Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-03-26

| man on Doard the u. y. >. Illinois, IL
with the great American battleship
feet that is now making It's world ell
ciroling voyage.
Midshipman Jacobs writes most in
teresting accounts of the progress of
the big men of war, and through the
courtesy of his parents The Montour
American is enabled to print his letters,
which will appear from time to time
as they are received in Danville.
U. S. S. ILLINOIS
Callao, Peru, Feb. co.
| We made preparations for leaving
Rio Janeiro on the gath of January
That day we full dressed ship in hon.
or of President Penna. of Brazil. At
one O'Clock the Brazilian President
came in sight on his yacht and re-
viewed the feet. During the review
the feet fred a national salute of
twenty-one guns in union.
The President then boarded the
Minnesota to say farwell. After leav-
ing the Minnesota the Brazilian navy
steamed around our feet. Their navy
was ridiculously small as compared
with our feet. This parade lasted for
about two hours and Immediately on
it's conclusion the President stood out
to the entrance of the harbor and
there reviewed our feet as we passed
out. We got under way Immediately
and as each ship passed the president
ial yacht national salute was fred
with the Brazilian flag at the foremats
and the Brazilian national air was
played.
We soon passed out of the harbor;
Rio disappeared in the distance, and
our long cruise. In way we were
all sorry to leave Rio, for we we're
royalty entertained there and liked the
city very much.
Leaving Rio on the 23rd everything
passed smoothly for the first two days.
Early Sunday morning. though. it
seai uoh w uioW anu hli ehae uay Wo
had pretty rough weather. However,
it quieted down that night and we
were all glad of it.
Sometime Sunday night we sighted
a squadron of Argentine men of war.
who had come out to look us over.
They remained in sight and steamed
along with us for nearly day. Sign
ais were exchanged and they finally
wished us Goods Speed" and stood
back toward the coast. We were then
somewhere off the Argentine Repub-
lie.
Nothing more of interest occurred
until the next Friday morning, when
we rounded Cape Virgin and entered
the Straits of Magellan. We were un-
able to reach Sandy Point (Which is
in the Straits) that night, so we anoh-
ored in Possession Bay. Here, not
many years ago great naval battle
was fought between Argentine and
Chill, which resulted in Chill getting
possession of a good deal of the territ-
ory around the Straits. High and dry
on the beach is the wreck of one of
the old men of war.
1t became warm enough to shift in
to blue clothes the fourth day out of
Rio and when we entered the Straits
it was cold enough for an overcoat.
We got under way at four O'Clock
the next morning and continued on
our way to Sandy Point. During our
passage through this part of the Stra-
its we had glimpse of what was in
store for US when we got into the
Straits further along. Even there the
Straits we're no more than mile
wide.
We finally anchored in the Straits
off Sandy Point about two O'Clock Sat
urday afternoon-about nine days out
from Rio. Here the weather was cool
and pleasant.
Upon our arrival we found beside
the colliers waiting for an English
man of war, the Sappho; Chilean,
the Chacabuco and an Argentine. We
fired the customary salute upon enter
ing foreign port.
Punta Arenas, or Sandy Point, is in
Chilean territory and contains about
$4,000 inhabitants. Punta Arenas
was formerly Chilean penal settle
ment, but its use as such was abolish
ed years ago and it is now flourish
ing town. The inhabitants are Chill
cans the native Indians, and foreign
ers. mostly English and Germans.
These two latter nationalities control
most of the business of the place.
There are few Americans here also.
There is large fur trade at this port.
also trade in wool and minerals.
The Indians there are called Horse
Indians, for theysare always on horse
back. Across the Straits they are call
ed the Canoe Indians, because most of
them live in canoes.
During our stay in Sandy Point the
Governor gave dinner, the Chilean
Admiral gave a dinner aboard the
Chacabuco and the American consul
gave reception at his home. We
stayed there two days longer thar we
expected owing to the non. arrival of
our colliers