The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-09-20
TERRA DEL FUEGO.
Information About the Country
and it's Inhabitants.
Geological Formation as Deter
mined by Recent Surveys.

Terra del Fuego has hitherto at
tracted but little attention, and the
busy world has been content to let it
alone. OF late, however, circumstances
have arisen which give the country in
terest and supply information about it.
Within the last five years it has been
the subject of more thorough and scien-
tific investigation than has ever been
previously attempted. Lieutenant Bovc
of the French Navy has, by permission
of the Argentine Government, and
partly under its patronage, made an
expedition to the southeast portion OF
Terra del Fuego; and his labors have
resulted In valuable report on the
fauna, fora and general characteristics
of the country and the condition and
language of tho people.
Another even moro valuable contri-
button to our knowledge on tho subject
has been made by R.v. Thomas Bridges,
Church of England missionary, who
has lived in tho southeas tern part ol
Terra del Fuego for over 25 years, and
has duriag that long residence accumu-
lated an important amount Of informa-
ton about the country and its inhabit-
ants. Mr.. julius Pepper, man of
scientific antecedents, but also on be-
half of mining company, recently
made an expedition right across .he
country from Useless Bay on the west
| to San Sebastian on the east and thence
along tn, coast. Lastly, Don Ramon
Lista, a well-known explorer and a
member of the Geographical society Of
Buenos Ayres, has just returned from a
scientific and geographical expedition
to the east and southeast coast, under
taken at the instance of tho 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 important respects.
The group Of island, 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 describes the
country as a mountainous land partly
submerged in the sea so that deep inlets
and bays occupy tho place where the
valleys should exist. To fad an acre OF
level land in any part of the country is
most rare. Don Ramon Lista, however,
who had greater and more recent oppor-
tunities, thinks this investigation a
mistaken one. He describes Argentine
Terra del Fuego as presenting two as
poets. In the north there are valleys
more or less extensive, covered with
splendid groves and irrigated by large
rivers, some OF which are navigable,
this region en- njoying an agreeable tenn
perature, with very little snow during
the winter.
South of this he reports that the ap-
pearanco of tho country changes, and
extended forests appear, where the
| grass Is not so abund ant or tho rivers so
large. The face of the land is in this
part something like Switzerland, with
small lakes, elevated mountains and
valuable timber forests. Ho seems to
think the couatry capable OF great de-
vclopment, for he adds: "Ol the plains
there will yet be planted great pas
toral industry, while l believe the
mountains will be found to contain val
liable mineral deposits"
The geological formation Of Terra del
Fuego corresponds with that of Pata-
gonia; its mountains are the continua-
tion and southern extremity OF the
Andes, whilo the plains and uplands
correspond to the Patagonian steppes.
In some parts the ormation is decidedly
volcanic, pumice stone is found in large
quantities, and granite and quartz are
abundant Ca the other hand, lime
stone, iron and coal seem to be wanting.
Gold has becn found in considerable
quantities in tho north, and for a num-
bcr of years the cnterprisiug Chilliaus
have been washing it at tn, foot of the
chain hills which form the coasts of the
I,oIoc, onj E,turo hor,
Tho climate is certainly not the best
in the world, but its disadvantages
seem to have been a good deal ex.
aggerated by casual visitors, who have,
perhaps, been unfortunate as to times
and localities. Mr.. Brydges tells us
that in the humil 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 drawbacks
to the climate. and is greater incon-
vcnience than the cold in winter, which
has never been known to be lower thar
10 degrees Fahrenheit, while the high
est summer temperature is only IS de-
grees. If it were not for the raw, damp
winds the climate OF Terra del Fuege
would be much better than that OF Can
ada. While there ars probably lew
streams in the country which are o.
sufficient sizo ever to lie utilized fol
navigation, there is a large number o
small rivers and watercources, which
carry eff the rains anG. melted snow
from the mouatains, and thus assist I,
irrigatc the lower plains Il lChamters
Journal.