Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-11-06
TWO YEARS VACA TON,
BY JULES VERNE.
kNor o. The T',pr u the World 50 %
Days" ~, 0oo Lcuglsss Under
Ge SJ4S." Etc
CHAPTER XXVII.

MIDNIGHT-THE SHOT FIRED BY EVANS
HATES INTERVENTION.
A channel about three hundred and
eighty miles long, running from east to
west, and extending from the Cape de ls
Virgines on the Atlantic Coast, to the
Cape of Los Pilares on the Pacifc-over.
Swallowed by mountains that rise three
Thousand feet above the level of the sea-
with numerous bays atfordiug the safest
of harbors, rich in streams where vessels
can easily renew their supplies of water,
bortlered with forests in which game
abounds, and Offering to either eastern Oh
western bound ships route much shorter
than that via the Strait of Lemaire, which
separates Staten Land from Terra del Fue
go, and less tempestuOuS than that of Cape
Horn-such is the Strait of Magellan,
discovered by the illustrous Portuguese
navigator of that name in the year 1920
The Spanards who were the only per
sons that visited these regions for half
century afterward, founded the town OF
Port Famine on Brunswick Peninsula.
The Spanlards were followed by the Eug
lish under Drake, Caveudish, Chedley, and
Hawkins; then came the Hollanders I'm.
der Weert, Cort, and MORT, as well as
Lemaire and Schoulen, who discovered
the strait of that name in 1910. At last,
between the years of 1898 and l712, came
the French under DlgeuueS, Beauchesne,
Gouin, and FREEZER, and subsequently the
celebrated nayigators Arson, Cook Byron,
Bougainyille, and others.
The Strait of Magellan consequently be
carne quite popular tnoroughrare from
ocean to ocean. especially with steamships,
fIa,t3l Iv
heal winds and adverse currents could
traverse it under much more favorable
conditions
While Patagonia, the southernmost pc
litical division Of South America, King
Williams Land and Brunswick PeninsulS
form the northern boundary of the strait
it is bordered ON the south by the archi
pelago made up of Terra del Fuego, Desc
lation Land, Clarence, Gordon, Navarn
Wollaston, Stewart, and other less i'm
portant islands, including the group
known as the Hermitps, the last Of which
is nothing more nor less than the last peak
of the Andes Mountains better known as
Cape Horn.
To the east the Strait of Magellan forms
an immense bay, lying between the Cape
de Ia Virgines on the mainland, and Cape
del Espirtu Santo on one of the largest
islands composing Terra del FuegO, but in
the western part large and small islands,
archipelagOes straits, channels, and bays
mingle in the greatest confusion, and its
waters finally empty into the Pacific
through a narrow channel lying between
the prOmontory of Los Pilares and the
southern end of the large island known ms
Queen Adelaide's Island. Above this
point one finds a series of Capriciously
grouped islands extending from Lord Mel
sons Strait to the ChOuos and Chloe Is
lands on the CHILEAN coast.
and now" added Evans, when, on the
following day-the 2Slh of November-he
pointed out this region to the boys on
map in Stieler's Atlas. "do you see this is.
land just west of the Strait of Magellan
and separated from Cambridge Island on
the south, and the islands of Madre de DioS
and Chatham on The north by n compare
lively narrow channel? Well this island
situated in the tifty-cighth degree is Han
over isand-thc island TO which you have
bestowed the name of Chairman Island
and upon which you have been living
more than twenty months"
'WhatI can it be that we are separated
from Chilli only by an arm of the seaP' ex
claimed Gordon.
eyes, my boy; but the islands that lie
between Hanover Island and the main
land are uninhabtcd; and even If you
should succeed in reaching the mainland,
you would be obliged to travel several
hundred miles 20 reach any of the towns
of Chilli or of the Argentine Republic
And what fatigue and privations you
would have to undcrgOl and perls as we'll
for the Indians that rove over the pampaS
are far from hOspitable. | think, there
fore, that it has been all for the best that
you did not abandon your island; but with
Gods help ] trust we shall now soon be
able to leave it altogether"
As the straits and channels that sur
rounded Hanover Island were only fifteen
or twenty mics wide in some places, MokO
could easily have crossed them in his yawl
in good weather; and the lads, when they
made their excursions to the northern and
eastern coast, had failed to discern the
neighboring islands only because the land
was extremely low. AS for the white
speck seen in the distance, this was doubt
less one of the snow-capped peaks of the
Andes and the red light the glare from
one of the active volcanoes of that region
Besides a careful examination Of the map
convinced Brian that chance had directed
their excursions in every case 10 that part
of the coast furthest from the neighboring
islands, though it is probable that Dono
van would have discerned the southern
coast of Chatham Island on the occasion
of his trip to Severn Beach had it not been
for the heavy fog that prevailed at tho
time.
But in case Brian and his comrades
should succeed in securing possession of
the "Seyerns" long-boat, and in repair
ing it, what route would Evans think il
advisable to follow Gordon put this
question to the mate, who promptly re
Piled
"Southward, by all means. With fay-
orable winds it is true that our boat might
take us safely to some port on the coast
of Chilli. where we should be kindly re
ceived; but that is an exceedingly rugged
coast, while the straits aud channels of
this archipelago are comparatively safe"
But shall we ind any seaport to the
south OF rs wnlcn VIII auOrd rs aa Up-
portuuity to return to our native landi'
asked Brian.
al think so. " replied Evans. Look al