Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-03-17
THE FALKLAND ISLES.
AN INTERESTING SPOT ON THE
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
A Climate So Cold That Trees Can
not GrOw-The Sea Lion ut Home
A Penguin City.

| not urOW -lhe sea biOh at hOme
A Penguin City.
The total population of the Falkland
Isles, writes Fannie B. Ward, is only
about 1000, mostly Englishmen, Scotch
men and Argentine Guachos. East Falk-
land, the largest of the islands, has an
area of 5000 square miles, yet it contains
only three insignificant hamlets besides
Port Stanley, the rest of the people liv-
ing on widely separated sheep ruins.
There are no roads on any of the islands,
but they are criss- crossed in all directions
by horse trails, for here everybody goes
on horseback on journeys that cannot be
made by sea. Every well-to-do Falk-
lander owns his yacht, as the citizens of
other countries keep their carriages.
| There is also a steam launch that rogu-
larly plies the sound between the two
main islands, while the produce brig of
the Falkland Island Sheep farming
Company" is patronized by the poorer
| classes.
| Though more than three hundred miles
distant from Patagonia scientists agree
that these islands were once a part of
that country and still connected there
with by an elevated submarine plateau
At any rate, the geological formation and
flora of the two are essentially y the. same,
though no animals are indigenous to the
islands but foxes, rats and rabbits.
There are only two things to be said in
favor of the beastly climate of the local
ity: That it is remarkably unform-uni-
formly bad-and that the chilly winds,
which hinder trees from growing and
wheat and corn from attaining maturity,
prevent likewise the existence of many
living pests that abound nearer to the
equator. There are no snakes here, nor
reptiles of any sort; no toads, nor
spiders, tiies, nor any other Objectionable
creature, winged or crawling.
Trees would probably grow if planted
and cultivated were it not for the eternll
gales. There are none upon any of the
islands, if we except kind of box, two
or three feet high, to be found in some
localities and the one much boasted
apple tree which is struggling for exist
ence in Stanley. There is species of
woody rag weed, which often grows us
high as mans shoulder, and is said to
assist the chilly winds in producing tho
bronchial and catarrhal troubles with
which most Falklanders 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 bo fully
ripened or vegetables brought TO any de-
gree of perfection. During November
and December a great variety of wild
flowers literally carpet the ground and
lichens are everywhere,
A few years ago the whole archipelago
was covered with q ''tussock' grass s-;t
most curious vegetable, production
which, form little distance looks like a
forest of miniature palms. 1t is gi-
gantic, sedgy grass, which grows in
dense tufts, often two or three hundred
roots springing from the same tuft, with
stalks six or seven feet long and bIades
oven oage". Cattle an horses are cx-
tremely fond of it, and its fattening
qualities for all sorts of stock are very
great 1t flour shes in any situation, in
winter as we'll as in summer, and may he
cut three times year, being improved
by each cutting. Not only are the leaves
and stems most excellent fodder, but the
stool-like root crowns have sweet nuttv
flavor, irresistible TO nil omniyorous and
| ncrnlNOrOuS creatures. III tnrlNeS best on
shores exposed to the oceans spray, and
great pitv it is that in feew years
more not root of it will be left any,
where on the islands.
No wonder il is being rapidlv exter-
minated, considering the enormous mum.
Der of animals that here find pasturage.
The few cattle and pigs that were
brought from time to time by tho early
colonists have gone on increasing,
whether or not the sands We're occupied
by the human species, until now they
are countless. There are also at least
100, 900 wild horses, sprung. from stock
originally imported. Yet sheep raising
is the main industry ot the archipelago,
it having proved more profitable than
the raising OF cattle; and though many
OF the districts are too swampy Tor sheep,
there are said to be not less than 100, :
900 OF them ON the islands, They are all
OF European breeds and the Cheviot
variety Is the tavorite, one fleece aver
Hgin? twelve pounds under favorable
eonal,inhs' There are no wild animals
TO XIII me sheep' and the complete ab-
senco Oh purr or any substance injurious
10 me iieece 49, OF course an advantage
, wmle inc many springs ana small fresh
water iakoS are Oh great Importance tn
, the sheep ana cattle breeders, A few
years ago the Falkland Island Company
aooP'eo process OF poilinS down whole
carcasses into Juno" ana the successful
result has addod another profitable i'll