The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-08-09
TERRA DEL FUEGO.
Late Information About q Little
Known Country.
Results Of Scientific and Geographical FIX
observation-disclosures misconceptions
COrrecfcd-The Name y
MisnOner.


tracted but little attention, and the
busy world has been content to let it
alone. Wlate, however, circumstances
have arisen which give the country
interest and supply information about
it. Within the last five years it 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 its patronage, made an
expedition to the southeast portion of
TERRA del Fuego; and his labors have re-
suited in a valuable report on the fau-
nil. ilora 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 IN the southeastern part OF
TERRA del Fuego for over twenty-five
years, and has during that long resi-
dence accumulated an important
amount of information about the coun-
try and its inhabitants. Mr.. Julius
! Pepper, II man uf scientific anteccdcnts,
4 has also, on behalf Of Il mining COM
pany, recently made an expedition
| right across the country from Useless
/ Bay on the west to San Sebastian on
| the east and thence along the coast.
Lastly, Don Ramon Lista. a well-known
explorer and member Of the Geo
graphical Society Of Buenos Ayres, has
just returned from a 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
portant respects.
The group of islands which form the
archipelago of TERRA del Fuego have
an area of about eighty thousand
square miles. nearly the same size as
England and Scotland. Darwin de-
scribeS the country as "a mountainous
land, partly submerged in the sen, .
that deep inlets and bays occupy tht
place where the valleys should exist.
To find an acre of level land in an.
part of the country is most rare Dor
Ramon Lista, however, who has haG
greater and more recent opportunities
of investigations, thinks the description
a mistaken one. lie describes Argen.
tine TERRA del Fuego rs presenting
two aspects. In the north there are
valleys more or less extensive, coy.
cred with splendid groves, and irri.
gated by large rivers, some OF which
are nayigable: this region enjoying ar
agreeable temperature, with very little
snow during the winter South OF this
country changes, and extended forest.
appear. where the grass is not sc
abundant or the rivers SO large. The
face of the land in this part Is some
thing like Switzerland, with smal
axes, elevated mountains and valuabl.
.imber forests. He seems to think tn,
country capable OF great development
or he adds: '.On the plains there will
'et be planted ii great pastoral indus
.ry, while believe the mountains will
De found to contain valuable minera
deposits" !"
The geological formation Of Ticrr
lei Fuego corresponds with that Q
, 'atagonia: its mountains are the con
.inuation and southern extremity OF tn
Andes, while the pl,tins and upland
correspond to the Patagonian steppcs
In some parts the formation is decided
v volcanic, pumicc stone is found il
|, argc quantities, and granite an
quartz are abundant. On the othe
, land, limestone. iron and coal seem t
: Nc wanting. Gold has been found |
considerable quantities in the north
nd for number OF years the cntc.
Mising Chilians have been washing
} i the foot of the chain OF hill. whic
forms the coasts of Useless and Futur
Bays The climate is certainly not tn
best in the world, but its disadvar
tAges seem to have been good des
exaggerated by casual visitors VIII
have. perhaps, been unfortunate as I
times and localities. Mr.. Hydges tell
us that in the humid regions of tn
west frosts are almost unknown; Will
in the central and eastern parts, whef
the sky is nearly always cloudlcs
there is intense cold during the fou
months from June to September. II
adds that the want of sufficient heat
summer is the great drawback to I'll
climate, and is greater inconveniens
than the cold in winter, which h;
ever been known to be lower tha
II degrees Fahrenheit while the higl
est summer temperature is only 20 q
grecs. Ii it were not for the ray
damp winds, the climate Of TERRA q
Fuego would be much better than tn;
of Canada. While there are probab
few streams in the country which al
of sufficient size ever TO be utilized II
navigation, there is Il largs number
email rivers and watcrcaHrses, whit
gary cd the rsins and melted knt