Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-08-08
Written for the Transcript. " ESA5=&5,ss@.
Experience Of ttSinbad., In the NAVY,
IContinued from last week I

Written for the Transcript. = '.A@>%'st |
Experience Of ttSinbad.' In the NAVY,
CONTINUED from last week. ~
~ We left Montev,deo, steamed down
the eastern coast of Patagonia. and
entered the strait of Magellan on the
23d of May, 1864; and as our passage
through the strait occupied nearly four
months. I shall devote this article to
brief description of it. At Sandy
Point, 10 the straits, there is a village
Of some fifty houses, where the Gov
eruor lives. A company of infantry is
stationed there, In the service of the
government of Chilli. which country
claims the island Of Terra del Fuego.
The Patagonian Indians, of whom
we saw many. are large in stature, ay>
eruging six feet. Weloft Sandy Point
after stay Of few hours, and in the
course Of week We were clear of the
straits proper, and the strange portion
of our trip began. From the strait
northward through six degrees Of lati>
tnde there is series of intricate, in
land channels among the Patagonian
islands, which our captain determined
to follow as being much smoother than
the open sea. We steamed by day.
light Only, and had to feel our way,
sometimes for miles, by the lead line.
At one point we went ashore and
found number Of pieces of board
nailed TO trees, with the names of ships
and with dates painted on. One cap
tain had recorded his command as
''whalin skinner" A canoe load of
natives boarded us here; and, though
the thermometer was at about 400
above zero, they were entirely naked.
save small piece of seal skin worn
around the shoulders. All they could
say that we could understand was
"Tobak," some Of which we traded for
bows, and arrows with flint heads.
Their fear of the ship, especially the
wheels, was laughable. They thought
that the wheels were alive. They
were not permitted to come on board.
1t was often impossible to find anchor.
age, and on one occasion We were COM
PEELED to keep steamlng all night.
knowing that each turn of the wheel
might crush us on some rock. At
daylight we found ourselves about
where we were on the evening previ-
Gus. On another occasion we we're
obliged to tie up to the bank like a raft,
not being able to find bottom. One
afternoon We had been steaming
through narrow channel, which was
lined with precipitous rocks ON either
side, when we came into large, land
locked bay, aud we're compelled to
back out. We kept on in this man>
ner for weeks; and Valparaiso with
news from homo was but few huns
dred miles distant when two unpleas~
ant facts came upon us at once. We
had only one days coal in the hunks
ers, and our "pros" was getting low.
The sailing qualities of our ship were
! about on par with a wash>,ub, so
without fuel we We're at the mercy Of
the waters. We made harbor at
once, and crew went ashore to cut
wood. . We worked nine days and
then started, but our nine days wood
cutting gave US but sic hours steam,
so we went at the wood cutting again.
which was continued week after week
until We finally arrived at Castro in
the island of Chloe. Only one or two
steamers were ever iu this place before !;
ours was the first war vessel to enter
it. The Great Eastern caused no
greater excitement in proportion when
she entered New York harbor for the
first time than eur ship created 10 Chi
loe. Here we found provisions in
| plenty, OF which we stood in much
need. Chickens, fifteen cents each ;
beet, three cents a pounds; OF eggs
we could get more for bright brass
button than for silver quarter ; and
all other farm produce in proportion
We wanted coal, but could get none ;
and we waited here week, when the
ever present Yankee msde his appear
ance and told US where we could obs
tain hundred cords of wood. We
took him on board and went there
filed every available part of the ship
with wood, put to sea and finally
reached San Cvrlos, the terminus Of
the Southern Pacific mail route. Du-
ring this trip We had come down &c
four sea biscuit to man a day; and
a pipe full of tobacco was worth twen>
ty-6ve cents.
ITO be continued
q lbs. Of good Apples and Chro,
mo for 81. 90. Do not neglect this op>
portunity to adorn your homes with
I beautiful works Of art. Houde's is
Env al 10