Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-05-03
MisfeLlaneons lReaoinD.


CURIOUS AND INTERVENING DISCOVERY.
following curious letter is calculated TO arrest
more than ordinary attention, 1t is from the
pen Of o. H. Green, Of the U. s. sloop Of wal
Decatur, is GATED "of the straits of Magellan,
Feb. 18TH" and appeared in the New Orleans
Picayune Of the lst inst:
There being no appearance of change Of
weather. IObtained leave of absence for few
days. and accompanied by my class mate and
Chum, Dr. cambridge, Assistant Surgeon. was
landed on Terra del Fuego. With great labos
and difficulty we scrambled up the mountrin
sides, which line the whole southeast shore Of
these Straits, and after ascending $500 feet we
came upon plain of surprising richness and
beauty. Fertile 6elds-the greatest variety Of
fruit trees In full bearing. and signs of civiza.
ton and refinement meeting US on every side.
We had never read any account of these peo.
pie, and thiaking this island was wholly deser.
ted, except by few miserable caunibals and
wild beasts, we had come armed, and you can
jlase c. our surprise. I rs5 inaa5isans were
utterly astonished at our appearance, but exiS-
tied no signs of fear, nor any unfriendliness.
Our dress amused them, and being the first
white men ever seen by them, they imagined
that we had come from their God, the sun, on
some peculiar errand Of good. They arc the
nOblest race ever saw, the men all ranging
from feet to 81, well proportoned very ath
let;c, and straight as an arrow. The women
were among the most perfect modes of beauty
ever formed, averaging feet high, very
plump, with small feet and hands, and with a
jet-black eye which takes you by storm. We
surrendered at discretion and remained two
weeks with this strange people.
Their teachers of religion speak the Latin
language, and have traditions from successive
priests, through half hundred centuries.
They tell us this Island was once attached
to the main land; that about 1900 years ago
by their records, their country was visited by
a violent earthquake, which vccasioned the
rent now known asths Straits Of Magellan that
on the top of the mountain which lifted its
head to the sun, whose base rested where the
waters now flow, stood their great temple
which according to their description, as compar
ed to the one now existing we saw, must have
been 17,20S feet square. and over 100 feet
high, built of the puFest pantie marble A
thousand reflections crowd upon the mind, in
viewing this people and this paradise, before
unknown to sAe world.
The ship is in sight that will carry this to
you, and must now close: only saying that
the official report Of DR.. Bainbridge to the De-
partment, will be filed with the most interesting
and valuable matter, and astonish the Amer
lean people. The vessel proves to be the clip
per ship Creeper, from the Chinchi Island,
with guano. for your port, and will avail my
self Ofthis opportunity to send you a specimen
of painting on porcelain, said to be over 5000
years old and an image. made of gold and
iron, takenin one Of their wars many years be.
fore the Straits of Magellan existed.
They number about three thousand men,
women and children, and was assured the
population has not varied two hundred, as
they prove BY their traditions, for immemora.
bic ages. As the aged grow feeble they are
left to die. and if the children multiply too rap.
idly they are sacrificed by the priests. This
order comprises about one tenth Of the popula-
ton, and what the ancient Greeks called
'Gymnosophists.' They ere all of one peculiar
race, neither win they admit stranger into
their order, They live, for the most part, near
the beautiful stream called Tanuhan, which
takes its rise in the mountains, passes through
the magnincent valley OF LeuVu, and empues
into the Atlantic at the extreme southwestern
point of the Island. iJt
! This residence is chosen for the sake Of their
frequent publications. Their diet consists Of
milk. curdled with sour herbs. They eat ap-
pies, rios, sud all fruits and vegetables, es.
tseming Il the height of fimpiety to taste say-
thing that has life. They live in little huts or
cottages, each one by himself, avoiding com.
pany or discourse, employing all sheir time in
contemplation, aud their religious duties. They
esteem this life but necessary dispe nsation Of
nature. which they voluntary undergo as a pen
anceseYidently thirsting after the dissolutionof
their bodies; and firmly believing that the SOU,
st death. is released from it's prison, and laun.
Ched forth into perfect liberty and happiness.
Therefore. they are always cheerfnlly disposed
to die, bsWsiling those that are alive, and eel
ebrating the funerals Of the dead with joyful
aOlemnitiea and tFiunnuh