The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-05-26
life in the Falkland Islands.
,,o.souls Population. Far from Any
. -.bsrs in the Wild South Seas.

STANLEY, EAST FALKLAND,
.-,s lg04. Thanks to the courtesy
English Governor a steam yacht
laced at the disposal of our party,
,.. captain had instructions to aid
Exploring the islands," But that
sbe rather large undertaking, as
are more than two hundred in
-r5np; so we have gained general
/ Emf HE in this little world lost in a
.-s of lonely waters, by cruising
IND the two largest islands, and Wis
.f4lr few settlements, which are
ar the coast. The total popula-
ar tie archipelago is only about
mostly Englishmen, Scotchmen
,.lrlune Guachos. East Falk-
,.p arsest of the islands, has an
u0o square miles; yet it con-
..N tllee insignificant hamlets'
.- Iott stanley-the rest of the
.t-ug on widely separated sheep
-Ir are no roads on any of the
alt they are crisscrossed in all
by horse trails, for here
--- ..l goes on horseback, on jour
tia, cannot be made by sea.
,,.., .ul-to-do Falklander owns his
lis the citizens of other countries
nr.r carriages. There is also a
--- auuch that regularly plies the
.... trtWeen the two main islands;
.s.t produce brig of the Falkland
. eep Farming Co. is patron
..... me poorer classes.
.n Fst objective point was Port
- .o4.s. d little north of Stanley, on
.t-., sound, where the French
...-,l the earliest settlement on the
.. peago, in 1863, and which,
many times destroyed by bonn
s-iuent as various countries enforc-
4lt.fI claims to possession, remained
fir -tat Of government until few
r-sr ago. when it was removed to
,..1.-y The big island is nearly cut
rpo Jy a deep sound on either side,
#t caves its northern and southern
salous connected by an isthmus hard
-la miles wide The lower half of
.--saud is crossed by a range of low
..r eyed hills, and the remainder is
s-,lge mixture of peat-beds and tus-
LIass, pasture, and swamp, with
.Ay ,uall streams and shallow tarns
le7l water. Next to Stanley, the
s uportant village on the island is
# l'arWin-a station of the Falkland
..a tompany, 1t. is peopled entirely
't0 shepherds, and such quaint
--is t.Wn can be found nowhere else
.-- of Scotland, with its Presbyte-
.Ik appropriately built of iron to
4 is stern creed), and its ''blue
--~ gterlan' clergyman and school
4.efe., who rules the lives of the vii
TO the minutes detail, temporal
Ngitual
r-h more than 800 miles distant
uu ltagonia, scientists agree that
e-.- stands were once part of that
gy and are still connected there
IN elevated submarine plateau.
gl} rate, the geological formation
BORA OF the two are essentially the
zHe though to the islands no animal
h,1t %e,, 1.
jAere are only two things to be
I'D favor of the unpleasant climate
ocality-that it is remarkably
.m uniformally bad, and that
sIy winds which hinder trees
-roWlng, and fruit and corn from
f.GWug maturity, prevent likewise
H -2lstence Of any living pests that
I'd nearer to the equator. There
makes here nor reptiles of any
a4 toads nor spiders, flies nor
-0s. nor any other Objectionable crea-
winged or crawling. Trees would
}.HbE grow, if planted and cultivat-
7. We're it not for the eternal gales.
",r are none upon any of the islands,
If VT kept kind of box two or three
"- 1H to be found in some localities,
a- e one much-boasted apple tree,
Is struggling for existence in
- g. There is a species of woody
--td, which often grows as high as
$ shoulder, and is said to assist
Lilly winds in producing the bron-
n. ard catarrhal troubles with which
ust Falklanders are afflicted. The
grounds worth trying to cultivate
- loaud along the margin of the sea,
certain plains that are partially shell
Tered by hills; but nowhere can grain
siAIIy ripened or vegetables brought
Iy degree of perfection. During
S954mber and December a great va
.e-y Of wild flowers literally carpet
Vie ground, and lichens are everywhere,
j lew years ago the whole archipelago
Was covered with "tussock" grass-a
most curious vegetable production,
'..cu looks a little distance off like a
jeSt of miniature palms. 1t is a gi-
-'-l't sedgy grass, which grows in
'aae tufts, often two or three hun
'r0 roots springing from the same
"' with stalks six or seven feet long
4N ladies even longer Cattle and