Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-10
TERRA DEL FUEGO.
Late Information About a Little
Known Country.
Results of Scientific and Geographical
Former MiSc0ncep-
lions COrrected-The Name
MiSnOmer.

Terra del Fuego has hereto attracted
bnt little attention. and the buay world
has been content to let 1T alone. o. late,
however, circumstances have arisen which
give the country Interest and supply in
formation about IT. Within the last Eve
years 1t has been the subject of more
thorough and scientific investigation
than has ever been previously attempted.
Lieutenant Bove, of the French navy, has
by permission of the Argentine govern
meDt, and partly under its patronage,
made an ex petition TO the southeast por-
ton OF Terre del Fuego; and his Iabors
have resulted in vaiu able report on the
fauna, 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, 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 residence accumulated an i'm
portant amount of information about the
country and its inhabitants. Mr.. julius
Pepper, q man of scientific antecedents,
has also, in behalf of mining company,
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 mem
Der of the geographical society of Buenos
Ayres, has Just returned from a scientific
and geogra phical expedition to the east
and southeast coasts, undertaken at the
instance of the Arg entine government.
These combined sources of information
l.
hitherto current about the country, and
to add to our nowledge IN many I'M
portant respects.
The group of islands which form the
archipelago of Terra del Fuego nave an
area of about eighty thousand square
miles, nearly the same size as Englan
and Scotland. Darwin describes the
country as "a mountainous land, partly
submerged in the sea, so that deep inlets
and bays occupy the place where the val
| legs 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 OPP
portunities of investigation, thinks the
description a mistaken one. He describes
Argentine Terra del FuegO as presenting
two aspects. In the north there are val
leys more or less extensivs, covered with
SPLENDID groves, and irrigated by large
rivers, some of which are navigable; the
region enjoying an agreeable tempera.
ture, with very little snow during the
winter. South of this he reports that
the appearance of the country change
and extended forests appear, where the
grass is rot so abundant or the rivers so
large. The face of the land in this part
is something 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 great pastoral industry,
while | believe the mountains will be
found TO contain valuable mineral de-
poslts."
The geological formation of Terra del
Fuego corresponds with that of Pata,
gOnia: It's mountains are the continuation
and sOu hern extremity of the Andes,
while the plains and uplands CORES pond
to the Patagonian steppes. In some parts
the formation is decidedly volcanic,
pumice stone is found in large quantities,
and granite and quartz are abundant.
On the other hand, limestone, iron aud
coal seem to be wanting. Gold has been
found in considerable quantities in the
north, and for numbef>of years the en-
terprising Chilians have been washing it
at the foot of the chain of hills which
forms the coasts of Useless and Future
Bays. Ihr climate Is certainly not the
best In world, but ats disadvantages seem
to have been a good deal exaggerated
by casual visitors who have, perhaps,
been unfortunate as to the times
and localities. Mr.. Bridges tells Us that
In the humid regions OF the
west frosts are almost unknown; while in
the central and eastern parts, where the
sky Is nea"ly always cloUdlesa, there is
intense cold during the tha four months
from June 20 Septt mber. He adds that
the want of eUffi 3ient heat IL summer is
the great drawb ok to the climate, and is
greater Inconvenience than the cold in
winter, which has never been known TO
be lower than II degrees Fahrenheit,
while the highest summer temperature is
only IS degrees. If it were not for the
raw, damp winds, the climate OF Terra
del F1ego would be much better than that
of Canada. While there are probably
few streams in the country which are of
sufficient size ever to be utilized for navi-
CATION, there is large mum Der Of small
rivers and watercourses, which carry off
the rains and melted snow from the
mountains, and thus assist 10 irrigate the
lower plains.