The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-04-14
PUMA ARENAS.
oourHERNMOST TOWN ON THE
GLOBE. A PoLYGLor COMMUNITY,
.nrNc FROM A CONVICT COLONY.

Sprung
s rorrespondence of The Journal
81, ARENAS, CHILL, February s,
17okng on map of the world,
,.} see that Punta Arenas is con-
..,.3 nearer TO the South Pole than
.-r+r town on the globe,-nearer
r8a The Cape of Good Hope or
,5ittd island; altogether too
flu. auy sort of comfort, for when
.,.t showing in the Strait it is al
u,ug: high winds never cease
wing and a raging surf in the
prevents boats from landing on
t- days out of every seven. The
.t.. og- book says that squalls off
... lr. So very strong here as cal
IFS ships on their beam-ends, :"
-auWu to seamen by the Pata-
.5lr of williwauas Soon as
...-y is approached, sails are
ted and all light gear made
.. acaNse the "WilliWauas' usual
without the slightest warn
rs A moment blow with the
Ell .Irricane How did it hap
.t town ever grew in so dis
ieSolate a spot: More than
.. -a-ury ago lin 1913, | believe,
government, looking around
.. most forSaken and cherries
rre human beings could pos
... {. to which they might Danish
--a noltical offenders, chose this
.. "rmer of Patagonia, because
-uere seemed no way of escape
-Hprdy death; and Immediately
......1.s the penal colony of Port
..- Which had long occupied the
SAN Felipe, the old Spanish
... inch Sarmiento founded. was
...es to this point. When the pris-
.-.- most of whom were men of in
-@ce and education, were driven
... { eli northern homes, thousand
.., 5Vay, they left behind all traces
d.. va2ation as well as all hopes of
...u. Here they had no neighbors
the wild and war-like tribes of
tagouia and the more degraded saw
--> of Terra del Fuego on the south,
ON the west the weary wastes
te acilic stretched away half the
*, NJ the world; on the north a
~, trOdden wilderness, and on the
-. ti impossible wall of snow-clad
. ,t,.lns. The history of their early
-lpS and struggles for existence
never be known. Nobody dream.
't.t they would survive generation
-eneration, much less that they
elbow their way through such
Encouragement and by and by
. the mother country to acknow-
--- .rr caStaWays as valued citizens.
81 aIy their first care was to con-
ZONES of some sort, for many
l4 had been accompanied into
f ,y their tenderly-reared wives
. .uhes. Except for the lack of
tools, they had no great difficult
"ldmg houses from the trees of
.QNnding forests. Shell-fish are
MT hereabonts, and they found
st celery and mushrooms grow
1utaneously. BY experimenting,
soon ascertained that certain
notably potatoes, cabbage,
.tWer and lettuce-can be profit
-goWn during the short summer
- If given very careful attention.
earliest care was also to establish
y relations with the Patagonian
ans. with whom they commenced
.lehase of hides and furs to sell
-sing vessels. In this way the
,0dte sand-spit began to be known
- 'rading- post and certain ships an
led regularly in the little harbor
uglish and French being particu-
ais anxious TO secure supplies of
ey and mushrooms, for which they
d good prices. From time to time
r.. prisoners were added, and though
Hew arrivals were not always agree
eompanions, there is in numbers
MY strength but increased oppor-
l'ies. Gold was discovered in pay
a- uantities, and in due time the con-
rs organized themselves into town,
.a they named Punta Arenas
Hauish for "Point of Sand"-and gov
HiTl it by strict rules and regulations.
-sfer on, a large quantity of coal was
otd and that discovery marked a
We" rra in the life of the lonesome
a"ly. They lost no time in commu-
.atng the important fact to passing
'-ssels-their only way of advertising.
>tue Peruvian war-ships were first to
,1aase the commodity, and before
hg PUnta Arenas became known to
European and American vessels in
n-ee waters as convenient place to
'at'n supplies. AS the condition Of
he rolony grew better and better, the
td east of the town, for distance
y seyeral miles, was divided into
arms fer the raising of cattle, horses.
"u.uy and such vegetables as will
STOW in this latitude. Wheat will not
azure, but hardy grasses were intro
el from Germany, and the cattle
ne section became noted as among