New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-11
Nstu1lork Dailp Gribm,,s
THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN

On the Goth day from Rio came in sight Of Cape
Virgin, the southern extremity Of the Patsgouian
Coast and the next day entered the Straits Of Maga
hseus. Ferdinand Magslhaens, commonly called
Magellan, Portuguese in the service OF Charles v,
fret entered the Straits which bear bis name IN 1880
end was probably the original discOyerer OF the
southern coast OF Patagonia. More fortunate than
Columbus, be no, only left an undying name TO the
passage which be discovered, but has fixed u eternal
~ in The celestial regions Of the southern hem sphere
IL IL very hat this wear Winter 70 be omit
ted IN our calendar. We had sai ed from the United
States in the Summer eDo bad arrived early in the
Spring IN Brazil and were 10 have Summer again IN
the Straits but the association OF tie season ended
with the name, 20 long a. we fe, the De,ember-lSe
blasts and the hills and mountains around u lift
il their lofty heads covered with perpetual snow,
although the days had nov attained their greatest
length Indeed, nights scarcely existed ~ ALL the
iHiil BIT hsroly casing at II p. VI. and day beginning
70 break about two hOurs aitT. Nearly the whole
record Of our passage made sp OF heat.Tinds and
adverse udes. Comparatively few salling-vessels
have ever visited tnese waters except upon surveying
expeditions, and al 0st all that have succeeded, IL
spite % very many difficulties in etfecting passage
have Def; some record behind them. Thus, in the
most V-ull har0Ors upon the Patsgonisn side, ge
fund large crosses erected having upon them the
name and date Of stopping Of all vessels for many
years 1aek.
Notwithstanding the length of time that we had day-
light IL considered more prudent 70 bring the ship
10 anchor every night and pursue our way again the
next morning At these intervals We had ample OPP
uoruuiy Of visiting The shore in pursuit OF game, and,
ALI oupb our expectaOns were not realized as TO the
amount or description of trophies We had DO rea
SOD 20 be dissatisfied with the ducks and geese we pro-
cured. There was little pleasure, however, N going
on shore al any time. OF iDhOspitable coast II
is almost impossible 10 conceive Its general aspect IS
of uer 1endcular wall rising abruDty from The sea,
With here ana there some peak towering sierny above
the eaunt and ironbound shores. The mountains
spire % TO great hight, connected by snguG'y sharp
10 al a.
been rendered by the hand Of at About their bases
there are generally some green patches OF jungle, but
upon the whole nothing can be more sterile aud repu
siye | remember celebrating Christmas with several
of nv compauiOns by trying 10 accomplish the
ascent Of one of these steep mountains Alter infinite
labor working way up by cngng 20 the bushes
and shrnbbery abandoned the undertaking, ut
terlv exhausted before tad made half the ascent.
Our dessent w6s not so labOrOus, a. all our slips
ana fails were in the right direction. Even where the
Lar il level the roll Is covered with soft spongy
mass OF decayIg vegetable matter, apparently several
feet deep INFO which the wanderer sinks almost up %
his middle at every step o. which the elasticity IS
so great that after having passed over II one hertly
leaves trace behind. The forests too, made up Of
large treef and jungle. are lmpenetrable. Having
once wandered of with companion 10 so ne distance
we wished 10 return by different route, and endeav
oreo Ia PASS through small wood but encOuniering
20 many Obstacles-sOmetlmes creeping among The
bushes sometimes fallen giant Of the forest COW
etd with thick of moss, and the decayei wood
of which afforded soil for thickets OF seedlings
sometimes buried almost TO The armgts by the ialth-
les surf &C yielding TO the treat sometimes ossinS
bridge iealul the arch of AlSrat; sometimes al
mot throfled by snake-ike brancaes-Wc were tain
10 return TO our old road bad as vas. In addition
10 al this the sun shows himself but little Jupiter
Pluvius recns supreme; hesky, even in fine weather.
being overcast aud cloudy, aud clear day very
rare occurrence.
Suci il the general appearance and Iaiure Of the
coast but az places there are the most beautiful
harbols m tie world. Playa Parda one OF these few
s. os il small BASIN nclosed on all sides but one by
hi clothed in drapery of green, down which dash
in umerslle cascados The water Is OF considerable
depth but clear that ship seemed balanced with
admirable nicely on phantom bark, which hosted
II constant company with the substantial one for the
PURPOSE Of sustaining il. More beautiful did appear
10 us since to reach IL we had tn pass by
"A dresry plain, fororn and Wild,
The seai Of desolaton."
have already mentioned that square-rgged vessels
are recommended never TO attempt passing through
the Straits Fiudlay SAILING Directions say: Gales
" of wind succeed each other at short intervals aud
last several days At times the weather 10 hue and
settled for a fortnight, but these times are few.
" Westerly winds prevail during the year. A1d our
e1I erieIce that the gales we here met were
than any red elsewhere during our
cruise
The Terra del Fuegians. so called from the coun-
try they inhahii which i'm turn derived IFS name from
tie lumber of fires n along the shore by the flint
n8yi. stors,l made their appearance while we were
anclOrtO AZ Bora BAY. Shortly after had reached
this place small singular-looking canoe to
leave tie shore and make its way toward our ship
and in a few minutes we were honor,d by visit from
two Of the Indians with their numerous wives, chill
drsn anC dogs. Upon coming on board the vessel
they proved the most inveiera,e beggars ever met
with. There was nothing they saw for which they did
not ask; ley begged for themselves, aud unsuccess
fui IN their application, for q err wives and children
Their usual demand is for tobacco and biscuit, and IN
81 dtavoring 10 purchase some of their weapons "a
curiOstes we found that the former article WAS the
priced; and next in value were the bright but
tons from our uniioIms and probably they congr1iu
lated Themselves on finding people slmple enough 20
give away such splendid ornaments and then biscuit,
old clothes and empty bottles.
III, Iadsr are by far the most degraded and miser
able Of all the aboriginal inhabitants of South Amer
lea They are low in stature aud Of copper color;
their clothing consisting of a sealskin, With the
hair outw ard and tied around then person by means
of sinews Is OF the very scaniest descriptions; ther
food Is reyOth z. They hive chiefly upon muscles
and liu,pets and whenever tkey can procure them
eagerly drvour seals otter, porpoises and whales
hesh preparlg none by FIRE but eating as they cut
the flesh from The prey. In Their voIaclt. they bear
greater resemblance 70 wild animals than 20 hu
man beings. Their seem 10 consist solely OF bows
and arrows aud -pesrs, pointed sometimes with glass
and somt times with bone of these they willingly dis
uose in exchange for their fsvorte weed. TIE most
noticeable things about them are ih9ir baekes and
their canoes both Of which manifest some labor AMI
ingenuity in construction. The former are formed
of bark or plated grass; the latter are Of bark,
ana Tut together without particle OF metal.
The sides and bottoms are se6ed tOge her By
meafs OF sn,ws small bars Of wool placed
sflwsrtsiiIs TO preserve the shape, and the
seams are caulked win some gummy prepare
ton Tley small and Light 20 a. 70 be easily pad
cled about hy two women. But thrlr skill 10 ma1inS
he canoes may be compared 20 ihe instinct Of animals
.or il il Dot imp owed by experience; We know from
Drake that this thei most inger0Gs work has re
NAMED the same Tor The lat two hundred ard fifty
years. The faces Of tie men generally seem devoid ~
iuy Intellectual expression and the, belong 10 the
~ odnrar. school. hey expressed as'ouishment