The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-07-16
Among Patagonians.


''1 have had a pretty tough expeff-
ence since | was last in this port. said
Robert r. Jeffery, first mate of the brig
Charles Purves, which arrived FROM
Cuba, to a Philadelphia Press reporter
81 have been fighting natives in Pats-
gonia and working silver mines illegal
ly. have been captured by an Argen-
tine man-of-war and set at liberty all
within the last two years. 1t happen
ed in this way: About two years ago
was in New York and met an old &C
quaintance. Capt. Cullom. He told me
he had just purchased the brig Eliza
Thompson and was going to Patagonia
to work some silver mines which hs
had discovered about u year before
He asked me to join him. knew where
the mines were located and went into
the scheme without much coaxing. He
was then loading the vessel with iron
consigned to parties in Rosario, Brazil
We left New York the next week with
a crew of seven men, for every one OF
whom we had rifles and brace of re-
volvers with which to fight the natives
We reached Rosario without incident
and discharged our cargo. Five men
were added to our crew at this port,
and we started for the silver mines
with q crew of twelve men, captain aud
mate. ~ :
1--WE reached the shores of PatsgoniA
safely and ten of US, including the cap
tain, started off to work the mines.
They were found to be full of silver.
The men went to work with a will, the
rich Jumps of ore seemed to impart new
life to all of us and we began to imag-
inc ourselves millionaires. After we
had been there about a week a band of
natives discovered us one day and at
tackled US with poisoned arrows. Every
man seized his rifle and we sent ona
volley at the savages, which killed two
of their number and put the others to
flight. From that time on there were
scrimmages daily between our men and
the Patagonians. Mingled with the
silver we found great quantity of nj
tire in the mines, and, after working
them for about two months, we started
for Montevideo with 200 tons of silver
ore and 200 tons of niter. The captain
disposed of his cargo at that place and
cleared 81, 700 over all his expenses, in
cluding the cost of the brig. .ls :.
'tAfter lying in port for several weeks
and stocking the vessel with provisions.
we started on a second expedition. In
this we were not so fortunate. We had
been at the mines only two days when
squad of about thirty natives surpris-
ed us. Before we could reach our guns
two of the sailors, Dutchman and q
Swede, both of whom had shipped at
Rosario, were pierced by the poisoned
arrows. We had sharp fight after
that and killed a number of the ma
tives before we could drive them of.
We took our wounded on board the
brig, but they died in a short time.
The poison went all through them, aud
their veins swelled to five times their
natural size. After that day we had q
man on guard all the time, and did not
lose any more men in our fights. About
three weeks after we had landed for
our second cargo, an Argentine man.
of-war swOoped down on us suddenly
and took us all prisoners. We were
taken to Buenos Ayres and placed in
fort. Capt. Cullom received permis-
sion to visit the American consul, and
through him he fixed matters somehow,
and we were all released the next day,
which was the 18th of January last
The Argentine government, however,
sold the brig and received $4 900 for
her..
Capt. Cullom afterward learned
that parties in Montevideo, who had
seen US dispose of the cargo, had in
formed the government officials, and
that is how we came to be captured.
sailed for Cuba on the first vessel ont
and then shipped on the Purves."