The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-27
The Falkland Islands.

When Cavendish, in his second voyage.
1892, sighted the Falkland Islands, no
doubt. their peculiarly bleak appearance
made him think these islands desert rocks.
and the strong winds and swift currents
caused him to make no attempt to anchor
in a place which promised far from a safe
harbor. These islands, representing some
grand CONFUSION in nature in ages past,
and thrown up in the midst of the ocean.
were thought by many to be portion of
the American continent. This being op-
posed to scientific principles, was soon aban-
doned. Approaching these islands, as far
as the eye can reach, they seem to be but
one series of barren cliffs, at the base of
which the ocean breaks as if angry at this
barrier, and resentfully losses its spray high
against them. When approached nearer
you find not only precipitous cliffs and
rocky promontories, but low plains and
few excellent harbors. For several hun
bred years these islands, covering an area
OF 500 square miles, were uninhabited,
unless some of the aborigines of the CONT
nent landed here in their sealing expedi.
tons; or, perhaps, to practice that barbar-
GUS custom of feasting upon their fellow
man.
These islands have changed possession
and rulers many times; first the French,
then the Spanish, then the English, the
Republic of Buenos Ayres next taking pos
session, allowed her Governor of these is
land to maltreat certain Americans; in con-
sequence of which it was seized by the
Americans in 1888, and was finally return
ed to the English.
The English, with their enterprise, have
found the Falklands neither barren nor
useless; and one is astonished to find among
people born in these islands, separated by
thousands of miles from their people and
kin, and so far removed from the influence
of the worlds civilization, everything so
entirely English, and so much refinement
and education.
We met one lady who had neve. left the
Falklands, had never felt the genial inhu-
enees of other chimes and people, had new
er INDUCED in the many pleasures common
to the womanhood of the rest of the world,
and to whom, outside of her island home,
the world with its sights, its people, its do
ingS, was all one grand mystery
There are some twelve hundred people
on these islands, and they are chiefly en-
gagged in sheep and cattle raising Many
hundred thousands of sheep find excellent
pasture, and their wool is exceedingly fine.
While this affords support to the majority,
there are many sealers, and when sealingi is
successfully carried on it yields splendid
pecuniary results. A vessel is fitted cut
with years provision. The owner is to
have one-third of the seal skins, the party
who provisions one-third, and the crew the
remaining third The seals are killed with
clubs, spears, they shoot Them and in short,
in whatever way wholesale slaughter can
be best prosecuted The result Of years
sealing depends much upon good luck in
finding numbers together, and varies from
fifteen hundred to nine thousand skins,
single skin in London being worth ten to if
teen dollars, Sealing is attended with many
dangers, and hardly week passes without
its wounded or dying men, its shipwreeked
crews its accounts of men left on barren
rocks to kin the seals who were lost either
in storms, or captured by the fierce Terra
del Fuegans, who, shot down like beasts
themselves, spare no prisoners.
The weather in the Falkland is exceed
ingly forbidding To say that it rains and
blows here would not do the truth Justice
Ii rains continually, quietly, uninterrupted
" from day to day, and if not raining it
blows aud blows; aud, more often still, both
rains and blows, and the consequence to a
stranger is coughs. colds and doctors doses
Still, the inhabitants are healthy, as their
rosy cheeks, vigorous frames and energetic
Indicate
There are many remarkable and interest
Ing facts concerning the botany and geolO-
" of these islands Not tree is to be
seen, and scarcely shrub; but short grass
iourishes, and in the summer time many
shrubs and flowers; trees cannot grow, for
The topsoil IS peat and below that stone,
and hence no means of nutrition to the
roots.
Peat is plentiful and is used as fuel,
heir being no wood or coal The South
Atlantic Squadron stayed at Stanley Port,
he capital, for ten days, where they were
received with much kindness and hospital
ty,