The Springdale news., 1888-08-03
TERRA DEL FUEG0.
Late Information About a Little
 Known Country.
Results of Scientific and Geographical Ex-
 plaratIons-Eormer Misconceptions / Sorrected-The Name Mfsnomer.

Tierra del Fuego has hitherto at traeted but little attention, and the busy world has been content to let ii alone. Of late, however. circumstances have arisen which give the country interest and supply information about it. Within the last five years il has been the subject of more thorough and scientific investigation than has ever been previously attempted. Lieutenant Bove, of the French navy, has, by per- mission of the Argentine Government, and partly under itspatronage, made an expedition to the southeast portion Of Tierra del Fuego; and his labors have re- suited in q valuable report on the faa- na, flora and general characteristics of the country, and the condition and language Of the people. Another even more valuable contribution to our knowledge on the subject has been made by Rev. Thomas Brydges, a Church of England missionary. who has lived Ill the southeastern part of Tierra del Fuego for over twenty-five years, and has during that long resi- denee accumulated an important amount of information about the eoun- try and its inhabitants. Mir Julius Pepper, q man of scientific antecedents, has also, on behalf of mining com panY. recently made m expedition right across the country from Useless Bay on the west to Sah Sebastian on the east and thence along the coast. Lastly, Don Ramon Eista. well-knewn explorer aud member of the Geo graphical Society of Buenos AYres, has just returned from scientific and geo graphical expedition to the east and southeast coasts. undertaken at the in- stance of the Argentine Government. These combined sources of information have served to correct many errors hitherto current about the country, and to add to our knowledge in many inn portaut respects
 The group of islands which form the archipelago Of Tierra del Fuego have an area of about eighty thousand square miles, nearly the same size IS England and Scotland. Darwin de- scribes the country as <" q mountainous land. partly submerged in the sea, so that deep inlets and bays occupy the place where the valleys should exist. To find an acre of level land in any part of the country is most rare Don Ramon Eista, however, who has had greater and more recent opportunities Of ofinvcstigations, thinks the description il mistaken one. He describes Argen- tine Tierra del Fuego as presenting two aspects. In the north there are valleys moro or less extensive, coy cred with splendid groves, and irri- gated by large rivers, some of which are navigable; this region enjoying an agreeable temperature, with very little snow during the winter South of this he reports that the appearance of the country changes, and extended forests appear, where the grass is not so abundant or the rivers so large. The face of the land in this part is some thing like Switzerland, with small lakes, elevated mountains and valuable timber forests. He seems to think the country capable of great development, for he adds "On the plains there will yet be planted great pastoral indus try, while believe the mountains will be found to contain valuable mineral deposits
 The geological formation of Tierra del Fuego corresponds with that of Patagonia; its mountains are the con tnnation and southern extremity of the Andes, while the plains and uplands correspond 10 the Patagonian steppes. In some parts the formation is decided lY volcanic, pumice stone is found in large quantities, and granite and quartz are abundant. On the other hand, limestone, iron and coal seem to be wanting Gold has been found in considerable quantities in the north, and for number of years the enter prising Chilians have been washing ii at the foot of the chain of hills which forms the coasts of Useless and Future Bays The climate is certainly not the best in the world. but it's disadvan- tages seem to have been a good deal exaggerated by casual visitors who have, perhaps, been unfortunate as to times and localities Mr. Brydges tells us that in the humid regions of the west frosts are almost unknown; while in the central and eastern parts, where the sky is nearly always cloudless, there is intense cold during the four months from June to September. He adds that the want of sufficient heat in summer is the great drawback to the climate, and is greater inconvenience than the cold in winter, which has never been known to be lower than 12 degrees Fahrenheit while the high est summer temperature is only 75 de grees. If 1t were not for the raw, damp winds, the climate of Iierra del Fuego would be much better than that of Canada. While there are probably