[F] The distance in this
direction is about 110 miles, and the passage was made in ten hours,
during the night, so that I had not on this occasion an opportunity of
seeing the surrounding scenery.
On another occasion I saw too much of it, as the steamer missed the
canalized strip which extends several miles out from Puno, and we
remained hard aground for thirty hours. We had over a hundred Japanese
passengers--immigrants going to the rubber country--and all armed with
huge revolvers; but as the food lasted out until we were relieved by
another small steamer belonging to the railway company they were kept in
good humour, and they gave no trouble at all. Before floating again
about 100 tons of cargo had to be transhipped to the other steamer, and
when we again got into the deep channel it was again transferred to the
s.s. "Coya." This latter boat was about 150 feet long; it was quite a
comfortable boat, and the food and bedding were decent, when you
consider the part of the world you were in. The bill of fare and wine
list contained many quaint delicacies, and I shall never forget how the
printer of same spelt the word indicating Scotch wine (commonly known as
whisky). He was quite phonetic from the Spanish point of view, and the
word read "Gueiscki," but it tasted all right.
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