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

The group OF island forming the
archipelago of TERRA del FuegO lilo
between latitude 50 degrees. 40 min
utes and So seconds south and longi
tude 63 degrees, 40 minutes west; the
area, comprising about 80, 600 square
miles. or about the same number as in
the State of Kansas The geological
formation is somewhat similar to that
of Patagonia. The mountains are
broken and disiointed by the convul-
sions of nature, and in some parts of
the country pumice stone largely
abOunds. Granite and quartz are also
found, and some lead is to be seen.
Iron and limestone are not to be had,
apparently. Gold has been found in
the northern portion of the country
and an English gentleman who was
wrecked off States Island and re-
manned for several weeks at Good Sue
cess Bay claims that the rocks all
along the shore are impregnated with
the shining ore.
The climate is somewhat various but
it is claimed that the thermometer has
never been known TO reach below 1872
Fahrenheit, while the highest summer
temperature is only abont Is 2. If this
is true the country is not worse of eli
matically than some of our Northern
States. 1t is also said that the changes
in temperature. even for day, are
often startling-greater than our most
pronounced atmospheric surprises The
black flag is often called into requisi-
ton even in summer time If it were
not for the raw. damp winds, TERRA
del Fuego would enjoy moro moderate
climate than that of China
The vegetation consists of sweet
grasses, fruit producing shrubs, and
other rare and, to the inhabitants, ex-
ceedingly palatable articles Of diet.
Nearly all the woody plants exudc a
gummy substance which, when boiled
and sweetened, is pleasant to the taste.
1t is believed that with the develop
ment of the country this gum will be-
come valuable commercially. The for
ests are quite limited in variety. They
contain five kinds of trees, three OF
them q species of the beech and tho
other two are winter bark and cypress.
both peculiar to the country.
TIE rivers are generally too smallst TO
be used for nav cation. The Rio Pele.
creme is considered the most import.
ant. It's depth and swift current rem.
der it navgable f improved.
OF the animals native TO the country
the guanaco is she most important
There are plenty of whales and fish to
be had for the catching, and rs to tho
game. Brydges, who has investigated
the matter, says there are ninty kinds
of birds. FIVE of wild geese, four of
ducks and two of swans. besides var
ious other smaller birds. The dogs are
of peculiar shaggy breed, but fleet
and very strong. They are said to be
very valuable watch dogs. Horses,
horned cattle and other domestic ami
mails are plent ful enough.
The land is inhabited by two very dis
tnct races of Indians. The Onas. who
inhabt the northern part of the co1n-
try, are described us large, active and
well formed They use bows and ar
rows like the American Indian. They
call themselves "footmen," to distin-
guish themselves from their northern
neighbors, the Yahgans They are
said to be of II warlike disposition, and
on the approach of strangers to their
shores put on an aggressive front.
Many stories are told of their cruelty TO
sailors and others who happened to be
wrecked on their shores. The Argon-
tine authorities and ships have had
several skirmishes with them.
The Yahgans, who live in the south
ern part of TERRA del Fuegi, are some
what different Quarrelsome, errita-
bic. crafty and treacherous. they have
no fixed principles, but govern by their
desires and passions. They are proba-
bly, the most miserable race to be
found in the Western hemisphere, but
are not cannibals. They believe hu.
man lite is sacred and that the death
of friend by murder should be aveng.
ed, and that they are in honor bound
to avenge it. They eat plentfully. ali
the food being cooked. Some men
have several wives, but they look upon
the marriage of blood relations rs an
abomination, and this is not indulget
in.
Their laugh is natural but sometimet
horribly excessive and boisterous. Tho
language spoken by the Yahgans il
spoken of as soft and rich. No less
than 80, 600 words of the dialect used
by them have been collected. Tho
only point in TERRA del Fuego which
can be called settlement is Ushvia, tho
site of the missionary station of the
Rev. Mr.. Bridges 1t consists of sew.
eral families. teachers and others con-
nected with the mission Besides this
there are n few settlements in Future