The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-08-26
A YOUNG MANS wANDERNGs.

Col. George w. Sherman, man OF
twenty-six, is native of Santa Cruz.
In 1868, after the election of President
Grant, he was resident of Lower
California, and, with two other men,
conceived the freak, from love of ad-
venture, of journeying on horseback
to Santiago, the capital of Chill. The
two friends who set out with him we're
James Pierce and II. Thompson; but
on the fifth day from the start these
faint-hearted companions abandoned |
the enterprise, and returned, leaving |
Col. Sherman to pursue his journey |
alone For FIVE hundred miles he had |
an Indian attendant with him, but this
aborigine deserted, and carried off one
of the two horses which the Colonel !
had with him. Fortunately, our trav-
eler had resolution enough for his un-
dertaking His provisions soon gave
out-were exhausted, indeed, before
be had crossed Central America-but
be had a rife and couple of revol-
vers, and he Jared sumptuously on
game, including broiled parrot and
roast monkey. For several days in
Peru he feasted on snakes. The route
selected lay about forty miles off the
coast line Of the Pacific. After pass
ing through Mexico, no danger men
aced the Colonel except from aligators
in the Guavaquil swamrs. The rep
tiles were so thickly imbedde6 in the
mud of that region that the Colouels
horse had frequently step on their
backs. A call of two days duration
was made at the port of Chamba, in
Bolivia. This was the only civilized
place at which the Colonel stopped.
In nine months and three days after
leaving Lower California, Santiago, in
Chill, was reached. Here halt of a
few weeks was made, and Col. Sher-
man disposed of TIE mule which had
carried him so far. He then took
passage by Southern Pacific steamer
for the Straits of Magellan, and was
landed at Sandy Point His object
was mineral prospecting. He crossed
the Straits, and spent some months
among the Terra del Fuegans. Here
he discovered gold, silver, coal, iron,
copper, lead and tin in the working
qualities. Specimens Of the gold
ledges afterwards yielded an assay
$3.50 to the ton, and one of these ledges
he traced to distance of FIVE hun
dred and seventy feet, with width oil
thirty feet. From Terra del Fuega
Colonel Sherman crossed to the main
land, and spent many weeks among
the Patagonians, learning the language
of the tribes and observing their hab-
its. The natives Of bleak Terra del
Fuega are extremely barbarous. Save
clout around their loins they arc
stark naked, male and female, but in
very cold weather they use skins fol
shoulder covering. Apparently, both
ON the island and main land, the in
habitans tweeze all the hair off theil
bodies, except the'shock which adOrn'
their head, and which falls down tC
their necks, and is pressed back from
the forehead by leather strap. Th,
men average from seven to eight fee
in height. One very tall fellow mea
sured nine feet four and half inches
Across the shoulders he was four feet
t and he weighed 500 pounds. Some o
, the women whose altitude was takeI
by the Colonel, were seven feet min
inches in height. Most of the inhab
itants, though massive in body ant
limb have small hands and feet. OF
Terra del Fuega there are immens
numbers of seals and great quantitie
of. fish to feed upon; on the main land
wild horses and cattle roam the val
leys in millions, and afford abundanc
of animal food all the year round
From Patagonia Col. Sherman return
! ed to Chill, bearing with him numel
e', GUS mineral specimens. Thence h
iourneyed overland alone to the Al
: gentine Repub bile, his ride occupyin
2 twelve days. He reached BuenC
: Ayres by way of Mendoza. Then h
+; went to Bolivia and explored th
whole country thoroughly in quest {
: minerals, finding many rich deposit
} Paraguay was the next country visiteC
6 and then Brazil. In Brazil the ColonC
o worked for couple Of months in th
i diamond mines, but realized only
I, triAing sum. From Brazil he went
, Montevido, and thence he set sail tC
p Spain, where he spent sume time
> Madrid. Afterward he went to Be
o gium. Leaving Europe, he proceede
. to Cuba, and short time thereailt
y he was in Mexico. From Mexico /
70 proceed to New Granada, and the
!, y to Bolivia and Peru. China was Il
Il next country to which he paid visit
10 then Japan then the Cape Of Goo
Hope then the eastern States, the
Mexico, visiting Vera Cruz, Guerrer
r. Hnadero and Sonora; then back