as the band played for several hours. By counter marching, men marching one way and women the other, acquaintances are frequently made leading to future courtship and marriage. All over Latin America it is customary for men, women and children to march on the plazas which are found in nearly every city or town. Brother Page was still suffering with difficult breathing caused by the high altitude and spent a good part of each day in bed. The weather was fine and pleasant at La Paz, which lies in a deep basin, sheltered all around by high mountains, but heavy clouds rested upon the summits of the main ranges of the Andes in the East. Hence neither the summit of the famous Illimani, nor other mountain tops, could be seen. Altogether the 18th of March, 1923, was a very interesting day for me. Sailing on a fine modern steamer 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, and afterwards entering a fine city in the center of the greatest mountain system of America, was something never to be forgotten. Mon., Mar. 19. I spent most of the day making arrangements for our railway journey to the coast, and in waiting on the American and Chilean consuls to get our passports CHAPTER 75 563 viseed. Late in the afternoon, accompanied by Elder Page and a Mr. R. D. Oilar, I took a street car to Abrajes, a pleasure resort situated in a canyon near La Paz. We took leave of some of our traveling companions with whom we had become closely acquainted at Areq- uipa. They were a Mr. Westervelt, wife and daughter from South Bend, Indiana; Abraham Smith and wife of Defiance, Ohio; and J. C. Allen, a lawyer, and wife from Seattle, Wash- ington. Mr. Oilar decided to travel with us to Antofagasta. After my day’s activity and anxiety I felt nervous and could not rest. Tues., Mar. 20. We hired a hack to take us to the Bolivian Railway station, and started on our two days’ journey from La Paz at 9 o’clock a.m. and found the climbing to the high plateau, 1,300 feet above La Paz, interesting as before. Once on the top we soon reached the town of Viacha and in the clear morning atmosphere we had a good view of Illiamani, the great snow-capped mountain which rises to a height of 21,000 feet, east of La Paz. As we proceeded on our journey over the pampas or plain we saw large herds of llamas and sheep grazing in charge of women herders. Toward noon we reached the little town of Ayoays and a short distance beyond we came to a river, where a bridge had recently been washed out, and here a host of natives were engaged to carry freight and baggage across to the train in waiting on the other side, while the passengers walked across on a temporary foot bridge. It took us two hours or more to make the transfer. The train awaiting us had sleeping cars divided into sections, each to accommodate two passengers, there being an upper and a lower berth in each, reaching crossways through the car. Elder Page and I occupied one of these sections the following night, but found it too small and isolated for day travel as the berths occupied nearly all the space. We passed through a country which reminded us very much of the wilds of Nevada in the United States. On the journey we became acquainted with a Salvation Army captain who had charge of Salvation Army work in Bolivia. He was Swedish by birth and came to Bolivia when he was 18 years old. He told us that about three hundred of his colleagues were doing a successful reclaiming work in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil, and that they met with considerable opposition from the Catholic clergy, notwithstanding the fact that there was perfect religious liberty in all the South American republics. The Salvation Army, he said, conducted successful schools in different parts of the country and also owned valuable property as headquarters and homes. About 7:00 p. m. we arrived at Oruro, a city of 31,000 inhabitants, situated near the Desaguadero River at an altitude of 12,122 feet. Here we ate supper and remained until 10:00 p.m. when we continued the journey. Wed., Mar. 21. After having spent another restless night, caused by the high altitude, we found ourselves in the morning traveling through highlands abounding with salt flats and barren stretches of country in which there were only a few inhabitants. During the night we had passed Lake Popo, in which, through the outlet Desagualdero, the waters of Lake Titicaca disappear, as Lake Popo has no visible outlet. At Uyuni, a town of 5,000 inhabitants in an altitude of 12,008 feet, we changed cars, shifting from middle gauge to a narrow gauge track and got better sleepers to ride in. That is to say, the sleeping section had better accommodations, two in each, and the berths, like the Pullman cars in the United States, were made up at night. In the afternoon we crossed the boundary line between Bolivia and Chile and entered the town of Ollague, in Chile. In the immediate vicinity of this town, right on the boundary line between the two republics stands the active volcano Ollague, rising some 2,000 feet above the level of the surrounding pampas. We watched the smoke rising from the top of the crater or snow-capped summit with much interest as we passed by at a considerable distance. Soon after entering Chile, our train commenced to climb the eastern slope of the coast range of the Andes Mountains and, leaving the Borax Lake on our left, we at length reached the summit of the pass at Ascotan (elevation 564 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW JENSON

13,056 feet above sea level). Snow-capped mountains were near by on both sides of the pass. In crossing this last mountain on our inland journey Elder Page became quite ill and it gave him much relief, both physically and mentally, when we found ourselves being carried down grade quite rapidly to a lower altitude. Thurs., Mar. 22. I awoke about 2 a. m. and found myself breathing very easily and removed some of the covering of my berth, it being too warm. The day before I was shiv- ering with cold with my heavy overcoat on. At 7 o’clock in the morning we arrived at Antofagasta. When we beheld the Pacific Ocean once more I wondered if Balboa when he first discovered it was more glad than we were when we reached it again after our adven- tures in the high altitude of the interior of South America. I forgot to state that on our journey from Oruro to Antofagasta I made the acquaintance of Svend A. Juel Jørgensen, a native of Copenhagen, Denmark, who acted as Danish consul in Bolivia. It was quite a treat to meet and converse with a countryman of that kind so far away from old Denmark, and the pleasure seemed to be reciprocated. Mr. Jørgensen was going to the coast to meet his wife, arriving from Denmark to join him in Bolivia. At Antofagasta, a modern town of 75,000 inhabitants, we hired an automobile which took us down to the Grace Compa- ny’s office near the wharf, where we were enabled to secure passage on the steamer “Santa Teresa” (a sister ship of the “Santa Luisa,” in which we traveled from Balboa to Molinda). We walked through the principal street and plaza of the city, and were taken in a row boat about half a mile out into the open roadstead to the “Santa Teresa,” which was so crowded with passengers that Bro. Page and I had to take berths in the ship’s hospital on the upper deck. There, however, we were quite comfortable, having the same accommodations oth- erwise as the rest of the first class passengers. Soon anchor was lifted and the “Santa Teresa” steamed down along the Chilean coast on her way toward Valparaiso. Oh, how we enjoyed the invigorating ocean breezes once more, after what we had experienced in the mountains of Peru and Bolivia, and how we enjoyed our meals on board an American steamer, after eating food cooked after Spanish usage in the interior! Fri. Mar. 23. The morning was cloudy and windy, and later in the day the sea became turbulent and in consequence several of the passengers were seasick. I introduced myself to the Hon. Henry B. Fletcher, who, together with seven colleagues, was on his way to Santiago, Chile, to represent the United States in the fifth Pan-American Conference at Santiago. He assured me that we should be welcome to attend any sessions of the conference. I also conversed with the Hon. Frank E. Partridge of Vermont, former minister to Venezuela, another delegate to the conference. He recognized the fact that two leading Mormons (Joseph Smith and Brigham Young) were natives of Vermont, and I furthermore drew his attention to the fact that one of his namesakes, the late Edward Partridge, was the first Presiding Bishop of the “Mormon” Church. Sat., Mar. 24. At 8.30 a.m. anchor was cast off Valparaiso on the open roadstead. The formal examination of passports and luggage by Chilean officials was performed quickly, and an open row boat took Brother Page, Mr. Oilar and me to the shore. At Hotel Rolfo, Serrano 116, we engaged rooms and board for 12 pesas a day. We took a long street-car ride along the coast to Vina del Mar, a beautiful suburb about six miles distant, and later in the afternoon we ascended in one of the many lifts to higher ground, whence Mr. Oilar and I walked on the top of the hill about 1,000 feet high, rising immediately behind the city of Valparaiso. From this hill a magnificent view is had of the city, open roadstead and the Pacific Ocean. Valparaiso is not only a historic place of importance but a beautiful modern city of about 300,000 inhabitants. It was here that Apostle Parley P. Pratt and Elder Rufus C. Allen landed as “Mormon” missionaries in the year 1851, but CHAPTER 75 565 after studying the Spanish language for a number of months, they returned to California without opening a mission. Sun., Mar. 25. I spent most of the day at our room No. 21 on the third story of the Rolfo Hotel, while Elder Page and Mr. Oilar went to the races. Toward evening I took a long street-car ride. Mon., Mar. 26. We took a walk through some of the principal streets of Valparaiso and called on the editor of the “South Pacific Mail” at Calle O’Higgins, 68, with whom we had a long conversation, and I obtained from him some literature on Chile and Valparaiso. I spent the afternoon and evening writing and also took a long walk through the heart of the city and thus witnessed the town lit up with electric lights. Tues., Mar. 27. We left Valparaiso by rail at 7:40 a. m. for Santiago, the capital of Chile. Following the coast as far as Vino del Mar, we turned inland up a fertile and well cultivated valley. We soon entered another beautiful valley in which the town of Quillota, with a population of 18,800, is located. This is where Parley P. Pratt and companion resided about a month in the spring of 1852. At Llai-Llai, the junction of the Santiago-Valparaiso Railway with the Trans-Andine Railway, a number of passengers who had crossed the Andes from Buenos Aires came on board, and our train reached Santiago about noon. We secured lodging and board at Hotel Bristol, and as soon as we had taken possession of our rooms, Elder Page, Mr. Oilar and I took street-car rides, on which we visited Luna Park, the main railway station, and the Avenida de la Elicias, located on the prettiest and straightest thoroughfares of the city. Santiago, one of the finest cities of South America, has over 500,000 inhabitants. It has regular streets, crossing each other at right angles, and is situated in the great agricul- tural valley lying between the main range of the Andes and the Coast Range. It has many beautiful plazas of which Plaza de Armas is the main center of the business part of the city. We found our hotel somewhat noisy on account of its proximity to the railroad station and the terminal point of a number of street-car lines. Wed., Mar. 28. We called on the Grace Line people and arranged for our railway transportation to Buenos Aires, and I also ascended the celebrated hill Serra Santa Lucia which rises in the central part of the city to a considerable height. From its top the view is indeed wonderful. We participated in a banquet at 12:30 at the American Club at No. 95 Ahumeda Avenue, to which all the Americans of Santiago were invited, and at which the American delegation to the great Latin-American convention meeting in Santiago were the guests of honor. The meal served was nothing extraordinary, but the after-dinner speeches were excellent, especially one delivered by a Dr. Vincent, one of the delegates. We thoroughly enjoyed the occasion, and had the opportunity of meeting with Americans from different parts of the United States and with some who were somewhat permanently located in Chile. Among others the American Minister to Chile was particularly interested in the certificates of health which Dr. Elias S. Wright of Salt Lake City had given me. The minister suggested that I would meet with no obstacles armed with certificates like that in entering the Argentine Republic or any other country. In the afternoon we took a hack to the top of the hill San Cristobal, about 1,000 feet above the city. On this hill there is an observatory and a colossal statue of the Virgin Mary, which, lit up with electric lights at night, is seen with brilliant splendor from all parts of the city. Our hack driver had a pair of miserable balky horses and was unable to take us to the top though still insisting on getting his pay. While Mr. Oilar was discussing matters with him, I left my companions and with considerable effort climbed to the summit following no road or path, and on reaching the top, though tired, I was well repaid for my effort as I saw one of the grandest sunsets 566 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW JENSON

I have ever seen. I also had a magnificent view of the city of Santiago, the basin in which it is situated, the mountains beyond and the grand and lofty Andes in the background or eastward. By kind invitation I rode down in an automobile with the Brazilian delegation to the Latin-American convention. In the evening Elder Page and I went to a picture show where a United States film with Spanish text was presented. Nearly all the moving pictures we saw in Latin America were North American productions with Spanish text. Thurs., Mar. 29. Elder Page and I converted some United States money into Chilean and Argentine currency and were thus equipped to enter the Argentine republic bordering on the Atlantic coast of South America. We also visited the Santiago Art Gallery, where we saw excellent pieces of statuary and masterpieces of painting. In the evening Brother Page and Mr. Oilar and I attended a circus on Avenida de las Delicias, at which the performance was pretty good, some of the numbers being new to us. Fri., Mar. 30. This morning I witnessed the sun rise behind the lofty Andes on looking out of my bedroom window. This being Good Friday, every business house in Santiago was closed, and theatres were only allowed to run films illustrating the Savior’s life, sufferings and death. Brother Page and I walked to the top of the Santa Lucia hill and then took a street car to the city park (Parque Cousino) and back. In the afternoon we attended a film passion play in one of the city theatres and after that attended Roman Catholic services in the Cathedral. Sat., Mar. 31. Together with Elder Page I visited the principal cemetery at Santiago and was astonished to find so many monumental vaults—numerous beautiful avenues of them, and in some of the family vaults there was room for scores of bodies, the opening being large enough to receive a coffin. Of course these magnificent vaults were owned by the wealthy people; the poorer classes bury their dead in the earth as they do in other countries. At 4 o'clock p. m., accompanied by Elder Page and Mr. Oilar, I left Santiago by rail and traveled via Llai-Llai to Los Andes, the western terminus of the Trans-Andine Railway and a town of 10,000 inhabitants. Here we stopped over night at the Hotel Sud Americano, four of us sleeping in one room. This place is 2,675 feet above the level of the sea. We paid 18 pesos each for supper and bed and a very light breakfast. Sunday, April 1. We boarded the cars of the narrow gauge Trans-Andine railway and left Los Andes at 7 o’clock a. m. The train pulled up a steep grade in going up the Rio Aconcagua which runs through a narrow canyon with lofty mountains on either side. We passed through many tunnels, but there were only a few small stations with water tanks as we proceeded upwards. Near Portillo, one of the last stations in Chile, there was a pretty mountain lake on our left, near the track, and after passing Caracoles, the last station in Chile, we entered a tunnel nearly two miles long at an altitude of 10,452 feet above sea level. As we emerged from the tunnel at its east end we found ourselves in the great republic Argentine, and soon entered the little mountain town of Las Cuevas, arriving there about 12.00 noon. This place is near the snow limit of the mighty Andes Range and the lofty mountain called Aconcagua, 23,300 feet high, is in plain view from this station, appar- ently only a short distance to the northwest. After stopping an hour or so at Los Cuevas, which gave the custom house officers an opportunity to examine our hand baggage and other officials to examine our passports and doctor’s certificates, we resumed our journey descending a steep grade down the Cuevas River and the Rio Mendoza. The mountain scenery on both sides of the Andes pass was truly beautiful and grand. At 8 o'clock p. m. we arrived at Mendozo, a town of 70,000 inhabitants, situated on the Mendoza River, 2,465 feet above sea level. Here we changed cars, and three of us were CHAPTER 75 567 assigned an apartment in a sleeper in a broad gauge railway on the Southern Pacific, and at 9:30 we resumed the journey from Mendoza, glad indeed to change from the small, uncomfortable cars on the Trans-Andine railway to a fine sleeper. Mendoza is 651 miles from Buenos Aires and 253 miles from Santiago, Chile. Mon., April 2. The morning found us traveling over the immense pampas or plains of Argentina. Not since I passed through Siberia in 1912 had I seen anything like it. These extensive plains reach from the eastern base of the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean from the Salado River on the north to the Negro River on the south. The plains seemed as level as the sea and tens of thousands of cattle, sheep and horses were seen from the car window grazing on these pampas. The day was stormy and at times during the day the rain descended in torrents. With the exception of a little rain at Cuzco in Peru this was the first rain storm we had experienced since we left California, the previous January. We were told that storms had prevailed over the pampas for several days and the consequence was that every river was swollen, and for miles and miles the land on both sides of the track was covered with water. The plains were sparsely inhabited and the towns along the railway were small and unimportant, but there were ranches all over, though mostly far apart, and the animals grazing on the pampas seemed innumerable. When night spread its sombre mantle over creation, we were still speeding across the great pampas and about 7:30 p. m. we rolled into the Retiro Station at Buenos Aires. Here we went to Hotel Wilson at 631 Cordoba Street, where we made arrangements to board and sleep for 7 Argentina pesos a day, each. Buenos Aires has about two million inhabitants and is consequently the largest city in South America. Tues., April 3. Our first move in the morning was to make a bee line for the U. S. Consulate, at No. 341 Lavalle Street, where we received our first mail from home since we left Los Angeles. I learned that considerable sickness had prevailed in my family since I left home. During the day Elder Page and I called on the steamship company to make arrangements for further travel, but found difficulty in getting transportation on the Munson line because the Pacific Mail Company had issued an order for our transportation from Buenos Aires to New York with the Lamport and Holt Line. The latter, an English company, were at swords’ points with the Munson Company, an American company, on grounds of com- petition, and so we were obliged to send a cablegram to San Francisco to the Pacific Mail people, to whom we had paid our fare and asked for the change, as the Munson line had a ship sailing from Buenos Aires on April 12th and the Lamport and Holt line had no ship until the 24th, 12 days later, and we did not wish to stay in Buenos Aires that long. In the afternoon I called on the Danish consul as a matter of courtesy, and later, on the Danish Club at Calle Boliver No. 611 and finally at the Hotel Scandinavien on Lime Street of Calla Lima. Our first day in Buenos Aires was a busy one, but traveling about so much made us acquainted with the business part of the city. Wed., April 4. At the office of the U. S. Consul we were glad to receive more mail from home. The news from Utah reported the death of several of my dear friends. I really began to feel lonesome. Nearly all my most intimate friends and missionary companions from the days of my youth seemed to have gone beyond the veil already, and I sometimes wondered how long I was to remain in mortality. In the afternoon I took a long street-car ride, together with Elder Page, to the western outskirts of the city, and early in the evening I visited the docks on the river La Plata, where a large number of vessels hailing from many different lands and nations were anchored. Thurs., April 5. I moved into a room by myself at the Hotel Wilson, where I could enjoy more privacy and spend a part of my time writing, as we thought we might have to remain another eight days in Buenos Aires. Formerly Mr. Oilar, Brother Page and I had 568 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW JENSON

occupied one room together. With Elder Page I visited the fine art museum on the Plaza St. Martin and in the afternoon I visited the National Historical Museum. I found both museums interesting and instructive, especially the latter where all kinds of relics from the colonial and national days of the Argentine Republic were on exhibition. Fri., April 6. I took a long street-car ride to Palermo, the popular park of Buenos Aires. Here were zoological gardens, botanical gardens, beautiful statuary, golf grounds, military reservations, and other attractions. I took a long walk through the forest bordering the great river De la Plata, and as I got overheated from walking I hung my coat over my arm and thereby dropped a little note book which grieved me very much, as it contained much valuable information of which I had no duplicate. On my return to the city, and calling again at the Munson Steamship Company, I succeeded in securing passage for Elder Page and myself on the steamer “American Legion” which was scheduled to sail from Buenos Aires April 12th. In the afternoon we saw our traveling companion, Mr. Oilar, off on a Royal Mail steamer for Santos, Brazil. He had traveled in our company since our arrival at Juliaco, Peru, on March 13th, and as he could speak a little Spanish, he had helped us on several occasions in making arrangements for hotel rates without being fleeced by those who think that Americans should pay double price for everything. In the evening I called at the Danish club rooms, 611 Bolivar Street and ate supper (Danish Smørrebrød) and was introduced to a number of Danes, among others to a Mr. and Mrs. Nielsen (a newly married couple) who had recently arrived in Argentina with a view to making their home there. Mrs. Nielsen turned out to be a daughter of a certain Mrs. Anna Jensen of Copenhagen, Denmark, and a granddaughter of a Mrs. Mariane Christensen whom I baptized in Hjørring, Denmark, on my first mission in 1873. It was a unique meeting and Mrs. Nielsen was perfectly astonished to meet a man in South Amer- ica who was so intimately acquainted with her mother and grandparents. Many strange things can happen in a person’s traveling experiences. Several other callers at the Danish Club became highly interested in my explanations of conditions and status of the Danish population in Utah. Sat., April 7. With Elder Page I visited the southern suburb of Buenos Aires and the so-called Congress Plaza, one of the popular and pretty spots in the city. We also saw some of the fine stores on the main street, beautifully lit up by electricity. Sun., April 8. With Elder Page I went by railway to the popular resort, Tigre, situated on the La Plata River, about 12 miles north of Buenos Aires. It is especially noted for its periodical races. I had become quite interested in the Argentine Republic which was so different to all the other South American Republics which I had visited so far. Buenos Aires is very much like the large cities of Europe, the customs and habits having been copied from European conditions. Everything is very expensive in Buenos Aires, as compared with Chile and other countries; the purchasing power of an Argentine peso (worth about 38 cents in U. S. money) is not much more than a Chilean peso (worth about 15 cents in U. S. money). Mon., April 9. I took a long walk to the river shore where a promenade reminded me very much of “Langelinie” in Copenhagen, Denmark. I also called on the editor of the Danish newspaper (“Skandinaven”), Mr. Albert Weisholt at Sarmiento Street No. 1128, and afterwards on Johannes Sørensen, secretary of the Danish Young Men’s Association, with whom I arranged to deliver a lecture the following Wednesday evening. Later in the day I entered the Catholic cathedral, where the remains of the Archbishop, who had just died, were lying in state. Great throngs passed through the edifice to view the remains. I also called on the Danish Legation at 356 Serminta Street, and Mr. Reidel, who during the absence of the Minister had charge of the consulate, invited me to dinner the following day. CHAPTER 75 569

Tues., April 10. I spent most of the day writing in my room and also took a walk through some of the plazas in the city. According to appointment I called on Mr. Reidel at the Danish Legation, who took me by train to his palatial home in a suburb of Buenos Aires, about seven miles from the city center where I spent a most pleasant evening, after partaking of a bounteous meal. Mr. Reidel treated me very kindly and gave me some Argentine literature. Earlier in the day I went by train to the Revadavia Station near which (at Calle Vediaon No. 248) I visited J. Bennike, the veteran editor of “Syd og Nord,” the other Danish newspaper published in Buenos Aires. He had spent 35 years in the Argen- tine Republic and gave me considerable information about the Danes in the southern part of that country. Wed., April 11. I was invited to take dinner with Mr. Carvel, Danish vice-consul in the Argentina, who was anxious to learn something about Utah and the “Mormons.” In the evening I filled my appointment at the Young Men’s quarters at Paseo Colon, 1131, and addressed 16 interested students for over an hour on the Scandinavians in North America, and especially the “Mormons” in Utah. All the students seemed highly pleased with my talk and regretted that time did not permit me to visit the Danish colonies in the southern part of the republic. I afterwards felt sorry that I did not take advantage of this opportunity of going further south to deliver the message that a Mormon Elder always feels anxious, or desirous, to deliver. After the meeting I was kept busy answering all kinds of questions, and, at my request, those present signed their names to a sheet of paper, so that I might be enabled to take greetings from the parties named to their fellow- countrymen in North America.