The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-08
TT is NEAR CAPE HORN
AN INTERESTING COSMOPOLITAN
CITY IN SOUTH AMERICA.


Away down near the tip end of the South
American horn we find one of the end
towns OF the world-Punta Arenas. 1t is
located in lat. SO. 10, on the New Brunswick
peninsula, in the territory of Magellanes,
Chilli. Its name is derived from its situa-
tion. rs Punta Arenas is the Spanish for
Sandy point.
Just back of the town large fields that
were formerly covered with timber. but
that had been burned away, arc now COW
cred by thick growth of moss exceDt
where the frugal and industrious settler
has cleared the ground either for grazing
or FOR agricultural purposes, and still back
OF these fields snow capped mountains rise
to an altitude of 1000 feet or more Or
posite the point and just across the Straits
OF Magellan is the island of Terra del
Fuego or the land Cd fire." Magellan, its
dlscoverer, so named it because on the
night of his discovery there was nm almost.
continuous string of fires dotted along it's
entire shore. These fires were no doubt the
signals the natives used to warn one an
other oil the approach of strangers
Pnnta Arenas was founded in 1913 az n
convict settlement, and continued as such
until the European steamship lines ndopt-
ell the route through the straits; then it
became coaling and supplying station,
taking the place of the Falkland islands.
3oo miles distant. As it Is practically the
only town i'll southern South America. the
distance from the nearest town ON the
faciiic coast to the nearest on the Atlantic
being about 1000 miles, Punta Arenas soon
became quite an important station of call
and supply, and, necessarily following. an
important town in both commercial and
manufacturing uSpects
The sending Of convicts was STONED
AFTER the steamships adopted it rs coal
ing ana supplying station, and in their
stead were sent 800 immigrants with a
governor to take possession of the terri
tory. The military guard was also with
drawn during the war with Peru. n ticket
oil leave being granted to the convicts who
consented to serve in the Gillian army.
After these undesirable occupants left the
population steadily increased, until in 1883
1t reached the sum of 1000 in all.
Here also the daily formula of affairs
With which we are accustomed to in stcatly
going Now York is turned UPSIDE down
and bnckside foremost, although tho
changes are by no means rs startling as at
Hamnerfest. Think of spring commenc-
ing III September, summer in December.
autumn Ill March and winter in June.
thlhk or speaking of the heats of Decem-
Der ana the cold, boisterous winds of June:
think OF country that produces men six
and almost seven feet high.
The climate is of course the first subject
for our consideration. Though it is often
cold and chilly and very nearly always
wet, yet it is very healthful, in fact the
wet provinces are the most salubrous.
ana what Ill health there is is generally
owing to some fault of the people. One of
the most fatal I;cn,vn, ;.
ing from too free consumption of the
watermelon, and next in rank. owing IN
the bad system of sewerage, are gastric.
typhoid and typhus fevers The sewers
generally consist of partly opened channels
passing through the houses, sometimes
with running water and at other times
nearly dry. The most healthful period is
just before the rain sets in during the
month of April, when the death rate is ~
per thousand; the most unhealthful isdur-
ing the heats of December and January.
when the death rate reaches 90.
Punta Arenas is distinctively cosmo-
poiitan town. Every race, every nation,
every class hns its representative the
chinese, the negro, the Irishman the Pole,
the Englishman, the Italian, the German
inc nussian, the Portuguese. the Hebrew
the Spaniard. All these are represented
by eX-c onvicts, fugitives, castaway sailor
deserters, and last, but by no means the
least, the Legitimate merchant with n
legitimate business and IL legitimate pur-
pose. But the real natives are the Plata
gonians and the Spaniards, bearing re-
spectlvely the same relationship to their
country and to each other as the Indians
do toward Americans and the United
States. The Patagonians, numbering
about 10000 in all, inhabit the territory
OF MaSellanes and the island of Terra del
fuego and in stature are the giants of the
world In fifty ordinary men the average
height was feet As inches, the tallcst
Deing y feet So inches, and the shortest
being feet = of an inch. There is moth
ing ODD about their religion. They wor-
ship deity called Coche and also believe
i'll the Immortality Of the soul. But al-
though their religion does not forbid it
they do not practice polygamy-quite an
unusual thing among the South American
Indian tribes
Inc Spaniards are the same SDnniards
we know in sunny Spain, except that their
instincts and language are slightly modi-
lcd by admixture with foreign nations
The rules of society life are practically the
same as in France or Catholic Germany
they dress about the same; they live about
the same; they are amused about the same
ana their inclinations also run in about
the same direction. Sunday is spent as a
holiday, Mt which time the people indulge
i'll balls, receptions, dinners, theaters and
operas, but the Sunday that stands out
beyond all others. the great fete day of the
year, is the one on which occurs the bull
light, the sport par excellence of all the
Spanish nations. Athletic sports are I'M
known, but good horsemanship is com
mon. The Americans, with their usual 90
ahead spirit, have introduced and con
structed railways, telegraphs. flour mills.
etc.
One of the most interesting but Mt tho