Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-03-08
Welsh Colony in Patagonia.

Cone time ago qulte an excitement was
raised in Wales, which extended to this
country, about Welsh settlement in Pata-
gonia. A great many have gone there,
and large numbers were waiting to embark
as soon as favorable accounts arrived from
the young colony. But it appears from
the following letter copied from an English
paper, that this, like many other emigra-
ton societies, is humbug; and that the
people who have been SO foolish as to en-
bark in the enterprise, are in very desti-
tute condition,
To the editors Of tile Liverpool Mercury:
GENTLEMEN: Seeing some correspon-
dence in this days paper on the above sub
ject, in which a former paragraph was
treated as the abominable sfahder of some
malicious scamp, beg to say that | have
read letters and received them myself, da-
ted December 2, from the gentleman who
accompanied the expedition as surgeon, in
which he relates his experience of the place.
On their arrival in New Bay the only place
prepared as shelter for the immigrants was
long wooden shed, not large enough to
accommodate all, and men and women had
to sleep, partitioned off, how they could,
the rest shelterng as best they might
Their food had to be cooked out cf doors,
which was constantly covered by clouds
of dust and sand, and penetrating even
through their clothes. The water was
scarce and bad, and had to be carried over
two miles from stagnant pool formed by
recent rains, and was Of a whftish color,
from the marly nature of the soil, and,
moreover, was full of animalcuae 1t was
the want of water that obliged the party to
leave New Bay and travel about fifty miles
in a sou,herly direction to the river Chu-
pat. 1t was on this journey that many
Of the advance party had to drink their
own water from excessive thirst. The
doctor only mentions one man being lost
from wandering into the bush, from which
he never returned. The country he des-
cribes as being nothing but level plains as
far as the eye can reach, covered with low
stunted brush, much resembling the furze
of our own country. The game. he says,
is not much of any kind-somc guanacos,
foxes, &c. The birds are a species of emu,
wild duck, &C.. all hard to be got on ac-
count of the level nature of the country.
Now, as to the starvation part of the
question, you may form your own judg-
| ment of it when you hear what this gentle
man has to say. Shortly after their ar
rival at the Chupat, a mutiny broke out
amongst the people on account of the
shortness of provisions. lie himself was
placed on an allowance of 2!lb. mutton,
including bone, amongst six. His share
of bread was 6llb., afterwards increased to
SAlb., an 2Ilb. Of rice per week per man,
grinding the corn themselves. They were
! afterwards obliged to kill herse for food :;
| and he tell, me he was yerv glad to eat
seagulls and owls, and says he killed fox
tut had not the good fortune to partake Of
its flesh. At the Chupat they had no
| shelter of any kind but this he says was
as nothing to the pangs Of hunger. When
even horsefesh got scarce, and nothing to
! eat but this short allowance of bread, the
| rice being ont long before, he Quilted them
He considered that the agreement between
the committee and himself was broken in
consequence, and it was with great reluc-
! tance he did so, as he fully made up his
! mind to stay among them, having brought
out with him all the necessary implements
for killing and curing the supposed wild
oxen, with view to future export
This gentleman, who is now in Buenos
| Ayrcs, must be one Of the two mentioned
in Mr.. Woods letter to you, who quilted
the colony, and the 70 detained letters
from the hungry Welsh colonists will ex-
plain themselves, when we see the anxiety
of certain interested parties to cast doubt
on what has already been stated. My
object in taking any notice Of the CORES
| pondence is to advise intending emgrants
to wait till they hear further from their
friends and countrymen before they ven
ture on such an uncertain undertaking.
And may say in conclusion, that this in
formation has been kept private until to
days correspondence induced me to dis
close what have heard Of the intended
Welsh colony in Patagonia. A. Yours, &c.
Ii. G..
Liverpool, January 80, 1866.