The sun rose brilliantly, and the weather during
the day was very fine. Morning service was impossible, owing to the
necessity for a constant observation of the land; but, after making
the lighthouse on Santa Maria, we had prayers at 4.30 p.m., with the
hymn, 'For those at Sea.' In the night we made the light on Flores,
burning brightly, and before morning those in the harbour of Monte
Video.
_Monday, September 11th_.--After making the Flores light we proceeded
slowly, and dropped our anchor in the outer roads of Monte Video at 4
a.m. At seven o'clock we got it up again, and by eight were anchored
close to the shore. We found that our arrival was expected, and the
health-officers' boat was soon alongside. Next came an officer from
the United States' man-of-war 'Frolic,' with polite messages and
offers of service; and then a steam-launch belonging to the Pacific
Company, and another from the Consul, Major Monro, with piles of
letters and newspapers for us.
Monte Video, as seen from the water, is not an imposing-looking place.
On the opposite side of the entrance to the harbour rises a hill,
called the Cerro, 450 feet high, from which the town derives its name,
and further inland, on the town side, is another eminence, 200 feet
high, called the Cerrito. With these exceptions the surrounding
country looks perfectly flat, without even a tree to break the
monotony.
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