The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-07-20

d
southern Patagonia. The two lands
are in fact IN the same latitude. Why
should not sheep thrive in kerg'Ieien
they asked themselves. When the
brothers returned tn France they read
all the sCanty literature on herguclen
aud RENE BOSsI ERE published hls first
pamphlet The newspapers also wer"
/ willing Ia give his unique campaign som"
+ publicity. and he lndustriously kept the
nam.. Of IA" island before the public.
Then the brot hers asked the French
Government n il would aid them tn go
y TO the island for the purpose of proving
; that u could be- turned Ia good account
I The Government replied that II would
, give them is moral support, but no
money, aud It finally conceded to tho
brot hers the right To exploit the'lsland
for n term of fifty years.
Fifteen wears passed before 'heneces-
sarv funds could I've raised and HENRI
BOssIkRR NJ last saw kergIelen. IL was
n terrible uphill campaign waged by two
enthusiasts with little influence and less
money in behalf Of an ocean rock IN
which no one else had any faith. In 1900
| the brut hers thought the first expedition
was in sight Some capitalists promised
N0.OOO Professionally, and the first
party sailed but the commander turned
back before he reached the Strait Of
Magellan. where rene BossIERE was
waiting for him, ard the subscribers
Withdrew their support.
PsmphleteerinG was renewed with
much emphasis on the theory that here
was an asylum for whales which would
probably provide rich fishing. The
Norwegians were permitted tn take a
small interest. and a little French whaler
was fitted out. the fist French money
invested in that industry since 1893.
HENRI BossIERF led the party to ker-
g,Ielen in the southern summer 81 1898,
the little settlement Of Port Jeanne
d Arc was started. and twenty ewes,
two rams. three horses and some hogs
we're turned loose on the island. The
grass was knee deep in the valleys. and
the lands TT for culture or grazing were
ab,indan,ly watered While the igneous
mountains were snowcapped the network
of valleys between them was covered with
Verdure.
From the day Of landing the island
has been constantly occupied by several
score Of men in summer and two or
three persons left behind when the yea
sells have sailed home on the verge Of
the winter season. The first winter the
live stock were left practically to shift
for Themselves. and they came through
fat and hearty. The returning ships
found last summer that the twenty-five
sheep had almost treoled in number
and HENRI BossI IRE wrote that the
lambs were strong and ~ frisky as
kids Some grain pastes had been
provided for the hogs. but they seemed
to prefer certain succ'ilent roots which
they found in large supply. Though
the island Ia largely covered with noun
tains, it's I, 9OO. 600 acres include a large
area % valleys, and RENE BossIERE
writes that the fact IL demonstrated
that several hundreds Of thousands 81
sheep will thrive there. and u il the in
tention to push this industry. The eli
mate il more equsble than had been
supposed. The highest summer tenn
peratnre thus far recorded Ia 81 Fahren-
heit. The lowest winter temperature
Ia -i7s' Fahrenheit.
The whaling operat ions have also been
very successful In the first season M
whales were killed and the blubher was
tried ou az Port Jeanne d Arc. The
catch included a specimen 81 one of the
most import ant whalebone species which
were supposed Ia he entirely extinct
in southern waters The sea elephant.
a species Of the seal family. IL in remark
able abundance and will be large
source Of income II s valued for lis
oil and hide and was hunt-.l south ~
he Atlantic Ill Isao when u had prac
iically disappeared
Nothing bu the Iudomltable courage
and perseverance, II these two obscure
men has rnable,i them ~ last To- tri-
umph over the most formidable OBJ
staCIes and reach place where success
seems assured They have won tn"
confidence aud he iuter.~, - the French
people