The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-07-16

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of South America, has long
stood as a symbol for the ends
Of the earth; and along with this con-
ception has gone the idea that it Is a
Trigid waste land. Magellan must have
had such an opinion of the region
when he sailed through 1t along the
tortuous passage that bears his name |;
and the whalers and traders who
rounded South America after him
came away with similar views, OAR
win, studying the sandy wastes Of Ar
gentinlan Patagonia on the Atlantic
side, thought the whole country
worthless desert.
The bad name which 1t got may
have held Patagonia back for time.
But man will go anywhere that for
tune beckonS. It became known that
behind its unlovely exterior Patagonia
hid excellent pasture lands and ex-
periments proved that sheep fiourished
there Since 1914 when wool prices
showed a sharp advance there has
been a great boom in Patagonia and
Il is now one Of the worlds greatest
sheep regions.
Chile broadens out at its southern
extremity and includes the greater
part of the sheep lands on TERRA Del
Fuego, the large southern islands, and
on the mainland just north Of the
Strait of Magellan. On the mainland
side Of the strait is situated Punta
Arenas, the metropolis of the Pata-
gonian sheep country and the south
ernmost city of any consequence in
the world.
Today, as In early days, the trav-
eler, entering the strait from the Pa
cific receives a poor impression Of the
land. At its entrance the passage is
about twenty miles wide, but it soon
narrows to seven or eight miles, and
at one place Is only two miles in
width. The shores are made up now
of low, featureless hills on which
scarcely a tree or bush can be made
out, and again of great masses Of rock.
A close view shows, however, that
much of the ground supports a short,
sparse growth of grass.
Coming upon Punta Arenas is great
surprise because of the contrast be-
tween the apparently worthless land
and this bustling modern city. For
It's population, which is about $4,000,
Punta Arenas is the most CONNER
cially successful of all Chilean cities
IT owes its recent prosperity entirely
to the growth of the sheep industry.
Exports to the United States In re-
cent year totaled $12,OOO,000. There
was also a considerable export of
frozen mutton to Great Britain.
Growth Of Punta Arenas.
The earliest navigators passed this
point, and Sarmiento's band, settling
here in the Sixteenth century, died of
starvation. On the site of old Port
Famine the Chilean flag was planted
in 1843 Yankee sailors and whalers
dubbed the forlorn penal colony
SANDY point (Punta Arenas), and
the name survived.
In the sixties the first steamship
line between Valparaiso and Liver
pool was inaugurated, and Punta Are
mas, the most isolated port in South
America, came into Importance 1t is
1,100 miles from Bahia Blanca, the
nearest big port on the Atlantic and
1900 miles from Talcahuano, on the
west coast.
Twenty years ago Punta Arenas was
an unpretentious little town Of gal
vanized-iron roofs intent on its ship
ping and the news of the world that
only ships could bring. Whenever the
bell at the end Of the long pier tolled,
there was great excitement 1t her
aided the coming of a steamer. Out
rushed the cosmopolitan inhabitants
Of this "tail-end' city, eager for news
from home.
Telegraph and wireless finally
brought this region, so long cut off by
sea and impossible tracts Of unculti-
waited country, In touch with the rest
of Chile. Now 1t has four excellent
daily newspapers, .s4..
The Panama canal struck Punta
Arenas hard blow. Trade was d.
verted. But, in spite of it's waning
Importance as port of call, the city.
continued to thrive.
Turning its eyes from sea to earth,
1t grew to value Its surrounding graz
ing lands Sheep ranches multiplied
Motor roads stretched out toward the
Argentine pampa; steadily increas-
ing fleet of small vessels sailed into
the Fuegfan channels. The metropolis
Of Magellanes has taken on a pleas
ing, prosperous air.
The city has half a dozen reason
ably good hotels which, after the man
ner Of the country, serve exceedingly
hearty meals. There Is practically no
difference in heaviness Of viands be-
tween luncheon and dinner. and NUT
son. of course. is the standby as a