The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-07-31


marched inland, taking their prisoner with
them. They spent about six hours day
on the march, over difficult mountain pass
es and down into deep valleys, making
fires to sleep by at night, and living on
guanacos, which they occasionally shot.
Thorold took little interest in observing
the nature of the country, but he reported
it to be very similar to that seen on the
coast-bleak mountains, with occasional
copses Of stunted trees, and all else abso-
lutely barren and uncultivated. There is
little doubt, however, that it is a treasure
house of mineral wealth, for various ores,
including gold, are picked up in plenty on
the coast, and there is every indication of
of coal. IF coal mine was once got into
working order here, it would be of inesti-
mable value for the coaling of ships alone,
as well as for use in South America itself,
for coal is at present brought from Eng
land at great expense all the way to Monte
Video, and to Sandy Point, in the Straits
of Magellan, from the north Of Chill
On the fourth day Of the march they
met another tribe, also ON the march, and
the two bodies of men fell to fighting at
once, as is their invariable custom. After
an hours fighting there were only about
fifty men left of the first tribe; these sur
rendered, and became prisoners of war to
their conquerors, who had also sustained
heavy losses. The prisoners, however, did
not appear to be regarded as slaves at all,
but simply mingled with the victorious
tribe. After the battle the prisoners spoke
to their captors about Thorold, whom they
brought forward, apparently explaining
their object in keeping him and he lived
with the new tribe on exactly the same
footing as he had done with the old one.
Nearly six months Thorold spent in this
way, the tribe in which he lived sometimes
marching for five or six days, and then
settling down for several weeks some
times they were on the seashore, and then
he lived as they did, chiefly on raw mus
sells and other shell fish when they were
inland he lived on pieces of raw guanaco,
which he grabbed along with the others.
There is a story current in Chill that
the Fuegans, when driven to necessity,
first eat their dogs, the only domestic ami
NAL which they keep, and, when these are
all gone, proceed to devour the old women
of the tribe Thorold saw no signs of can
nibalism, but this was perhaps because
no necessity for it arose. He states that
the old women were treated with especial
care and it Is doubtful whether this af-
feetion arose from the hearts or the stom-
achs of their grandchildren.
Five times he saw fight with another
tribe; in three out of the FIVE his tribe
was conquered, and he changed hands, the
prisoners always appearing to explain to
their captors their object in keeping him.
Among the third tribe with which he
lived he saw white waman she was the
Chilian lady whom | have already men
toned, and Thorold took the first oppor-
tunity of going up to her. The Fuegans
held him back at first, for they regarded
her as goddess, but at her command they
let him approach her They were unable
to converse, for she spoke only Spanish
and he only English, but from that time
ThoFold was treated by the natives with
more Difference than before.
He was never allowed again to approach
the Chilian woman, who appeared to be
rather ashamed of her situation, but he
saw her manner of life. She was the wife
of the chief, aud had apparently a large
number of children. The natives treated
her with the greatest respect, and cooked
meat for her and made her more elabor-
ate hut than they made for themselves.
Her dress was mixture of civilization and
barharism. On the whole she appeared
satisfied with her strange life.
About four weeks after Thorold Joined
4 this tribe, another tribe came upon them
there. was fight, and he changed hands.
Just before the fight began the Chilian
woman went away with few companions,
and he saw her no more.
Toward the end Of the sixth month the
tribe which possessed Thorold reached a
place on the sea shore which consisted Of
a bay almost shut in by land, He had
often reached similar place, for there are
many bays on that coast with an island
facing them.
On the morning of the third day after
they had reached this spot he was on the
beach gathering his usual breakfast Of
shell-fsh, when he heard a sound that sent
the blood rushing toward his heart Il
was the familiar sound of a steamer, aud
looking up he saw the black smoke Aoat-
ing away in the wind,
Then he knew that he was on the shore
of the straits of Magellan, and before he
had time to consider how to secure his
safety he had dropped on the beach in a
a faint, for six months living in horrible
suspense, without shelter, and with the
poorest apology for food, had left him very
little of his old strength.
On that day the steamer "Aconcagua,
of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company,
bound from Liverpool to Valparaiso, left
Sandy Point and was proceeding westward
through the straits The bulwarks were
crowded with passengers and officers and
crew looking out for native canoes, for it
is the custom of steamers passing through
these straits to slow down, unless they are
| Al.