Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-08-16
TERRA DEL FUEGO.
Late Information About Little
Known Country.
Results OF Scientific and Geographical Ex-
plorations-Former Misconceptions
COrrected-The Name y
MisnOmer.

busy world has been content to let it
alone. Oflate, 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-
ma, fora 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 Bridges,
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, a man of scientific antecedents,
has also, on behalf of a 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 a 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 i'm
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 sea, so
that deep iulets 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 Lista, however, who has had
greater and more recent opportunities
of Investigations, thinks the description
mistaken one. He describes Argen-
tine TERRA del Fuego as presenting
two aspects. In the north there are
valleys more or less extensive, COW
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 SC
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 a great pastoral indus
try, while l believe the mountains will
be found to contain valuable mineral
deposits"
The geological formation of Tierr'
del Fuego corresponds with that o
Patagonia; its mountains are the con
tinuation and southern extremity of tht
Andes, while the plains and upland
correspond to the Patagonian steppes
In some parts the formation is decided
ly volcanic, pumice stone is found il
large quantities, and granite ant
quartz are abundant. On the othel
hand, limestone, iron and coal seem t.
be wanting. Gold has been found il
considerable quantities in the north
and for a number of years the enter
prising Chilians have been washing i
at the foot of the chain of hills whicl
forms the coasts of Useless and Futur
BAYS. The climate is certainly not tn
hest in the world, but its disadvan
tages seem to have been good dea
exaggerated by casual visitors VIII
have, perhaps, been unfortunate as t
times and localities. Mr.. Bridges tell
ms that in the humid regions of tn
west frosts are almost unknown; Will
IN the central and eastern parts, wher
the sky is nearly always cloudless
there is intense cold during the fou
months from June to September. Fl
adds that the want Of sufficient heat j