The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-07-28

luton was unanimously ptSSSu " AC-
quest me TO furnish a passage to Monte
Video to Mr.. Lewis Jones, to enable
him to proceed to Buenos Ayres to re-
port to the Argentine Government the
condition of the colony, to endeayor
to establish. means of communication,
to solicit the customary educational
subsidy. and'to obtain the supplies so
much needed by the settlement. at
the same meeting if was also decided
that, with the small amount of assist
ance was ableto afford to the most
destitute, the remainder could main
tain themselves until Mr.. Jones return
with supplies of seed, &C., and were no
longer in need of gratuitous rations
from the Government. l was at the
same time requested to furnish pas
sage to Mr.. David Williams "a native of
the United States, born of Welsh pa
rents, who settled in the colony with
his family three years ago. in order
that he may return with Mr.. Jones
with considerable amount of proper
ty in the shape of farm implements, &c,
which he expects to be now waiting for
him at Buenos Ayres, and this will be
very considerable addition to the colo
ny's limited resources III this respect.
I found the only blacksmith almost
without coal, and quite unable to do
several important and heavy pieces of
work to various farm implements that
would shortly be required, owing to his
having only charcoal coax to burn.
therefore deemed it requisite to leave
five bags of coal with him for the good
of the colony.
Excellent anchorage was obtained in
the southwest corner of New Gulf, in
which the rise and fall at spring tides
was 10 feet. The track leading to Chu-
pat could be distinctly seen from the
ship rising straight over the hills. The
recognized signal by the colonists to
announce the arrival of q ship at New
Gulf consists in setting on fire about
500 yards of camp at one time on the
top of the hills over which, the road
leads, the smoke of which is soon seen
from the settlement. AS rule, no wa
ter is to be found between New Gulf
and Chupat, a distance of so miles.
The following is brief history of the
colony, since the visit of her Majesty's
ship Triton, III 1866, with which Mr..
Lewis Jones kindly furnishe mes:
1t was during this year QS66) that the
first attempts were made to grow
wheat, but subsequent experiences
show these attempts so ill-adapted to
the country that their disastrous results
were a matter of course. Considering
that there were only three plows, no
harrows, but six working horses, and
that utterly unsuitable lands were Sc
lected, it is no wonder that the crop
was failure but small extent sown
by chance on low ground gave good re-
suits.
Soon after the Triton's visit the col
onial schooner was wrecked at the en-
trance to the river, and great exertions
had to be made to repair and render
her fit for sea. With their limited
means, this occupied the majority of
the colonists for three or four months,
and that during the planting season.
About the latter end of July, 1866, two
large tribes of Indians encamped in the
colony and remained there month. At
this time the value of Indian property
was unknown to the colonists, conse-
quently but little trade was done. But
this visit gave the settlers an insight in
to the mode of managing horses and
hunting the game of the country, as
well as an opportunity ofobtaining the
indispensable articles of riding gear,
lassos, &C., of which they were, until
then, utterly destitute, and of acquiring
the method Of using them, with which
| they were previously unacQuainted. In
November, the colonial schooner made
| trip to Patagones for provisions, hav-
| ing ON board three dissatisfied families,
numbering eight persons. The crop of
wheat, as before stated, being a failure,
in February, 1867, deputation of the
colonists proceeded to Buenos Ayres in
the schooner, and presenting themselves
to the Government, requested to be re-
moved to some other part of the Argen-
| tine territory. The Government, from
the information received, deeming that
no satisfactory experiment had been
made, advised them to make another
years trial, Offering to assist them fur
Their with provisions and seeds. Be-
fore this advice of the Government
conld reach the settlement the colonists
had commenced to carry their goods
| overland to New Gulf, ready for ship
| ment. Meanwhile, their deputation to
Beunos Ayres were intent on removing
them to some of the Chaco lands, in the
province of Santa Fe, while Messrs
Aguire and Murga were offering terms
| for q settlement on their lands in Pata-
| cones. So determined were the colo
nists on removing, that by the end OF
June, 1867, the settlement on the Chu-
pat had been entirely broken up, and
| the settlers, their goods and chattels,
were all huddled together in New Gulf,
ready for embarkation. All the houses
| on the Chupat were destroyed, many OF
| the best cattle killed for use (seeing
there was no way of removing them),
not more than half q dozen poultry
were preserved, and pigs (of which
there were many became extinct. The
| transport of their goods overland and
erecting huts for their shelter entailed
on them very severe labor. However,
after two months of this pent-up life in
New Gulf, and much wrangiing and re-
| elimination, seeing that no acceptable
terms could be obtained elsewhere, il
was determined in the beginning OF
1 August, 1867, to return to Chupat
1 There was then but little wheat in the
colony available for sowing, and the
season had so advanced that but little
could be done in the way of ploughing
very good results, and revived the hopes
of the settlers.
It was the month of November, 1867
before the promised supplies arrived il
the colony, and in that interval occurred
the first scarcity, or partial famine
Some parties suffered severely at thi
time, more especially those who hai
previously killed their cattle and thos,
unable to hunt. More cattle were alsC
reluctantly killed. The wild game o
the camp were fallen back upon, anl
thus was developed, under the pressure
of necessity, the hunting capabilities o
the settlers, which have since provided
q prolific source of sustenance to all.
In the same vessel that brought thes
opportnne supplies for the colony tn
Argentine Government cent q liberia
|. present Of food and clothing for the In
dams frequenting the settlement. Tn
J result of the little wheat so hurried,
!. sown was SO promising that the settler
took heart, and sent representation {.
the Argentine Government stating tina
they were now satisfied of the fertilit,
Of the soil, and that if they were fur
. nished once more with an adequate sup
| ply of wheat for sowing, and some pro
visions for their maintenance until bar
vest, as also some cattle to replace thos
they had killed, they felt confident o
ultimate success. This request wa
complied with, and $50 mich cows, 10
fanegas of wheat, and 90 fanegas of bar
ley were sent, which did not, however
| reach the colony until the month O
} May, 1868. In the meantime (January
] 1863 the colonial schooner was des
t patched to Patagones for tempoFar,
3 supply of provisions, and sailed theme
} ON the 18th Of February ON its return
{ voyage with 40 sacks of -four, some gro
} ceries and drapery, yoke Of workini
bullocks, and 9 fine SOW. Unfortunately
4 | she was never afterwards heard o.
. Thus, the colony not only lost its Graf
D and valuable cargo, but six of its bes
> settlers.
VI The non-arrival of the sehoone
4 hpouyhk about another partial famine