The Monte Vista journal., 1913-04-05
M SEE a mountain" exclaimed
- the first daring white naviga-
tor who rounded from the
broad Atlantic into the mouth

OrOaO AtlantlC lutO Iu0 NOUN
of the Rio de la Plata and
searched the northern bank. Juan
Diaz de Soils Is said to have thus sail
ed and mayhap he made use Of the
expression. II he was personally on
the lookout. At any rate whosoever
said 1t and Notwithstanding the fact
that the mountain is little more than
good-sized hill. the Latin expression
stuck. and its two words, now welded
together. form the name of the splen-
did little modern capital Of the Re-
public Of Uruguay.
Little capital! Well, yes-when
compared in population with its two
big neighbors. Buenos Aires and Rio
de Janeiro-but even at that Just
about as big as the capital Of the giant
OF all republics. the United States of
America. In fact, in point OF popula-
tion. Montevideo and Washington are
very nearly twins. each claiming a
near approach to the 100000 mark.
However. the impression made upon
the tourist Is that there is nothing
small about the Uruguayan capital.
Its fine. substantial houses are large,
Its streets are wide and we'll paved,
and its parks and plazas are beautiful
and spacious. while the liberal hospi-
tality of its people shows that their
hearts are large as WE'LL
Ideal Location.
The city has an ideal location on a
fine bay. the eastern side facing the
Atlantic and the southern fronting the
Rio de la Plata. 1t is built on a PENN.
sula that juts out into the waters and
forms the eastern extremity of this
semicircular bay which forms the
actual port. while on the ocean side
the coast sweeps directly north for
quite distance, and 1t is here that
are located the fine bathing resorts of
which more anon. writes correspon.
dent for the Pan American Union.
Promptly at o'clock we left the
vessel for the wha:f carriages awaited
US for sightseeing tour of the CITY.
Our drive took us first to the Plaza
Matriz. pretty square inclosed by
some fine buildings. among them be-
Ing the Cabildo or Parliament house;
the Club Uruguay. the leading social
organization for the wealthy Uruguay.
ans: and the fine old cathedral, one of
the ancient structures OF the city.
which dates back to the Spanish re.
glme, and In which repose the remains
OF the first president OF the republic
and those OF the first archbishop. Our
time was too limited. however to stop
here. and we proceeded to the Plaza
lndependencia, This Ia a beautifully
Kept garden OF trees. shrubs, and flow.
ers, covering a space about 300 BY
500 feet. Here may be seen the gov.
ernment house-which is also n relic
OF colonial days-the resident of the
president OF the republic. the splendid
Teatro Soils. and the national museum
In every city visited in South America
we found the leading theater to be
one OF the costliest and handsomest
structures. and the Soils Theater was
therefore not such surprise. II
ranks with the finest In the world and
such great artists as Patti. Bernhardt
Caruso and others, have appeared
there. for Montevideo's amusement.
loving public must have the greatest
artists In tho world to cater to its
'ritical taste. regardless Of expense.
The national museum. located close
'side the Soils Theater. II worthy Of