The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-09
Race Of Giants Discovered.

DR.. Frederic A Cook, who on June q
arrived home from the Antarctic. has told
IN New York Of strange Indians ON sha
main island OF Terra del FuegO. Ere.n
Thomas Bridges, who went 10 the Island
as missionary. DIT. Cook derived a vO-
cabulary of 5000 words. Bridges had spent
b years in making it, II was among the
Onas, on the main island. that DIR. Cook
made his most exhaustive and valuable
researches. Heretofore these Indians had
successfully resisted al attempts 10 CIV
ihze. Christianize. or study them. kill
ing on sight any stranger. The only white
men toward whom they were known TO
have relented Sere Bridges and his sons.
and, through them. DR.. Cook himself.
The height Of the men is usually about
feet inch. their average weight be-
ing about l10 pounds. and their build al
most perfect The women are but a 1T
tie shorter. Their powers as athletes are
astonishing The men easily outrun the
horses Of the settlers. In the deadly feuds
which exist between them and the farm
eTs, the latter find il impossible 10 run
down fleeing Ona with a single horse;
he must have a relay OF two or three
horses.
This incredible speed OF foot and en-
6urance are a development OF genera
one source of meat supply-the feet guam
acho-and has been compelled to chase 1t
on foot.
The Onas seem 10 have no marine In
stinct, and Consequently derive practical
~ nothing from the sea, but roam the
land with bows and arrows. The tribe
has taken to living on the settlers sheep.
Their depredations are on a colossal scale.
II IS no uncommon thing for them 20
II off . tsal Sf1ar IN, "a ole
On almost every clear night through
out the winter the party saw the Aurora
AuStraljs, which stretches across the
southwestern horizon IL was never II
sufficient brilliancy to throw reelection
upon the snow. and never arcc;ei The
compass. As compared with :lta Aurora
Borealis Il was a tame affair. being al
most uniformly cream color and devoid
OF priSmic hues. The result % cough
calculation of the magnetic observations
placed the magnetic pole something like
! 20 miles east OF the point at whicn Il mas
heretofore been supposed TO be.
Snow fell every day in the year, ard
more in summer than in winter. Yet
there was never such a heavy single fall
as the people OF northern New York ave
accustomed to. There was a constant
downfall but In very small quantities. on
perfectly clear days 1t still fell. although
so fine that II was invisible except upon
black cloth.
The lowest temperature was - degrees
below zero and the highest one and half
degrees below zero. The favoTite tenn
perature of the party was - 10 60 de-
grees below zero, for higher temperatures
were accompanied by great humidity and
softenlng Of the snow through which
one sank 10 his neckl even with snow
shoes on.
Under Emile Racovitza. the expedition
made a complete collection Of everything
living and dead" In the newly-discovered
land named Dance Land II was found that
land life in the animal kingdom was linn
tied to two varieties Of spl Ter and four
varieties OF insect-the first ianG life ever
discovered in the Antartic The only ves-
etable life was small MOSES and lichens.
which were usually found on every rock
with a northeastern exposure.
II was found that the Antarctic sea
swarmed with microscopic and vegetable
life. The most numerous Of the sea ami
mails was the penguin. There were also
gulls and cormorants.
There were found four varieties OF seals
in abundance. Up TO 20 years ago sealing
flourished in the Antarctic. but was dis
continued with the extinction Of the FUR
seal.
The varieties which exist there now In
such large numbers are. however. In the
opinion OF Dr. Cook. as valuable as the
Newfoundland seals. and IL sealing expe-
ditions were fitted out and dispai ched
from the nearest South American ports
they would. he believes. prove profitable.
The finback and bottle-noSe whales were
seen in great numbers.