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This photograph shows a variety of palm trees and bushes lining the paths of Rio de Janeiro’s botanical gardens.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “In this garden there are over 900 kinds of palms and ferns and seemingly as many other tropical productions.”
One very tall palm tree stands apart in Rio de Janeiro’s botanical gardens, surrounded by a low fence and adjacent to a monument topped by a bust. Charles C. Myers attests that Rio de Janeiro’s botanical gardens are the finest in the world and have over 900 different kinds of palms and ferns.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This magnificent and stately palm tree is enclosed within a picket fence and also within that enclosure is erected a handsome monument in honor and memory of a Spanish explorer who planted this tree over 150 years ago. In this garden is also found many kinds of tropical fruit most of which has an undesirable flavor to those not accustomed to it. Even the bananas have a peculiar flavor for which you have to cultivate a taste before you will like the fruit. There is a small melon fruit called mamao which grows on large trees. This fruit grows on the main trunk of the tree where there are no branches, from 10 to 40 feet from the ground and in side, shape and color this fruit, from a short distance, resembles a live possum hanging by its tail from the trunk of the tree. I had the pleasure of picking some coffee berries from the bush while in this park. When ripe the coffee berries are red and very much resemble cranberries, both in size and color. Two grains of coffee in each berry.
Many inviting seats beneath the shade trees and bamboo hedges and one can hardly resist the temptation to rest a while and enjoy the surroundings, but not wishing to cultivate the acquaintance of the numerous lizards and other members of the reptile family, especially the snakes that often come down unexpectedly from the branches above, apparently to intimate to you that tresspassing [sic] is not invited—we pass on. We have heard of people that under certain conditions, seemed to see snakes, but I can vouch for the truth of the statement that, in the tropics you can see snakes from almost any position.
A lake in Rio de Janeiro lined with statues, and with a fountain in the middle. Palms and other trees line its banks, and a clocktower stands in the background. This postcard was created by gluing a photograph to the front of a different postcard, as indicated by a crossed-out description on the back.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “We are now well within the straits and on March 2nd we reach Sandy Point or Punta Arenas which is just at the entrance to the narrow part of the straits and is the southernmost city in the world. Punta Arenas is a thriving city of about 20,000 population made up mostly of Spanish, French, Portugese [sic] and a few German people. It is one of the leading places in the world for furs and meat. You can get the finest kind of furs at almost your own price.”
This postcard shows a view of a reservoir in the mountains near Rio de Janeiro, around which runs a walking path and fence. Palm trees stand further back from the water. This postcard was created by gluing a photograph to the front of a different postcard, as indicated by a crossed-out description on the back.
1911
This postcard shows a panorama view of Punta Arenas, Chile. Several people relax on a hillside in the foreground, while the city stretches out to the ocean behind them in the background. Charles C. Myers provides some details about the city on the back of the card..
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Another panorama view of part of the city.”
Postcard showing a view of a street with buildings on either side and a cobblestone road in Punta Arenas, Chile. Charles C. Myers notes that the street is well paved.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “One of the streets of the city which is well paved with rough cobblestones of various sizes.”
Postcard showing cows in a wooden corral with three men working on a tied-down cow, one is holding a branding iron. A man on horseback in the background. Charles C. Myers notes that the men are branding cattle in Punta Arenas, Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Branding cattle on one of the ranches near the city.”
Postcard showing a large flock of sheep with a building a fence in the background and four individuals, with one on horseback. Charles C. Myers notes it is a sheep ranch in Punta Arenas, Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “On one of the sheep ranches in southern Chile.”
Postcard showing individuals near a runway filled with water and connected to a corral with sheep. Charles C. Myers notes that the setup is a “sheep-dip” in Punta Arenas, Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Here is the process which they call dipping sheep. The sheep are corralled and then driven thru a gate single file and into a large deep trough of some chemical preparation where each sheep gets a good bath which prevents its having scab and other diseases harmful to the sheep family.”
Postcard showing a panoramic view of several buildings. Charles C. Myers comments that it is a tannery near Punta Arenas, Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Panorama view of one of the tanneries of Punta Arenas.”
Postcard showing a crowd around a group of international flags. Charles C. Myers comments that it is a celebration of the installation of the water works in Punta Arenas, Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Celebration of the opening of the public water works of the city in the fall of 1902 and as you see by the flags many nations were there represented.”
Postcard showing three portraits of indigenous individuals. Charles C. Myers notes they live in the Magellan Strait area in Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “A typical specimen of the cannibal indians that used to inhabit the islands of southern Chile and there are still a few of the (sic) to be found.”
Postcard showing a painting of the Strait of Magellan with mountains in the background and a ship on the water.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This is only a painting of the straits, however it does not exaggerate the real beauty of the place. While the lower parts of the mountains are covered with a kind of brush which stays green the year round, the top of the mountain has always a blanket of snow. There is always a strong wind here and the sun seldom shines but when it does break forth for a few minutes the beautiful scenery is beyond description. There you see the high mountains on either side with the great claciers (sic) sliding down their slides. On the top the snow is pure white but farther down it looks a little dirty or grey like snow looks after laying in the ground for a long time, alittle farther down it has a yellowish cast while toward the bottom it has a green color as it is then clear and solid ice before it breaks off into the water as huge icebergs. After breaking off into the water during the summer time these icebergs break up and melt very rapidly and pieces of ice of all sizes may be seen floating in the water of the straits where the large ships often procure a fresh supply of ice.”
Postcard showing buildings on a hillside. Charles C. Myers notes that it is a scene of Valparaiso, Chile.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Valparaiso is in a way a picturesque town built on the side of the hills and cliffs and is the principal seaport of the west coast of South America.”
Postcard showing carts being pulled by oxen teams. Charles C. Myers notes that ox teams are used in Chile instead of horses.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This picture is only a kodak picture taken from the wondow (sic) of a car as we were riding to Santiago, but it is a common scene there along the highway. It is two four-ox carts going to market with loads of fruit.”
Postcard showing a herd of llamas in the foreground with buildings and individuals in the background. Charles C. Myers notes that the scene is in the Andes Mountains.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “A llama pack train may be occasionally seen scaling the trails of the Andes Mts.”
Postcard showing a crack in a rocky cliff. Charles C. Myers describes that the crack is actually a chasm said to be 3,000 feet deep and 60 feet wide.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “When in the high altitudes of any mountain range there are certain peculiar conditions, perhaps in the atmosphere, which makes your sight deceive you and you may be greatly deceived in distances. You may see some peak or mountain that seems to be only a short distance aways and you may think that you could walk the distance in a short time as it seems only two or three miles away while in reality it may be 12 or 15 miles away. I remember one summer while enroute from Chicago to San Francisco I stopped over a few days in a small city not far from Denver and where we had an excellent view of Pikes Peak only a few days before and he said that the air was so clear up there that you could see an ordinary fly half mile away. There was a small village on the side of a mountain and apparently not far away from the hotel where we were staying and there was also a railway running in that direction. Now early one morning there came a man from Kansas city and thought he could walk to this village on the mountain side before breakfast, so he started out. He was advised to take lunch along but he was sure that he would reach the village in time for a late breakfast. He came back that night on the railway and said that after walking till sundown he was no closer than when he started, so he felt somewhat discouraged and returned very tired and hungry. He was then instructed that the village he saw was Boulder, a city of over 20,000 population and 65 miles away. Now it is surprising how you can run and jump and climb in these high altitudes and feel no fatigue and on account of the very light air you can throw a stone or you can jump much farther than you think. One day a party of a dozen of us went out from Santiago to do some mountain climbing and sight seeing. Presently we came upon a small crevice between two peaks, it was a small opening in the mountain side and one of the boys was sure he could jump across it and land safely on the other side. Although being advised not to do so he insisted and made the leap and to our surprise he cleared the opening in the rocks and even missed the peak on the other side, disappearing behind it and falling into a small lake several hundred feet below where he received an icy bath. Now this picture show one of these crevices in the mountain side but a long distance away. This crevice was said to be by actual measurement 60 ft wide and 1000 ft deep.
Postcard with a colored photograph of the entrance of Hibiya Park in Tokyo, Japan.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Entrance to Hybia park where many banquets and entertainments were held while the American sailors were there.”
Postcard with a black and white photograph of American naval soldiers and Japanese people at Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan. Charles C. Myers writes of the hospitality of Japanese people towards foreign visitors on the reverse side of the postcard.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Entrance to Ueno Park where was also held mant banquets to entertain the men of the American Fleet. Everything was free. I also visited several of the noted Japanese Temples. One Temple that was built over 300 yrs ago is yet in perfect shape and finished inside in gold and the aechitectural designs would even puzzle the artizan of today. The Japanese are noted for their cleanliness and when visiting any of their churches as well as many other buildings you are required to leave your shoes at the entrance and you will find everything within as clean as a dining room table.
Even some of the larger department stores have waiters at the door to place moccasins over your shoes so that no dirt may get in the store and that you may not scratch the smooth floor, with your shoes.”
Postcard featuring a colored photograph of the Custom House in Yokohama, Japan. On the reverse side of the postcard, Charles C. Myers states the Custom House is located near the railroad station.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This is the custom house at Yokohama.”