The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-26
LIFE IN PATAGONIA.
One of the Most Utterly Forlorn
Regions in the World.
THE SOUTHERN SEAL RooKER,Es
santa Cruz River, Which Darwin Ex.
plored-The Appearance, Dress
and Customs of the Natives.

beayen-deserted regions whereto nv rov
;ng fortunes have led, surely this is the
most utterly forlorn. Imagine, if you can
.tiny island, hardly mile and a half
I lcng by $50 yards across. lost in the broad
Atlantic off the eastern coast of Patagonia
hundreds of leagues from anywhere-the
Huits of vision bounded on all sides nv
the stormiest waters on the face OF the
sarth, except toward the northwest, where
barren plains and salt morasses stretch
to the horizon, trodden only by Indians.
ostriches, pumas and guanacos.
How did we get here? 1t happened
opportunely that the presence at Punta
Arenas of the small government cruiser
Il that visits these coasts only twice wear
rendered it possible for our party to accept
/ the invitation of pleasant Argentine
family to visit their Patagonian estancia
4 (ranchl where they reside two months out
E of twelve Our temporary home has not
even the merits of Crusoe's island being
neither beautiful nor fertile. Though
marked on the charts of Fitzroy and Oar
win as Middle island" it is hereabouts
Z called Pabon, and lies near the point op-
posite central Patagonia, where the great
Santa Cruz river, having been Joined by
rushing into the sea. A few years ago. by
special grant from the Argentine govern
ment, ii became the property of our enter
tainer .'and his heirs forever" together
with exclusive right TO work the ad iacent
seal fisheries and the privilege of unlim-
tied pasturage on the main land. But the
tiny domain is not valuable possession,
except as an Indian trading post and for
the fisheries aforesaid.
No feudai baron in his moated castle.
With drawbridge up, was ever more secure
from the raids of outside barbarians than
We sre today, for Pabon cannot be ap-
|. preached, except by very narrow ford on
the south, which is passable only at low
!. sde. The northern channel is much
wider and deeper, but the swiftness
Of the current renders it impossible
except by rowboats, with the oars in
d skillful hands. Fronting the ocean side is
afort over which float the sky-blue and
white stripes of Argentina, {the prettiest
flag in the world next to that OF the
United States;) and on the land side a
high siockade is further defended by a
iosse, which the spring tides fill with
water. And besides all these, a nine
+ FOUNDER occupies the front porch of our
friends substantial casa, ready at any mo-
ment to deal death and destruction TO rum
c.azed Indians and rowing bands of mu-
tnous seamen. Besides the owners house,
which is built of brick with tiled roof, are
several cottages tenanted by employees,
each surrounded by garden, where corn
and vegetables struggle for an existence.
There is also an aimacen, or storehouse,
Of general merchandise, stocked
With supplies for the resi-
dents and articles for barter
With the Patagonians. The rest of the
island is oyer-grown wAh small, round
Aspike-Ihorn' thistles and stunted shrubs.
twisted by ceaseiess winds into strange
aud ghostly shapes. One end of ii used to
be frequently oyeriloWed, until deep
drain was cut across, and now the latter
serves q double purpose, being the best
kind OF an irrigatlng ditch. A horse or
two for immediate use and a few cows,
sheep and pigs are kept on the island, but
TIE docks and herds are relegated TO the
main land 10 deep ravine called I'll Po-
trero, where coarse grass grows in rank
iuxariance. The deep sea iIord furnishes
moat TO this estate which a baron
Z Of ye olden time would have
envisd. and row boats, moored on
the island beach, answer well for
drawbrldges, whenever a retainer must
attend u affairs ashore, or an Indian
wants 70 come over and swap few furs or
feathers for tobacco, ammunition, sugar,
ieads, or-more Hke.y--rum. Close by the
Potfero Is an extensive salt lake-whlch
by the way. must have been overlooked by
NE Beagle expedition. for Mr.. Darwin
fxes the s0uthermost limits OF salinas
a Port It. Julian. some AO miles above.
Lying less than nalf i mile from the beach
are apparently lneXhausIbie beds OF ex-
esilent salt; but as yet they have been
yorkea only Tor Use ON the island ana IN
We nearby fisheries; except as now and
then the Falkland islanders send over Tor
aship's load
Almost within sight Of the island is the
port Of Santa Cruz, where q splendid bay
formed by the confluence of that river
With ATS tributary, OF easy access 10 the
ocean and capable OF aiiording shelter 10
anY number Of ships, there being nifty feet
q water over The bar az high tide. Here
The Argentine government maintains a
slnaiI gargiSon-f0r the same reason, prob
soy, that Uncle samuel sends soldiers 10
diverse, unnecessary places, merely 10
isfhlsh the bluecoats with some sembiance
o. employment There are also Two or
lhiee sheep farms within radius Of nifty
niles, but IN reA.jty tAis station OF Pabon
= the only one worth q name IN al Cen
iFal Patagonia and TINS Is maintained
merely for q Tehulcbe tradlng-post.
american and English missionaries have
tome here from time To time. bnt
never accomplished much toward
eFilzng the aborigines. In ls3
Aessrs. Schmld and Hart brought
vv.eif families and settled at a point ca led
"Adaeli Biah. about ten miles up the
aser, ia q valley which the good Bishop
a D 10
ssscrtoed u most glow4ng terms. but
sAleh during nine months Of the year -
5000 and cherries es the rest OF G&L2-
.slla lhe plan Of these gentlemen "as
asstab.ish trade al the port of santa
alL IN order 90 insure regular visits from
We homadlc Indians: but the mission
aAnAgers did not approve tie scheme, and
s asf were soon compelled 70 abandon toe
Sps s Missionaries stand 80 chance IA
.@Agonia aralns, the colnter-attractlons
~ Ahy rascaiiY trader who has rum 20 SCI.
ua every blessed Indian Wili travel scores
!. Rites - expen1 a! tie spolis Of has
snilhg for are-S ateY. bpt has no tsne
w disposition - par.ey with white men
eso ~lll Ho' Furnish it. Nessrs Hart and
saAl.d spoke often IN their Journals IA
go 81 R@-mest affection about TIE
4 a1HshI-iaced PataEJa5-n children whom
\ - hoped 10 lr.st-anlEe % time. 3 theF
\ 49, not make much impression upoH
so ede~s. t. It's end MF. ~chh1id
taei tae only vocabulary eFtaut 81
l - - Isonee1 language, bat thai compare
l nsstF useless W.-E and the name 81 Los
ks!on2ros which still ci.ngs 70
4 80 Deserted valley, are the only
4 49, mar naw remain of taely resa-
So aere. -ue time after the depart
~ we E-. ss.ula-ies. q fre0c Imam
j SANE y. E.a4 ls-.. snae8yart1 - I1Inu /
ss.e'-e-i D. -ae same va -. n1al-