The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-03-06

kkS scenery In the Straits of Ma
VIZ gellan. which separate Pata
gonia from TERRA del Fuegc
but comparatively few worl'
travellers ever get to that remote par
OF the globe. In the Boston Globe. An
drew Sibbald gives this description O
the waterway and its shores:
Starting on a cruise from the Eng
Ilsh settlement at Stanley, the chic
town of the Falkland islands, and aftel
Delng tossed about at sea, we sighted
the cliffs Of TERRA del Fuego. AS W,
went along the scenery was exceed
1ngly lovely; from the open sea ant
stormy winds 1t was pleasant change
TO be mparatively at rest on near
Ing the land, and to look on the quick
ly changing beauties of Natures pano
rama. like Transformation scene not
to be surpassed.
Fancy a small vessel alone, in a
region little known. with q landscape
OF rugged grandeur all around, ap-
preaching what appears iu the dis
lance to be chaos of wild and lofty
mountains. with no apparent outlet,
or, indeed. termination.
On ascending to the masthead one
could see the channel getting mar
rover. and our onward passage
stopped, apparently. ny low range of
hills in the foreground; at the back,
Jagged peaks and huge mountains in
all their solemn but barren sublimity.
On the left was Navarin island, in
some parts high, but not so lofty as
Ut seemed in the distance; on the
other side was also high land, but at
Its base were several islands and wa
ter passages leading by various gorges
to the Magellan straits.
We now approached the narrows,
which are between clay cliffs; they
form the entrance to the Beagle chan
mel. so named from the ship whose
captain discovered 1t, and the tide,
which before had been gentle, now be-
gan to increase in swiftness; the pas
sage through which we were sailing.
and which had been nearly straight,
began to develop more curves and
the depth of water decreased.
We had q gentle breeze as we glided |
swiftly past the narrows and many |
islets. all equally pretty; penguins and |
other birds were seen In immense
numbers around us.
A little longer and a fresh bend in
the channel discovered new beauties
as different from what we had lust
seen as possible; it reminded one of a
rapid transition from the plains Of
Lombardy to the gigantic peaks of the
Rocky mountains.
In Beagle Channel.
But 1t is almost impossible to do
Justice to the scene; the effect OF the
suns rays as they glanced on the
mountains before us, as
We quickly shot by the last projection
u the narrows and entered the huge 4
natural canal which forms the Beagle
channel. was magnificent CHANGING
It the clay cliffs in our rear, the pas
age seemed to have shut In behind
is, and left US no outlet save far
head.
In all these bold and lonely places
here was mysterious quiet, which
rave the scenery around truly alpine
ook; lofty mountains were on view
md those bounding our sight ahead
we're quite bare and of conical shape.
| very vivid imagination could easily
Onvert some of the cupola shaped
Mountains In front of US, at the ex-
RENE verge Of our view, into so many
athedrals with their lofty spires.
Those on our right were destitute
I verdure In many places, like the
aid spots on mans head, but with
egetation around such spots; on our
eft were the Cedrington mountains on
yavarin island, dark, frowning masses
18th singular peaks. something like i
ugar loaves: and the scene was diver
fled by the brown SUBMITS OF other |
peeping up free from the
snow, their lower parts
lothed with q mantle of green.
BY this time we had glimpses OF the
atives. covering the rocks and beach, I
losely watching US; they were uni
ersally naked. wild and shaggy look
q with long spears in their hands.
Their canoes on both sides Of US
hot out from sheltered corners and
led to overtake Us. still shouting {
ith al their might. But our speed !
~ too great for them to get up to