Semi-weekly herald., 1908-01-20
FLEET T0SAIL
IN FEW DAYS
Heading for the Most Southerly Town on this
Side Of the World Passing Into
the Friged Zone

Rio de Janeiro, Jan, 1s.-Wlth the
bunkers filled with coal and all prepa.
rations made for the beginning the
next stretch of the long voyage to the
Pacific, the battle ship fleet OF Admiral
Evans will steam out OF Rio harbor
early next week and head southwark
for Punta Arenas, the most southely
town ON this side of the world. When
friends In the Brazilian capital Mon
day. they will also say goodbye to
civilization for many weary days to
come. 1t Will be dull routine. with
only one stop at greasy little col
lection of huts and shanties, until Cal.
lao. Peru, is reached on February IS.
The distance from Rio to Punta
Arenas is over 1900 miles. and this
expanse of tossing pillows will be
traversed in ten days, so that the vii
lage between the barren coasts of Pata-
gonia and Terra del Fuego will be
reached about the last day of this
month. Nothing but coaling will be
done there. AT this Godforsaken place,
which was formerly n convict station
for Chile until the Chilean government
became too civilized to send even con-
victs there, the feet will enter the
waters of that republic. and will be
met by the Chilean cruiser Esmeralda.
This vessel will serve as an escort
to the fleet through the crooked straits
OF Magellan.
The announcement that Chile will
honor the United States by sending n
naval vessel to attend the feet while
1t remains In Chilean waters recalls
the fact that Admiral Evans, during
the trouble between the United States
and Chile several years ago. was the
commander of Yankee cruiser in the
that he made the famous remark: III
the paint of my cruiser is scratched
hell will smell OF garlic"
During the coming two weeks, despite
the fact that the feet will be travelling
south all the time, the Yankee tars
will pass from the torrld heat of mid
summer to the frigid winter OF the arc
tics. On shore leave at Punta Arenas
the sailors will see some of the most
ignorant types of humanity In the
world. The natives of Patagonia and
Terra del Fuego, despite the severity
OF the climate, wear little or no cloth.
ing, and paint their bodies with foul
ordered paint and grease. They spend
most Of their days on horseback and
their nights in little tents made of hides
Horse meat and ostrich flesh are the
staples of their diet. They are natural
traders and will likely part with some OF
their belongings In exchange Cor otter
skin or ostrich-breast wraps.
The Straits OF Magellan. through
which the fleet must pass. are only
about as wide In some parts as the
Hudson river, and are lined by tower
ing. snow-clad precipices. This win be
the really dangerous part of the jour
ney. After leaving Punta Arenas q
day and a night will be occupied In
reaching the comparatively safety OF
the Pacific Then. with the trim little
Chilean cruiser. Esmeralda. in the lead
the long line of battleships will steer
north. back to the land of sunshine and
lauohtar until on Eehruary IA the
guns OF the Peruvian forts will boom q
welcome that will be as music to the
ears of the Yankee tars. For they will
be back to civilization n-Spanish-Ameri
can civilization, which is different from
the Yankee brand, 1t Is true--but still
, civilization.