Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-01-19
TERRA DEL FUEGO.

IriutS OF tho Early spd1noruS In FL
fecting n settlement - How the
Country Looks To-dny-A Climate
Like our own.
A recent number of the United States
Consular reports, more than one usu-
ally interesting, has reached the Times
Star The report of l. L. Baker.
Consul to Terra del Fuego, with head
quarters at Buenor Ayres, is particu-
~ interesting, in that it gives great
deal of information in regard to that
strange country hitherto not generally
known. "Tierra del Fuego" is the
name of that vast archipelago which
forms the southern extremity of the
continent OF South America The name
of the country is synonymous with
"Freland." although the climate
doesn't coincide with the name. 1t is
rather u land of frost and snow than
of heat. The name was given to the
country by its discoverer, Magellan.
the great navigator, who first set eyes
upon its icy shores in the year 1880 and
the appellation has remained ever
since.
Owing to the rough seas and persist
winds which prevail along its shores,
the sailing vessels doubling Cape Horn
have given it II wide berth, only the
steamers being able to navigate tn re
about.
The early history of TERRA del
Fuego appears to be surrounded by a
halo of mystery. The traditions of the
country are curiously colored and can't
balls and amphibious animals figure con-
spicuously and frequently. These
phenomena however, have long since
been exploded, and the country, as
more is learned of its history. energies
from the fantastic realm in which the
visionary romancers had left it
In the year 1877 the Viceroy of Peru
sent Capt. Pedro Sarmienta de Gamboa
to examine the straits. He did SO and
reported that the country was q most
excellent field for the location of q
colony. 1t was not until four years
afterward that an expedition of twenty
three ships left Saville for the newly
discovered country. So contrary were
the winds that the formidable body of
colonists was reduced to a few hundred
on their arrival at tho "Fireland.
Some of the wouid-be colonists had
succumbed TO the windy weather and
others had filled wet grave in the
troublous sea from various causes,
mostly tempests and skirmishes. Five
years later another expedition was sent
out Alas! the number which had
located before had dwindled down to
a IN serable few, alive to be sure, but
as good as dead. They were taken out
of the wet and the landing was appro-
priately named Port Famine. Various
other unproductive expeditions were
made by French and Spanish explorers.
The last for u long time was in in 1856,
when the conclusion was arrived at that
such expeditions were empty, stale and
Improbable. and they were abruptly
shut off There were those who be-
l.eved. however, that it would not be
proper to give up as bad Il job that
which had already cost so much time.
labor, expense and human blood.
In the year 1868, when the English
mariners Byron and Carteret were
making their famous tour around the
world, they stopped off at TERRA del
Fuego, and from their reports many
popular impressions of the country
were dispelled. Byron is reported to
have said:
Il can not understand why so
beautiful spot should be called Port
Famine. Flowers. trees and birds
delight the traveller, fish abound in the
waters, while lofty mountains form n
magnificent back ground to the picture.
A woman of fair skin was pointed out
to me. She was probably the wife of
some sailor or colonist cast away on
those shores.
Byron. however, is the only man to
make laVOrltc report NO attempt
was made to settle the country at this
time, but in 1867 Bucarele, the Spanish
Governor of Buenes Ayres. undertook
to establish a colony on one of the
neighboring islands, situated in
latitude 54s 40. The locality seemed
suitable; the natives were willing, and
even assisted the colonists; but so far
from civilization was it, SO cloudy, cold
and tempestuous the climate, and so
great was the lack of verdure and
trees, that the project was abandoned.
The most important expedition scien-
tifcally was that led by Capt King. of
the British Navy. in 1926.
The expedition returned in 1880 and
the geographical survey was published
in 1882. Four Fuegian Indians were
brought back. which were educated by
King William w. Capt. Fitzroy left
again on another expedition in 1882,
this time accompanied by the celebrat-
ed Charles Darwin, who describes the
country as he found it at great length