Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-07-24
CHAPTER II.

1t was nearly year after he had made
up his mind to emigrate before MIR. Har-
dy was able to conclude all his arrange
ments. Then came the great business OF
packing up. This is no trihing matter
when family of six persons are going
to make move to a new country. The
bulk Of luggage was very large. Mr..
Hardy was taking with him plows and
agricultural implements, besides a good
stock of seeds of various kinds. These
had been sent on direct by sailing ship
starting a fortnight before themselves.
When their heavy baggage was packed
up it, too, was sent off, so as to be put
on board the steamer by which they were
to sail; and then came a long round of
visits to bid farewell to all their friends
This over, they embarked on board the
Barbados for Rio and Buenos Ayres
Greatly were the girls amused at the tiny
little cabin allotted to them and their
mother-a similar little den being taken
possession of by Mr.. Hardy and the
boys. The smartness of the vessel AMI
the style of her fittings alike impressed
and delighted them. Sarah, their house
maid, accompanied the party. She had
been left early an orphan, and had been
taken as nursemaid by Mrs. Hardy.
AS time went ON, and the little girls ne
longer required nurse, she had remain
ed as housemaid, and having no friends
now willingly accompanied them. Mr.
Hardy had, to her great amusement, in
sisted upon her signing a paper agreeing
upon her masters paying her passage, to
remain with him for a year; at the end
of which time she was to be at liberty
to marry or to leave them, should she
choose.
The last looks which the party cast to-
ward England, as the Welsh coast sank
in the distance, were less melancholy
than those of most emigrants. The young
people were all full Of hope and excite
ment, while even Mrs. Hardy felt but
little disposed to give way to sorrow
as it had been arranged that in three OF
four years, if all went well, she should
bring her daughters over to England to
finish their education.
After an uneventful voyage across the
Atlantic they finally arrived at the har-
Dor of Buenos Ayres, where the two great
rivers, the Uruguay and the Parana,
unite to form the wide sheet Of water
called the river La Plata. 1t was night
when the Barbados dropped her anchor,
and it was not until the morning that
they obtained their first view of their
future home. Their exclamation was
one Of disappointment. The shores were
perfectly fiat. After the magnificent har-
Dor of Rio this uninteresting coast was
most disappointing
What a distance we anchored from
the Shore" Hubert said. st must be
three or four miles off,"
mot so much as that, Hubert" Maud
insisted; mot more than two miles,
should think
The distance of objects across water
is very deceiving," said the captain. 1T
is from eight to nine miles to those build
ings you see."
why do we anchor such long way
off, captain?' asked Charley.
Because the shore is so fiat that there
is no water for us to get in any closer
In couple Of hours you will see boats
coming out to fetch you in; and, unless
it happens to be high tide, even these
cannot get to the beach, and you will
have to land in carts"
lin carts, Captain TrevorY' thew all re-
peated; "that will be strange way Of
landing"
"Yes, 1t is" the captain answered .I
think that we can safely say that the Ar
gentine Republic is the only country in
the world where the only way to land at
its chief city is in a cart"
Tide was fortunately high, and the boat
containing the Hardys and the lighter
portion of their luggage was able TO get
up to the landing place without the cart,
being called into use. AS they approach.
ed the land they were hailed in n hearty
voice, and greetings were exchanged be-
tween MIR. Hardy and his friend Mr.
Thompson-a sunburnt-looking man with
Il great beard-in Panama hat and in
a suit of spotless white.
"Why, Mrs. Hardy" he said as tb.v
landed. you hardly look day older than
You did when l last saw you fourteen
years ago. And now. if you please. we
will be off as soon as we can. for NV
estancia is fifteen miles away. | have
made the best arrangements | could for
getting out; but roads are not strong
point in this country, and We seldom
trust ourselves in wheeled vehicles far
out of the town. You told ME in your
letters, Hardy, that the young peopie
could all ride. have horses in any mum.
ber, and have got in two very quiet ones.
with side saddles, which | borrowed from
some neighbors for your girls; but il they
prefer it, they can go in the tran viii
Mrs. Hardy"
"Oh. no, please" Maud said: "I had
much rather ride"
ITO he continued,