The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-02-11
Lonesome Falklanders.

THE TWO HUNDRED ISLAND ARCHIPELAGO
CLAIMED by ENGLAND. STRANGE VEGE-
TABLE PRODUCTIONS IN A CLIMATE so
COLD THAT TREES CANNOT GROW. THE
SEA-LIoN AT HOME. A PENGUIN CITY.
SPINNING YARNS WITH NANTUCKET
WHALES.
Special correspondence of the Journal.
PoRI STANLEY. EAST FALKLAND.
Thanks to the courtesy of the English
governor, a steam yacht was placed at the
disposal of our party. whose Captain had
instructions to aid us in ''exploring the
islands. But that would be a rather large
undertaking. as there are more than two
hundred in the group; 50 we have content
ed ourselves with cruising around the
two largest islands. and visiting their few
settlements, which are all near the coast,
thereby gaining a general idea of life in
this little world lost amid waste of
stormy waters.
The total population of the archipelago
Is only about 1000, mostly Englishmen.
Scotchmcu and Argentine Guachos. East
Falkland. the largest Of the islands, has an
area al tlirce thousand square miles: vet
it contains only three insignificant hamlcts
besides Port stanley-tho rest of the peo-
pie li1n- on widely separated sheep-runs-
There ~ no loads Oh any Of the islands,
hut they are crss- crossed in all directions
by horse-tlails. for here everybody goes
an horse back, on journeys that cannot be
made by sea. Every well-to-do Falkland
er owns his yacht. as the citizens of other
countries keep their carriages. There is
also a steam launch that regularly plies
the Sound between the two main islands ;
while the produce brig of tie "Falkland
Islands Sheep farming Co., is patronized
by the poorer classes.
is, little north of Stanley, on Berkeley
Sound, where the French founded the
earliest settlement on the archipelago, in
1868: and which, though many times de
stroyed by bombardment, as various count
lies enforced their claims to possession. re-
manned the seat Of government until few
wears AGO. when it was removed to Stan
ley. The big island is nearly cut in two
by a deep sound on either side. (Choiseul
and Brenton). which leaves its northern
and southern portions connected only by
an isthmuiS The lower half is crossed by
A rugged range of low hills. and the re-
mainder is strange mixture of peat beds
and tliSsock grass, pasture and morass.
with many small streams and shallow
farms of fresh water. Next to Stanley,
the most important village on the island
is Port Darwin, on Choiseul Sound sta
lion of the Falkland island Co. 1t is peo-
pied entirely by Scotch shepherds. and
such 4 quaint little town can be found no.
where else outside of Scotland, with its
Presbyterian kirk, appropriately built of
IRON. to match its stern creeoD, and its
-'blue Presbyterian clergyman and
school master, who lulc the lives of the
villagers to the mlnutest detail. temporal
and spiritual.
Though more than three hundred miles
distant from Patagonia. scientists agree
thai these islands Were once Il part of that
country, and still connected herewith
by an elevated submarine Plateau At
any rate. the geological formation and
flora OF the two are essentially the same.
Though 10 animals are indigenous to the
islanl~ bat foxes rats and rabbits. There
are only two things to be said in favor of
the ieastly climate Of this lor;lity-that ii
is remarkably uniform. uniformly bad>.
and Jhat the chilly winds which hinder
trees fIem growing and wheat and corn
FROM staining maturity prevent like
Ni,r Ike existence OF many living pests
tn ahGuMG nearer to the equator There
are mo snakes lcle nor reptiles Of any
sort. nv toad~ nol spiders. flies nor tlcas,
NM amy other objectionable creature,
winged or crawling.
Trees would probably grow if planted
and cultivated. We're it not for the eternal
gales There are none upon any of the
'r4filltiS- ii We except Il KIM tl Don TWO
ol three feet high. to be found in some To-
calities, and the one much boosted apple
1ree which is struggling for existence in
Stanley There is species OF woody rag
weed, which often grows as high as a man S
shoulder, and is said to assist the chilly
winds in producing the bronchial and ca
taIrhal troubles with which most Falk-
handlers are afflicted. The only grounds
worth trying to cultivate are found along
the margin of the sea, in certain plains
that are partially sheltered by hills: but
nowhere can grain be fully ripened or
vegetables brought to any degree of per
lection. During November and Decem-
her great variety of wild flowers literal
" carpet the ground. and lchens are ev-
eryWhere. A few years ago the whole
archipelago was covered with ''tussock''
grass-a most curious vegetable product
ion. which fl ON little distance looks like
IL forest of miniature palms. 1t is gigan-
tic, sedgy grass, which grows in dense
tufts often two OF three hundred roots
springing from the same tuft with stalks