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diff --git a/76274-h/76274-h.htm b/76274-h/76274-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea9bc25 --- /dev/null +++ b/76274-h/76274-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,14517 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + The Wilds of Patagonia | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h1 {font-weight: normal; + font-size: 160%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + letter-spacing: 0.2em; + } + +h2 {font-weight: normal; + font-size: 130%; + margin-top: 2em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + } + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} + +hr.r5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 47.5%; margin-right: 47.5%;} +hr.r65 {width: 94%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 3%; margin-right: 3%;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +ul.index { list-style-type: none; } +li.ifrst { + margin-top: 1em; + text-indent: -2em; + padding-left: 1em; +} +li.indx { + margin-top: .5em; + text-indent: -2em; + padding-left: 1em; +} +li.isub1 { + text-indent: -2em; + padding-left: 2em; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.tdl {text-align: left;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} +.tdc {text-align: center;} +.tdrb {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} +.tdcp {text-align: center; + padding-top: 1em;} +.tdlp {text-align: left; + padding-top: 1em;} + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.big {font-size: 350%;} +.xxlarge {font-size: 220%;} +.xlarge {font-size: 140%;} +.large {font-size: 120%;} +.less {font-size: 90%;} +.more {font-size: 80%;} +.med {font-size: 70%;} + +.caption {font-size: 80%; + text-align: center;} + +.caption1 {font-size: 80%; + text-align: right;} + +.caption2 {font-size: 60%; + text-align: center;} + +.c {text-align: center;} + +.sp {word-spacing: 0.3em;} + +.sp1 {word-spacing: 1.8em;} + +.lsp {letter-spacing: 0.2em; + margin-right: -0.2em;} + + +.ph2 {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; + font-size: 140%; + margin-top: 1em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + letter-spacing: 0.2em;} + +.pad {margin-left: 15%;} + +.r {text-align: right; + margin-right: 2em;} + +.gtb +{ + letter-spacing: 3em; + font-size: 120%; + text-align: center; + margin-right: -2em; + font-weight: bold; +} + +.greentext { color: green;} + +.sans {font-family: sans-serif;} + +.space { padding-left: 4em; + padding-right: 4em;} + +.oldeng {font-family: "Old English Text MT", serif;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.figcenter1 { + padding-top: 4em; + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + + +/* Footnotes */ + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 75%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + margin-top:3em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; + border: .3em double gray; + padding: 1em; +} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76274 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="cover"> +</div> + +<h1> +THE WILDS OF<br> +<span class="xlarge">PATAGONIA</span> +</h1> + +<div class="figcenter" id="fro"> +<img src="images/fig1.jpg" alt="carl"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Carl Skottsberg.</span></p> +</div> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="c sp1 lsp"> +<span class="xxlarge">THE WILDS OF</span><br> +<span class="big">PATAGONIA</span></p> + +<p class="sp pad large"> +A NARRATIVE OF THE SWEDISH<br> +EXPEDITION TO PATAGONIA<br> +TIERRA DEL FUEGO AND THE<br> +FALKLAND ISLANDS IN 1907-1909</p> + +<p class="c p4 more"> +BY</p> + +<p class="c xlarge sp"> +CARL SKOTTSBERG, <span class="smcap">D.Sc., etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c p4"> +LONDON</p> + +<p class="c large sp lsp"> +EDWARD ARNOLD</p> + +<p class="c lsp"> +1911</p> + +<p class="c more"> +<i>All rights reserved</i> +</p> +</div> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="c sp"> +<span class="less">TO</span><br> + +<span class="large lsp">SIR JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER</span><br> +<span class="more">O.M., G.C.S.I., C.B., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., <span class="allsmcap">ETC.</span></span><br> +<span class="less">THE PIONEER AND THE<br> +MASTER<br> +THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED IN PROFOUND<br> +ADMIRATION</span> +</p> +</div> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="pre">PREFACE</h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">When</span>, in January 1904, I had returned from taking part +in the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, and had begun +to work out my notes and collections, it happened to me, +as it has happened to so many others before, that every +now and then questions cropped up which, for want +of material, had to be left unanswered. Gradually also +quite new problems presented themselves, and the +thought of returning once more to some of the countries +I had visited soon arose. One of my companions +from the <i>Antarctic</i>, Dr. J. G. Andersson, had just the +same experience, but was kept in Sweden by his work +as director of the Geological Survey. Without knowing +of my scheme, he had got two of our common friends, +T. Halle and P. Quensel, interested in our old field of +operations in South America, and one day, as we +happened to be speaking of it, we considered the +possibility of planning a modest expedition, principally +for geological and botanical purposes. With a geological +survey were connected a number of geographical +problems, such as the changes of the land after the Ice +Age; the formation and true nature of the Patagonian +Channels; the origin of the transverse Andine Valleys;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</span> +the influence of geology and plant-geography on the +landscape, &c. The algological investigations would +also lead to the formation of zoological collections, and +besides, we thought that in the Patagonian Channels +we should have opportunities of making ethnographic +studies.</p> + +<p>In order to discuss our plans I arranged with Quensel +and Halle that they should meet me in Stockholm at +the Geological Survey office, and one evening was born +the enterprise, afterwards called the “Swedish Magellanic +Expedition,” of which the author consented to +undertake the leadership, the members being: <span class="smcap">Carl +Skottsberg</span>, born 1880, D.Sc., Lecturer at the University +of Upsala; <span class="smcap">Percy D. Quensel</span>, born 1881, B.Sc. +(now Dr.), Upsala; and <span class="smcap">Thore G. Halle</span>, born 1884, +B.Sc. (now Dr.), Stockholm.</p> + +<p>I devoted myself to botanical work, but also made +most of the insignificant zoological collections. The +speciality of Mr. Halle was the survey of fossiliferous +deposits, and as a clever bryologist, he assisted me +in gathering mosses and other cryptogams. Mr. Quensel +was mainly occupied with studies of the eruptive +rocks, the origin of the Andes and the phenomena of +glaciation. On many occasions the two geologists +collaborated.</p> + +<p>But it is one thing to make up one’s mind to go to +South America, another to get money for such a purpose. +The expedition cost about 23,000 Swedish crowns<span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</span> +(£1280), and thanks to several funds, scientific societies +and private persons, we procured the necessary money +without great difficulty. Many useful articles in our +equipment were presented to us, and the Swedish +Johnson Line in Stockholm gave us a free passage on +its steamers to and from Buenos Aires. To all those +who assisted us, I have tried to express our gratitude +in the preface to the Swedish edition of this book, and +have explained how it would have been absolutely +impossible to make a journey which lasted nearly two +years at such small expense, had it not been for the +unparalleled generosity shown by Argentina and more +especially by Chile—not that the Argentine Government +was less interested, but we spent most of the time in +Chile. I need not repeat this, nor my sincere thanks +to the representatives of Sweden. There is, however, +one thing that I want specially to mention on the +occasion of my book being laid before English readers. +We spent part of the time in a British colony, the +Falkland Islands, where His Excellency the Governor, +Mr. W. L. Allardyce, C.M.G., and Mrs. Allardyce, both +deeply interested in scientific work in general as also +in our personal welfare, did all they could to promote +our success. We are also greatly indebted to the +Falkland Islands Company Ltd., to its director in +London, Mr. F. E. Cobb, as well as to its representatives +in Port Stanley, Mr. W. Harding, Mr. W. C. Girling +and Lieutenant Colonel A. Reid, D.S.O. (no longer in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</span> +Company’s service). We also owe very much to +numerous sheep-farmers, Mr. Allen of Darwin, Messrs. +Benney of Saunders Island, Mr. Bertrand of Roy +Cove, Dr. Bolus (now in Punta Arenas, then in Fox +Bay), Mr. Felton of Westpoint Island, Dr. Foley, of +Darwin, Mr. Mathews of Port Howard, Mr. Miller of +Hill Cove, Mr. Packe of Port Louis, and many others, +too numerous to mention. In Chile as well as in Argentina +we met and were assisted by a great number of +English people; we made good friends wherever we +came, and learnt to admire the English nation as the +great civilising power of the world.</p> + +<p>It may not be considered unnecessary to mention, that +during the whole journey under most trying conditions, +I and my comrades remained the same good friends as +we had been on leaving Sweden. Nothing is so well +calculated to try friendship as a wild life away from +culture and from other people. In this case friendship +certainly stood the test.</p> + +<p class="r large"> +C. S. +</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p><span class="smcap">Upsala, 1911</span></p> +</div> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</span></p> + +<p class="ph2">CONTENTS</p> +</div> + +<table> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">PREFACE</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#pre">Page vii</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c1">CHAPTER I</a></td> + <td class="tdr"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">THE COASTS OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS</td> + <td class="tdr"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">We leave Sweden: Visits to Buenos Aires and Montevideo: Arrive at the +Falkland Islands: Position: Port Stanley and its Social Life: Communications: +The Landscape round the Town: Cape Pembroke +Lighthouse and the Forest in the Sea: To the West Falklands: Wild +Cattle: The Falkland Fox: Adventure on Fox Island: Life on Remote +Islands: Roy Cove and the Tale of a Ship’s Adventure: Westpoint +Island: Tussock-grass: Bird Life: The Dead Forest</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 1-18</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c2">CHAPTER II</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">RIDING THROUGH THE FALKLANDS</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Hill Cove, a Fine Settlement: Shepherds and their Life: Ascent of Mount +Adam: A Nocturnal Excursion: Saunders Island and a Page of +History: Valley of the Warrah River: A Dangerous Passage: Port +Howard: Across Country to Fox Bay: A miserable Christmas: Notes +on Geology: Lafonia and Port Darwin: A Ride to San Carlos: Return +Overland to Port Stanley: Port Louis and its History: Departure</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 19-31</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c3">CHAPTER III</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Punta Arenas: Babylonian Confusion: Preparations: Dawson Island and +the Salesian Mission Station: On the Shore of Lake Fagnano: Hardships +in the Azopardo Valley: The First Guanaco: We Pitch the Tents at +Fagnano: Pagels: The Betbeder Pass and Discoveries South of it: A<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</span> +chilly awakening: Halle’s Excursion to Lake Deseado: Boat Trip +on Lake Fagnano: We Raise our Camp: A Difficult Embarking: +Back in Punta Arenas</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 32-61</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c4">CHAPTER IV</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">OTWAY WATER AND SKYRING WATER</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Cape Froward: Jerome Channel: Patagonian Gold Fever: Along the +Shores of Otway: Notes on Vegetation: Fitzroy Channel: Storm: +A Solitary Hut: Traces of Indians: Excelsior and Glacier Sounds: +Gajardo Channel and a Perilous Boat Excursion: <i>Huemul</i> Aground: +The Water of Skyring: Fossiliferous Beds: Another Tale of a Mine: +A Nocturnal Adventure: Saved</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 62-74</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c5">CHAPTER V</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">THE PATAGONIAN CHANNELS</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Preparations: Captain Bordes: Our Indian Interpreter: The Magellan +Skärgård: On the Evangelistas Rocks: Unknown Waters: The Patagonian +Channels and their Nature: We meet the first Indians: Two +Tracks: The Penas Gulf: Baker Inlet: In the unknown Interior of +Peel Inlet: Back through Smyth Channel</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 75-90</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c6">CHAPTER VI</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">A DYING RACE</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Our first Encounter with Aborigines: Appearance: Visit to an Indian +Camp: The Indian Wigwam: Food: Hunting and Weapons: Social +Customs: Treatment of the Women: Character: Nomadic Life: +Canoes: Travelling: Remarkable Portages: Language: Extermination: +Views of the Future</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 91-103</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c7">CHAPTER VII</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">CHILOÉ AND THE GULF OF CORCOVADO</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Chiloé, Historical Retrospect: Ancud, the Capital: Schools: Power of the +Roman Catholic Church: The Chilotes and their Life: A Ride to the +Pacific Coast: Pudeto River: Primeval Forest of Chiloé: Castro: +Adventurous Voyage to Huafo Island: Forest Scenery: Wild Days:<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</span> +To the Island of San Pedro in the Footsteps of Darwin: Quellon: +Corcovado, “el famoso”: The Yelcho Valley</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 104-124</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c8">CHAPTER VIII</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">IN THE HEART OF CHILE</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">To the Centre of Chile: Corral and Valdivia: Halle’s Surveys in the Coal-mines +of Arauco: Lota: Valparaiso: Santiago and its Swedish +Colony: Los Andes: The Uspallata Pass and the Transandine +Railway: Aconcagua: Baño del Inca: A Strange Descent: The +Great National Festival of Chile: To Port Montt</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 125-133</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c9">CHAPTER IX</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">ROBINSON CRUSOE’S ISLAND</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Islands of Juan Fernandez: Discovery and Position: First Impression: +Robinson’s “Look-out”: Wonderful Plant World: The Chonta +Palm: Marvellous Ferns: Extermination of a Unique Vegetation: +The Memorial Tablet of Alexander Selkirk, the real Robinson: The +History of the Sandal Tree: The last Sandal Tree: Robinson’s Grotto: +Bahia del Padre: Masafuera Island: Topography: Remarkable Plain: +Wild Goats: Marvellous Valleys: Our Scientific Results: The Future +of the Islands</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 134-148</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c10">CHAPTER X</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">ACROSS THE ANDES INTO ARGENTINA</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Plans for the Return South: Notes on the Discoveries in Patagonia: The +Boundary Dispute between Chile and Argentina: We leave Port +Montt: Osorno and Calbuco Volcanoes: Lake Todos los Santos: On +the Glaciers of Mount Tronador: Across the Pass: Snowstorm: +Bariloche: Preparations for a Long Journey: Our Caravan and Equipment: +On Horseback</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 149-166</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c11">CHAPTER XI</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">THROUGH NORTHERN PATAGONIA</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">First Impression of the Pampas: Our First Camping-place: Norquinco: +Half the Caravan Disappears!: Inquiries: Across the River Chubut: +Life on the Lelej Farm: A Hearty Welcome: Ostriches and Guanacos:<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiv">[Pg xiv]</span> +Through the Nahuelpan Pass: 16th October Valley: Notes on Vegetation: +Along the Futaleufú River to the Chilean Boundary: South +Again: In the Valley of the River Carrenleufú: Another Bankrupt +Company and a Swedish Colonist</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 167-186</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c12">CHAPTER XII</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">THROUGH THE CORDILLERAS TO THE PACIFIC COAST</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Salt Lagoons and Abundant Bird-life: The First “Meseta”: The Cisnes +Valley: Excursion to the Forest Region: Tuco-tuco and Patagonian +Deer: Senguerr River: No Water: Back in Chile: Lamb-marking: +The Coyaike Valley: The Aysen Company: To the Pacific Coast: +Luxuriant Rain-forest: Return to Aysen</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 187-197</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c13">CHAPTER XIII</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">LAKE BUENOS AIRES</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Swamp of Rio Mayo: Meseta Chalia, an Adventurous Passage: Floating +Soil and Tuco-tucos: A Dangerous Descent: The Puma: Valle +Koslowsky: A Singular Telegraph Office: The Landscape round Lake +Buenos Aires: In the Fenix Valley: Interesting Vegetation: Hunting +Young Guanacos: Patagonian Fur-trade: Armadillos: Ruckel’s +Peril: Difficulties in the Jeinemeni Valley: Ascent of the Mountain +ridge at Zeballos River</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 198-220</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c14">CHAPTER XIV</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">LAGO BELGRANO</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Zeballos Pass: Natural Features at Lake Pueyrredon: Troublesome +Ascent: In the Tarde Valley: Across to Belgrano River: Unexpected +Encounter with German Colonists: Our Sin against the Eighth +Commandment: Christmas: We Start on the Lake: Contrary Winds: +On the Lake Azara: Glorious Mountain Scenery: A Happy New Year! +We strike Camp</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 221-238</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c15">CHAPTER XV</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">LAKE SAN MARTÍN</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Across the High Pampas: Crossing the Rivers Belgrano and Lista: The +Troublesome Tuco-tuco Rivulet: Through the Forest to Carbon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xv">[Pg xv]</span> +River: The Fósiles Pass, our Worst Day: Lake San Martín: Start +with a Berthon Boat: Head Wind: In the Northern Arm: The +Schoenmeyr Glacier: Imminent Peril: “Galley-slavery”: Farewell +to San Martin</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 239-257</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c16">CHAPTER XVI</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">ACROSS THE SIERRA DE LOS BAQUALES</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Swamps round Laguna Tar: An Unexpected Encounter: Pavo and +the Skunk: On the shores of Lake Viedma: Leona River and a Dead +Landscape: With Carlos Fuhr: The Ferry-boat on Santa Cruz River: +Visit to Cattle’s Farm: A Lady Gaucho: The Baguales Range: Back +to Civilisation!: Notes on the History of South Patagonia</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 258-271</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c17">CHAPTER XVII</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">LAGO ARGENTINO</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Quensel’s Boat Journey in 1908: The Start and Equipment: Squally +Weather: Bismarck Glacier, a Splendid Sight: Large Icebergs: With +a Canvas Boat in the Ice: To the North Arm: Hell Gate: A Dangerous +Landing: A Narrow Escape: Upsala Glacier: Another Clean Shave: +Back again with Rich Results</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 272-277</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c18">CHAPTER XVIII</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">OUR JOURNEY TO PUNTA ARENAS</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Estancia Payne: Importunate Foxes: Cerro Payne, Patagonia’s most +Beautiful Mountain: Quensel’s Excursion in 1907: Cerro Donoso: +A Bad Day and a Worse Night: Tame Deer: In the Payne Mountains: +The White Stag: A Picnic Party: My Excursion to the Inland Ice: +A Heavy March: Ultima Esperanza: The Eberhard Family: The +Maylodon Cave: A Night’s Ride: We part with our Horses: Arrival +at Punta Arenas</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 278-295</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c19">CHAPTER XIX</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">THE BEAGLE CHANNEL</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Back in the Channels: The Brecknock Pass: Wonderful Glaciers: Lapataia +and Lake Acigami: The Mission in Douglas Bay: The Last Yahgans: +Notes on Geology: Ushuaia: Bridges’ Farm: Slogget Bay and Gold-digging +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</span>in Tierra del Fuego: Another Boundary Dispute: Return to +Punta Arenas and to Buenos Aires</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 296-313</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><a href="#c20">CHAPTER XX</a></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">A WINTER TRIP TO SOUTH GEORGIA</td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">We leave on Board the <i>Cachalote</i>: Severe Damage of Engines: Adrift on +the High Seas: Exciting Situation: The Engines Repaired: Bad +Night on the Coast: At Anchor again: Nature and Position of South +Georgia: Climate: Flora and Fauna: Winter’s Unexpected Arrival: +Along the Coast: Stormy Days: Whaling: A Singular 1st of May: +With Escort to Buenos Aires: Return to Sweden</td> + <td class="tdrb">Pp. 314-329</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdlp"><a href="#c21">INDEX</a></td> + <td class="tdrb">P. 330</td></tr> + + +</table> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvii">[Pg xvii]</span></p> + +<p class="ph2">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</p> +</div> + +<table> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdr"><span class="med"><i>To face<br> +page</i></span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Carl Skottsberg</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fro"><span class="med"><i>Frontispiece</i></span></a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Percy D. Quensel</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f2">4</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Thore G. Halle</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f3">4</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Typical Landscape in East Falkland with quartzite ridge</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f5">10</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Mollymawk Rookery, West Point Island</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f6">16</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Penguin Rookery (Eudyptes), West Point Island</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f7">16</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Great Stone-run South of Port Louis, East Falkland</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f8">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Roads of Punta Arenas, South-wester blowing</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f9">32</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Punta Arenas from the hills</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f10">32</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Back from the Betbeder Pass</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f11">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Indians at the Dawson Mission Station</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f12">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Betbeder Valley</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f13">52</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Mount Svea, with glacier and moraines</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f14">52</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Bottom of Ventisqueros Sound</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f16">68</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Entrance of Excelsior Sound</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f17">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Our Interpreter, Channels of Patagonia</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f18">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Two Channel Indians</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f19">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Peel Inlet, with great glaciers</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f20">90</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Indian Camp, Sarmiento Channel</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f21">94</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Chilote House</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f22">106</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Plaza in Ancud, Chiloé</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f23">106</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Famous Corcovado</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f24">116</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Valdivia</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f25">126</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Harbour at Valparaiso</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f26">126</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xviii">[Pg xviii]</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Robinson’s “Lookout,” with commemorative tablet</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f27">140</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">View from top of Masafuera showing canyons</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f28">144</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Robinson’s Grotto</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f29">144</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Puerto Montt</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f30">158</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Ready to start</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f31">158</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Small Patagonian Sheep Farm</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f32">176</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Patagonian Rain-forest</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f33">194</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Fenix River</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f34">214</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Valley of Antiguos River looking South</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f35">214</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Belgrano Pass, with giant basalt pillars</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f36">226</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">West Arm of Lake Belgrano</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f37">226</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">German Colonists, Lake Belgrano</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f38">234</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Breakfast Table on Christmas Day, Lake Belgrano</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f39">234</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">View of Pampas, near Lake Argentino</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f40">262</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Dead Landscape, East of Leona River</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f41">262</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Bismarck Glacier, Lake Argentino</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f42">274</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Upsala Glacier, Lake Argentino (the biggest in<br> +Patagonia)</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f43">274</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Icebergs and Canvas Boat, Lake Argentino</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f44">274</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Last Hope Inlet</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f45">288</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The “Neomylodon” Cave, Last Hope Inlet</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f46">292</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Beagle Channel, looking West</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f47">296</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Ushuaia and Martial Mountains</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f48">296</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Glacier in N.W. Arm of Beagle Channel</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f49">296</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Panorama South-west side of Lake Acigami</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f50">312</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">“The Winter’s Bark,” Tierra del Fuego</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f51">312</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Norwegian Factory, South Georgia</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f52">316</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">A Meeting in South Georgia</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f53">316</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xix">[Pg xix]</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Humpback Whale, upside down, South Georgia</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f54">324</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Three Right Whales, South Georgia</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f55">324</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdcp"><span class="xlarge lsp">MAPS</span></td> + <td class="tdrb"></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Map of South America</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f56"><span class="med"><i>At end</i></span></a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">The Falkland Islands</td> + <td class="tdrb"><span class="med"><i>Facing page</i></span> <a href="#m1">6</a></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Otway and Skyring Waters</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#f15">” ” 62</a></td></tr> + +</table> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c1">CHAPTER I</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">THE COASTS OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">The</span> Swedish steamer <i>Princess Ingeborg</i> left Gothenburg +on September 10, 1907. Wind and sea favoured us, +and, after a most agreeable passage, which came like +a strengthening, refreshing rest after all the work of +the preceding months, we arrived in Buenos Aires +on October 7. The Swedish Minister, Mr. O. Gyldén, +gave us a hearty welcome, and informed us that the +Argentine Republic had generously granted us the help +we had applied for. We had ample time to get a glimpse +of the surrounding country, but naturally preferred to +confine our attention chiefly to the scientific centres, to +La Plata, Buenos Aires, and Cordoba, where people +always showed themselves interested in our enterprise +and helped us to make a good start.</p> + +<p>In Montevideo the Swedish Consul, Mr. Rogberg, +met us, and after a short stay, which we thoroughly +enjoyed, we began our voyage on the P.S.N.C. liner +<i>Oravia</i>.</p> + +<p>The big steamer made its way over a calm and friendly +sea that lay glittering in the bright sunshine. For a +couple of days we carried the spring of favoured Uruguay +with us, but on the very morning when we expected +to get our first glimpse of the Falklands a chill fog +slowly descended over the waters, and anxious passengers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span> +tried in vain to get a sight of land. All at once, +close by, the brown and yellow, storm-beaten coast +loomed up out of the heavy mist, and through furious +squalls and a deluge of rain the <i>Oravia</i> steered between +the Narrows and anchored in the spacious, natural +harbour of Stanley.</p> + +<p>The first person to greet us was one of the staff of +the Falkland Islands Company, Lieut.-Colonel Alexander +Reid, D.S.O., who had served with the C.I.V.s during +the last South African War. We shall always remember +him as one of the best friends our expedition met on +its long journey. Presently the acting Swedish Consul, +Mr. Girling, arrived on board, and soon afterwards we +found ourselves comfortably seated at afternoon tea +in our new quarters. Once more the smoke from +the Falkland peat-fire filled my nostrils, recalling to +memory my old acquaintance with this peculiar land +and its inhabitants—an acquaintance that I was now +to revive and to increase. We said good-bye to Mr. +Quensel for some time, as he was going straight on to +Punta Arenas, in order to make an expedition into the +interior of South Patagonia.</p> + +<p>The Falkland group extends from S. Lat. 51° to 52° 30’ +and from Long. 57° 40’ to 61° 25’ W., and consists of two +large and a very great number of small islands, which +form a regular barrier against the ocean waves. The +coast-line is exceedingly broken; long, narrow, and +winding creeks penetrate far into the country, marking +the course, as there are many proofs to show, of old +valleys now submerged under the level of the sea.</p> + +<p>On the east coast of East Falkland is situated the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span> +little town of Port Stanley, with about 1000 inhabitants. +Along the south shore of the harbour and on the slope +of a low ridge, which shuts out the view of the ocean +towards the south, long rows of houses are erected, for +the most part small cottages built of wood. They leave +a very homely impression, as their occupants have +tried to transform their porches into small conservatories, +where the eye rests on bright colours—which the soil +itself absolutely refuses to reproduce.</p> + +<p>Some buildings attracted our attention more than the +rest. In the far “West End” there is a conglomeration +of houses, together constituting the Government House, +the residence of his Excellency the Governor. Mr. W. L. +Allardyce, C.M.G., now holds this position. He is a +man warmly interested in the material as well as the +spiritual welfare of his colony, and we fully recognized +his appreciation of our scientific work, which he tried +to promote as far as lay in his power. He rules a vast +dominion. Some years ago Great Britain painted red +another large section of the globe, the colony now +including, besides the Falklands and South Georgia, +the South Sandwich Islands, South Orkneys, South +Shetlands, and Graham’s Land. The result of this +spread of British power was far-reaching. The whaling +industry having languished in Norway, energetic +whalers started in the South Atlantic and Antarctic +Seas, and numerous vessels hunt there every summer +and pay their tribute to the Falkland Government, +which has thus increased its revenue.</p> + +<p>At the other end of the town lies a long white building, +representing the second power here—not <i>the people</i>,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span> +but the F.I.C.—the Falkland Islands Company—a +mighty institution. Only with the assistance of its +chief on the spot, Mr. W. Harding, were we able to carry +out our investigations in the most interesting part of +East Falkland, or to visit the western islands, where +the company’s small schooners are the sole available +means of communication.</p> + +<p>The third State power, the press, is closely connected +with the Church, as the name of the only paper, <i>The +Falkland Islands Magazine and Church Paper</i>, issued +once a month, bears incontestable witness. Close to +the beach rises the cathedral; a proud title which is +borne as a matter of fact by a little stone chapel. +The city of Stanley is the headquarters of a bishop, +but as his diocese includes almost the whole of South +America the islanders do not enjoy his presence for +more than a fortnight in the year. Naturally, the +inhabitants are too numerous to be of one faith. Both +Roman Catholics and Baptists have their own churches, +but the relations between the different sects seem to be +most amicable, at least if one dare judge from a certain +little scene that has remained in my memory. A +welcome was arranged for the bishop, and on that +occasion the faithful gave free scope to their talents, +and a Roman Catholic, whose intentions were excellent +if his voice was poor, appeared on the stage and sang +a little song in honour of his lordship.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f2"> +<img src="images/fig2.jpg" alt="percy"> +<p class="caption1"><i>Atelier Dahlgren, Upsala.</i></p> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Percy D. Quensel.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f3"> +<img src="images/fig3.jpg" alt="thore"> +<p class="caption1"><i>Wiklund, Stockholm. phot.</i></p> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Thore G. Halle.</span></p> +</div> + + +<p>It is remarkable and almost touching to observe +with what faithfulness the 2300 Falklanders cling to +the habits of the old country, from the parlour with its +polished stove, the china cats on the mantelpiece,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span> +the breakfast of eggs and bacon, to the bedrooms without +a fire. When you have drawn the curtains and lit the +lamp you can believe that you are in a snug little house +in a small English town. But take a look out of doors, +and you generally meet a howling west wind, a cold rain +beats on your face, and whichever way you turn you +always see the same dreary, desolate landscape. You +must certainly be born in Northern Europe, or you +would lose heart in this forlorn corner of the world.</p> + +<p>The centre of Stanley society is Government House, +and picnics, dances, and dinners follow hard upon +each other. I can assure you that there is plenty to +amuse you in Stanley—that is, if you have the privilege +of being admitted to the “upper ten” (without a +thousand!).</p> + +<p>Life is much less easy for those who have been +stranded on this inhospitable coast, not of their own +free will, but by a cruel fate. Generally they seek +refuge in one of the six small “hotels,” where statistics +show the consumption of whisky to be considerable. +Nevertheless, the police can go to bed early in Port +Stanley, where the peace is seldom broken.</p> + +<p>Communication with England is kept up by the +P.S.N.C. steamers, which touch once a month on their +outward and once on their homeward passage from the +west coast of Chile and Punta Arenas. Their visits +put new life into the little town; boxes and parcels +bring dainties and the latest fashions; the post-office +is besieged; strangers come ashore to have a look +round and to buy illustrated post-cards. But the huge +black hull soon disappears, and the town sinks back into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> +its usual quiet. Now and again a sailing-vessel happens +to come inside the harbour—generally it is some +damaged craft, which then often loses its freedom. +To repair it is too expensive, and so the F.I.C. buys the +whole thing, and the port makes an addition to its fine +collection of old hulks.</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>It is a day in early spring on the hills near Port +Stanley. The heath stretches yellow and dreary, the +withered grass is beaten to the ground by an irritating +wind, from which you can find hardly any shelter. +Grey and broken quartzite ridges run through brown +peat-bogs. Nowhere is there a tree visible, scarcely a +bush is to be seen; the islands are absolutely destitute +of timber, and the inhabitants use dried peat for fuel. +Here and there a little white flower has ventured to +peep out of the dead grass and stands shivering in the +cold. Let us climb one of the low peaks that rise a +little above the surroundings, and get a more extensive +but not a finer view. Everywhere we see the same sad +picture; low ridges, undulating plains, winding brooks, +where boggy ground gleams with its dangerous bright +green colour as if to warn the horseman. Here and +there glitters some little shallow pond. A frightened +flock of sheep hurries off, screaming seagulls hasten past, +slowly the turkey-buzzard soars away....</p> + +<p>Such is often the impression you get on a short visit +to the Falklands, especially during the unfavourable +season, and even a bright sunny day can hardly give this +scenery real charm. Grand it could never be without +the assistance of the sea, for here as in so many other +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span>places in the world the roaring surf bestows a wild +beauty upon the black, inhospitable cliffs.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="m1"> +<a href="images/fig4big.jpg"> +<img src="images/fig4.jpg" alt="falkland"> +</a> +<p class="caption">FALKLAND ISLANDS</p> +<p class="caption">Expeditions on land ···········</p> +<p class="caption"> ” ” by sea ————<br> +<span class="greentext">(click image to enlarge)</span></p> +</div> + + +<p>We spent the first few days making excursions in the +neighbourhood of the town, and Mr. Halle went as far +as Port Louis. Later on I shall say more about that +place. Before we leave this part of the island, however, +let me conduct the reader to a point not far from the +city, the lighthouse near Cape Pembroke, a spot that +has always possessed a strong attraction for me since +the first time I visited it. One can get there overland +or by boat—let us choose the latter way this time! +The landing is interesting enough; the shore is rocky, +and we steer through foaming breakers towards a narrow +gap. Every eye is watchful, every hand ready. Across +the opening a heavy chain is stretched, and when the +boat passes underneath a line is flung round it, the end +being secured round the middle bench of the boat; +at the same moment another line is thrown ashore, +where a man stands ready to receive it. It is indeed +required; the surf rolling in hurls the boat forward +with creaking timbers and then draws it back again, +so that the ropes are strained like the strings of a violin. +If you miss the chain your boat may be crushed against +the cliffs. This, indeed, <i>has</i> happened, but I am glad +to say that I managed to get ashore without adventure, +and at once went to see that good fellow, the lighthouse-keeper, +who was glad enough to get some company +in his loneliness. In truth, one would have to seek far to +find a more desolate place than this. After the destruction +of the tussock-grass the whole promontory was +changed into a vast field of drifting sand. Desolation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> +whispers in the whistling sand that beats on the windows; +desolation howls in the gale round the black, +jagged rocks; desolation thunders in the everlasting +breakers. But one gets a certain feeling of security +when within; the light carries on its silent struggle +with danger and darkness and the sand rattles incessantly +against the iron walls. The magnificent lamp +is of the “Lux” pattern, and a good old “Primus” +is used to heat the burner. The vigorous keeper, my +friend Mr. Pearce, nurses his light as if it were a baby; +every part of its mechanism is perfectly clean and shining, +and he tells you with barely concealed pride that the +electric flash from the mail-steamer is but poor stuff +in comparison with his own light. He listens to every +word when you tell him of foreign countries, and he +himself has rather specialized on the Antarctic regions, +ever since the time when the leader of the Scottish +National Antarctic Expedition, Mr. Bruce, was his +guest.</p> + +<p>When the sun rose I found plenty to do. At low +tide there is a precious world spread out on the dry +rocks or in half-emptied pools. The rocks are covered +with seaweeds, green and reddish brown, of all shades +and colours; half dead from thirst, they await the +arrival of another tide which shall restore them to life. +In the small ponds or basins a variegated company +dwells. A carpet of rose-coloured calcareous algæ +covers the rock, and here and there are patches of +other seaweeds, from the largest blade-like variety +to the small, elegant bushes, displaying the brightest +scarlet or crimson, purple or violet colouring. And<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> +what a life there is in these recesses! The most splendid +<i>actiniæ</i>—sea-anemones, as they are often called—stretch +their hundreds of arms; an innumerable horde of little +crustaceæ dance round and round, wild with delight; +beautiful shells rest lazily in safe nooks and crannies, +while here and there little fishes that have got left behind +when the water receded dart to and fro in their anxiety +to escape their temporary prison.</p> + +<p>Deeper down the gigantic <i>Durvilleas</i> roll their bodies +in the foam—they are some feet broad and many feet +long, and fastened on the bare rock by means of a short +thick stalk, and a disc just like a horse’s hoof. Some +of them farther out in the heaviest surf are of another +shape: they are divided into long, cylindrical segments, +which writhe like serpents in eternal struggle with the +full force of the sea. Below lies the forest of the +ocean. It is formed of another brown kelp, the arboreous +<i>Lessonia</i>, with trunks many feet long and as thick +as a man’s thigh, carrying a crown of large yellowish-brown +leaves, just peeping above the water, and slowly +swinging forwards and backwards in the waves. It is +a magnificent sight, this submerged forest, with its +rich bower, where fishes and all sorts of marine animals +swim, while a whole world of plants and creatures thrive +in its shadows. A pair of ducks glide along chattering +and quacking, followed by five dear little ducklings, who +make their voyage of discovery to the promised land +under their parents’ wise direction. Clear as crystal is +the water, and the temptation to have a bathe is very +strong indeed. How one would enjoy climbing in those +curious trees! No fear that the branches may give<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> +way, for they are made to carry a greater weight than +ours. What a pity that the water is so cold—but a few +degrees above freezing-point!</p> + +<p>Finally, let us gaze round farther away over the +water. There is a yellow or brownish band, that extends +along the shores as far as we can see. It is one of the +most famous plants in the world, <i>Macrocystis</i>, Nature’s +own beacon. One might say that as a rule there is no +dangerous reef where that giant seaweed does not grow +to warn the sailor. And how beautiful it is, with its +graceful branches softly moving to and fro with the +swell of the ocean!</p> + +<p>We landed in Port Stanley on October 26, and it was +long before we found a schooner bound for an extended +trip. But finally, on November 18, the <i>Lafonia</i> +hoisted the Swedish as well as the English colours and +steered out to the open, to work her way westward +round the north coast.</p> + +<p>The outlines of the country are monotonous; only here +and there a round hill rises above the neighbouring +plains, always making a good landmark.</p> + +<p>The land has disappeared; we are outside the Falkland +Sound which separates the two large islands, and +by-and-by we get sight of the three hummocks on Pebble +Island. We steer clear of the thousands of dangerous +reefs, and continue westward with a fresh N.N.W. and +a heavy sea that washes our little craft from bow to +stern. The good wind keeps fresh, and we pass the +straits at Carcass Island, cross Byron Sound, and have +the good luck to reach Westpoint Passage with the +rising tide, which allows us to get through this difficult +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>channel. The tidal currents on the Falkland coast +are perhaps the greatest danger to sailing-vessels. They +swirl through those innumerable narrow channels +which one is bound to get through, with the strength +of up to six or seven knots. A look on a chart is +sufficient to persuade us that we are navigating a very +disagreeable coast. Hardly a year passes without one +or more of the small Stanley schooners leaving the town, +never to return.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f5"> +<img src="images/fig5.jpg" alt="ridge"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Typical Landscape in East Falkland, with quartzite ridge.</span><br></p> +</div> + +<p>The scenery has changed a little. It is desolate as +before, but grander. The cliffs run down to the sea +sheer as though cut by a knife, while heavy breakers +throw their foam high above them. On the inside of +the steep Rabbit Island, in King George’s Bay, the +<i>Lafonia</i> anchored, but the next morning we continued +our journey across the gulf, through the critical East +passage, and then through a long and winding sound to +the entrance of Port Philomel. Here we encountered +a gale lasting four and a half days. With the prevailing +south-west wind it was out of the question to get away. +We were anchored only a few hundred yards off the +land, but the wind was so strong that it was with +difficulty we managed to get ashore. We wanted to +march across the peninsula, in order to get acquainted +with one of the more inaccessible parts of the island. It is +a heavy job to march in the Falkland camp, up and +down all the time, through ravines, stone-runs, or +swamps. Our fame as “foot-Indians” is not small +in Port Stanley, and we begin to understand why the +people regard a long walk in the camp as something +rather eccentric.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span></p> + +<p>We had just climbed a steep ridge when I thought +I smelt something familiar, and stopped to trace it. +No doubt it must be cattle, which seemed peculiar so +far away from any settlement. But the smell got +stronger, and from the top of the ridge we caught sight +of the cause—some of the scanty remnants of the wild +cattle, a small herd of twenty, amongst them some +calves and two bulls. They at once caught sight of +us, cows and calves fell back, and the bulls stopped in +front of them, ready for action. But we did not want +to come any closer, and thought it better to stop where +we were and watch them. They were two imposing +beasts, very wild-looking, with enormous horns, long +coarse hair, and a tail with a tuft of respectable dimensions. +Some minutes passed; they slowly retired, but +turned round at every second step in order to send us a +friendly look. We picked our way cautiously, for we +did not wish to run across them unawares, in which case +they would have charged us immediately. And as +we were on foot and without any other arms than a +knife to dig up plants with, we were not exactly prepared +to enter on a struggle.</p> + +<p>When the colonists in the middle of the last century +came to the islands these were well stocked with wild +cattle, and we were told the most exciting tales of hunting +them with lasso and knife, but without firearms. +“That was grand sport,” said an old gentleman-pioneer. +I do not doubt this, but horse and rider lost their lives +in more than one encounter.</p> + +<p>Finally the wind changed, and the question of how to +get out through the narrow passage arose. The current<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> +here, which makes about seven knots, played with the +ship for a while, but eventually we came safely through +it, and anchored again on the north side of Fox Island. +Here, however, no foxes live, the name being all +that is left of the Falkland fox. He was too tame; +that was his worst fault. An old farmer on the settlement +in front of the island told me that he killed his +last fox in 1873, and shortly afterwards the animal +was extinct. This is a pity, as the species <i>Canis +falklandicus</i> has now disappeared for ever.</p> + +<p>The glass had fallen for a second time, but our +anxiety to visit Fox Island was so great that not even +the threatening Falkland weather could keep us back. +My intention was to look at and photograph the largest +land plant of all Falkland, the <i>Veronica elliptica</i>, or +Falkland box, which seems to reach its greatest dimensions +just here. I had just exposed a couple of plates +when the first squall came with a deluge of rain. We +tried to get on board while there was time, and made +full speed for the landing-place; at 1 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we were back +there. But it was too late. A fresh gale was blowing +in the harbour: far out the <i>Lafonia</i> lay, rocking on +her cables. I shall never forget the six hours we spent +on shore without shelter. At seven o’clock the wind fell +a little, enough to let the crew lower the lifeboat and come +to fetch us. Captain Osborne himself held the tiller, +and though six oars worked with the full strength of +muscular arms they nearly failed to reach us.</p> + +<p>We did not regret that place very much when we +weighed anchor to visit the outlying islands, Weddell, +Beaver, and New Islands, each of which is a small<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> +sheep-farm. I can hardly imagine people more shut +out of the world than their inhabitants. Years pass +without their seeing any strangers save the crew of +the little schooner that comes once or twice a year +to bring provisions and carry away the wool. Here one +has to economise; for if one runs short of an article +one remains so, though there is always a spare supply +of important things. We met several full-grown persons +who were born there and had never left the place, +and who thought Port Stanley something marvellous. +This explains the queer behaviour of a young lady of +eighteen who ran away and hid herself when we came, +thus providing us with an altogether new experience.</p> + +<p>No scientists had visited the outlying islands, and +people had told us many remarkable things about the +geology as well as the botany of the place. But though +these are typical of all parts of the West Falklands, +it was nevertheless worth something to be able to reduce +such rumours to their proper proportions.</p> + +<p>It will be easily understood that it must be very +difficult even on the greater and richer settlements +to reproduce the features of a snug and sheltered home, +where the natural conditions are so unpromising as on +the Falklands. When we steered into the narrow creek +on the north side of King George’s Bay, called Roy Cove, +we were quite astonished to find that place well worthy +of being called habitable. The hills are rather picturesque, +and the comfortable little houses, embedded +in gorse-hedges now in full bloom, left a very favourable +impression. In the creek we made a discovery that +caused us all to stare with amazement. Here lay a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> +large iron vessel, and we could not possibly imagine +what business it could have in such a remote corner. +But the enigma was soon solved: the French barque +<i>Duc d’Aumale</i> had sprung a leak on the high seas, +on her way to the west coast of America, and though +in another couple of hours she would have gone +down to a certainty, at the very last moment her +captain managed to bring her into Roy Cove with the +aid of a chart. The ocean here has many tales to +tell: almost every point or reef is connected with some +shipwreck; innumerable are the ships that destruction +has overtaken on this coast, where no beacon or light +announces danger.</p> + +<p>We had got much information about West Point +Island, and had resolved to make a fairly long stay +there if possible. When we anchored at the settlement +on the island, “Clifton Station,” on December 7, +there was no need for the owner’s (Mr. Arthur Felton) +persuasions; we were only too glad to abandon the +<i>Lafonia</i>, which continued her voyage, and to settle +on shore. Mr. Felton approximates very nearly to +my ideal of a man. Ready to enjoy life and civilization +when there is a chance, he nevertheless lives in complete +harmony with the wild camp life; interested in his work, +he tries all sorts of grasses for his sheep, but is also—an +exception to the general rule—intensely fond of +nature itself and gifted with such a remarkable capacity +for observation that many a naturalist by profession +has reason to envy him. He knows every beast or +plant on his island, he loves and nurses them, quite +convinced that the human race can live at its ease<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> +without depriving living things which do him no harm +of any chance of existence. I have never met anybody +but him who tries to save one of the Falklands’ finest +adornments, the giant tussock-grass (<i>Poa flabellata</i>), +which is nearly extinct wherever there are sheep, +much to the detriment of the coast’s appearance.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f6"> +<img src="images/fig6.jpg" alt="mollymawk"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Mollymawk Rookery, West Point Island.</span><br></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f7"> +<img src="images/fig7.jpg" alt="penguin"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Penguin Rookery (Eudyptes) West Point Island.</span><br></p> +</div> + +<p>Mr. Felton expressed the deepest interest in our work, +and spared neither trouble nor time to prove it; he +took the greatest care that we should get the best +possible results from our visit to his kingdom, +which we left after a week, not without considerable +regret, joining unanimously in the praise that has been +showered upon West Point Island. An excursion +across the island to the cliff with its steep rocks and +crevices is well worth making. Large grass-bogs cover +the slopes, where mollymawks (<i>Diomedea chlororhyncha</i>) +have their rookery. There are eggs in the nests, one +of which is more than sufficient as a breakfast dish. +To obtain these one must lift the hen away by force; +quick as lightning she turns her head, opens her long +beak, and shuts it with a click, and finally tries to turn +her crop inside out and sprinkle the half-digested, +stinking food on the intruders. On the slope above +the albatross’s dominion is a penguin rookery, where +the visitor may like to stop and look at those, perhaps +the most comical of all, animals chattering and screaming +among the pink-coloured guano. They belong to the +“rock-hoppers” (<i>Eudyptes chrysocome</i>), and are dark +blue and white, with a number of yellow feathers on +the side of the head. The penguins depend completely +on the water, and those of West Point have a hard +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>climb of over a hundred yards to the surf, where +they tumble about in a most neck-breaking fashion. +Thousands and thousands of small penguin feet have +dug deep marks in the hard rocks, climbing up and +down, century after century. Quite struck with the +uncommon sight, we sat still to watch them, as they +emerged out of the breakers, jumped ashore, and started +their fatiguing climb up the cliff, carefully putting their +little claws where their ancestors through innumerable +ages have put theirs, the road being so narrow and +difficult that the penguins willy-nilly must follow in +each other’s footsteps.</p> + +<p>As I have already mentioned, the Falklands have no +indigenous arboreous vegetation. This was not always +so. I am not alluding to distant geological periods +with a plant-world quite different from that of our era, +for even in the epoch in which we live there were forests +in the Falklands. With the deterioration of the climate +that gave rise to the ice-age large tracts of austral +South America became covered with a mighty ice-cap; +hundreds of plants and animals died out or migrated +to the north. This did not take place on the Falklands. +They experienced the hard time in another manner, +and there is no trace of a glaciation. The weather +became more chilly and wet, and the ground was so +saturated with moisture that it began to slide away +downhill, carrying with it blocks of all sizes and shapes. +The forest disappeared, and certainly a number of animals +and plants. When the conditions grew better the moving +soil came to a standstill, the finer material, sand and +clay, was washed away into the sea, but heaps of blocks<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> +are left in evidence of past times. These are the famous +stone-runs or stone-rivers, that will always rouse the +interest of the stranger as well as the islander. Everywhere +these peculiar formations are met with, forming +a network on the slopes of the valleys or long grey +streams of stones at the bottom. They constitute an +obstacle to traffic quite as insurmountable as the +swamps.</p> + +<p>We had no idea before our arrival at West Point +that there had been forests on the islands during a +period, geologically speaking, so near our own. The +rumour of heavy logs found in the ground had helped +to bring us there, though we had been disposed to +attribute the find to common driftwood. There was +no doubt, however, that this was the remains of an +old forest of needle-trees, well covered by the old +sliding soil, and we had been lucky enough to make a +discovery of the greatest interest. Long afterwards +“the kelper” spoke of nothing but the old forest—the +consciousness of the simple fact that there had grown +big trees on his island seemed to strengthen his pride.</p> + +<p>Our time was up. The signal-fire flared, and on “the +main” a man with horses expected us. We were to +experience a new phase of Falkland life—life on horseback.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c2">CHAPTER II</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">RIDING THROUGH THE FALKLANDS</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">On</span> horseback we slowly advanced along the rough, stony +northern slope of the long peninsula. Several hours +passed. We came close to the house of our guide, +an old, taciturn Scotsman, and stopped for a while at +his invitation. At once his talkative wife, attired in +her best Sunday clothes, served us with whatever the +Falklands can produce of delicious dishes, and we were +then ready for a fresh start. What would this country +be like without horses? All people ride, and ride well; +it is the only way of travelling in the camp, where +roads are unknown. At first we found it marvellous +with what agility the horses trotted along, climbing +the steepest slopes, and struggling down places that +appeared perilous enough to the inexperienced rider. +Sometimes there is danger, but soon one does not think +of it, for in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the horse +is equal to the occasion. Hour after hour one rides in +the comfortable wooden saddle without getting tired, +thanks to the soft sheepskin. The wretched ground +forces one to walk or trot, and the patches where one +can gallop one’s horse are easily counted.</p> + +<p>Our goal for the day was Hill Cove, one of the +finest settlements. With its numerous, friendly-looking +buildings and its beautiful gardens it produces an<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span> +uncommonly agreeable impression. Widely known is the +“forest” of Hill Cove. In a little depression a number +of northern trees are planted, mostly Scotch fir, which, +being well sheltered, seem to thrive very well. It was +pure delight once more to hear the wind soughing in +the heads of the trees.</p> + +<p>We were received with the usual hospitality, and were +provided with horses and guides, in spite of its being +the busiest time of the year, when the sheep-shearing +was on. Flock after flock was driven into a paddock, +and from there to the shed, where the thick white wool +was cut with clicking scissors, until one almost thought +one heard the resultant heavy golden sovereigns +jingling on the floor. Sheep-farming is a profitable +industry, and many of the farmers are able every year +to exchange the winter in the Falklands for England’s +summer.</p> + +<p>The total stock on a settlement is divided into flocks, +each watched by a shepherd, often a Scotsman. He +lives out in the camp, sometimes far away from other +human dwellings, in his snug little house, with his +family, his dogs, and with good pay; he can keep a +couple of cows, grow potatoes and cabbages, and use as +much peat as he needs for fuel. Certainly his life is +hard enough in summer-time; there is lamb-marking, +shearing, and finally dipping, and no thought of a rest; +but with winter comes an easier life, when he works +with his horse-gear or reads sixpenny books and illustrated +papers. Now and then he takes a ride round his +district, gives an eye to the sheep, and sees that fences +and gates are in order. We made many friends amongst<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> +the shepherds, who brought us safe through the +thousands of dangerous bogs, offered us a seat at their +table, and gave us a bed without any thought of payment.</p> + +<p>The land south of Hill Cove is mountainous, and a +few hours’ ride brings us to the foot of Mount Adam, +2315 feet high, the highest mountain in the islands, +and regarded as a very Mont Blanc by the islanders. +As no scientific observations had been made there, we +resolved to make an ascent. From Hill Cove we had to +cross several ravines, but were able to ride up to the +summit itself without inconvenience. Here we found +the face of Nature very different from what we had been +accustomed to! From the mountain-top we enjoyed +a splendid view over half West Falkland, suggestive of +Alpine landscape, certainly very tame, but still adorned +by small snow-patches, a number of glittering mountain-lakes, +and a few Alpine plants. Here were no sheep, but +an expanse of virgin ground decked by the hand of +Nature. And the weather! This wonderful everlasting +April was very gracious to us all day long.</p> + +<p>We did not intend to stay long in Hill Cove, for the +schooner which was to take us to Stanley might be +expected in Fox Bay before Christmas, and we had +several interesting places to visit. Our start, however, +was almost too precipitate. One of the brothers Benney +from Saunders Island came to the farm, and in spite of +not having more than an hour to make ourselves ready, +we made up our minds to accept his invitation and visit +his island. We trotted away, a party of four, in order +to reach Rapid Point, where a boat was to meet us<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> +before nightfall. But we were indeed deceived. When +we reached the beach it was already pitch-dark; but +horses have cats’ eyes, and soon we had a fine signal-fire +on a hill. After a while the reply flashed forth +from the island, but when the boat came it proved too +small to take us all, as Halle and I were not expected. +As the tidal currents in the channel are very strong, +we could not be sure of being fetched the same night. +We were told, however, to wait for a signal—one flash +meaning a disagreeable ride, two a boat journey to the +island. The night was very chilly, but we made ourselves +as comfortable as possible with a queer camp-fire +of gigantic dry trunks of seaweed (<i>Lessonia</i>), and +Mr. Benney found some tea and sugar in his “maletas” +(valise; many Spanish words, especially referring to +horse-gear, are still used in the islands), so we had +nothing to complain of. Midnight came, still no +message; but at last two flashes illumined the darkness, +and after a while we heard the longed-for splash +of oars. We set off, but as we could hardly see our +hands before us, the current took us outside the reef +between Rapid Point and the island. The breakers +told us the truth, and using all our strength we managed +to reach the reef, jumped into the water, and dragged the +boat across. Before a neatly laid table and some fat +mutton we soon forgot the adventures of the night.</p> + +<p>Saunders Island is one of the few places on the +Falklands to which historical reminiscences are attached. +The discovery of the islands took place in 1592, though +they may have been sighted even before 1520, but only +in 1764 was the first colony founded by the French,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> +who settled in Port Louis, on the East Falklands. The +next year the English appeared at Port Egmont, and +built their quarters a short distance from the actual +settlement. But soon Spaniards from South America +cast envious glances at the colony, and as the enemy +was superior in numbers the fort at Port Egmont was +given up. Old cannon-balls are still preserved, and +several other relics such as the foundation-walls of the +fortress, while traces of extensive gardens and ruins +of the old settlement are still left. Later on the +Spaniards left the place, colonisation proceeded once +more, but only for a short time, and in 1774 the place +was abandoned.</p> + +<p>We had enjoyed Falkland summer weather for several +days, but it was not long before it broke up. We were +just on our way back to the mainland in a small yawl +when the first squall came on us like lightning, and within +half an hour the sea was so heavy that we were forced +to turn back and had to cross in a small cutter. The +narrow channel looked like a boiling cauldron, as the +current ran against wind and sea; several times the +cutter refused to answer the helm, but we managed at +last to reach the mainland, where horses were once +more awaiting us. The rain poured down, the ground +was very difficult, wet and slippery, and progress very +slow. We passed the natural ruin of Castle Hill, +crossed five rivers, of which the last is the main river +Warrah, the others its tributaries, and reached a +shepherd’s house at nightfall. Horses from Port +Howard met us here, and early the next morning we +again found ourselves in the saddle. We wanted to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span> +survey the valley of Warrah River, which is one of the +largest streams in West Falkland. At that time of +the year, however, it carried but little water and we +could cross without difficulty. We followed the barranca, +which became steeper and steeper, necessitating our +riding in single file, with the guide in front. Suddenly +he stopped and shouted out a “Look out here!” +Truly we could hardly see any signs of a path; a couple +of hundred feet below wound the river, on our left a +precipitous wall rose, and the narrow way was barred +by huge blocks of stone. For an instant the horses +seemed to hesitate, groped among the stones, got a +foothold, took two or three unsteady steps, and scrambled +past the obstacle. A slip, and horse and rider would +have been precipitated into the river. “Rather a nasty +place,” our man remarked, and neither of us found any +reason to contradict him.</p> + +<p>We followed the river down to the place where the +tidal region commences, crossed it once more, struggled +a while with the network of a stone-run, and turned +towards Port Howard, whose interesting natural harbour +I would ask the reader to study on the map. Once +more we found ourselves in a large and comfortable +settlement, where Mr. and Mrs. Mathews gave us a +hearty welcome, always ready to put that question to +us which we heard so often: “What can we do to +make it comfortable for you and to help you to attain +good scientific results?”</p> + +<p>The bad weather continued; we made our excursions +in storm and rain, walking about in oilskins. One day +we made an ascent of Mount Maria, one of the highest<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> +mountains, and only a little lower than Mount Adam. +But as the ground is uncommonly bad, the slope being +one extensive network of stone-runs, we had to travel +on foot. The rain poured down as we climbed along, +and suddenly we found ourselves enveloped in a fog so +dense and white that the view was shut off in all directions. +It was certainly more by good luck than by +good judgment that we walked straight on to the little +cairn at the summit.</p> + +<p>Our stay in Port Howard yielded very good results, +and with regret we said good-bye to our hosts, jumped +into the saddle, and headed for Fox Bay on the south +coast. We were accompanied by the mail-carrier. +After a long and tiresome ride we reached our goal. +Here lives the doctor of West Falkland; on the occasion +of our visit the position was held by Dr. Bolus, who +received us with the utmost courtesy and kindness. +This young doctor was a good all-round man, for besides +his proper duties he fulfilled those of custom officer, +policeman, postmaster, and public registrar. Being a +spirited fellow who rides alone by day or night in any +weather, he had many tales to tell of hazardous rides, +when snow covered the dangerous bogs; how he reached +the western sea-shore, jumped into an ice-clad boat, +and struggled through storm and mist to one or other +of the outlying islands, where a fellow creature lay +wrestling with death.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the <i>Lafonia</i> lingered. We had already +made ourselves familiar with the thought of celebrating +Christmas Eve with Dr. Bolus and his wife—it did not +cause any mental struggle, as we could hardly have been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> +better off than in their cosy home—when on the +afternoon of December 22 the schooner entered the +narrow creek. It brought us our mail, and, from the +consulate in Port Stanley, the news of King Oscar’s +death. And down here, in a remote corner of the +Falklands, two blue and yellow flags were hoisted, half-mast, +on the doctor’s house and on the little schooner. +The next morning the <i>Lafonia</i> weighed anchor. The +wind was north-easterly, a rather uncommon occurrence, +and with some misgivings we regarded the approaching +Christmas Day. I believe that we never experienced +anything like it. The small schooner rolled incessantly +with a hard wind and heavy sea; we ran short of +provisions, and there were no possibilities to raise our +spirits.</p> + +<p>Gnawing at the last mutton-bones, we arrived in +Stanley in the evening of Boxing Day, but found the +capital empty. In a deluge of rain horseraces took +place outside the town, and of course all the inhabitants +had placed themselves under their umbrellas. But we +stayed at home and ate, quickly, but heartily. Thus +Christmas passed, and 1907 was soon only a memory. +We sat up to see the New Year in with some of our +English friends, who did all they could to make us feel +at home. And warmed by their friendship we almost +forgot that we were far away from our homes and +everything dear to us.</p> + +<p>We did not intend to stop long in Stanley, as the time +had come to survey East Falkland. We had done +but little there, and the most interesting part was still +left. As soon as a schooner was ready, Halle went to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> +Port Darwin, in Choiseul Sound; I had to complete my +studies in the vicinity of Stanley. The camp revelled +in the beauty of summer—everything in this world is +a matter of comparison!—and the life on the rocks +round the lighthouse once more attracted me. But Halle +sent a message telling of great geological discoveries, +and on January 14 I went on board the <i>Lafonia</i>, which +could thus hoist the Swedish colours alongside of the +English once more. We came out through Port +Williams all right, and also passed the tussock-islands, +where the sea-lions lay snoring. From there we had a +miserable run, having to beat all the way down, and did +not arrive at Darwin until late the next day.</p> + +<p>The south part of East Falkland, south of Wickham +Heights, does not differ much from the rest of the +island in appearance. With the exception of a very +doubtful find on Speedwell Island, nothing indicated that +layers younger than Devonian would occur on the +islands. Halle’s discovery that the whole south part +of East Falkland, generally called Lafonia, belongs to a +younger period, viz., the Permo-carbonian, was thus of +great interest, and in several places he made beautiful and +valuable collections of the fossilised remains of plants +(<i>Glossopteris</i>) which had once spread their shadow +over the Falkland soil. Lafonia is owned by the Falkland +Islands Company, and about 200,000 sheep graze +on the undulating plains. We found here the largest +pampas-like spots I ever saw in the islands, and enjoyed +being able to travel at a fair speed. Otherwise the +camp was more or less the same as usual—the same +winding creeks, that appear in the middle of the country<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span> +when you do not at all expect them, forcing you to +make a long <i>détour</i>, the same streams slowly creeping +through the treacherous peat, sometimes impassable, +and always difficult to cross on horseback.</p> + +<p>The coast, of course, is as charming as ever with its +rich bird-life, flocks of many coloured geese (<i>Chloëphaga</i>), +red-legged gulls (<i>Larus Scoresbyi</i>), flapping shags, and a +long row of squeaking waders; and its cliffs with guano +and white rocks, sculptured by the waves into fantastic +forms and tunnels.</p> + +<p>Darwin Harbour is the camp centre of the F.I.C. +It is the next largest settlement, with about seventy or +eighty inhabitants, and boasts of a good store, a school, +and also a doctor.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f8"> +<img src="images/fig8.jpg" alt="stone-run"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The great stone-run south of Port Louis, East Falkland.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>When we had crossed Lafonia in all directions we +wanted to pay a visit to the west coast. Several days +of heavy rain had soaked the camp and delayed our +start, but finally we were able to set out, accompanied +by Dr. Foley, who kindly acted as our guide. We soon +left the plains and reached the usual broken ground; +the wind was biting cold, and now and then a wet squall +paid us its attention. Suddenly a long creek appeared; +it was Port Sussex. The tide was out, and our horses +splashed across cheerfully, making deep imprints in +the smooth mud. Carefully they climbed the stony +barranca on the other side; as they were not shod +they hated stony places, and peered to right and left in +order to see if there was no chance of breaking out. The +doctor had pointed out a rock high up on the grey +quartzite ridge; that was our landmark. The ascent +was troublesome; the ground had become covered by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>loose peat and the horses began to get tired. On the top +of one of the ridges we met with a critical passage, +for which the doctor had already prepared us; a place +where the pure peat, brown and loose, was exposed. +At the edge the horses stopped with firm resolution, +and we could read in their faces a “No, sir, that’s +enough.” We dismounted, grasped the long cabresta +(halter-strap) and pulled away. Absolute refusal; we +pulled each at his end, the horse and I, and the stronger +won. Then the lashes hailed down on the back of the +insubordinate creature, it took a desperate jump, lay +kicking and struggling in the black mud, and finally +gained firm ground. We had passed the crest of Wickham +Heights, and rode down a series of slopes to San +Carlos South, a farm where the doctor was to vaccinate +some children. As soon as he was ready, we started +again. Night was coming on, and we neared our +goal, the San Carlos valley, where the largest river +of East Falkland winds its way along, deep and rapid. +On the other side sharp crests rise, and at their foot +we sighted the settlement, San Carlos North, where we +were received with the same kindness as ever. The next +day we returned to Darwin. I was anxious to return +to Stanley, but delayed my departure as long as possible, +as I wanted to make an ascent of Mount Usborne, the +highest mountain in East Falkland. But the rainy +season would not come to an end, and finally I had to +leave for the town. This time I took the route overland. +I asked Halle if possible to climb the mountain +and make some observations for me, and as he was able +to fulfil his mission I had no reason to complain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span></p> + +<p>The track to Port Stanley follows the southern slope +of Wickham Heights. It is one of the very worst in +the islands (especially after a long rain like the one we +had experienced), and near the town stone-runs appear +with dangerous holes, covered by vegetation. We +changed horses twice, and easily covered the distance, +about sixty miles, in two days. Covered with mud and +soaked to the skin, I rode into the town on February 1. +Only twelve days were left till the day when the mail-steamer +for Punta Arenas was due, and much work +had still to be done. Amongst other things I would not +willingly leave the islands without paying a visit to +Port Louis, where J. G. Andersson and myself had +lived some time during the winter of 1902. Port Louis +is the classical ground of the Falklands. Here lie the +ruins of the old settlement; here Charles Darwin +strolled about; here J. D. Hooker collected materials +for his famous “Flora Antarctica”; here the <i>Challenger</i> +was anchored. All these memories crowd upon the mind +of a naturalist of to-day and cast a halo round the brown, +desolate heath.</p> + +<p>Several historic ruins are left in Port Louis. Here +in 1764 the first settlement was established by the +French; a few years later Spain took possession of it, +but probably withdrew the garrison before 1780. In +1820 the captain of a vessel took possession of the +islands for the Government of Buenos Aires, but in +1833 a British man-of-war was sent to enforce England’s +rights, and since 1843 the Falklands have been constituted +a Crown colony. For further details I refer the +reader to Darwin’s journals, as well as to a paper read<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> +by the present governor, Mr. W. L. Allardyce, C.M.G., +at the meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, March 22, +1910. During the last days of our stay in Port Stanley +everybody was walking about rife with expectation. +A man-of-war, H.M.S. <i>Sappho</i>, was due, and from the +camp the young ladies came to the town prepared for +a dance or a picnic. Some years ago a man-of-war +used to be stationed in Stanley for several months +every year, and opposite the town expensive constructions +were made, a dock was built, and large coal-sheds +erected. But hardly was it ready when the whole +scheme was abandoned, even the stationed vessel being +withdrawn, much to the grief of the Stanley girls.</p> + +<p>At last the <i>Sappho</i> came, but by this time our period +of rest had nearly elapsed. Halle returned from Darwin, +we had to prepare our heavy luggage, and when the +<i>Oronsa</i> let her sonorous voice be heard she found us +ready. On February 12, a bright summer day, the +barren coasts of the Falkland Islands disappeared from +our sight—perhaps for ever.</p> + +<p>The big steamer hastened westward, and soon the +lights at the Magellan Straits twinkled in the twilight. +As we approached Punta Arenas the sky shone bright +red, and with the glasses we soon found out the reason: +the forest south of the town was on fire; it made a +mighty lighthouse that showed us the way to the roads, +where we anchored at 1 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> on February 14.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c3">CHAPTER III</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">In</span> front of us stretches the long, yellow, sandy sea-shore, +with slender jetties running far out into the shallow +water; in the background rises the land, with forest-clad +ridges and hills. Between the forests and the sea +extends Punta Arenas, the town of the Magellan +territories, a good type of mushroom city with a startling +story of development behind it. In the last ten years +its population has greatly increased, and more than +12,000 people now have their home there—Chileans +and Spaniards, Germans and Englishmen, Frenchmen +and Italians, Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Russians, +Austrians—a babel of tongues. Pretentious stone +buildings, interspersed with corrugated-iron houses, +dozens of hotels and American bars, howling gramophones, +the rattling of cocktails in the mixing—that is +the first impression. We take up our quarters in the +traditional retreat for Swedish scientists, the Kosmos +Hotel, a low, white-plastered building on the sandy +beach.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f9"> +<img src="images/fig9.jpg" alt="roads"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Roads of Punta Arenas, south-wester blowing.</span><br></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f10"> +<img src="images/fig10.jpg" alt="punta"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Punta Arenas from the Hills.</span><br></p> +</div> + +<p>We now found ourselves under changed conditions +and with a starting-point for our work where we knew +nobody and where we had to do with authorities +speaking a language not very familiar to us. I had +almost expected that Quensel would be back from his +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span>survey of the interior of South Patagonia, but there +was not even a message from him. Neither had we +received any reply from the Chilean Government, and +the entire future of our expedition would possibly +depend upon their answer. So we started at once with +short excursions in the neighbourhood; Halle found a +vast field for work in the coal-mines in the narrow valley +of Rio de las Minas. A few days after our arrival +we had just returned home when our landlord, the ever +kindly and good-humoured Brockow, told us that a +Swedish gentleman had just arrived and wanted to +make our acquaintance. Judge of my astonishment +when we found him to be the highest representative +of Sweden in Chile, Consul-General A. Löwenborg, +who had employed a short period of leisure in running +down to Punta Arenas in order to welcome us and render +us assistance in our dealings with the authorities. I +know that if I now tell him that we shall never be able +to thank him sufficiently for all he did for our expedition +during its work in South America, or for the hearty +personal friendship he showed us, I do not say too much.</p> + +<p>Now we could begin preparations for our first excursion +in real earnest. The governor of the territory, +Señor Chaigneau, received us with great courtesy, and +Mr. Löwenborg brought the answer from the Government +that the naval station in Punta Arenas had already +received orders to do everything possible to promote +our success. The chief, Rear-Admiral B. Rojas, put +the small steamer <i>Huemul</i> at our disposal for the first +voyage—to Admiralty Inlet, in Tierra del Fuego.</p> + +<p>These preparations having been made, we completed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> +our party. We were sitting at the dinner-table one +evening when a wild, red-bearded camp-man entered +the dining-room in the Kosmos; it was Quensel; and +we instantly followed him out to the courtyard, where +his servant for the summer, the German Albert Pagels, +was busy unsaddling the horses. In the most glowing +terms they gave us a brief description of their travels +in the most remote part of the South Patagonian Alps, +so prolific in results that from that moment I longed +to go there myself, but entertained little or no hope of +being able to do so, as this lay beyond our original +scheme.</p> + +<p>Now we could make ready. The horses were sent to +a paddock, we bought hay, maize, and provisions, and +looked over and completed our equipment; for once +alone in a virgin country nothing could be procured. +When I had discussed Pagels’ qualifications with Quensel, +I engaged him for the trip, and asked him to bring another +man with him, and as a result a fellow with the not +particularly uncommon name of Müller joined our +party.</p> + +<p>Now follows a hurry and a scurry and a sorting of half-packed +boxes! Is nothing forgotten? The <i>Huemul</i> +is waiting at one of the jetties, the last nails are driven +into the lids of our boxes, and finally the cart jolts +over the bumpy streets of Punta Arenas. All of us +work like niggers; bags of maize, bales of hay, and boxes +of all shapes and sizes are taken on board. Now only +the most difficult affair is left—the embarkation of the +horses. We tried various devices, but at last found +that the only way was to use the derrick on the jetty.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> +A lifebelt of special construction was employed, and +wild with terror the animals were hauled swinging and +kicking high up in the air, to land safe and sound on +deck. We felt easy when all four had been transferred, +but there was not much left of the limited deck space.</p> + +<p>As Punta Arenas is a town full of temptations, we +went on board in the evening in order to be quite sure +of getting off early the next morning. At daybreak, +February 25, our vessel left the roadstead. Our +first visit was to Dawson Island, where the Roman +Catholic Salesian mission station has long been established. +They have partly converted the land into a +sheep-farm, with Indians as labourers. The station in +Harris Bay is an imposing collection of buildings. +We went on shore, and were very well received by the +missionary, a stout and shining <i>padre</i>. He had already +found time to send the boys to make themselves presentable, +and they appeared in more or less queer dresses, +but looking rather well-brought-up. Few of them +were pure Indians: mostly they betrayed a rather +mixed origin, a fact perhaps somewhat remarkable at a +mission station! Under the guidance of the missionary +we went round the place, inspecting the church bedecked +with cheap finery, the school, the small saw-mill, and +so on. Certainly they have seen to it that the hitherto +empty life of the natives shall find a real object and +meaning. One thing, however, is of little account—the +Indians themselves. According to what the bishop +in Punta Arenas, Monseñor Fagnano, told me, there are +only forty-five in the station, most of them Onas, but +there are also some Yahgans and Alookoloop. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span> +number is gradually diminishing. It is the old story; +the natives are subdued or won over, put into clothes, +forced to live in houses, and turned into labourers; +in some cases perhaps their life gets easier, but with +the kind of civilization imposed on them, absurd and +more than shallow, there follow diseases and a misery +unknown before. What the naked Indians can stand +is too much for Indians in European clothes; they pine +away and die in “the true faith.” But perhaps there +dwells in the depths of their expiring souls a question +never uttered: “What have we done that we should be +taken away from our land, that we should be exterminated +from the face of earth?” How many of them +there are who really consider themselves indemnified +by the liberal and, alas! cheap promises of a place +in the special heaven of the Church that “rescued” +them I cannot tell. But how men can imagine that by +putting people whose mental life has proved to be so +little developed and so utterly different from our own +on the seats in church and in school they can be got to +grasp those intricate dogmas that have caused and still +cause so much hatred and dissension amongst ourselves—that +I confess myself unable to understand. +I should, indeed, like to hear a religious dispute between +a Lutheran and a Catholic Ona-Indian!</p> + +<p>To-day there is much spoken and written about the +necessity of preserving natural scenery, rare animals, +&c., and all naturalists encourage the general tendency +which has already evoked special laws in various +States. But we seem to think more of remarkable +animals than of human races. Could we not at least<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> +refrain from directly preventing the continued existence +of interesting forms of <i>Homo sapiens</i>?</p> + +<p>Most of the male inhabitants of Dawson Island were +away working in the camp, and we only saw some sick +or feeble ones, who were seated outside their doors +making Indian curiosities, to be sold by the missionaries +in Punta Arenas. In a special house the women were +occupied in spinning. The camera was familiar to +them all, and with the aid of the missionary I was able +to take a group, but it was more difficult to obtain +permission to snap them in the costume of Adam. +However, I managed to take photographs of an old +married couple of Alookoloop, but they anxiously +asked me not to show them to anybody. <i>Cuisc-shiku-toreluk-scisc</i>, +my good fellow, your brown skin still +glistened under the miserable rags you wore, besmeared +as it was with stinking grease, that called forth old +remembrances! Have you then forgotten that you are +baptized and call yourself Brasito and that it is strictly +forbidden to practise such uncivilized customs?</p> + +<p>I asked them in Spanish, a language their tongues +convert into a scarcely intelligible lingo, how their lives +pleased them and where they came from. “She comes +from afar,” the husband says, pointing to his wife. +“From the channels far west?” She nods assent, and +adds: “There we were so many, so many, and now”—her +voice expresses desperation and helplessness—“all +dead, all dead!...”</p> + +<p>But all round us in the forest dozens of images and +pictures of saints bear witness to the triumph of Christian +civilization.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p> + +<p>A fresh breeze met us when we steamed out of the +mission bay, and the <i>Huemul</i> rolled with might +and main. Our horses had some very disagreeable +hours; they were not far from falling overboard, +or at least getting injured. After a short consultation +we resolved to seek shelter from the rapidly +increasing gale. There are very few harbours in +Admiralty Inlet, and probably none better than Puerto +Gomez, where we anchored; a true Fuegian cove, +with the water-soaked virgin forest coming down to +the water’s edge, with steep, wooded ridges all round and +snowy peaks in the background. The autumn scarcely +shows its presence here, only the grass on the beach +is more yellow than usual, but the forest itself stands +as fresh and green as ever, even if the few flowers are +still fewer. That day the winter sent us its first warnings, +and we awoke to a splendid though hardly welcome +sight: the summits shining white, the ridges powdered +with snow, and a light cover on the branches of the +evergreens down by the beach. But the squalls +grew less frequent, the sun spread broader and broader +golden stripes over the bank of clouds, and once more +we tried our fortune afloat. Halle and I inhaled this +fresh atmosphere in deep draughts. The enviable +Quensel had just come from Payne, but we who saw only +dirty colours in the Falklands thoroughly enjoyed +the black mountains, the white snow, and the bluish +ice of the glaciers. Farther and farther into the deep +fiord we steamed, the mountains closed round us on +each side, and in the innermost corner, called Hope Bay +on the Admiralty chart, a pretty place where deciduous-leaved +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span>forest patches shimmer in the first crimson of +autumn, the <i>Huemul</i> anchored.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f11"> +<img src="images/fig11.jpg" alt="betbeder"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Back from the Betbeder Pass.</span></p> +<p class="caption2">SKOTTSBERG IN MIDDLE, QUENSEL TO LEFT, PAGELS TO RIGHT.</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f12"> +<img src="images/fig12.jpg" alt="indians"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Indians at the Dawson Mission Station.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>First we had to bring the horses ashore. Here luck +helped us in a peculiar manner. Outside Dawson +Island we found a lighter adrift, a runaway from Punta +Arenas, and it came as though sent on purpose. The +animals were lowered down from the davits, once more +half dead with fright, but soon recovered when they +found the good pasture along the shore. Our equipment +was put in a heap on the shingle, and we set out to look +for a comfortable camping-place, and soon found an +inviting corner on the edge of the wood. Instantly we +pitched our tents and hoisted our little Swedish flag. +At the request of our friend Captain Mayer we returned +on board, had our dinner with the officers, and slept +there. Early on the 28th the <i>Huemul</i> steamed out of +the bay, hooted us a good-bye, and was soon out of sight. +We were left to ourselves for a month.</p> + +<p>But we had not yet reached our goal. Towards the +east we had to follow the valley of Rio Azopardo, and +there, behind the woods, is the big lake, Lago Fagnano. +The distance is only eight miles, but these few miles +have a very bad reputation. Some remarks on explorations +prior to our own might be mentioned +here. The first proper description of the lake and +its surroundings we owe to the well-known Boundary +Commission of Chile and Argentina, which finished its +work here in 1895, and had then erected a cairn at each +edge of the lake to indicate the boundary-line; the +members had also effected some boat-journeys and had +constructed a map. The natural history still remained<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span> +unknown, and the Swedish expedition in 1896 under +O. Nordenskjöld resolved to pay a visit to the big lake. +He and his companions had their encampment not +very far from ours, and we found some traces left by them +and others of the Boundary Commission; especially a +wooden corral, which we put in order and used ourselves.</p> + +<p>Nordenskjöld was only provided with food for a +fortnight; he brought many people with him, and a +rather big boat, intended for the navigation of the Rio +Azopardo. This, however, proved impossible, and he +was never able to make a camp on the lake. Accompanied +by one man, he made an excursion on foot, +crossed the valley of Rio Betbeder, and saw from the +slope of a mountain, probably Cerro Verde, that a pass +over the main ridge, called Sierra Valdivieso on the +Chilean map, very likely existed. The pass itself can +hardly have been visible from the spot where he stood. +Of the nature of the lake this expedition has very little +to tell: Nordenskjöld alone got close to it.</p> + +<p>In October 1902 J. G. Andersson, well known as a +member of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition and the +leader of its winter-journeys, managed to reach the eastern +end of the lake, using a road cut through the forest +by the brothers Bridges of Harberton, a track that united +their vast camp at the Beagle Channel with that on the +Atlantic coast. He brought a small canvas boat and made +some zoological collections from the lake, but everything +got lost in the shipwreck of the <i>Antarctic</i>, in February +1903. Consequently we had an open field for work; +but time was valuable, as the winter might come any<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span> +day. I think that autumn is the best season for travelling +in the interior of Tierra del Fuego; summer has +dried the innumerable bogs and made them to some +extent passable, and the rivers, that all come from the +eternal ice and snow, do not carry as much water as +they do earlier in the year.</p> + +<p>We set to work without a moment’s delay. One of +the officers on board the <i>Huemul</i> had told us that some +of those indefatigable prospectors had left some sheep +on a small island not far from our camp, and we sent +Pagels there with our canvas boat (on the Berthon +system), which was now launched for the first time. +Müller was left at the tents, and we started on foot up +the Azopardo valley in order to survey a suitable track +for the horses. We only carried a couple of ship’s +biscuits each for provisions. The first mile did not look +very bad. It was, however, impossible to follow the +bank of the river, as it is covered by an almost impenetrable +brushwood of <i>Nothofagus antarctica</i>, one of the +Antarctic beeches (ñire). We followed the slopes of a +mountain-ridge south of the valley; sometimes the ground +seemed very dry and firm, sometimes we had to walk +knee-deep through red and greenish-white peat-moss. +Now and then we came across a forest patch where we +had a hard struggle with innumerable fallen trunks, +marshy places, and thorny bushes. But we thought +that an axe might open a way for horses, especially +along the guanaco tracks. Arriving at the top of a +hill, we stopped in mute admiration. There between +steep mountain-chains we beheld for the first time +Lago Fagnano in the far east, melting together with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> +sky and mountains in a blue haze. It was still early +in the day, and in spite of our meagre supply of provisions +we resolved to continue our march down to +the lake. And we had good luck. We were just +climbing the barranca of Rio Mascarello when we +discovered a guanaco not more than ninety feet from +us, grazing in unconscious security. We had not been +observed, and a ball from our Winchester sent it into +eternity. The meat was certainly very welcome. We +had counted on living upon game, and had only brought +some preserved meat for excursions. The big steaks +were greeted with applause; one piece we put in a +knapsack for dinner, and the rest was fixed on a tree +out of reach of foxes and birds.</p> + +<p>The guanaco (<i>Auchenia huanaco</i>) is closely related to +the lama. When with straightened neck it slowly turns +its small, elegant head, pricks up its ears, scenting danger, +it makes a very pleasing impression of something at +the same time strong, swift, and graceful. The nose +is grey, the back covered with a reddish-brown wool, +the throat and belly white. The thighs are red-brown, +the legs white. Smaller or larger herds wander about in +Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia, mostly on the pampas, +but also at the edge of the forest-zone on the slopes of +the Cordillera, where green patches and rich Alpine +meadows are their favourite grounds.</p> + +<p>We had already passed several “pantanos” (peat-bogs), +with red, swelling tussocks sharply contrasting +with the dark-green forest patches, but we now came +to that part of the valley where all the open spaces +are filled with marshy ground. We could cross all right<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> +if we chose our way, but we at once realized that the +horses would never follow our example. Here the +forest gets still worse, the river runs close to the mountains, +only leaving a very narrow space. To cut our way +round bogs and forest higher up on the slope was not to +be thought of, and further progress looked doubtful. +But it was better here and there, and we felt hopeful +till we came to the last mile. No horse would ever +come through that; we should have to carry our own +luggage.</p> + +<p>We stood on the shore of Lago Fagnano. This fact +did not elate us unduly; it was simple enough to walk +there; but the thought that we had reached our +longed-for lake on the same day as we landed afforded +us some amusement. With gathered driftwood we +made a good fire and dried our clothes. Fixed on a +stick, the guanaco meat soon became a regular “asado” +that tasted very good, with a biscuit and water from the +lake. A few yards from the shore we found a suitable +place for the night in a grove of <i>Nothofagus betuloides</i> +(coiguë), the evergreen Antarctic beech, and beautiful +Winter’s bark (<i>Drimys Winteri</i>), and we made our beds of +fragrant branches round a roaring fire that sent showers +of sparks through the dark night. The sky was clear and +cold, but we maintained the fire and slept well for a +while with the knapsack as pillow. We had not brought +our sleeping-bags.</p> + +<p>The ground was covered with hoar-frost when at +dawn we crept out of our nest. After eating the last +piece of biscuit we walked back to our camp, keeping +a desultory look-out for new tracks for the horses.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span> +How inviting the camp looks on our return! the tents +shining white at the forest’s edge, in the pots our dinner +cooking with a cheerful sound, and at a little distance +our horses grazing peacefully! Is there a truer sense +of happiness and freedom than when the tent or the sky +is your roof, the ground your bed, the camp-fire your +hearth? In front of us, on the other side of the fiord, +Mount Hope raises its jagged porphyritic mass, and icy +crests peep forth behind it. The sun beams from a +clear blue sky—it is still summer in Tierra del Fuego.</p> + +<p>Pagels had not seen any sheep, but had shot some +kelp-geese (<i>Chloëphaga hybrida</i>), which, however, are +generally considered as inedible. We had not been +able to find our store of guanaco again when we returned +from the lake, so, untroubled by a belief in the omniscience +of authorities, we prepared the disdained geese +and ate heartily of the dish.</p> + +<p>The first day of March was occupied by Halle and +myself in a survey of the valley of Rio Fontaine, which +discharges into Admiralty Inlet. Its nature closely +resembles that of the Azopardo valley. Quensel and +Pagels went to look for the guanaco meat and found it. +In the evening we collected all the things to be brought +up to the lake with the first transport, and at night +everything was ready. One of the horses had been +injured in landing, but the rest were saddled early the +next morning, and the first caravan, under the direction +of Quensel, soon disappeared among the hills. The +next day Halle and I made an ascent of a mountain +behind our camp. The worst part of a Fuegian mountain +is the forest belt, but sometimes one may get<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span> +help from the winding paths of the guanacos. Thence +one wanders free and happy over meadows adorned +with flowers or across slopes of rattling stones, where +small herds of guanacos with elegant tails gallop away, +neighing merrily. From a summit we had a very fine +view of the lake and the surrounding landscape. As +we were studying it through the glasses we discovered +some black specks at the bottom of the valley—the +caravan coming back—one, two, three men, one, two, +three horses. Good! At once we hastened down to +the camp, anxious to hear their experiences, in which +truly the trip had been rich enough. The track surveyed +by us was of little use—the dry ridges where we +had walked so hopefully were covered by peat, hardened +on the surface, but not strong enough to carry the weight +of a horse. Each horse had nine times been bogged so +badly that it had to be unloaded, dragged out of the +peat, and loaded again—twenty-seven times altogether! +After eight hours’ desperate effort a distance of four +miles was covered, and the cargo had been deposited +at the Mascarello river. Thus it was evident that we +should have to carry all the luggage for the rest of the +way. We hastily selected provisions for fifteen days, +packed our 8-feet collapsible Berthon, and divided everything +into two horse-loads, as one of the horses had +proved unfit for transport of that sort. The rest was +put together in a depot, and early on the 5th we struck +camp.</p> + +<p>We advanced slowly and without adventure till we +had passed the first small tributary, when bad luck +attended us. The horse with the boat and tents was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span> +badly bogged, capsized with his cargo, and lay groaning +under the heavy load. To make matters worse, it +happened on a steep slope, and we barely managed to +save him from tumbling down into the river. Standing +knee-deep in the loose peat, we unloaded him, turned +him round, and got him on his feet again. He bled, +but not very much. To give him the same load was +impossible, as the ground grew worse still, but Müller +and Pagels took the boat on their shoulders and continued +the march. Now the horses had an easier march, +but were of course bogged now and then. We dragged +them across the worst places, one hauling at the cabresta, +the two others walking by the side of the staggering +animal supporting it. Nevertheless we got on, cheered +the depot, and sent the horses back. I continued the +way with our men, and we brought three loads up near +to the lake. At nightfall we all gathered at Mascarello, +and soon forgot our troubles round a mighty fire, +although a treacherous trunk made me capsize the +appetizing pea-soup, just as we were ready to devour +it with the appetites of lions. Another spell of impatient +waiting was spent in discussions of what the coming +day might have in store for us. We all felt that now +the real hardships were about to begin.</p> + +<p>The loads were distributed in a very simple manner. +Everybody took as much as he could carry, and a procession +of five individuals started. Progress is not rapid, +the steep riverbanks make our knees bend and our backs +ache, the sun broils us, impudent flies torment us. +The conversation is not very lively. Somebody throws +his burden down, the others follow his example; we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span> +straighten our backs, wipe our brows with dirty shirtsleeves, +and fall flat on the ground; mechanically we +chew a biscuit or a piece of chocolate—there is no time +for dinner. Up again, through the thickets, where +thorny bushes scratch our faces and bare arms, where +every minute the load is caught in the dense branches, +where mouldering trunks trip us up; through the bogs, +where the oozing surface makes walking heavy work, +through the ravines, where we <i>must</i> stop to drink the +pure, cold water that comes directly from the melting +snow. What delight when we catch a glimpse of the +lake! With a sigh of relief we throw off our burdens +on the shore. Here we found the boat and the flour-bag +left on the previous day, and we pulled round a +cape and landed in a sheltered bay, called Expedition’s +Cove. We walked back again to Mascarello in order +to make an early start the next morning. Some things +were left there as a reserve depot, the rest we took on +our shoulders and trod the same old wretched way again. +Thus our camp at the lake became a reality, our first +destination was settled; the Swedish colours floated +in the heart of Tierra del Fuego.</p> + +<p>The tent door is wide open. In most cases the chilly +mornings tempt us to enjoy the warm comfort of the +sleeping-bag for another five minutes, but to-day it is +not possible. Not a leaf moves. The lake lies shining +like a mirror, only furrowed by a mated pair of patovapores +(steamer-ducks or loggerheads, <i>Tachyeres cinereus</i>), +that glide away chattering merrily. The mountains +on either side rise clear and sharp against the sky, +one behind the other like gigantic wings; close to us<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span> +dark green with shades of red and violet, on the crests +they gradually change into a bluish grey. In the +background the rising sun over the water, a splendid +white sun, promises us a magnificent day, sending us +its greetings and illuminating every corner of our +camp. Out from the bags, a speedy toilet, and as Pagels +announces “Porridge is ready” we gather round the +cauldron. Round the fireplace we put some big logs +as sofas, make ourselves comfortable, and with often-repeated +words of praise consume large quantities of +oatmeal porridge and coffee with biscuits—and if three +or four guanaco steaks should happen to go the same +way, there is nothing to say against that. The work +may be hard, but days like this make everything +easy, mapping or geology or botany. The sunbeams +play on the velvety moss-carpet, with infectious +laughter the stream falls down the precipice. Can any +but bright faces gather round the fire when twilight +falls over Lake Fagnano? Fixed on a stick over the +embers our asado is roasted, delicious enough to make +one’s mouth water. The teapot sings, we light our +pipes—this is the hour for stories. Pagels has an +inexhaustible supply of stories from real life, for he has +indeed seen a little of everything. What do you say to a +fellow of thirty, who has been sailor in the German +navy, boatswain, sealer, gold-digger, who has traversed +half Patagonia on horseback, has smuggled troops into +Central America, and assisted at the capture of Peking +during the Boxer rebellion? He was indispensable on +our boat-journeys, the type of Teutonic giant, used to +all sorts of tricks on shore as well as on sea. Certainly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span> +he did not hide his light under a bushel. Sometimes he +would make us half desperate with his patent dodges; +he was always so absolutely sure that it wasn’t worth +while to try any other method than his—that there +could not exist a better! Müller, with his pale face +fringed with a big black beard, was more timid, but +when he loosened his tongue we soon found him to be a +rather well-read man, who was up to date in many +things, especially in politics. He had arrived from +Brazil, shook his head at the Fuegian weather and +pulled his cap over his ears. After dinner, just when +we are ready to go to bed, he puts his private kettle +on the fire and the <i>yerba</i> or maté makes the round. +Night has come; Prince, the expedition dog, is asleep +with a guanaco bone, and the last embers show us our +way to the tent.</p> + +<p>The first days we were very busy with detail-work +in the vicinity of our cove. Halle made a map, Quensel +studied the geology, and I myself made botanical +excursions, tried the boat, and took soundings in the +western corner of the lake. But we could not put off +the excursion to the Betbeder passage over the mountains, +to which I have alluded before, and on March 10 +we started, Quensel, Pagels, and I. In our knapsacks +we carried a pair of socks and provisions for +four or five days; the sleeping-bags were tied to the +sacks. After a hard climb up the slippery slopes, +sometimes on our hands and knees, we reached a +ridge, but the view to the main Cordillera was still shut +off by several summits. To the left there was no way, +to the right was a peak sloping sheer down to piles<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> +of sharp-edged slate-blocks. Pagels had hastened +ahead, and shouted to us that he could see a way +round the summit. With great care we groped round +the precipitous wall, making use of fissures and +narrow shelves that gave way under our weight, +and after climbing some hundred feet more we finally +reach the eternal snowfields at a height of about 3000 +feet.</p> + +<p>We stopped here a while in order to get an idea of +our position and to make up our minds how to continue. +The view was certainly splendid. All round us bright +green Alpine meadows, black <i>débris</i> or white snow, +below the small characteristic valley-basins, sometimes +occupied by a small glacier or furrowed by icy brooks, +surrounded by an emerald-green moss-carpet and the +last flowers of autumn. If we compare the Alpine +flora of Tierra del Fuego with, for instance, that of +Europe, the former without doubt is left far behind, +but nevertheless it has the same peculiar stamp, the +same gay colours. Our looks sweep over the plateaus; +not far from us our destination, Sierra Valdivieso, +rises, and in the distance the summits of Darwin +Mountains, one of the highest parts of Tierra del Fuego, +shine like diamonds. Silence and desolation reign over +this height; only a single guanaco neighs and takes +to flight, and a condor majestically soars over our +heads.</p> + +<p>As to the direction in which we should find the pass +the maps had misled us; we had made a long <i>détour</i> +and the day’s labour had partly been thrown away. +We were forced to climb down into the Betbeder valley<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span> +and follow it up to the pass. Without hesitation we +left the mountains and dived into the brushwood. +I think that we shall not easily forget this expedition. +The tough branches clung round legs and arms, and only +after we had lost our patience did we really make any +progress. The mountain-wall falls off nearly at right +angles; when the hands grasped for the branches +the legs touched the heads of other trees beneath, +and more like monkeys than human beings, dirty and +soaked, we reached the yellowish-brown bogs in the +valley. We found a dry hillock with a nice carpet of +diddledee (<i>Empetrum rubrum</i>), and spread out our +sleeping-bags there.</p> + +<p>The night was chilly, but we awoke to another fine +day, and porridge and coffee soon put new life into us. +The way was always more or less wretched; several +streams with ice-cold water were crossed without +ceremony: we emptied our boots, wrung our socks out, +put them on again, and were all right. Some stretches +were covered by tall forests of “roble” (down here +<i>Nothofagus pumilio</i>). Several times we crossed the +Rio Betbeder, making use of fallen trunks as natural +bridges. By-and-by we climbed upwards with the +valley, and soon beheld a beautiful mountain, called by +us Cerro Svea; most interesting as differing widely in +geological features from the surrounding country. The +river disappeared in a deep gorge, but we struck it again, +and were able to follow it with the eyes up to a glacier +with beautiful edge moraines on Mount Svea, whence +most of the water comes. We crossed the river for the +last time, worked our way through the belt of brushwood,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span> +and found an open space big enough for our bags and +comparatively dry. As we had three hours left before +nightfall, Quensel and I at once climbed the ridge +behind us in order to look for the pass. Being hard up +for meat, we had brought the Winchester, and came across +a small herd of guanacos at a height of about 2500 feet. +They were too far off, and we started to stalk them; +perhaps we should have been successful had not the +mountain-fog, thick and impenetrable, come down +upon us, and with it a snowstorm. From a crest at +about 3300 feet we saw the herd hurry away down +towards the valley on the other side of the pass. But +we had also seen something else before the foggy wall +shut out everything round us. Beneath our feet +stretched an unknown valley, red, brown, and yellow +like the Betbeder valley, and in numerous serpentines +a river wound through the peat-bogs, coming from the +glaciers on the south side of Mount Svea, while in a +side valley we perceived a small mountain lake that +discharged into the river. Then the curtain fell; violent +snow-squalls forced us to return, and, groping in the +<i>débris</i>, half blind with the snow, we came down to the +fire with the night. Snow continued to fall, but supper +tasted better than ever, and the flakes quickly melted +in the hot cocoa. Later the sky cleared, Cross and +Centaur glittered. “We’ll have a dry night,” we said, +and crept into the bags.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f13"> +<img src="images/fig13.jpg" alt="valley"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Betbeder Valley.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f14"> +<img src="images/fig14.jpg" alt="svea"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Mount Svea, With Glacier and Moraines.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>It was a strange awakening. Certainly I had felt, +half asleep, that the bag was growing heavier and that +water was trickling in from the “pillow” (my coat and +trousers), but I shook off the snow, pulled the hood +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span>tighter round my head and slept again. I jumped up +on hearing Pagels’ “Aber, Herr Doktor,” and looked +round. The landscape had changed. Certainly Mount +Svea had been white and glistening before, but now—here +was winter. All round us everything was white +and clean. The sleeping-bag was covered two inches +deep, more or less, our boots had disappeared, our clothes +were soaked. It was not especially agreeable to put +them on, but there was no help for it. The fire half +dried us, and then we had breakfast.</p> + +<p>The sky is blue, the sun is already melting the snow, +no time must be lost. Pagels was sent to shoot a +guanaco—Prince had not had anything to eat since we +left Lake Fagnano. Quensel and I walked to the pass +and down along the slopes of the new valley; the river +we named Rio Rojas, after the admiral in Punta Arenas; +it is the same river that discharges into Lake Acigami +near the Beagle Channel. The new lake was named +Laguna Löwenborg. Probably we were the first white +men here. We have been told that in old times Indians +used to cross the mountains from Azopardo to the +Beagle Channel, but we do not know if this be true or +not; if so, they would have used our pass, Paso de las +Lagunas, as we call it. Its height above sea-level is +about 2100 feet. It was a matter of some disappointment +that we did not see the Beagle Channel. Pagels +had followed the other side of the valley, climbed a +peak, and saw from there two sheets of water. To +judge from his description one of them was Yendagaia, +the other the Beagle Channel itself. Moreover, he +brought back the best pieces of two guanacos; and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span> +Prince could hardly walk back to the camp, so much +had he devoured!</p> + +<p>The weather had changed once more. It did not snow, +but rained hard instead; however, we resolved to stop +one day more, provided that the sky was clear enough. +The next day opened with mist and rain, so we could +do nothing but return. It did not matter much that +the rain poured down; we were as wet as we could +possibly be, and only the interior of our sleeping-bags +was still dry. It was not easy to find a dry spot for +the night’s camp, and still less easy to make a fire. +But after an hour’s work we had a nice blaze. It +rained all night and all the next day, but we went on. +The forest seemed denser than ever, the streams were +swollen and rapid, and we felt it a relief to wade through +the open bogs along Rio Betbeder down to the lake. +In the camp everything was in perfect order. Halle +was ready to undertake the proposed trip across the +mountains north of Fagnano and down to Lake Deseado; +and accompanied by Müller he set out over the lake +to a suitable starting-place. Pagels and I were busy +preparing for a boat-trip, and early on the 16th we +loaded the cargo. When everything was on board, +the rifle, provisions, sounding-lines, nets, sleeping-bags, +&c., we had so little room left for ourselves that we had +to sit very uncomfortably. From the shore we had seen +some small islands; we set our course for them, and +found them interesting enough, as they showed beautiful +traces of the glacial age in the form of moraines, erratic +blocks, and polished stones. The direction of the +morainic ridges and the origin of the blocks showed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> +to a certainty that the ice had moved west-eastward +here. Later in the day I found new proofs, and with +regard to plant geography, a subject I desired to study +more specially, I had a rare chance of following step by +step the gradual change of evergreen into deciduous +forest. At 3 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we passed the remnants of a cairn +with a tripod of rough sticks on the top of it: we were +now in Argentina! Now and then an inquisitive +guanaco looked at us from the forest’s edge, but soon +withdrew, and flocks of screaming paroquets flew among +the heads of the roble-trees. But no trace whatever +of Ona Indians was to be seen. A small forest-clad +island appeared to us a suitable camping-place, and at +nightfall we landed with great care.</p> + +<p>Good luck was almost necessary for us. Only for +a few days in the month is Lake Fagnano calm; +generally a fresh westerly breeze keeps up a heavy sea. +The lake is about fifty-six miles long, and we had +now covered one-fourth of that distance. Another nice +day and we should have done our work.</p> + +<p>Through the canvas and blanket I heard a soft murmur—only +a little breeze—and we breakfasted with strong +hopes for a good day. But we were greatly deceived. +The wind increased, and when we finished our meal +there were already white crests on the billows. The +sky promised a gale, but as we did not want to be idle +we pulled across to the shore, where we strolled about +along the beach. We returned at the last moment +and got some water in before we reached our island. +I had plenty of time to survey our position. Seldom +was the impression of virgin ground so strong as here.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span> +No guanacos ever come there; the grass is <i>never</i> grazed +upon, but grows in enormous beds where one sinks +down to the knees through piles of dry blades. Several +plants that were quite familiar to me in other places +here grew to a gigantic size and were hardly to be +recognised. What a difference between this place +and the Azopardo valley! We are in the zone of the +<i>roble</i>: the dense, dark-green groves with the thick, +water-soaked carpet of mosses and liverworts has +disappeared; so has also “canelo,” or Winter’s bark, +one of Flora’s most beautiful children in the far south. +The forest is dry, the green colours bright; dry is the +moss-carpet, and out of the thick layer of fallen leaves +slender forest herbs peep forth. Our island is a little +paradise, but nevertheless we want to take leave of +it as soon as possible. All day passed, and all night +it blew hard enough to make the big trees wave and +groan; in the morning the sea ran as heavy as before. +The situation became still less pleasant. The next day +we expected Halle back, and he could not reach the tents +without a boat. Our provisions were almost finished, +and we found nothing to shoot. We looked for berries, +and found “calafate” (<i>Berberis buxifolia</i>) and “chaura” +(<i>Pernettya mucronata</i>); we had also some biscuits left.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the wind died away. It was already late, +5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, but we did not linger a moment, loaded the boat +and left the island. Our little nutshell quite disappeared +in the troughs of the waves. We could not go further +east—probably the next day would bring us a strong +head-wind on our return. We crossed the lake and +were just close to the northern shore when we caught<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span> +sight of a tiny column of smoke rising out of the forest—Indians, +some of the last families still living the old life. +However, we could not stop, but preferred to take +advantage of the fine weather. The night was very +dark; we made only one halt, at a place where Indians +had had their camp long ago, as the guanaco bones +gave evidence.</p> + +<p>On our return we sounded and got our greatest depth, +seventy fathoms, close to the island. A series of soundings +show that the bottom slopes gradually to the east; +the deepest part is probably west of the middle. Early +in the morning we were back “home,” where Quensel +and Prince received us. Halle had not shown any sign +of return, but his signal came later in the day, and +Pagels was sent with the boat to fetch him. He had +penetrated to the mountains north of Lake Deseado; +no natives were seen, but otherwise he had had a bad +time. The comparisons Müller made between Brazil +and Tierra del Fuego were not in favour of the last-mentioned +country.</p> + +<p>We had reason to be contented that we were all back, +for the same day a storm came on, the end of which +we hardly saw. The last excursions were done with +the rain pouring down. The <i>Huemul</i> was expected on +the 25th, and three days earlier we struck camp. The +cargo was, of course, not so large; no provisions were +left; and, besides, Pagels undertook to pull the boat +with some less fragile things down Rio Azopardo, in +spite of the rapids. Quensel had to follow alongside +the river and give Pagels a hand with the landings. +The rest of us divided what was left of our equipment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span> +and set out. I believe we never worked so hard before. +I shall not try the reader’s patience with another detailed +description: let it be sufficient to remark that the bogs +were frightful after the severe rainfalls, that we were often +stuck, while a never-ceasing rain increased the weight +of our load at every minute. Soaked to the skin and +without the possibility of getting dry clothes, we reached +the depot at Mascarello, and after a while Pagels and +Quensel also came in. They had managed their +business well enough; only once the boat had struck a +rock in one of the rapids and filled with water, and some +things belonging to the cargo were carried away for +ever by the current. But Pagels reached the shore +before the little craft sank. They told us that the boat +was on the shore at the foot of a barranca, where it +would be impossible to pull through the cañon, as the +place must be described as really dangerous. As the +barranca was very steep they could not carry the boat +without help, so we all went to the river, and found the +place so steep that we had to slide down to the water, +grasping the roots of the trees or whatever else we could +get hold of. We transported everything past the rapids, +and managed to fix the boat behind some bushes that +kept it from falling into the river, and the other things +were hidden as well as we could hide them. But +evidently we had not been careful enough, for when +our “sailors” returned the following day they missed +several things, amongst them all our supply of meat; +clearly the foxes had been there and done good business.</p> + +<p>Halle and I made no haste, but waited till the rain +had ceased a little, packed our cargo, and waded through<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span> +the clay down the river. But there we stopped. Was +this our old innocent Mascarello? A yellowish stream +whirled along the stony, invisible bed! I tried to cross, +but close to the shore the water reached high upon my +thighs, so we could not venture with our heavy cargo +in the rapid current. We waited a while, and divided +the last piece of meat between us. Only a few handfuls +of flour were left of the provisions, and I resolved to +risk baking it in the frying-pan. I made proper dough +with some baking-powder, greased the pan with the +last dirty grease left, put a lid on, and covered it with +hot cinders. We waited anxiously, but when I appeared +with delicious bread my triumph was complete; it +tasted excellent. In vain we surveyed the river +down to its junction with Rio Azopardo; nowhere did +we find a place where we could cross it, and we had to +stop another night in our wet clothes. It rained all +the time, but we were happy to get a cold morning, +that made the water-level in these glacier streams sink +rapidly. We crossed without delay, the rain ceased, +and a fresh gale soon dried our clothes. We could +hardly recognise our old place at Hope Bay. The forest +was changed into a swamp, and the beautiful open +space where we had pitched the tents was a lake; the +taste of the water plainly showed that the sea too had +penetrated hither during our absence. Luckily enough +we had placed our depot above this unsuspected +flood. We soon found a new place. Halle and I, who +arrived first, at once set to work to pitch the tents, +when suddenly a signal announced the arrival of the +<i>Huemul</i>. The officers came ashore, anxious to get news;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span> +we could not promise to be ready that same day, there +being still things left in the depot at Mascarello.</p> + +<p>Quensel and Pagels arrived with the boat. Müller, +who had fallen behind, and, according to his custom, also +got lost, finally appeared, and we were gathered round +the fire occupied in devouring the delicacies left in the +depot when a message came from the <i>Huemul</i> telling us +that she had damaged her engines and wanted to repair. +As Hope Bay is anything but sheltered, she had to +leave us once more, but the captain promised to be back +on the 26th. He went to Puerto Gomez. We were very +glad to get another day, as the horses only came half-way +to Mascarello, and for the rest the things left +there had to be carried.</p> + +<p>In due time the <i>Huemul</i> arrived. Well-known, dark +clouds appeared on the sky, and made us hurry up as +much as possible. The horses had to swim, and two +of them came on board quite exhausted. And we did not +embark without adventure. We were just on our way +to the ship with a large, heavy boat, the cargo being so +bulky that only two oars could be used, when suddenly +a heavy squall came on. We were ten minutes off from +the vessel, but were driven back in spite of our energetic +efforts, and almost before we knew it we were among +the breakers on the shore. We had no choice; we +jumped into the water, passed the things along, and +pulled up the boat. On board they grew anxious +and blew the whistle, but we could do nothing but wait. +At last we took an opportunity between two squalls; +standing in the water to our waists we loaded the boat, +got out of the heavy surf, and came on board. But we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span> +were so delayed that we stopped the night where we +were.</p> + +<p>On March 27 we saluted Hope Bay and proceeded +westward, but did not get out of the inlet. A head-wind +and a heavy sea showed us that it would be too much +for our poor horses, so we sought shelter once more +in Puerto Gomez. Here a little scene happened that I +often recall to memory and will not keep from my +readers. In Punta Arenas the cabin-boy had smuggled +on board some nasty stuff, I believe absinthe, which is +strictly prohibited, and his friend the cook had got +drunk. The captain tried and sentenced them without +hesitation: they had to undress, and were thrown +into the sea with a rope round the waist. In the ice-cold +water they had an opportunity of repenting of +their sins. This method was said to be as effective as +it is simple.</p> + +<p>From Puerto Gomez we went straight to Punta +Arenas, where we arrived on the 28th, and at once +started to prepare for the next trip.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c4">CHAPTER IV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">OTWAY WATER AND SKYRING WATER</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">During</span> the Swedish South Polar Expedition of 1901-1903 +the question of surveying the great Otway and +Skyring Waters also had been discussed, but we could +not proceed further. At that time the inner part of +Skyring was completely unknown, and, as it later became +evident, a geographical discovery of great importance +was in store. Already, before the outburst of the great +Peruvian War (1879) the Chilean Government had started +a survey, but the war put a stop to all work of that +kind, and it happened that a long period elapsed before +a new investigation was undertaken. Not until 1902 +did we get news from Skyring. Then, however, Captain +Ismael Gajardo discovered the channel later named +in his honour, a channel which unites Skyring Water +with a bay from the Magellan Straits, the Xaultegua +Gulf. Thus the “white spot” began to disappear, +and in 1905 the Government published a new Admiralty +chart of Otway and Skyring. But many scientific +problems awaited solution, and, as far as we could, we +wanted to contribute towards it. I submitted a scheme to +Admiral Rojas, and, having gained his approval, we prepared +for the new excursion. We were to use the same +vessel, the <i>Huemul</i>, commanded by L. Diaz Palacios, +captain in the navy. We engaged Pagels for this trip also. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span>On April 11 we steamed out into the Straits. As a +period of storm had prevailed for some days, we got +a very heavy sea, which made the small ship roll in a +most perilous manner; the clinometer indicated 33°, +and I believe one seldom gets more. We remained on +deck, enjoying the grand spectacle of a turbulent sea. +At nightfall we reached the San Isidro Lighthouse, +one of the very few down here. The morning was +bright, and we weighed anchor early, but had not +proceeded many miles before the storm recommenced. +We could not venture to pass Cape Froward, but had +to seek a harbour, where we stopped all day. Cape +Froward, or Forward, is the southernmost point of the +American continent. Here the heavy seas from the +strait and from Magdalena Channel meet, and here, +too, is the limit between the April weather of the east +and the west’s rainy mist, dense as a wall. The point +also is of appropriate shape; it lies like a big clenched +fist. Next day we rounded the cape and entered Jerome +Channel, connecting Otway Water and the Straits. It +is very grand scenery, and if you look at the west shore +you will believe that you are in the Western Channels, +with their high mountains, dark forest patches ending +in snowfields, fine cascades, and waters, black and deep, +close to the cliff.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f15"> +<a href="images/fig15big.jpg"> +<img src="images/fig15.jpg" alt="otway"> +</a> +<p class="caption">OTWAY AND SKYRING WATERS.<br> +<span class="greentext sans">(click image to enlarge)</span></p> + +</div> + +<p>Our first station was Cutter Cove, where several years +ago was found copper ore in considerable quantities, +to work which a company was formed. Here we got +a good idea of a rather tragic chapter of Patagonian +history. Prospectors and mining engineers, often without +the slightest right to such a title, collected like flies<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span> +on a piece of sugar. Every day new people had mining +claims granted to them; the deposits were described +in glowing terms. At once people in America or Europe +formed companies, sometimes with a big joint capital. +The gold-fever raged, and it was taken for granted that +immense riches <i>must</i> exist in Patagonia! Engines and +machinery were bought, houses built, and then the end +came. For as soon as work was started one or another +disagreeable discovery was made: the quantity of ore +was too small, the quality inferior, or the methods +unsuitable; and the company failed! Speaking of +claims, I cannot help telling the following story. When +we went to Admiralty Inlet, and the newspapers in +Punta Arenas reported the fact, a poor fellow who had +once prospected for gold there laid claim to a big piece +of land, evidently dreading that we should get sight of +his sleeping millions. The day after our departure his +claims were published. Heaven knows what he had +not found in the way of valuable things down there, +all carefully enumerated. We do not envy him, +however, for there was absolutely nothing there to +speak of.</p> + +<p>After having visited some places on the south side +of Otway Water, we crossed it in order to follow the +north shore. The land here gradually rises towards +the interior of Riesco Island; the slopes are clad with +tall forests. In the south part it is covered by the evergreen +trees that by-and-by are mingled with the light +green roble (<i>Nothofagus pumilio</i>), which reigns alone +for a short stretch. Where the water narrows to Fitzroy +Channel the country once more changes its nature,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span> +and we are on the edge of the Patagonian pampa, where +groves of <i>N. antarctica</i> form a brushwood. Of course +these changes depend upon the climatic conditions, +especially the decreasing rainfall.</p> + +<p>At several places we saw traces of habitation. In +one little snug harbour, surrounded by a beautiful +forest, full of screaming paroquets, and with the wild +fuchsia (<i>F. magellanica</i>) still in bloom, was a small +abandoned saw-mill; at another place we saw human +beings, who fled as soon as they caught sight of us. +They must have had some reason to hide, and probably +the uniforms of our naval officers frightened them.</p> + +<p>On April 16 we anchored at the entrance to Fitzroy +Channel, connecting Otway and Skyring. It is a very +narrow, shallow, and crooked passage, through which +the tide rushes at a great speed. The passage entails +innumerable changes of direction, soundings, and great +caution. The shores are flat; we have entered the +pampa zone, and find the outposts of civilisation on +both sides. Los Amigos, where we had the doubtful +pleasure of staying longer than we wished, can boast +of two hotels, stores, an American bar, and a billiard +saloon. We had some work to do there, as we made +an interesting discovery of stratified clay from the +glacial age, but when we were ready to leave, Skyring +was not at all willing to welcome us, to judge from the +south-westerly gale, which caused us to drag anchor more +than once. We made an attempt to enter the open +water, but encountered some heavy seas, that swept +the whole vessel and led us to turn back. You must +not forget that the <i>Huemul</i> only boasts 180 tons! Not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span> +until the 22nd could we repeat the attempt. The waves +still swept over the decks, but the north coast afforded +some shelter, and we cast anchor in Puerto Altamirano. +We had gone westward again and back to the forest. +Here lives the pioneer who has penetrated furthest +west, a Frenchman, M. Guyon, in his lonely blockhouse. +Here he has lived several years with his +wife and his children, some hundreds of sheep, some +cows and hens. The house looked poor, but clean, and +the mistress made some nice coffee and showed us all +the kindness she could, insisted on our taking the last +raspberries in the garden, and finally made us a present +of a fine head of cauliflower. Happy, contented people! +We pressed their hands warmly when we said “Good-night” +to them and “Good-bye” to houses and people.</p> + +<p>All traces of man have not disappeared, though they +present themselves in a different way. It is a bright +morning when we come pulling towards Isla Escarpada +(<i>i.e.</i>, the Precipitous Island) to look for a place to +land. And lo! the cliff opens, we glide into a charming +cove, where the waves break softly on the fine white sand, +and on the shore is a confusion of green Winter’s bark, +rich in foliage, and high-stemmed beeches, clothed with +tiny mosses and thin, elegant hymenophyllums, thickets +of fuchsia and large-fronded ferns. In this peaceful +paradise stood the skeletons of two Indian huts; shells, +bones of seals and birds proved that they had been +inhabited not long ago. Could we only have called up +the wretched brown figures, the picture would have +been complete. This encounter with natives’ work put +us in a reflective mood: here was a Nature, still virgin,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span> +with man as one of her numerous beings, not as the +absolute master, and here we stood, members of the +white race which makes all originality vanish under its +hands.</p> + +<p>The landscape in the west part of Skyring has a great +deal in common with the famous Patagonian Channels. +Everywhere long, narrow inlets penetrate far into the +Cordilleras. Some of them are extremely beautiful +and exhibit the true fiord-nature, with the entrance +barred by a threshold and deep water inside; but the +steamer cannot enter, and one has to pull in in small +yawls. For the most part the scenery is perhaps more +sombre than grand. Generally heavy clouds rest on +the black, splintered crests, so heavy that even the ice-fields +lose their whiteness; the reddish bogs and the +deep, dark forest patches, which cling to the steep cliffs +and get thicker and closer towards the sea, becoming +a solid, impenetrable covering to everything down to +the water itself, make a solemn impression. You hardly +hear a bird sing or an insect hum. But even here +Nature may smile; when the sun rises over precipitous +summits, that stand clear against the sky, and paints +the forest with light green bands and the snowfields +with pink; or when the midday light is reflected with +the splendour of diamonds from the glaciers, where +caverns and cracks gleam with that magnificent blue +colour, varying from deep cobalt to light ultramarine. +Then you also notice all the more minute details in the +forest, that you hardly pay any attention to when the +rain is pouring down and fog is on the water. I do not +speak as a botanist now, for I naturally found the forest<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span> +as interesting in the bad weather, and I had every reason +to rejoice at the results of my studies in Skyring. The +geologists also were contented; they got a natural +section through the mountains, older layers appearing +as one proceeds westwards.</p> + +<p>We still hoped to meet Indians. In many places we +found abandoned huts, but never the natives. We had +heard of a passage made by Indians from Excelsior +Inlet to Obstruction Sound, and spent a day visiting +it. The inlet is barred and the ship had to stop outside. +We found the way, but I shall tell of it in another +connection.</p> + +<p>Estero de los Ventisqueros, the Glacier Inlet, is one +of the longest and most narrow, penetrating south-south-west +far into the Muñoz Gamero Peninsula. Its innermost +part was hardly known, which gave us a special reason +for going there. The entrance is very narrow, and has +the character of a rapid stream. Up it we forced our +way between stones and heavy logs. The stream seemed +to us somewhat strange, and we were not surprised to +find the water in the inlet fresh, a lake having been +formed where the tide played no part. Between imposing +mountains, clad with snow and glaciers, we pulled +towards the end, round a point that has shut off the +interior, where was the gigantic glacier, stretching a +tongue out into the water, which is full of ice. The +ice-wall is about half a mile broad, and has a height +of about 90 feet. We spent some hours here collecting, +and late in the evening came back on board very pleased +with our day and anxiously waiting for the next, when +we were to make the acquaintance of Gajardo Channel. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span>The outer part produced the same impression as the +other inlets we had seen, but it gradually became very +narrow, and finally no passage could be found. We +had reached the place called Angostura de los Témpanos, +or Icefloe Narrows, where even rowing-boats can hardly +pass. Here the tidal current rushes through a narrow +gorge over stones and reefs at a speed of up to eight +knots. Heaps of ice from the surrounding glaciers are +brought to and fro through the Narrows, and have given +rise to its geographical name.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f16"> +<img src="images/fig16.jpg" alt="sound"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The bottom of Ventisqueros Sound.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The <i>Huemul</i> anchored close to the cliff, a boat was +lowered, and we set out to pull through; we had the +tide against us, though not with its full force, and hardly +got away from the spot in spite of eight men at the four +oars. At great risk we got past the whirlpools round +the shallow places. Excitement could be read in all +faces, and with loud “hurrahs” we came out into +calmer water. To our right a small inlet opened, and +as we rounded the point the sight of the glacier in the +background called forth renewed cheers. I think I +have seen much ice in all shapes and forms, but hardly +anything that made so strong an impression on me. In +frozen cascades it comes through a narrow chasm, +broadens out again, and protrudes into the green, transparent +water with a tongue 100 feet high, crowned by +millions of fantastic needles. Hardly a fleck on it, but +what a play of bright colours—Prussian blue, ultramarine, +and cobalt! In silence we rested on the oars, +watching the sight. There was a narrow crevice in the +rock at the edge of the ice where we could land; on one +side we had the glacier, on the other the high ice-clad<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span> +cliff; huge pieces had fallen down where we now stood. +As the place looked dangerous, we hurried on with our +observations; now and again the big glacier discharged +large pieces of ice, giving rise to a swell, that made our +position uncomfortable. Quensel got specimens of the +rocks. Halle and I found some Alpine plants that +thrive at sea-level, refreshed by the cool breath from +the icy surroundings.</p> + +<p>We had just left when with thunder a large ice-block +plunged down into the water, followed by a wave so +great that an accident might easily have happened +had we remained there; the place was swept by water +and pieces of ice, and we had trouble enough to keep +the boat clear from the rock where we landed to watch +the imposing spectacle. As we did not want to stop +with the ship near the Narrows, the anchorage being +miserable, we resolved to go back. Pulling along the +cliff, where a hanging glacier looked down on us from +above, happily enough without paying us any other +attention, we arrived at the critical place, and beheld +a sight not particularly encouraging. Our calculations +had failed; the current had turned and rushed full speed +in the opposite direction, playing with the icefloes that +were on their way to the other side of the pass. We +tried, but were caught by a whirlpool, and were only +saved by the efforts of the oarsmen from being crushed +against the rocks. We crossed and landed on the east +side, and climbed the rocks to look at the surroundings. +On the other side it was not possible to get along, on +this we could certainly pass if we kept at a height of +30 to 50 feet above the water; we should thus be able<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span> +to get down on the north side and signal to the ship. +But the boat? We could not leave it there. We had +almost made up our minds to wait five or six hours +when Pagels made a suggestion: he thought it possible, +though dangerous, to climb along the precipice, dragging +the boat by the painter, which was rather long. Step +by step we advanced. It was not easy to find foothold; +the tiniest shelf was taken advantage of; our fingers +grasped the smallest irregularities on the face of the high, +precipitous cliff. The boat seemed to cling to every +irregularity or projection; the current pressed it against +the cliff with such force that some of us had to jump +into it, cutting our fingers in trying to fend it off. We +got past the worst rapids and gained a place where the +mountain sloped gradually down to the water. Another +critical moment: we all embarked, only Pagels, firmly +squatted on his broad hams, pipe in mouth, still grasped +the painter. Ready with the oars! Pagels swung the +bow round, jumped into the boat, and at the same +instant four oars dipped and strained against the +current. The least carelessness and the boat would +have been hurled back into the rapids again. A +last effort, making the oarsmen drip with sweat +in spite of the cold weather, and we were back on +board.</p> + +<p>It was too late to look for a new anchorage. We +lay in a very disagreeable and rather unsafe place, the +bottom being rock and the water deep close to the shore, +where several shoals unexpectedly appeared. Now +and then a strong puff of wind came from the high +mountains, giving us a foretaste of the weather we should<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span> +get. We had hardly got on board when the ship went +adrift; hastily we got sufficient pressure in the boilers +to heave up and anchor again. There was not much +repose on board that night. It was pitch-dark, the +channel narrow, the current strong, and the shore +dangerous. The captain had thrown himself on a sofa +with his clothes on, and we were disturbed by heavy +boots tramping over our heads, and every ten minutes +soundings were taken in order to see if we were drifting. +At 5 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> I heard the noise of heavy squalls, and noticed +that the vessel trembled in a curious manner, as if she +were aground. I fell asleep once more, but woke up +with the engines working at full speed and the hull +shaking terribly. I was right; we had dragged anchor +and struck a flat rock, not more than 100 feet from the +shore. With the engines alone we made no progress, +but we tried a kedge with better result. Nothing +serious had happened, and in the grey dawn we steamed +out of Gajardo Channel.</p> + +<p>A few words on the peculiar hydrographic and biological +conditions in Skyring Water might be of some +interest. As the narrow and shallow Fitzroy and +Gajardo Channels are its only connection with other +water, the tide is hardly noticeable, the difference being +only some few inches. From glaciers and rivers volumes +of fresh water are discharged into Skyring, and the +result is brackish water. That the organic life is influenced +thereby is evident: the plant life is different, +seaweeds are miserable, no big kelp is found, and animal +life is very poor.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f17"> +<img src="images/fig17.jpg" alt="sound"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The entrance of Excelsior Sound.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>In the central and east part of the large water several +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span>landings were left, and we crossed from north to south +and <i>vice versâ</i> a number of times. The country further +east has nothing of the wild beauty of the west, but is +not less interesting. The tertiary layers were surveyed +by Halle at two places, Mina Magdalena and Mina +Marta. On the last-mentioned place you may see a +Patagonian mining enterprise in its last stage—ruined +houses, rusty machinery strewn all over the ground. +The coal was no coal, which the “engineers” did not +discover till everything was ready for a start, but lignite, +whose value may be scientific, but hardly more. Halle +found plenty of fossils.</p> + +<p>When we came back to Los Amigos we wanted to +make some additional excursions in Otway Water, but +unhappily there is a telephone line to Punta Arenas, +and the admiral requested us to return as soon as we +could.</p> + +<p>This made us pass Jerome Channel at night; the +captain did not like it, but he had been asked to do it, +if possible. We were not very pleased at returning so +soon. It was a fine evening; we had crossed Otway +Water, and the <i>Huemul</i> made its way along the coast +of the Jerome Channel, where mountain and water +merge into black darkness. We were approaching the +outlet, when the engine suddenly stopped. The current +is in our favour, thus giving us a moment’s breathing-space. +What’s the matter? The engineer does not +know; something has gone wrong; he cannot risk going +any further. “But we shall drift ashore within a +minute or two,” the captain shouts; “we must continue.” +Again we try, very slowly; a noise of thunder is heard<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span> +from the big cylinder, as if the cap would burst. A +conference is held. We cannot reach a safe harbour; +the nearest is Arauz Bay, but the water is dirty there, +and it is not sheltered from the prevailing wind. However, +we try again, and being outside the harbour a +yawl is sent ahead to make soundings, and by means +of fire-signals the officer in it leads us to an anchorage.</p> + +<p>The damage proved to be very serious. We had +broken the shaft, and there could be no thought of repairing +it here; all we could do was to keep it tight till we +could reach Punta Arenas. Good luck had helped us +hitherto—had it happened half an hour earlier we might +have lost the ship—but we still wanted a good deal. +The bay is open to the south-west. If a gale comes +now, when our fires are out—what can we do? We +<i>had</i> good luck; all the time the rare north wind blew! +After working without a moment’s stop for thirty hours +the clever engineer declared all to be ready, and on the +evening of May 4 we were back in Punta Arenas again.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c5">CHAPTER V</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">THE PATAGONIAN CHANNELS</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">The</span> scheme proposed for the next excursion was a +cruise in the Patagonian Channels between the Magellan +Straits and the Penas Gulf, during which we wanted +to pay more particular attention to the natives. As +Halle could expect little if any result from a trip in these +parts, it was resolved that he should take up his work +elsewhere and meet us in Ancud, on Chiloé, in the beginning +of July. On May 9 he departed for Rio Grande, +in Tierra del Fuego, whence he brought back fine collections +of tertiary fossils. After his return to Punta +Arenas he travelled on horseback along the Brunswick +Peninsula to the place where Darwin long ago collected +the first specimens of Magellan fossils.</p> + +<p>Our expedition, however, got another member. On +several occasions I had discussed the Channel trip with +one of our new friends, Captain José Bordes, <i>piloto +mayor</i> in the Chilean navy, and intimately acquainted +with those parts and their population. He very much +wanted to go with us, but could not, of course, simply +leave his service, and he proposed that I should ask +permission for him from the senior in command of the +navy, Vice-Admiral Montt, in Valparaiso. The latter +readily granted my request, and Bordes got a telegraphic +order to take part in the expedition.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span></p> + +<p>But at first it seemed difficult to get a suitable vessel. +Admiral Rojas declared with a smile that the expedition +had already accounted for one ship, viz., the <i>Huemul</i>, +and besides she would have been too small and uncomfortable +for an extended journey. Of the two other +vessels stationed at Punta Arenas, one was of no use +to us, but the other, the <i>Meteoro</i>, a twin-screw steamer +of 650 tons, very well fulfilled our requirements. Unfortunately, +she was bound for a run to San Felix Lighthouse, +taking with her an engineer, sent by the Government +to effect the preparatory work for the proposed +Marconi installation between Valparaiso and Punta +Arenas. All telegrams between the Magellan territories +and the rest of Chile have to pass Argentina, an ordinary +overland wire being an impossibility and a submarine +cable being considered too expensive. After her return +to Punta Arenas, the <i>Meteoro</i> had to visit the Evangelistas +lighthouse, and thus it would be a long time +before she could be at our disposal. Through the kindness +of the authorities the difficulties were surmounted; +I proposed that we should take part of the expedition +to the Evangelistas rocks, and from there proceed +directly to the Channels, and the Admiral assented. +This was rather an advantage, for we won another +station which we had never hoped for. Still one small +difficulty remained: we wanted to get an interpreter, +a Spanish-speaking Indian, but could not get one in +Punta Arenas. We had to put off this quest, and +Bordes told us he would try to persuade one or other +of his Indian acquaintances in the Straits to come +with us.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span></p> + +<p>On May 21 we left the sunshine behind and once more +disappeared in the rainy west. We anchored in Port +Gallant, where Indians used to pass, selling their otter-skins +to an Austrian, who lives there, and has done so +for many years, with a native woman. Few Indians +were there now, but amongst them was a middle-aged +woman, who knew Bordes very well and had great confidence +in him. At first she had strong apprehensions +about coming with us, and it required all Bordes’ +eloquence to persuade her to take the decisive step on +to the deck of the <i>Meteoro</i>. I now have the honour of +introducing to my reader Mrs. Akichakwarrakwiltee—thus +she calls herself. Her mission name, Emilia, is +more handy, though not so euphonious. She became +quite an indispensable assistant; she persuaded her +countrymen to come on board, explaining that the +instruments were not to torture them with, that we +were no “Cristianos malos”—evil Christians—which +words are inseparably associated in the mouth of a +Channel Indian. Every evening I sat with her in the +laboratory, she always crouching on one of the plant-presses, +trying to teach me a little of her marvellous +language, compared with which both Irish and Scotch +appear quite civilized tongues. Unfortunately, her +knowledge of Spanish was too superficial for grammatical +studies, and I had to be very patient to make +her understand. A great drawback was that in +Spanish she always spoke of herself in the third person, +as children often do.</p> + +<p>It was funny enough to study her in her new surroundings. +She came on board dressed in some queer rags<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span> +and with naked legs, and we could not help laughing +when she walked about like a fine lady in a grey gown +trimmed with red velvet, and a green cape, over which +her black hair fell thick and wild. And in this dress +she became a member of the Swedish Magellan Expedition. +At first she did not seem very pleased with her +new life, walked alone, silent, and almost ill-humoured, +but we soon gained her confidence, and she gradually +became more communicative. One night when, as +usual, we were sitting up talking I wormed some of her +story out of her. She had been caught by the missionaries +and was brought to Dawson Island with her +husband and children. She had three of them, one so +big, one so big, and the third so—she measured with +her hand above the deck—and “she was such a nice +little girl,” she added. But they lived in a “bad +house”; all fell ill and died, and she was left alone. +How she managed to get away from Dawson Island +I do not know; anyhow I congratulated her. She +did not want to go back.</p> + +<p>The <i>Meteoro</i> heads west. More and more barren +grows the landscape, more and more dwarfed the forest, +colder the storm and fog. We have left the continuous +coast and steam through the archipelago. Home, +sweet home! Hundreds and thousands of islands, +skerries, rocks, with a cluster of stunted trees on the +lee side, smooth rocks with some grass where only sea-birds +breed. We have left the untidy slate and have +reached the granite zone, where the glacial epoch has +created the same skerry-nature as in Sweden. The +more we look the stronger grows the likeness; we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span>dream ourselves far away, the beeches become Scotch +firs, the foreign sea-birds our common eiders and +gulls....</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f18"> +<img src="images/fig18.jpg" alt="channel"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Our interpreter, Channels of Patagonia.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f19"> +<img src="images/fig19.jpg" alt="channels"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Two Channel Indians.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>We made for a harbour in the offing. With Bordes +on board we could make short cuts not marked in the +charts, through interesting passages and narrow channels +not exceeding 300 feet broad, and in some places so +narrow that we almost touched the fringe of giant kelp +(<i>Macrocystis</i>) on each side, and anchored in Puerto +Cuarenta Dias, the Forty Days’ Harbour—a name that +holds a story: here a vessel is said to have waited forty +days before it could approach the Evangelistas rocks. +This perhaps is somewhat exaggerated—I dare not +dispute it; anyhow, a week’s waiting is not a rare occurrence. +For us it was of the utmost importance to land +on the rock without delay, otherwise the whole voyage +through the channels might be a failure. No wonder +that we watched the daybreak on May 26 with great +anxiety. We had enjoyed light breezes from north and +east, rare but all the more welcome for that, and calculated +that subsequently the regular westerly swell—nothing +less than the whole Pacific Ocean!—would have +died down enough to make landing possible.</p> + +<p>Rain and a grey, thick sky and a water like lead met +us as we swung out through the last skerries and made +for some black spots on the horizon. These are the +famous Evangelistas rocks. Through the glasses the +lighthouse can be seen. The motion of the sea is comparatively +gentle, and the occasion seems to be favourable; +however, it is no child’s play to land there. We +pass the black Pan de Azucar (Sugar-loaf), and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span> +<i>Meteoro</i> anchors in deep water between two high, black +slate rocks, one of them crowned by a small lighthouse. +We went with the first boat, steered by the steady hands +of the boatswain over the soft switchback of swell +towards the point of the rock that is honoured by the +name of landing-place; were it not for the name nobody +would suspect it. The sea does not break there, but +only plays with the boat. One moment we are lifted +high up, the gunwale scratching the rock, the next the +retiring wave bears the boat back deep down among +the giant kelp-masses, now for a second laid bare like +innumerable slimy serpents, that the capricious surf +winds into graceful patterns. Eight above our head +rises a rough slate wall about 30 or 40 feet high, and +some men stand on the top of it, waving their hands—presumably +they are glad to see us. A rope hangs +down in a long loop, by which means the boat is kept +in place, and we are told to use it as we climb. Bordes +is the first to try, old and used to it as he is. The main +thing is to mind one’s p’s and q’s: when a wave lifts +the boat up to the cliff one must jump, without losing +a second, on to a shelf two or three inches wide, slippery +with green algæ—without the rope one could hardly +keep one’s footing. If you do not want the next wave +to attack you in the rear you had better look lively, +climbing and crawling with the assistance of projections +and the rope: finally you are on safe ground and have +“gone on shore” on Evangelistas. We had but one +adventure. A young officer got a cold bath when +he jumped, that was all.</p> + +<p>The three lighthouse-keepers gave us a hearty welcome.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span> +No wonder; a worse prison than theirs it is difficult to +conceive. Even on a short visit like ours one feels a +certain oppression, as of a prisoner behind a curtain +waved by storm and rain. A high, for the most part +quite barren, rock, steep on all sides; the vegetation a +swampy moss-peat, giving way to the pressure of your +feet; a small lighthouse, trembling in the frightful +gales which give these parts of the world their bad +reputation; day after day drowned in floods of rain +mingled with the sprinkle of the breakers; many miles +from the nearest shore, hundreds from civilization, +from which a message is sent some few times every year, +when (always with difficulties and often with dangers) +provisions are landed—that is what life on Evangelistas +is like! I should not advise anybody with a melancholy +turn of mind to settle there.</p> + +<p>It was interesting to find the slates again so far west—on +very few places do they appear outside the granite +zone. We had soon collected specimens of the poor, +miserable, and scanty plants and animals, but it was +long before all the stores had been landed. They were +hoisted up with a derrick, worked by hand, and consequently +so slow that people prefer the more hazardous +ascent on their hands and knees. It is curious to think +how the iron supports, not to speak of all the materials +for the lighthouse, were ever landed. The story of the +lighthouse would be worth a special chapter.</p> + +<p>Sitting on a bag, we allowed ourselves to be lowered +by the tiny wire down into the boat, that with great +care was kept beneath us, 60 feet below—a quick as well +as a comfortable manner of getting away from the island.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span> +On board the captain was more anxious than ever. The +winter days are short, the mist was not far off, and we +must reach Cuarenta Dias before nightfall. When at +3 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we weighed anchor the fog was already so dense +that the islands were lost to sight within a few minutes. +The water here in the offing is very dirty; we tried to +make Cape King, but the current played us a trick and +suddenly some nasty black needles loomed out of the +thick veil on the port side; we were amidst the reefs—within +the “danger-line.” The course was changed; +Bordes was persistent and we tried again; but night +came on, and we were forced to spend it running to and +fro in the entrance of the Magellan Straits, guided by +the flashes from the wee lighthouse, that has saved more +than one Vessel from making nearer acquaintance with +the ill-famed Cape Pillar.</p> + +<p>The next day we could start our work in the Queen +Adelaide group, where many detailed geographical +observations are still waiting to be made. We visited +Pacheco Island and went out by Anita Channel—just at +the most difficult spot—when a fog, so thick and white +that we could not see the rocks close at hand, descended +over the water. Of course there is no danger of collision; +nevertheless it caused some anxiety among the officers. +The fog vanished as quickly as it had come, and we +proceeded to Viel Channel, where for the first time we +met the Indians in their natural state. They were very +shy, and refused to come on board. We continued east, +crossed Smyth Channel, and anchored in a harbour +called Puerto Ramirez, on the Muñoz Gamero Peninsula, +the only spot inhabited by white men between the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span> +Straits and the Gulf of Penas. Several years ago, when +Chile and Argentina were at odds with each other, the +former country made a coaling-station here, and some +sheds with coal are still left, guarded by two watchmen. +Later on we had good reason to bless this coal-store.</p> + +<p>By the last day of May we were again under way, +steaming northward through the Channels. Few places +in Patagonia are so famous as these Channels, where the +steamer plunges between black, steep walls, crowned +by snowy peaks reflected in the usually smooth water, +where the open sea is never sighted, where one need not +be afraid of storm or fog, when one has only to seek one +of the numerous, charming little harbours. One can +travel from 53° to 48°, a distance of 5°, without seeing +the ocean! Where in the world is there anything like +it? What a pity that sunshine and a clear sky are of +rare occurrence; for days and weeks the rain does not +cease, and a cold, wet fog rests over the water. The +Channels have been compared with the Norwegian +fiords. As far as the numerous inlets running east +from the Channels into the mountains are concerned, I +think that this comparison is obvious, even if we treat +them from a geographical point of view. But in the +outer appearance there is a big difference. In Patagonia +Death seems to reign. The Channels are so silent; most +of the sea-birds, such as gulls, Cape pigeons, albatrosses, +and others that give life to the picture in the open sea +have disappeared; so have the porpoises which play +merrily round the bows; only some kelp-geese, ducks, +or patovapores are still to be seen. But the forest is +magnificent, in spite of the utter silence prevailing there.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span> +My work took me there every day, and every night I +returned on board with a fresh stock of experience and +collections. Sometimes the beech—naturally always +the evergreen one—leaves room for yellow and reddish +swamps, where the only needle-tree of South Patagonia, +<i>Libocedrus tetragona</i>, grows. People here call it the +cypress. Large ferns with arboreous growth (<i>Blechnum +magellanicum</i>) are noteworthy. As usual, flowers are +rare, but there is one, the southern “copihue,” <i>Philesia +buxifolia</i>, which flowers also during midwinter, that with +its large pink bells is almost unrivalled. To one thing +the botanist has to accustom himself: to return every +day as soaked as is the forest itself.</p> + +<p>In the Sarmiento Channel, the continuation of Smyth +Channel, we met several Indians; two canoes with +their crews we took on board and brought to Puerto +Bueno, where we stayed two days. Between Chatham +and Hanover Islands, in a narrow place called Guia +Narrows, we met another canoe; a naked girl angrily +repeated “Cristiano malo,” and the crew could not +be persuaded to come on board. Probably they had +been badly treated by some passing sailors.</p> + +<p>The traffic in the Channels is very small nowadays. +Almost all ships prefer to take the open sea, where they +may steam day and night, which is hardly possible in +the Channels, but one of the greatest pleasures on a cruise +round South America is lost thereby.</p> + +<p>At about 51° we noticed a certain change in the vegetation. +New trees and bushes appeared, especially a curious +needle-tree called <i>mañiú</i> (in this case <i>Podocarpus nubigena</i>), +and beautiful climbing plants covered the trunks.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span></p> + +<p>When passing Inocentes Channel one comes out into +more open water, but only for a very short distance; +soon the high walls close in on both sides again. Penguin +Inlet was full of ice, and in Icy Reach we met innumerable +small ice-floes, probably from Eyre Inlet, one of +the unknown inlets on this coast. Not far from there, +in Port Grappler, we came across the largest party of +Indians we saw. They had probably had disagreeable +experiences with white people—it is not uncommon for +unscrupulous people to try to obtain their only valuable +possession, the otter-skins, without giving them anything +useful in return; they sometimes ill-treat them, +seduce their women, or rob them of their children—but +thanks to the energetic efforts of Emilia we got on +rather friendly terms with them, giving them what we +had of spare clothes, biscuits, tobacco, knives, matches, +and other things highly appreciated by them. On +June 7 we reached the English Narrows, a very narrow, +<b>S</b>-shaped passage, where more than one vessel has struck. +The masts of one were still to be seen. In the eighties +a German expedition tried to find another passage—at +that time the Kosmos steamers used to frequent the +Channels—and discovered quite a system of channels +west of the main track, but unfortunately they are +interrupted by a place much worse still, where the open +sea rolls in, and which is so shallow that breakers are +often experienced, and one may have to wait several days +for a chance of crossing. We intended to run this way +on our return; now we proceeded further along the +Messier Channel, and thus reached our destination, the +Gulf of Penas. Towards the east a large system of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span> +inlets, Baker Inlet with its branches, penetrating far +into the mountains, opened, and there we turned in. +For several days we had discussed the coal question, +and as the captain argued that we should be unable to +reach Punta Arenas we gave up the idea of going to the +mouth of Rio Baker, with the greater regret as we were +not far from it.</p> + +<p>In terrible squalls we passed Troya Channel and turned +westward, when we suddenly caught sight of a sailing-boat. +We guessed it to be people from the Baker +Company, a Chilean enterprise, which has the leasehold +of large stretches round the river from the inlet to the +Argentina frontier. Of course we stopped at once, took +the crew on board, and towed their boat to a harbour.</p> + +<p>Baker Inlet is a very wild-looking place. In consequence +of its west-easterly direction the gales rush +through it with unrestrained force, and the forest has +been driven back into sheltered places, where the company +has cut down the big trees. In the coves one can find +scenery of charming beauty, where the slopes with woods, +cascades, and snow-patches are reflected in the smooth, +icy-green water. When one enters such a cove, coming +from the windy barrenness of the channel, one gets +the same feeling as coming into a warm, comfortable +room from the snowstorm outside.</p> + +<p>As we very much wanted to visit some of the channels +outside the Wellington Islands, we crossed Messier +Channel on June 12 and passed into Albatross Channel. +Here every name on the chart indicates that it was +given by sons of <i>das grosse Vaterland</i>. The weather +was terrible, and we walked about wet and cold all day<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span> +long, but otherwise contented, as every day brought +new features under our observation. On account of +the poor store of coal we had to abandon our plan of +going round Wellington Islands, but followed Fallos +Channel only to the mouth of Adalbert Channel, through +which we came to the Messier again. Again we passed +the Narrows and took the shortest road through Chasm +Reach, where the echo plays at ball between precipitous +walls with the sound-waves from our whistle. One +must not forget to look astern before the steamer +changes its course, for high up the ice-clad summits +on Wellington Island may be seen for a moment.</p> + +<p>Still we had an important item of our programme left—the +survey of Peel Inlet; and as I strongly insisted on +it the captain had to yield, and promised to take some +tons of coal on board in Muñoz Gamero, which he had +refused to do before. But the probable reason was that +he was in dread of every place not completely known, +and walked about always suspecting danger. Had +we not had Bordes with us, who was the real commander +as soon as it was a question of some difficult enterprise, +it is more than uncertain whether we should have been +able to do much work. Certainly I could not force the +commander to do anything he declared dangerous to +the safety of the vessel he was in charge of, and as, +unlike most naval officers, he did not take the slightest +interest in scientific work, he took refuge behind his +responsibility as often as he could.</p> + +<p>Through Andrew Sound we went towards Pitt +Channel. No harbour is known here, and on the chart +one anchorage is marked, in eleven fathoms of water<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span> +at the most easterly of the Kentish Islands. In vain we +looked for that anchorage; it was deep all round; and +in spite of the approaching darkness we had to continue +our course. We sounded close to the shore—sixty, +forty, thirty fathoms; at last we anchored in nineteen +fathoms, but then the distance to the rocks was only +a hundred feet. We were completely without shelter, +the anchorage was bad, and a squall would result in +our dragging our anchors. Before daybreak we weighed +and steamed through Pitt Channel into Peel Inlet. The +<i>Huemul</i>, which was here once, had indicated a sandbank +on the place where the inlet branches. We passed +with plenty of water. As we slowly glided into Peel +Inlet and the last hiding-point lay behind us, we became +silent, struck dumb by the scenery. Perhaps we never +saw any more grand; it was quite wonderful. Furthest +off, but nevertheless not very far, rise the high crests +of the Andes, with fantastic needles and sharp-cut +peaks, round which the continuous sheet of inland ice +has folded its dazzling mantle. Four broad streams +of ice emerge from it, embracing the violet-brown +nunataks and joining in a gigantic glacier with a front +nearly two miles broad, one single expanse of blue +crevices and white crests. This all in a frame of evergreen +forest and reflected in transparent, glossy water +where the image now and then is blotted out by the ice-floes +driven to and fro by the currents. Inland ice, +Alps with eternal snow, all the details of a glacier, slopes +and shores clad with a primeval forest, the crystalline +fiord-water, the drifting ice, and all this embraced in +one single glance! That <i>is</i> wonderful, I think.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span></p> + +<p>We could the more enjoy the sight as we had discovered +an unknown harbour not far off, suitable in +every way. Quensel and I pulled through the ice, +densely packed in certain places, to the glacier, and the +officers started to make a map of the harbour, which +we named Puerto Témpanos, <i>i.e.</i>, the Port of Icefloes, +as owing to the tide the cove is filled with small pieces +of ice twice a day.</p> + +<p>We found ourselves in a world of ice, moraines, and +muddy rivers, where we got on capitally, and did not +return before dark, very pleased with the results, which +included, amongst others, important observations of the +geology in the High Cordillera. The next day broke +calm and fine, but with a fog so thick that we could +not see even the shore of our little cove. In the afternoon +work could be continued round the harbour, which +is fringed by a swampy forest of deciduous beech +(<i>Nothofagus antarctica</i>). Fortunately we got another +clear day. The last thing we did was to erect a tablet +at the entrance of the harbour, with this inscription: +“Meteoro. Comisión sueco-chilena. 16 . <span class="allsmcap">VI</span> . 1908.” I +suppose it will be long before anybody finds it. As +we came out, the old Channel weather met us again +with rain and a gale of wind—but what did it matter? +We had been successful with Peel Inlet and our spirits +were high!</p> + +<p>Silence now reigned in Puerto Bueno. The huts +stood empty like grinning skeletons, their inhabitants +gone on their everlasting wanderings. Further south +we came across some more families, and the last were +seen at Muñoz Gamero, where we made a short stay to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span> +take fresh supplies of coal on board. In Smyth Channel +we met two steamers, one of them evoking great excitement—the +Norwegian ship <i>Alm</i>, chartered by a Punta +Arenas firm to run between this place and Valparaiso. +Halle was on board on his way to Chiloé, and we waved +a farewell to each other.</p> + +<p>Fresh wind and a heavy sea, Cape pigeons and stormy +petrels met us when we came out into the Straits. +Behind us lay the labyrinth, the wonderland where we +should never return.</p> + +<p>We had some places left to visit before we could +consider the excursion finished. The lighthouse on +Felix Island we visited on our way out, but stopped +once more to bring the mail to Punta Arenas. From +there we went to Woodsworth Bay to find a harbour. +This place has been famous for its waterfall ever since +the time of the <i>Beagle</i>. There is no lack of waterfalls +in the Channels, as the rivers have no other resource +but to flow vertically, but this was beyond all we had +seen. Dancing from one narrow shelf to the next, +from a height of nearly a thousand feet, the water +hurls itself into the sea, and the whole length of the jet +is visible at one time.</p> + +<p>In Port Gallant we said good-bye to Emilia. I +daresay she left us under the impression that not all +“cristianos” are “malos.” On a midwinter night +the <i>Meteoro</i> anchored in the roads of Punta Arenas. +We had no time to spare there; on the 29th we +went on board a Kosmos steamer that took us to +Corral, and there we immediately found another vessel +bound for Ancud, the capital of Chiloé.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f20"> +<img src="images/fig20.jpg" alt="peel"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Peel Inlet, with great Glaciers.</span></p> +</div> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c6">CHAPTER VI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">A DYING RACE</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">A keen</span> wind whistles through the Channels, tears the +stunted trees, and now and then flings a grey shower +as a contribution to the yellowish bogs. On the tops +of the mountains the winter snow shines against a +leaden sky. Then Emilia presses her flat nose still +flatter against the panes in the laboratory and says +something which signifies “canoe.” By means of the +glasses we perceive a black spot far ahead—our first +encounter with the Indians is at hand. Darwin once +said that a naked savage in his own land is a sight +never to be forgotten. It was not the first we had +seen, but the impression was never so strong.</p> + +<p>The canoe we now met was typical from every point +of view. Half-naked, wild-looking figures are pulling +out of time; in the stern an old woman steers. Everywhere +amongst the queer luggage—sticks and poles of +various shapes, old sealskins, piles of shells, and pieces +of blubber—barking dogs peep forth, and in the smoke +from the fire, always nursed in the middle of the boat, +some rough-headed children appear. Now they have +caught sight of Emilia, with their dark eyes wide +open they quickly exchange ideas about this elegant +lady who steps about on deck with such an assurance +of demeanour. She was sent to negotiate. We were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span> +under the impression that a whole sermon would be +necessary to explain that we were not bad and did not +want to rob them of their children; at least a long +while elapsed before they could make up their minds +to come on board. Not until now did we get an idea +of the contents of a canoe! Out came a dozen persons—men, +women, and children, the youngest carried on the +back—accompanied by half a score of dogs. They look +round shyly, but at the same time with much curiosity; +some of them come on board after a certain hesitation. +They refuse to leave their canoe alone, but one of them +stops to keep an eye on us; certainly we are likely to +steal the valuable contents. Only think of the delicious +half-rotten whale-blubber!</p> + +<p>Let us make nearer acquaintance with this peculiar +race. Round the funnel, where it is warm, our guests +have made themselves comfortable, squatting on their +hams. Truly it is a funny assembly, and one is almost +ready to ask if they really belong to the same species as +we do. The face is round, the distance between the +cheek-bones being remarkably great. The eyes have a +dark and earnest expression, the nose is flat and broad, +the mouth often monstrously large, with thick lips. +The teeth of the younger members are white and +beautiful; in the case of the older members one often +finds the front teeth missing—they have gone in the +process of one or other of the employments to which +they have been put. The skin is of a dirty yellowish-brown +colour, sometimes with a coppery tinge; the +hair is very thick, coarse, and jet-black. It is worn +hanging loose over the shoulders, a square-cut fringe<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span> +hiding the forehead. Both sexes show a remarkable +disproportion between the upper body and the legs. +The trunk is well developed, the neck short and thick, +the shoulders straight, and the arms long and muscular. +Often one finds real features of beauty, though the +body is often disfigured by an all too prominent +abdomen. Their worst point is thin, bent legs; want +of exercise retards their development—the Indian +lives in his canoe and by his fire; he is always sitting, +and when he straightens his legs the skin folds over the +kneecap. The men, who are generally without any +trace of a beard, are mostly of finer stature than +the women; they are considerably taller, their medium +height reaching 5 feet 1 inch, against 4 feet 8 inches in the +case of the women. The babies are rather lovely, with +skin and hair of a lighter colour and with eyes of that +deep blue which is often observed in kittens.</p> + +<p>A visit to the camp gives us the best idea of Indian +life. The beach is covered with shells. The canoes +have been hauled up on thin logs. A few steps from +the water, and we reach the huts, that harmonise so +with the surrounding forest that one does not see them +until one gets close. The forest gives shelter from at +least one direction; on the rocks mussels grow large and +fat, and outside in the cove one can gather sea-urchins.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants have gathered in front of their +wigwams to greet us. They were just “at table,” an +occupation much in favour during the daytime, or even at +night. They have hastened to put on old garments, +such as shawls, pieces of blankets, torn jerseys, &c., +or even the original mantle of skins. This was once<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span> +the only garment worn—a square mantle of fur-seal or +sea-otter, sometimes completed by a fig-leaf of the +same material, kept in place by strings made from +sinews. The head was always uncovered. With the +visits of white men modern clothes have become more +or less common; but there is hardly an Indian possessing +a complete suit—one has a coat, another a pair +of trousers, most of them have the legs quite naked. +Some wear ornaments, necklaces of shells or on the breast +a flat, polished piece of bone, fixed on a neatly plaited +string. Without protests they let us enter the hut—some +flexible sticks in a circle, bent together and fixed with a +tough, grass-like plant (<i>Marsippospermum grandiflorum</i>). +Hardly is the Indian able to stand upright under his +roof, where the smoke from the fire, which is fed with +fresh green branches of evergreen beech, may seek its +way out at leisure. The wigwam is covered with grass, +fern-leaves, twigs of trees, or with sea-lion skins and +old pieces of clothes, all according to circumstances. +The large skins are naturally much appreciated; they +are never left behind on a camping-place, as are all the +other materials used. The hut has one great advantage: +it is easily constructed, and that is the main thing for +a nomadic tribe. Once or twice we saw the skeleton +of a hut brought along, which of course saved trouble.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f21"> +<img src="images/fig21.jpg" alt="camp"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Indian Camp, Sarmiento Channel.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>We gladly “took a seat” with them and accepted +their food. They have nice things to offer—large +shellfish of various kinds, raw or roasted on the cinders, +just as you like. Conversation is kept up with the +aid of Emilia as interpreter: she is in her element, +and appears to have forgotten all her new civilisation, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span>ready to jump in a canoe again with naked legs amongst +dogs, dirt, and rubbish. The shells crackle, lips whisper. +The natives have a phenomenal capacity for speaking +without producing a sound. They look very earnest, +their lips move quickly—nothing is heard. Suddenly +the whole party starts to laugh heartily; it is evident +that somebody has made a sally, and there is no doubt +that we are the butt of their joke.</p> + +<p>Mussels form the main part of their food. The big +common <i>Mytilus</i> are simply plucked like fruit at low +tide; the flat <i>Patella</i> is loosened with a short stick +flattened like a chisel at one end. Sea-urchins are +caught with a long stick, cleft in four parts at the end. +But besides this they eat fish, meat, and blubber, or +almost anything they can get hold of. Their weapons +are very simple; the most important are the harpoons +of bone, with one hook or with a long row of hooks +like a saw fixed in a handle. There seems to be plenty +of otter in the Channels; the skin is fine and valuable, +and is the only object of barter available. Seal is not +to be got every day, but one can live well on a big +sea-lion for several days. And what delight when they +come across a stranded whale! Feasts are held as long +as anything eatable is left; from all directions the +savages hasten up, eat till they are fit to burst, and pull +away with loaded canoes. Several of the Indians we +met had big quantities of whale-blubber. This does +not contradict the fact that the Indian only lives for +the day and never thinks of saving anything; he +leads a wild life, with meat and blubber one day and +nothing the next.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span></p> + +<p>Bows and arrows seem to have fallen out of use, +which is the more remarkable as nothing has replaced +them. They are of the same shape as those used by +the Onas, but smaller. The arrows are made of yellow +berberis-wood, and have a neatly fashioned point of +flint or glass; the quiver is of seal- or otter-skin. Slings +are sometimes used to kill birds with, and the women +are said to be clever in using them. Another weapon +also is found, but we made its acquaintance only once. +It was in Port Grappler. The natives had been on +board, and had not shown themselves amiably disposed +towards us. The next day we went on shore to see +their camp. As we were on our way we saw the women +and children hurry away from the huts along a narrow +path that disappeared in the thick forest—such a retreat +seems to have been constructed at every camping-place—and +the men gathered in front of the houses +threatening us with stones, sticks, and a kind of club, +which at once awoke our curiosity. They would not +allow us to land before we had promised them to leave +a shot-gun we brought behind in the yawl; Emilia had +hard work to persuade them. At the same moment +the clubs disappeared. In vain we asked them, in +vain we looked all round; they only shook their heads, +probably suspecting that we should deprive them of +their arms and then assault them. It was only after +a long parley and rich presents of biscuits and tobacco +that one of them disappeared behind the hut and returned +with a club, which he gave us. In comparison with its +length (two feet) it is very heavy, and is made from +the root of the tepú (<i>Tepualia stipularis</i>).</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span></p> + +<p>The Channel Indians live in families and have no +idea of a community. Now and then some families +keep together, probably those related to each other, +as, for instance, two brothers with their wives and +children. The largest party we saw, in Port Grappler, +numbered thirty members, who listened to an old grey-haired +rascal, whose objection to our anthropometrical +instruments made him prohibit his subjects from visiting +our laboratory. But, as we later found out, the different +families here afterwards spread in various directions. +As a rule, the canoe Indian has only one wife, but it +may happen that a man with an old (how soon!) and +ugly wife secures a younger one. Polygamy is connected +with the position of the woman. She is subject to her +husband’s will, she does the hard work. Hour after +hour, with her baby on her back, she sits pulling the +boat in a tiring position; half a day she wades in the +ice-cold water to fill the baskets with mussels. The +household furniture is very plain: knives made from +shells or stones, sinews, bone-prickers, all kept in round +wooden boxes, and baskets plaited with a certain skill. +How hard must it be in the circumstances to give birth +to the children, rear them, and teach them to struggle +for life with resources smaller, perhaps, than any other +people on the earth possess! We seldom saw more +than two or three children in a family; it is evident +that mortality must be great among these naked +little beings, who are dragged about with their parents +in any kind of weather. Here, if ever one may study the +survival of the fittest, he who stands the test when +young should be able to stand anything. I do not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span> +think they ever reach any great age. The only one +that looked more than fifty was the above-mentioned +<i>cacique</i> in Port Grappler. They have no idea whatever +of their age. They do not count more than to three; +any number above is much or many. We need not be +astonished at their not getting old: in fact, they lead +a life as hard as we can conceive. An existence in +constant cold, in eternal rain, which makes it impossible +to dry anything for weeks together, in icy water, in +storms and frequent dangers, and, finally, the intercourse +with white men, is not favourable to longevity.</p> + +<p>That the dismal surroundings and the frightful +struggle for existence should put their stamp on the +mental life is easily understood. There rests a certain +mournful melancholy over their souls; they are used to +fearing the dangerous elements, and white men, more +dangerous still. But, as true children of instinct, they +forget all sorrows round the crackling fire; when they +have plenty to eat their eyes sparkle, they have a +merry time. Play seems to be foreign to them; not +even the children play, but look earnest as old +people, as if they could already behold all the terrors +of the future in the dreary sky that lifts its vault +above their land. I have not seen any ceremonies; +probably they perform some, but refuse to before +strangers. The Yahgan tribe was not without them. +They have no religious ideas, they do not worship +anything, but it is clear that they must fear powers of +nature, which they cannot explain. They also seem +to have some sort of idea that dead persons may hurt +them; twice we saw natives carrying a small leather<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span> +pouch with hair from a dead person, and Emilia declared +them to be amulets. Anyhow their owners parted +with them for a match-box.</p> + +<p>Life makes the Channel Indian a nomad. He +moves along the shores all his life, year after year, +from birth to death. However plain his canoe may +look, it is a masterpiece, if we take into consideration +that it is made with empty hands. Formerly the +principal tool was the fire. A tree was burnt at the +foot till it crashed down, the log was literally burnt +down to a plank, and the charred wood gradually +scraped off with big sharp-edged shells or stone knives. +Now axes are used, but not every family has one. Then +the plank is furnished with holes along the edges, as the +canoe must be bound together. The construction is +simple: one bottom board bent upwards in the bow +and stern to form the broad stem and the stern-post, +which protrude above the sides, made of two boards +fixed to each other and to the bottom. They are drawn +together with the tough bast of the cypress or the stem of +a runner-plant (<i>Campsidium chilense</i>) and tightened with +moss, fat, &c.; nevertheless the canoe makes a lot of +water, and the scoop of sealskin is frequently needed. +Some small sticks across the gunwales make the thwarts, +and it is ready—the treasure, the family fortune. Now +and then we saw oars of the primitive type, made in +two pieces with the blade fixed with bast on to the handle, +but those who are well off and possess a hatchet make +them as we do. The oar to steer with is shorter than +the rest, and is handled with great ability by the women. +Often they travel into the open water; and the sea inside<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span> +the Channels may become heavy indeed for such a +primitive craft, especially when, during a move from +one camp to another, it is heavily loaded. Once +we took two canoes on board, and the contents were +emptied on the deck. In spite of the dreadful stench, +Quensel and I made a list of the things contained in +one of them: Three long oars, one short, handles for +the harpoons, hatchet (modern), basket of bark for +fresh water, two boxes with harpoon points, necklaces, +sinews, prickers, &c., three small bags of sealskin with +the same contents as the boxes, a bag of whale-hide +with blubber, baskets, bailer of sealskin, a piece of +slate to sharpen knives, bundles of bast, sea-lion skins, +heaps of shells, pieces of blubber, various whalebones +and baleens, bundles of <i>Marsippospermum</i> and a painter, +plaited of that same plant.</p> + +<p>Nowadays the Channel Indians are distributed from +the Magellan Straits to the Gulf of Penas, over a distance +of six degrees. Generally they keep inside, but sometimes +travel out in the opening, and are said to use larger +canoes for such journeys. We did not see any of this +larger kind, but in Port Gallant found a third construction +made from a single log. That sort is a product +of late years. To the east the natives once travelled +as far as Useless Bay and Magdalena Channel; opposite +our camping-place in Admiralty Inlet we found the +old huts. They are often seen in Last Hope Inlet, and +sometimes in Skyring Water. As I have told above, +we had heard of a road made by the natives from +Obstruction Sound to Skyring, and we spent a day +during our Skyring expedition in order to visit the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span> +place. Our yawl passed the bar at the entrance of +Excelsior Sound, and we soon reached its inner extremity, +and seemed surrounded everywhere by a wall of +rocks and green foliage. At first we looked in vain. +There is no beach of sand or gravel; the water reaches +the very peat and the roots of the trees, and it was a +mere chance that we found the landing-place, so well is +it hidden. The road follows a narrow gorge, where a +vault of green leaves closes above one’s head. It is +four hundred yards long, and laid with short sticks +across, with a distance of from three to six feet between +them. At the other end we found a lagoon with fresh +water, and from a hill we saw another lagoon separating +us from Obstruction Sound. The sticks greatly facilitate +the transport of the heavy canoes. What the Indians +find to do in Skyring is not easy to tell. There are no +shells or seals, and to judge from their old huts they +carry provisions with them. Formerly they probably +used to go there hunting guanacos, or more especially +deer, and now perhaps to beg at the settlements. Several +other passes, “portages” as they are sometimes called, +are known in the Channels.</p> + +<p>The Yahgan tribe, which inhabits Tierra del Fuego +down to Cape Horn, and the remnants of which are +collected on a small mission station, leads a life in every +way corresponding to that of the Channel tribe. Their +canoe, however, is of a very different type. This is +not remarkable; much more so is it that their languages +are entirely different, not one word being the +same, or even anything similar. It was possible for +me to discover this, but how explain the difference?<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span> +They cannot have had any great intercourse with each +other, though they must have met, as no natural +boundaries separate them. In the Patagonian Channels +at least two different dialects are spoken; Emilia could +not quite understand the Grappler people, but those +in Smyth Channel spoke exactly as she did. The +language can hardly be called beautiful. In the ears +of a white man it sounds like a mixture of inarticulate, +hoarse, and guttural sounds. The numerous consonants +piled upon each other are characteristic, the peculiar +sh and ch sounds, two kinds of r, and the impure +vowels, which it is scarcely possible to pronounce. +Their vocabulary is deficient in words for abstract +things, but very rich in names of natural products, +such as plants, animals, and even such as are of no +use. Since their acquaintance with white people they +have created many new words, such as for steamer, knife, +matches, &c. We were surprised to know that they did +not use the words for <i>man</i> and <i>woman</i> to indicate white +people, but had made quite new names for them.</p> + +<p>Thus they have lived for thousands of years, have +been born, eaten mussels, endured hardships, and died. +Soon no descendants will walk in their footsteps; +they will all die out. With every year their small +tribe melts. Perhaps a few hundreds are now left, +but soon only the fragments of canoes and skeletons +of wigwams will bear witness to them. They will +die, but not because they have succumbed to a stronger +race, which is able to gain wealth, unknown to them, from +their land. When they have disappeared their vast land +will remain deserted; it offers means of life for nobody<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span> +else. There we, the white men, are the weaker race. But +why, then, are they condemned to extermination?</p> + +<p>Well, why did the Yahgans disappear? Nobody +hungered for their country—it was for the care of their +souls. The mission gathered them, took them away +from their huts and canoes, set them to read the +Catechism and knit stockings. They languished and +died. And in <i>this</i> case the difficult problem, how the +white intruder should treat the savages, was simple +enough: leave them alone; receive those who wish +it, absorb them if possible, but do not transplant +them roughly to a new soil. I believe there is a scheme +to collect the rest of the Channel Indians into the mission +stations. Well, in this case it will only hasten the +inevitable end. It is dreadful to see how the white +men who passed through the Channels and regarded the +natives as strange animals, amusing to look at for a +while, have been able to spread death and destruction +among these innocent children of nature. Syphilis and +phthisis especially ravage, and if we remember the influence +of the first-mentioned disease on the offspring it is +easy to tell the future result. The natives certainly have +not the slightest idea of what a contagious disease is.</p> + +<p>Perhaps all assistance would come too late now. +But if I had the power I would erect a sort of central +station where the poor fellows could come for a doctor +and for other help, but without giving them a chance +of a parasitic life of idleness. There is a small possibility +that this peculiar tribe, one of the very lowest +on earth, may be saved from total extermination. +But who is the man to do it?</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c7">CHAPTER VII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">CHILOÉ AND THE GULF OF CORCOVADO</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">In</span> the year 1540 a Spanish navigator for the first +time sighted the coast of Chiloé, but did not get very +near the island. But though the discovery was not +forgotten, it was thirteen years before the famous +conqueror of Chile, Pedro de Valdivia, got an opportunity +of sending another expedition. He sent Ulloa, +who surveyed the coast with a couple of small craft, +and discovered islands, harbours, and channels. The +formal conquest dates from 1558, and, among many +other events, is celebrated in Ercilla’s famous epic, +“La Araucana.” The peaceful inhabitants met an evil +fate. Without suspecting anything, they received the +intruders kindly. But the Spaniards acted as they +always did: the land was divided among the more prominent +leaders, and the inhabitants made slaves. The +island, which was before quite flourishing, and had a +very ancient culture, and the population of which differed +to its advantage from the martial Araucanians of the +mainland in being very peaceful, soon ran to waste +under the Spanish sway. The native race got +commingled with the Spanish, and consequently grew +poorer and more lazy; the intruders set bad examples +and led vicious lives. Only one thing made rapid +progress—the Catholic Church. According to a Chilean<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span> +author, there were already thirty-six churches on Chiloé +in 1612. But the population diminished, the inhabitants +fled out of the country. Chiloé became truly +Spanish. During the wars of independence it remained +faithful for a long time; it was the bulwark of the +Spaniards, and only in January 1826, when the republic +was already several years old, did the last royal troops +surrender. Long afterwards the inhabitants, more than +half of them pure Spaniards or <i>mestizos</i>, remained +royalists, and Darwin relates that they complained of +not having a king, but a president who did not take +any notice of them. They may have been right then, +and still Chiloé has the reputation of being a remote +corner; I heard more than one Chileno speak with +disdain of the Chilotes. Remarkably enough the +education of the people, if we dare judge from the +capacity to read and write, is better than in the rest of +Chile, where the chances are the same. I think this +speaks in favour of the poor Chilotes. Trade and +industry are not maintained as they deserve to be, +and the attempt to colonize with foreign peoples, +Germans, Scandinavians, and others, has not yielded +any results worth mentioning.</p> + +<p>I believe the pure <i>huilliches</i> are easily counted now, but +their language will always live in the sonorous names of +many places. In some places it is still spoken. Their blood +is in the veins of all Chilotes, and the type has much of +the Indian in its appearance and is easily recognized. +Nowhere in Chile does one find conditions so primitive or +habits so simple as on Chiloé and the adjacent islands.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span></p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>A very beautiful landscape meets us as the steamer +stands in for the glittering bay of Ancud. It is a day +of bright sunshine. To our right we have the peninsula +Lacuy, with its virgin forests, to our left the low beach +of Carelmapu, and right ahead the Chacao Channel +opens its winding passage. Straight south the forest +has been cleared away, a patch of light green shows up, +and we discern the white houses of Ancud.</p> + +<p>As soon as we had anchored boats swarmed round +us and dark-skinned Chilotes tried to drown each +other’s voices, offering us their treasures of delicious +oysters and silvery fishes. All of them also were ready +to make away with our luggage and with us too; +several crews live by fleecing visitors who want to go +on shore. We left in the steam-launch belonging to +the captain of the port, who had sent it to fetch us, as +well as our equipment. A considerable distance separated +the steamer from the jetty, the bay being very +shallow.</p> + +<p>Ancud, the capital of the province, is a peculiar +little town. It was founded in 1768 under the name +of San Carlos de Ancud, and now numbers about 4000 +inhabitants. I have seldom seen a place so absolutely +lacking in any architectural beauty; most of the houses +are low, wooden huts without a trace of style. The +streets are rough and dirty, but fortunately not of +the ordinary South American town plan—the chessboard—and +crooked streets and small hills make a +picturesque view. Round the harbour life is rather +lively when the steamer is in; there are the business +blocks, the small, ill-kept market-hall, the custom house, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span>the port-master’s quarters, &c. The place is crowded +with bare-legged Chilotes on horseback or on foot, +not without the inevitable <i>poncho</i>, sometimes bright +and new, of a striped pattern, sometimes like a worn-out +rag on which generations have rubbed their feet. +Further up in the town the streets are often empty, +and on the outskirts swarm pigs, fowl, cats, and dogs, +which seem to flourish in the luxuriant grass.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f22"> +<img src="images/fig22.jpg" alt="house"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Chilote House.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f23"> +<img src="images/fig23.jpg" alt="plaza"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Plaza in Ancud, Chiloé.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Above I said something of the general education of +the Chilotes. Ancud has several schools, some of +them private ones, and can boast of a lyceum. Its +rector and professors showed us great kindness and +hospitality. They try to be as up-to-date in their +teaching as possible, but high above all their endeavours +the cathedral rises with mighty proportions commanding +the whole community. It is not quite finished yet; the +tower is wanting, and will cost much money. I dare +say it is absurd to erect a church here (and not the only +one!) big enough to hold the faithful in several towns +of the size of Ancud. But the Catholic church, led by +an energetic bishop, is rich and powerful; there is +a Jesuit college and seminary, monastery and nunnery, +and all the east coast is so crowded with chapels that +sometimes one is able to count half a dozen at a time. +Some of them are useful as beacons. The male inhabitants +in general are not very pleased with the over-abundant +influence of the priests, but here as everywhere +the weaker sex encourages it. The only newspaper, +<i>La cruz del sur</i>, is conducted by the priests; it appears +once a week, and is free from all news. The +only number I read contained a biography of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span> +Pope and a statistical account of Catholicism’s conquest +of the world; amongst others Sweden was rapidly +returning to the only saving faith, according to this +authority! The cathedral is situated at the <i>plaza</i>, +where are found other more noteworthy edifices—the +house of the <i>intendente</i> (governor of the province), +the bishop’s house, the fire-brigade, and the Jesuit +college. With its broken and to some extent very +original sculptures, its plantations full of weeds and +its paths overgrown, the <i>plaza</i> gives the impression of +decay.</p> + +<p>Ancud has seen its best days. Those were when +the devastation of the forests started, many years ago. +Beautiful timber—alerce and cypress (<i>Fitzroya patagonia</i> +and <i>Libocedrus tetragona</i>, two conifers), laurel (<i>Laurelia +aromatica</i>), and luma (<i>Myrtus luma</i>)—was plentiful all +round in the forest, the transport cost scarcely anything, +ships came and went, the town prospered, there were +wealthy men. This state of things did not last long; the +coastal regions easy of access became exhausted, and it +cost too much to draw profit from the interior, as means +of communication were difficult. There is only one road +worthy of the name, leading from Ancud to Castro, +but it does not touch the central parts covered by +impenetrable forests down to the west coast, where +harbours are completely lacking and where the surf +seldom permits a landing. Culture keeps to the north +and east coasts, where the outlying islands act as a +shelter and good harbours are frequent.</p> + +<p>Before giving an account of our travels in these parts +I wish to say some words by way of a brief description<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span> +of the Chilote and his life. We made his acquaintance +long before that of his country, because several of the +sailors on board the Government steamers in Punta +Arenas were Chilotes. We had learnt to know the small +plump men as enterprising, intelligent, and light-hearted. +It is not uncommon to hear Chileans from the mainland +speak with disrespect of the Chilotes, whom they +accuse of stupidity and indolence, lethargy, and love +of dirtiness; many hardly consider them as fellow +creatures; in any case, they consider them inferior +to themselves. And the Chilotes answer by not wanting +to be styled <i>Chilenos</i>—they are Chilotes, and nothing +more. I dare say it is quite as good. You must not +judge them till you know the conditions under which +they live. Chiloé is covered by impenetrable primeval +forests and soaked by deluges of rains; the annual +rainfall amounts to from 78 to 100 inches or even more. +Cultivation has not been able to clear more than a narrow +strip along the coast; the forest almost refuses to burn, +and how cut it down and get it away when there are +no roads? To make a road is much too laborious an +enterprise for the private individual, and once made +it demands continual expenditure or at once it is +changed into a bottomless ditch of tough clay. And +I believe the Chilote has one big fault: he has little +ambition. If he has his bit of shore, where some wheat +and his principal food, potatoes, grow, some small +horses, cows, and sheep, then he is contented—more +than that, he is a rich man. What is barely enough +to maintain life upon he is able to gain with a minimum +of work. The sea gives him plenty; at low tide he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span> +gathers shellfish and sea-urchins, cochayuyo (<i>Durvillea</i>, +a gigantic brown kelp), and luche (<i>Ulva</i>, a green alga), +the oyster-banks provide a delicious dish, and there is +any amount of fish. It is not at all surprising that he +has little interest for agriculture. Modern methods are +unknown to him; his plough is of pre-Columbian type. +He boils his potatoes or roasts them, makes his soup +of mutton or fowl, brews <i>chicha</i> from his small apples, +and lives happy in the house of his ancestors. The +roof is thatched and without a vent-hole for smoke, +there is an earthen floor, and the windows often have +no panes. Besides the members of the family, pigs are +found within, and furniture is very scarce. Sometimes +there is a separate cook-house of almost the shape of +a round tent. Should the Chilote become ambitious +or eager to save money, he seldom clears more ground +to enlarge his estate, but leaves one element, the forest, +and takes to the next, the sea. He is a born sailor; +from childhood he has gone with his father in an open +boat, made long journeys to look for fur-seals or valuable +timber, especially alerce. He loves the sea, he travels +all over the world, but is usually driven back to the old +place, for his heart clings to the forest, the potatoes, +and oysters of the big island of Chiloé.</p> + +<p>It may be true that his character shows more than +one defect, that he is too little ambitious, and often +lives for the day without any higher aspirations; nevertheless +a stranger who comes to his house is attracted +by his kindly hospitality and childish mind, and, if he +learns to know him in his proper element, cannot help +admiring him. Who can match him in living in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span> +dismal forest for weeks or months, working hard, and +getting up as soaked with rain as he goes to sleep, +walking mile after mile over the most terrible ground, +finding a foothold on slippery logs with a heavy load, +cutting his way through the bamboo-thickets, or +navigating the rapid, dangerous rivers? And all +without other provisions than some <i>charqui</i> (dried +meat) and <i>harina tostada</i> (coarse, roasted oatmeal).</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>The first days of our stay we made short excursions +round Ancud and to the Lacuy Peninsula, in order to +get acquainted with the natural features, which were in +many respects new to us. I shall not trouble the reader +with a detailed account of them, merely giving a brief +description of a ride to the west coast, the only time +we saw the open ocean here. One can hardly speak +of a road; one simply follows the shore from the town, +if possible at low tide. At high tide one has to grope +one’s way in the water for some stretches, where glass-smooth +rocks and hidden stones give horse and rider +enough to think of. In one place progress is impossible; +we strike on and follow a real road, winding across a +steep hill down to the water again. From the top we +had a splendid view over the bay, and forgot for one +moment the miserable state of the road. It looks +like a system of parallel ditches, where the mud reaches +to the horse’s knees; the furrows are so narrow that +now and then he has to plant a hoof on the slippery +wall to keep his balance, and if he tries to walk on the +ridge between them he slides down every second minute, +bespattering you all over with dirt. We were glad to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span> +leave the hill behind, and galloped along the beach, +where the rattling gravel flew whirling about the horses’ +hoofs. A dull rush sang in our ears—the Pacific +Ocean thundered towards us, rolling in over sandbanks +and rocks. Snow-white guttered the sand-beach; +one wave after the other rolled in, was broken +into foam, and died at our feet.</p> + +<p>It was Sunday and fine weather, many people were +out for a walk, and various figures looked into the little +inn where we sat waiting for our dinner. The landlord, +a young and very good-looking fellow, spoke Spanish +with a French accent; his French wife promised to +do her best—she could always offer us oysters, bread +and butter, and a glass of Chilean wine. By mere +chance we heard that their name was Dreyfus, and soon +got to know that the husband’s father, who lives in +Ancud, was a cousin of the famous ex-prisoner of Devil’s +Island. Another of our fresh acquaintances, who sat +at dinner with us, told us that his business was to hunt +whale in the old-fashioned manner, only using rowing-boats +and hand-harpoons. One does not very often +find that method in use in this age of whaling-steamers +and shell-cannons. But if there was traffic on the +roads, the bay, generally crowded with oyster-fishers, +was the more empty. The oysters are small, but very +delicious, and for ten pesos you get a good bagful. +Every month millions of them are exported to Valparaiso; +on arrival there they are not so good, but +certainly much more expensive. When I told a Chilote +how much we pay for oysters in Sweden he shook his +head, laughed, and put on a very doubtful air.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span></p> + +<p>We returned by moonlight; it was low tide, and +without any obstacle we could gallop along over the +wet, glistening beach, and were soon back in our modest +quarters.</p> + +<p>It is a laborious matter to penetrate into the virgin +interior of Chiloé. As we were anxious to see the +primeval forest we were glad to accept an invitation +to visit a settlement on Rio Pudeto; the owner was +to take us there on his steam-launch. The day fixed +for the excursion came with fine weather. Opposite +Chiloé, on the other side of the Gulf of Corcovado, +the coast lay absolutely clear, presenting one of the +most beautiful pictures I ever beheld. High above +the dark belt of forest the long row of giant volcanoes, +Osorno, Calbuco, Huequi, Yate, Minchinmahuida, raise +their snow-clad crowns. The landscape round the +mouth of Pudeto is also worthy of attention. The +entrance is about half a mile wide; the shores +are muddy, and large herds of flamingoes walk solemnly +round poking with their beaks after food; when we +approach they take to flight all together, sail away +like a pink cloud, and alight again with flapping wings, +which flash black and crimson.</p> + +<p>The tides reach far up the river several miles inland, +and at the entrance there is a current of some knots. +It was with a favouring tide and at the speed of a racer +that we approached the low wooden bridge across the +broad water. The space between the pillars is small, +and without a warning our noble craft was thrown +against one of them; the gunwale got stove in, and +there we lay as though nailed to the pier. There was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span> +no choice but to wait with patience till the current +should turn. However, it is not so easy to be patient +when one is half starved, and we had slipped away +without any breakfast and carried no provisions. +Not until the afternoon did we manage to get off, and +steamed peacefully up the river, now a narrow channel +of open water, winding between wide-stretching banks +of reeds. In the twilight all details were soon obliterated, +the sky glowed with the most beautiful colours, +and a white fog settled down over the yellow swamps. +It was pitch-dark when at last we groped our way to +the half-built house, where a party of friendly grinning +Chilotes took us in. Finally, at nine o’clock dinner +was ready, but it consisted almost exclusively of +potatoes. Never before in my life did I eat so much +of this wholesome root. Chiloé and potatoes—these +two ideas are indissolubly linked together in my mind. +It is one of the native countries of <i>Solanum tuberosum</i>, +and perhaps it is still possible to find wild specimens +in the coast region. Large quantities are exported, +and I daresay more than a hundred different varieties +are cultivated on the island, each with a different name.</p> + +<p>In a dark closet Halle and I got a bed each, but in +spite of being tired we did not sleep much, for our +bedfellows were far too numerous and too lively.</p> + +<p>The next day we went into the forest. It was of +the agreeable variety that one finds on sandy and +comparatively dry soil. It was the middle of winter, +but everything was fresh and green; nothing reminded +us of death or rest; even flowers were to be seen. High +above us the heads of the trees closed over, and a dull,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span> +half-mysterious light filtered through the dense foliage. +What a difference between this forest and the one +in the Patagonian Channels! Variety instead of +monotony, trees of very large dimensions and of +many kinds hitherto unknown to me filling the air +with strong aromatic scent. Ferns of all sizes and shapes +clothe the trunks, a large <i>Rhodostachys bicolor</i> (<i>Bromeliacea</i>) +sits high up on the branches, and thick-stemmed +creepers climb towards the sky, where bright-coloured +bunches of flowers peep out of green clusters. In the +brushwood below several old friends reappear, but also +new ones, <i>Berberis Darwinii</i> and other armed enemies +of the explorer, large miniature forests of bamboo +(<i>Chusquea colihue</i>), with yellowish-green, polished stems. +Out in the open we find the <i>quila</i> (<i>Chusquea quila</i>), +tough, rough, and prickly, but for all its disagreeable +characteristics an important winter food for cattle. +All was silent but for the song of some smaller birds. In +vain we hoped that the pretty little <i>pudú</i>, the deer of +Chiloé, would turn up. In old times guanaco and +huemul are said to have lived here, but they must have +disappeared long ago.</p> + +<p>We returned overland to Ancud, following the highway +from Castro. The ill-famed weather was still nice, +and round the dirty huts children and a motley company +of animals swarmed. Never a border, a flower in the +window or a curtain, nowhere an effort at making the +home comfortable. The Chilote does not seem to have +any appreciation of things of that sort. The nearer we +came to the town the more people we met on the road: +bullock-carts of the characteristic type, with wheels of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span> +one solid wooden block and a wooden shaft, toil their +way slowly through the stiff clay; loaded with all +sorts of parcels, an old woman comes riding on a small, +shaggy horse; a white-bearded old fellow hobbles +barefoot in the mud, tenderly embracing a bottle +recently acquired in the town.</p> + +<p>On our arrival we got important news: the Government +steamer <i>Valdivia</i> was in! And smeared with +clay high up on my thighs, and equipped in all the +elegance characteristic of the tramp, I had to receive +a visit from the commander, who presented himself +to put the steamer at our disposal. In order to survey +a larger stretch round the Corcovado Gulf we had asked +the Government to help us; with the answer from +Valparaiso in my hand I turned to Commodore K. +Maldonado, well known for geographical explorations +of the Chilean coasts. He was stationed in Puerto Montt, +and had two steamers there for nautical surveying +purposes. He answered immediately by sending us +the <i>Valdivia</i>. The next morning, July 18, we steered +out of the bay—by the way, a rather bad harbour—passed +the whirlpools of Canal Chacao, and thence +followed the west coast, where civilization has set +its stamp everywhere. On the evening of the following +day we arrived at Castro, and there we found the <i>Toro</i> +before us. That was good luck, our first task being +to find that steamer and go aboard her, because +the <i>Valdivia</i> was not fit for the rather dangerous waters +we were to visit. Our new steamer wanted a day to +coal and provision, which gave us a good opportunity +to have a look at the town, a title with which the place +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span>is honoured. Castro is, however, a historic place. +Founded in 1567, it remained the capital of Chiloé +until 1768, and has a big church and a convent to +remind it of past, glorious days. Otherwise it makes a +miserable impression, with its ruinous houses and wretched +streets, where the wayfarer finds many dangerous pitfalls. +I must recommend one of the night <i>cafés</i>. We +entered on an earthen floor, sat down on a filthy bench +by the traditional fire-pan, and a roughly used Chilote +woman with a baby at the breast served us with some +very doubtful, poisonous mixtures. Soon a rotund old +woman came in, took a glass with us, and put life into +the conversation. They knew, of course, who we were; +gossip is not at all lacking in Castro.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f24"> +<img src="images/fig24.jpg" alt="famous"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Famous Corcovado.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Under the command of Captain J. E. Merino, the +<i>Toro</i> left Castro on July 21, and after a short visit to +Quellon we arrived at San Pedro Island, at the south-eastern +corner of Chiloé. This place is not inhabited, +but we found some Chilotes there busy cutting down +big trees. Two of them came on board in the evening. +The weather had been tolerably good, but showed +signs of getting bad, and probably we should have +stopped where we were, waiting till it had settled again, +if the two Chilotes had not prophesied a fine day for +our visit to the Isle of Huafo, far away out in the +open sea.</p> + +<p>It blew hard north when we left the cove and the rain +poured down. Enormous waves rose high above the +little steamer, which is smaller even than the <i>Huemul</i>; +the wind increased, a fog came on, and after a short +consultation we resolved to seek shelter in the only<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span> +place available, the Huapiquilan Islands. Not one +of the officers had ever visited these remote islands, +and I daresay the occasion to make their acquaintance +was not very well chosen—had there been any +choice!</p> + +<p>Without adventure we managed to get in between +them, and found the necessary shelter from the storm, +that now raged with full force. The next morning we +still had a gale of wind, but not so bad as the day +before, and we resolved to try to reach Huafo. +Instantly a heavy sea met us, and as soon as we lost +the shelter of land we got as much as we could stand. +It was a grand sight. We were half drowned in floods +of water, and the port lifeboat was very nearly carried +away by a tremendous wave. We had hard work to +stand upright on deck, clinging to the irons of the bridge. +The gunwales were under water all the time; a lot of +things on deck broke loose and danced round with +the eddying waters. When we reached Samuel Cove, +the only—and hardly useful—berth on the island, +the wind had increased still more; later we were +told that the anemometer on the lighthouse had indicated +114 feet per sec. It was high time for us +to get shelter; but do not think that for this reason +we got a calm night! The small, open bay is full of +shoals, and there is no room to swing; but with two +anchors down and a thick hawser round some big trees +on the shore we slept tolerably well in spite of the considerable +motion. Next day the storm continued, and +we landed in the surf at the mouth of a stream, along +which we wanted to penetrate into the virgin forest.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span> +Not very often have I seen such luxuriance in a temperate +climate. Mosses appeared in incredible quantities, +the ferns had stems of a man’s height, bamboo +surrounded us in all directions. The foliage glittered +with moisture, the moss-carpet was like a swamp, +and we soon became drenched to the skin. Showers +of rain or hail completed the situation.</p> + +<p>On board the crew had been collecting sea-urchins, +and at dinner we made a feast off these delicacies, +which are highly appreciated in Chile. In the alimentary +canal of the sea-urchin a rather large parasitic +crustacean often takes up its quarters, thus leading +a most comfortable life. This animal is considered +extremely delicious, and is eaten alive and kicking. +I ate one once, but never again! It had a horrible +taste, and besides was really unpleasant to have to +do with, being about an inch and a half broad.</p> + +<p>The following day the weather had settled somewhat; +we resolved to try the lighthouse, which is situated +high up on a precipitous cliff. We brought provisions +and the mail, which were landed in a nasty surf. Outside +the sea was still very heavy, and we anchored in a +shallow bay, where the motion would allow us to have +our luncheon. From the ship we got sight of some +white spots moving along the beach; they were wild +dogs of a kind that has lived on this island for centuries. +They are about the size of a setter, have long hair, and +are dirty white in colour. They are very shy. Probably +they live on birds and their eggs, but are said also to eat +shellfish.</p> + +<p>It was already three o’clock before we could weigh<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span> +again in order to go back to Huapiquilan. The sky +in the south-west looked threatening, but we hoped to +get out, in spite of the big sea reducing our speed considerably. +But before we had time to think the gale +came rushing on, a raging wind with squalls of hail, +wrapping us in an impenetrable haze. It was getting +dark, the sky was black as soot, and with forced speed, +as much as the boiler could stand, we made for the +harbour. Then came a squall heavier than the rest, +the <i>Toro</i> trembled under the frightful blow, giant +hailstones whipped our face and made it hardly possible +to keep our eyes open, darkness hid everything. Some +thrilling seconds ensued. We were amidst the reefs—but +the fog lifted for a moment, giving us time enough +to rush through the narrow gap, the entrance to the +berth. We were not five minutes too soon; night had +overtaken us!</p> + +<p>Between sunken rocks, over which the sea broke +into pillars of foam, we headed for San Pedro again on +July 27. I intended to make an excursion in the forest, +and I made the captain and a young lieutenant come +with me, promising them an experience that might +prove new to them. I myself was prepared for whatever +should come—for Darwin in his journals has erected +an epitaph over San Pedro forest which is not likely to +be misunderstood. We had to climb a very steep +slope. The fallen trees do not decay very rapidly, +but form immense barricades, especially round the +numerous streams; as usual they are enveloped in a +soaked moss-carpet, and mosses also hang down in +long festoons from the branches and wash your face.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span> +We seldom put our feet on the ground, but climbed +like monkeys from one trunk to the next, balancing +over the abyss. Deep down, as deep as 20 feet +below, we caught sight of a muddy, reddish clay, with +which we now and then had to make closer acquaintance +as a log suddenly broke and we were sent down headlong, +only to gain the lofty path once more by creeping +and crawling on hands and knees. A hatchet was kept +going cutting the innumerable creepers which caught +arms and legs, and our perseverance was put to a +protracted test. Frequent squalls enlivened our adventures. +The poor lieutenant had to be left behind quite +exhausted; we rested a few minutes and found new +strength in some cold meat and a piece of bread, and +then took up the battle again. After a strenuous climb +on our hands and knees we gained a ridge, whence I had +hoped to get a good view of the island, but alas! there +was another valley in front of us, and behind it the +next ridge. My comrades were not very anxious to +go any further, but as I insisted on it they followed. +The valley swallowed us up, and we reached the other +side, and came out of the high forest and into a new kind +of vegetation, that is called by the natives <i>tepual</i>, a +tremendous hedge. Every time we came to a clear +space we had to stop to breathe. On the top of this +ridge were extensive swamps with scattered cypresses +(<i>Libocedrus tetragona</i>) with the <i>tepú</i> (<i>Tepualia stipularis</i>). +We had gained a height of 1600 feet, more or +less, snow was falling thickly, and it was late enough +to make us turn back. Half unrecognizable under the +mud, with scratched faces and hands and our clothes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span> +torn to rags, we reached the beach once more. The +captain had hardly any trousers left—but certainly a +naval officer’s uniform was not made for the forest of +San Pedro.</p> + +<p>In order to cross the gulf we first had to visit Quellon +to coal. There is a sawmill there, and the company’s +steamer was in. We found the captain to be a Swede, +Mr. T. Landgren, who had also camped with Captain +Merino on one of the Chilean men-of-war; he was one +of the Swedes sent out at the request of the Chilean +Government to serve as <i>pilotos</i> in the navy, which +he had left to enter into private service. He was not +a little astonished to meet countrymen here, and we +rightly celebrated the occasion with a big dinner on +board his vessel.</p> + +<p>As Halle wanted to visit Queilen for geological +investigations we also spent one day at that place. +The small idyllic village, once called “the end of +Christianity,” has a large wooden church and a square +<i>plaza</i>, where fat pigs had made themselves comfortable +in the green grass.</p> + +<p>The last day of July came bright and frosty, the air +was clear, and we crossed the gulf, steaming for Mount +Corcovado, “el famoso,” as this old volcano is sometimes +styled. Few summits are more imposing than this one, +with its precipitous peak shining like snow-white enamel +against the blue background. We wanted to land at +the foot, but found this easier said than done. The +beach falls off at a rather sharp angle and the surf is +strong enough to play with the coarse shingle; in our +little yawl we could not venture to approach. Fortunately<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span> +a small river flows out close by, and as the sea +did not break on the barrier at its mouth we went in +with a rush on a wave and stepped on shore. The +<i>Toro</i> looked for an anchorage here, but did not find +any, and we had to steam up to the entrance of the large +Yelcho river, where there is good shelter behind an +island. The place was inhabited, a company for a +combined sawmill industry and colonization enterprise +having its headquarters there.</p> + +<p>At the river some years ago a Chilean surveying +party had its station, and a road was said to follow +the shore inland. Of course we wanted to make use +of this, and started early the next day in the settled +belief of being able to walk on a road. After a while +we found it, broad enough for a bullock-cart—but the +joy did not last long. A few hundred yards and the +noble highway dwindled suddenly into a narrow path, +from which only the worst obstacles had been removed! +The forest is so swampy that one cannot walk there +during the rainy season, and therefore the road is +plastered with logs sometimes right across, when you +jump from one to the next, sometimes longitudinally, +and then you have to balance—generally there is only +<i>one</i> log. Some places were quite dreadful; the logs were +gone, and we sank down knee-deep at once; others +were transformed into bottomless lagoons where we had +to stop to pick our way. But as the day passed we grew +more skilful in keeping our balance than we had ever +been in our lives before. At last the path disappeared +in a bamboo thicket; probably nobody had been here +for many years. We crawled through, found the path<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span> +again, and went down to the river, which is one of the +largest in West Patagonia. We returned in the twilight +with a good lot of botanical collections, took the last +barricade, and came down to the colony.</p> + +<p>From Yelcho we went to the beautiful Reñihue Fiord, +and thence returned to Castro, where my comrades +stopped in order to ride to Ancud; forced by circumstances, +I returned there without delay, and despatched +the <i>Toro</i>. Few of our excursions have left such agreeable +memories as this one with the naval officers, who +were always ready to render every service possible. +We took farewell of them as of old friends, soon +found but never forgotten. On August 10 we went +on board the <i>Vestfold</i>, passing Ancud on the way to +Valparaiso.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c8">CHAPTER VIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">IN THE HEART OF CHILE</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">During</span> the following weeks we got an opportunity of +seeing quite new features of Chile. Hitherto we had +almost exclusively travelled in parts where civilization +had not reached or was quite new—the big island of +Chiloé excepted; but the difference between the poor +places there and the towns we now visited was certainly +enormous.</p> + +<p>The more important towns are generally situated on +the coast or very near it, and sometimes so close that +only a few hours’ journey by steamer separates them. +Most of them do not offer much of interest to a travelling +European; they do not afford any historical memories +or examples of art and architecture, and they are not +the right places if one wishes to see Chilean customs. +On board the <i>Vestfold</i> we passed several towns. Already +elsewhere I have mentioned that we visited Valdivia, +with its port, Corral. The last-named little town has a +very picturesque situation, and can boast of some ruins +of the Spanish fortress. Industry is beginning to +flourish; a Norwegian whaling company has a station +there, and a French syndicate was just building large +electric furnaces to melt down the Chilean iron ores. +Valdivia, situated at some distance from the coast, +on the Calle-calle river, is a German town. Everywhere<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span> +you met German faces, German signboards and placards +alongside the Spanish. There is a large German school, +a church and various <i>Vereine</i>, large shoe-factories, +and, of course, breweries. It gives an impression of a +rapidly increasing community. After the great fire +last year a large part of the town will be rebuilt on a +much grander scale than before. But Valdivia is +especially famous for its streets. Situated in one +of the rainiest parts of Chile, surrounded by luxuriant +forests, the town literally drips with moisture, and the +streets have hardly passed the state of the forest soil. +One can only cross at certain places, where wooden +causeways are laid, and we saw the horses wade up to +their bellies in the mud, the wheels of the carts almost +disappearing.</p> + +<p>In Coronel our expedition divided again. Halle was +kindly taken care of by the Swedish Vice-Consul, Mr. +G. Granfelt, and during the following weeks dedicated +himself to a geological survey of the interesting coal-mines +in the province of Arauco; he made his headquarters +in Coronel, Lota, and Lebu, and obtained very +valuable results. Certainly all of us took the chance of +visiting the famous park in Lota. This, as well as a +part of the town itself and the coal-mines, are the property +of the family Cousiño. Unfortunately, the park is not as +well kept as it used to be, and is also spoilt by a palace +with four façades in four different styles, and by dozens +of spurious statues of a very suspiciously German origin. +From Lota, Quensel and I went to Concepción, a larger +town of pure European stamp, and from there by electric +tramway to its port, Talcahuano, the naval port of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span>Chile, and the only good harbour north of Chiloé. There +we went on board the <i>Vestfold</i> once more. On August 14 +Valparaiso spread out over the narrow beach, and, +climbing high up on the many hills behind, lay before +us, and between the hundreds of steamers and sailing-vessels +we were conducted to an anchorage.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f25"> +<img src="images/fig25.jpg" alt="valdivia"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Valdivia.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f26"> +<img src="images/fig26.jpg" alt="harbour"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Harbour at Valparaiso.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The principal reason for our visit here was that we +intended to make an excursion to the Juan Fernandez +Islands, which we accomplished between August 20 and +31. We had prepared it long before, and Captain +Löwenborg pleaded our case so well that Admiral Montt +put at our disposal the large and comfortable transport +vessel the <i>Casma</i>. Before the trip was undertaken, +and also after our return, we found ample time to see +both Valparaiso and Santiago, with their scientific institutes, +and also to make a couple of longer excursions. +In 1906, the year of the great earthquake, Valparaiso +was on every one’s tongue. Two years had elapsed +since that tremendous catastrophe, but numerous +traces were still left, especially as the authorities have +seized the opportunity partly to re-plan the town, +which somewhat delayed the rebuilding of waste streets. +Everywhere, even in the blocks that had suffered but +little, one could discover filled-up cracks in the walls. +In Valparaiso several Swedes live, but only in Santiago +could one speak of a real Swedish colony. It counts +some very prominent members. I need only mention +a couple of the most able officers in the army, Colonel +Ekdahl and Lieutenant-Colonel Schönmeyr, or the +director of gymnastics, Mr. J. Billing, late lieutenant +in the Swedish army. The reception given to us by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span> +our countrymen in Santiago will always remain one of +the most agreeable memories of our journey.</p> + +<p>Santiago is famous for its situation at the foot of the +Andes. I daresay there is nothing in the world like its +racecourse, with snowy peaks and crests many thousand +feet high as decoration. I am afraid, however, that the +fine view does not account for the enormous number of +people there.</p> + +<p>Nature in Central Chile is truly different from all +we had seen before of that country. The climate is +warm and dry, even on the coast; only in the valleys +of the coast cordillera is there forest, formed by a number +of fine trees, most of which I had not met with before. +On the plateaus and ridges the reddish soil shines through, +and with its peculiar plants, amongst them the large +pillar-cactus (<i>Cereus</i>), it gives the impression of a semi-desert. +One ought to see, as we did, these parts in +springtime, when beautiful lilies, orchids, &c., adorn +the earth. With the approach of summer they go to +sleep.</p> + +<p>Between Valparaiso and Santiago one passes one of the +sources of wealth in Chile, the central valley between the +two mountain ranges—vast prairies, thousands of cattle +and large vineyards everywhere. Through the kindness +of the Transandino Railway Company we visited the +much-spoken-of tunnel joining Chile and Argentina, +and at the same time a grand mountain district. The +railway starts from the small town Los Andes. Here +we have a typical Chilean country town, with low white, +pink, or light blue buildings of one storey, mostly not +very well kept, long brown earthen walls, broken<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span> +and picturesque—how well the flowering peach-trees +stand out against the dark clay! The sun scorches, +there are clouds of thick brown dust over the streets, +covering the willows and their opening buds, marring +the finery of the horsemen. It is <i>dia de fiesta</i>, the +birthday of the Holy Virgin; dark-faced Don Juans, +with trappings and enormous spurs of silver, embroidered +leggings and many-coloured, homespun poncho, gallop +towards the garlanded triumphal arches forming a +walk up to the church. Evening steals upon Los +Andes, life dozes off, only now and then the faint notes +of a guitar reach us. The sun sinks, the mountains +glow in the last beams, then the outlines fade away, +snow-patches and bare rock melt together into a blue +haze and darken to deep night. The moon rises, +drowning the peach-blossom in floods of silver, everything +dusty and ugly disappears in the soft lustre. But +a strenuous day is in store for us, and we are forced +regretfully to go to sleep.</p> + +<p>The train winds up the valley of Aconcagua, lined +with gay groves, adorned by many flowers; the river +sinks deeper and deeper, the air grows thin, pure, and +cool. The rack commences, higher and higher we rise. +In Juncal our special train was stopped. The line was +ready for another nine and a half miles, but as work was +going on in two of the thirteen tunnels on this stretch +we had to mount the mules kept in readiness for us. +Besides the guide, Mr. Curtis, whom the company had +sent with us, we got an additional member for our +party, the police-sergeant in Juncal; the road was not +considered safe just then, and the police wanted to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span> +at hand in case anything should happen. We rose in +an eternal zigzag line; in all directions we enjoyed +grand scenery, but Nature was still in the grip of winter. +At some distance we passed Laguna del Inca, one of +the most beautiful mountain lakes I ever saw, and late +in the evening we arrived at the entrance of the tunnel, +Caracoles, where we were invited to dinner by the +English engineer; we had a merry time, and from the +gramophone horn Melba and Caruso competed for our +favour.</p> + +<p>Each of us got on a pair of rubber boots and had a +lamp to carry, and we splashed into the tunnel, where +work was going on day and night, and where we got an +idea of how a tunnel is made. The total length, 1·9 +miles, was evidently not very considerable, but the +loose quality of the rock made work very difficult. +At the time of our visit a thick wall still separated the +two republics; last year, however, the first train passed +under the enormous mass of the Andes. We were glad +to get out into the cold night air once more, and sit +down and enjoy some whisky and a pipe of tobacco.</p> + +<p>Life among the labourers and the scum of mankind +seeking its way across the Uspallata pass is rather wild. +A few weeks before our arrival eleven men left Caracoles +to cross to the Argentine side. They never got there. +They appeared, however, when the snow melted; for +every spring, when the road across is put in order, +the bodies of those who have disappeared during the +winter are found, frozen to ice, partly robbed of their +clothes, sometimes with the pockets turned inside out—murdered, +robbed, and simply left. The soil of that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span> +pass is literally soaked with the blood of the victims +of assassins and highwaymen.</p> + +<p>When traffic is open it is no risk for the railway +passengers to cross. More than 30 feet of snow have +been recorded near the pass, and during the winter +the railway has not hitherto been used. Traffic had +not begun, the road lay partly under snow and ice, +but with a guide as excellent as ours we did not hesitate +to cross. We had a splendid morning on September 10. +The ground was frozen hard, the ice jingled like broken +glass under the hoofs of our mules. With uncommon +agility they passed the most dangerous places, of which +there was no lack. The sergeant made a halt at a small +stone house he wanted to inspect, took his carbine +with the air of an official, and entered, but was soon +back, there being no traces of the rascals he was looking +for. The thin air made us feel a slight pressure across +the temples, but otherwise it did not affect us. We +reached the pass, <i>la cumbre</i>, on a height of 13,000 +feet, thus having a good deal of our globe under +our feet. Some few steps from us is the gigantic statue +of Christ, erected as a monument to the eternal peace +between the two republics, but not a living soul, not a +blade of grass, only rock and snow.</p> + +<p>With legs stiff, so that the loose sand whirled round +them, our mules slide down the most westerly slopes of +Argentina, and we reached Las Cuevas, the entrance +to the tunnel on the Argentine side. From there we +continued our ride and passed the valley where Aconcagua, +hitherto regarded as the highest mountain in +America, makes the background. Huascarán is now<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span> +said to compete for the honour, but as the proofs +are not sufficient we took off our caps and bowed to his +Alpine majesty. In Baño del Inca, where one has to +cross the famous natural bridge, we tried the sulphur +baths; no doubt we were the very first visitors that +year. We turned round and slept in Las Cuevas, and +the next morning Mr. Curtis and I crossed to Chile +again, Quensel waiting till the next day. Our journey +from Caracoles to Los Andes was rather original; with +fine disdain for the train, we used a trolley. Down we +went, sometimes at a breakneck speed, but the intense +feeling of freedom made us forget the risk. The line +for long stretches runs on narrow shelves, cut in the +steep mountain-sides; derailment would mean instantaneous +death. Further down we were very nearly run +over by a train, and just had time to throw ourselves +and the trolley off the rail. Situations rapidly change +in this world: in the morning we experienced a temperature +of several degrees below freezing-point on the high +crests of the desolate Cordillera; at night that same day +we were enjoying the tepid air between the park trees +in a big city.</p> + +<p>From another excursion to the coast at Zapallar, north +of Valparaiso, I returned just in time to take part in +the great national feast, from September 18 to 20, the +anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, 1810. +It is a real people’s feast, celebrated with the same +enthusiasm by all classes of society. Aristocracy has +its processions, <i>Te Deum</i>, races, and military parades, +the people dance <i>la cueca</i> and drink <i>chicha</i> in the +parks all night long. I could not deny that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span> +air itself was really filled with a feeling of festivity, +the whole country being decorated with banners of all +colours, garlands, and triumphal arches, while on the +railway the engines were adorned with green leaves, +flowers, and flags, and everywhere were heard patriotic +speeches and the playing of bands. And for three whole +days no one who is not forced to does any work.</p> + +<p>When Halle had finished his work he joined us in +Santiago, and, using the great central railway, running +longitudinally through the Valle Central, we went +to Valdivia once more. In Corral we took a passenger +steamer; it was the <i>Teno</i>, with a Swede, Mr. Boklund, +as captain—another late <i>piloto</i>, who had left the navy +after some years’ service. Again we visited Ancud, said +good-bye to all our friends there, took on board our +equipment, and crossed the gulf to Puerto Montt, where +we were now going to prepare the expedition overland +through the whole of Patagonia.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c9">CHAPTER IX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">ROBINSON CRUSOE’S ISLAND</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">Far</span> out in the Pacific Ocean, 360 nautical miles west of +Valparaiso, lies a small island, called Juan Fernandez, +or Masatierra (<i>i.e.</i>, Nearer Land); another 96 miles +further out we find a second rocky islet, bearing the +name of Masafuera (= Further Away); and at the +west end of Masatierra a much smaller islet, Santa +Clara, rises out of the breakers. These three islands +together form the Juan Fernandez group. From +the first moment I got to know anything about the +nature and plant-life of this highly remarkable place +and saw a photograph of Masatierra, I had longed to +go there—without any hope whatever of getting nearer +to it than dreaming of that scientist’s paradise. When, +in 1907, I left Sweden on my second long journey I +had not the slightest idea that one year later I should +in fact land on Juan Fernandez. Through the valuable +assistance of the Chilean authorities we had been +able to save much time, new schemes arose, and the +idea of being able to realize my dream of bygone days +made my heart beat with expectation. Negotiations +were opened, with the result already mentioned +above.</p> + +<p>The <i>Casma</i> was a good vessel of 4000 tons and very +spacious; saloons and cabins were large and comfortable.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span> +Her commander was Captain F. Dublé, of +the Chilean navy; we shall never forget his kindness +and the courtesy of his officers.</p> + +<p>At daybreak on August 22 a sailor came into my +cabin to announce that Masatierra had been sighted. +We came on the bridge in haste, anxious to behold +the wonderland. At a distance it looked like any other +wild, storm-beaten, rocky island, and I cannot say that +this impression weakened as we approached. The sky-high +peaks, the valleys with their precipitous slopes, +the breakers rolling in on broken cliffs, everything gave +an almost repulsive impression of desolation. However, +it soon greatly modified as we came into the open +harbour, Cumberland Bay, where bright green patches +showed up on the slopes interspersed with patches +of the naked red soil, where dark forests stretched +high up in the valleys and over the ridges, and where +a cluster of small wooden huts, here and there with +a piece of garden, showed that here also the human +race had found means of subsistence, perhaps of +happiness.</p> + +<p>We set our foot on the shore of a legendary island. +Dear reader, do you remember how the wonderful +fortunes and adventures of Robinson Crusoe interested +you, when you were a small boy or girl and went to +the infant school? Did you not dream that it rained +drops “large as pigeon’s eggs,” or that you discovered +on the sandy sea-shore those footprints making your +blood curdle with terror? How the tale of Robinson +excited the imagination at the same time that it taught +us so many useful things!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span></p> + +<p>Perhaps many of us would feel disappointment when +landed on Robinson’s island. Where is the tropical +luxuriance, where are the parrots, monkeys, and tortoises, +where the descendants of Friday’s people? Well, +certainly Defoe let fancy run away with him; he +has adorned his island with all the richness of the +tropics, and makes his hero land there under the +most dramatic circumstances. But I myself did not +think of the difference between truth and fiction; +the former seemed to me wonderful enough, and I +was seized by a feeling of pure joy when I thought +that I was really here, walking about on that soil, +and able to live through the favourite book of early +childhood again.</p> + +<p>Masatierra is a steep, rocky island, with an area +of only 38 square miles. When you are down +at the harbour the chances for excursions seem +rather limited, for the slopes rise high and steep all +round. In reality one stands on the bottom of an old +volcano, surrounded by its semicircular wall, out of +which some parts, such as the precipitous Pico +Central and the Yunque (certainly deserving its +name, “The Anvil”), rise more distinctly. The last one, +with a height of 3040 feet, is the highest summit. +Thanks to some narrow paths, running in zigzag, it is +possible to get out of the crater and cross the ridges, +and thus reach the bays on both sides. Many slopes, +however, are not possible to climb, and the name of +one of the crests, Salsipuedes, which means “try to get +out if you can,” reminds one of this.</p> + +<p>The spot to which the stranger first makes his way is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span> +Portezuelo de Villagra, a sharp gap in the southern +ridge, where Robinson is said to have climbed to look +out over the ocean. Following the dirty roads between +the houses, we ascend slowly till we come to the many-coloured, +steep slopes of volcanic tufas and the path +disappears in a thicket of maqui. The maqui (<i>Aristotelia</i>) +has been imported from the continent in late +years, and this disagreeable tree is now spreading +rapidly, threatening the original vegetation with +annihilation. However, it does not reach very +far, and we soon got rid of it. We now start to +climb the steep mountain-wall, where the path winds +along in a very sharp zigzag; one can sometimes +jump down directly into one path from the next +above it.</p> + +<p>It is time to have a look at the peculiar natural +features round us. From a botanical point of view +Juan Fernandez is one of the world’s most famous +places. It is often the case that islands lying far away +from the great continents exhibit a marvellous animal +and plant life, containing genera and species not found +elsewhere—endemic, as they are called; in this respect +Juan Fernandez is perhaps only surpassed by the +Sandwich Islands. About 65 per cent. of the total +number of vascular plants (phanerogams and ferns) +are confined to that small group of isles. It is as if one +had been carried back to past geological periods, as if +one walked about in a living museum, crowded with +rare specimens. So many wonderful plants are brought +together here on a small area that one must touch +them to realize that one does not dream. Especially<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span> +worthy of attention are the small, sparingly branched +trees with long, thin, more or less erect naked branches +crowned by a rosette of large, thin leaves. For the most +part they are members of the composite order, but +other orders also have representatives. It is besides +a remarkable fact that this type of organization is found +also on other oceanic islands—the Canary Isles, for +instance. The flora is without doubt very old, of a +tertiary origin or older, and must have come from the +South American continent, but for several reasons +disappeared to a great extent on the mainland. The +ice age cannot have had any influence of importance +on Juan Fernandez.</p> + +<p>In the narrow gorges (<i>quebradas</i>) that we pass there +is a dense and impenetrable primeval forest. It looks +black-green, thanks to the dark foliage of the endemic +myrtle-tree, which we found in bud and flower in spite +of the early date of our visit. Above the other trees +rises the masterpiece of creation, <i>la chonta</i>, the endemic +palm (<i>Juania australis</i>). It is impossible not to caress +the smooth green stem as one tries to get a sight of its +majestic head of large pinnate leaves. Glorious it is, +a true <i>princeps</i> of the vegetable kingdom, noble +from top to root. Unfortunately it is only too popular. +It is persecuted with saw and hatchet, every ship +brings away trunks and young plants, and it has already +been exterminated from all places easy of access. The +top is used as cabbage, the trunk is carved into beautiful +walking-sticks, and the young plants are put in the +gardens on the coast—in spite of the fact that we have +sufficient proofs that the chonta cannot grow on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span> +mainland. In 1895 Professor Johow, of Santiago, the +most prominent specialist in the flora, proposed to +the authorities to protect the tree in question, and +I was told that there exists a law on the subject. +However, nobody seems to take any notice of such +a trifle.</p> + +<p>Creeping or winding plants are hardly met with, +with the exception of a few ferns. Arboreous ferns, +together with chonta and sandal-wood, have made the +islands well known to non-scientists also. The fern +flora is really very rich; there are all types of growth, +from the mighty fern-trees, reminding one of mountain +forests in the tropics, to the wonderful members of +genera such as <i>Hymenophyllum</i> and <i>Trichomanes</i>, thin as +tissue-paper, or the creeper species adorning the trunks +of the trees. The ferns also, especially the arboreous, +are the objects of a reckless war of extermination; +and our fellow travellers on the <i>Casma</i> were not +better than their predecessors, though I expostulated +with them on the matter every day. It hurt me to +see one boat-load after the other of precious plants +taken on board the steamer, most of them only to be +wasted.</p> + +<p>We have arrived at the <i>portezuelo</i>, or Selkirk’s Lookout, +as this picturesque spot is sometimes called. The +trees are very low, or have been replaced by strange +shrubs mingled with the curious <i>pangue</i> (<i>Gunnera peltæta</i>), +and forming a very entangled mass. On a vertical +mountain-wall is the tablet erected in honour of the true +Robinson, the Scotch sailor Alexander Selkirk. The +inscription runs as follows:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span></p> + +<p class="c less"> +<span class="smcap">In Memory of</span><br> +ALEXANDER SELKIRK,<br> +Mariner,<br> +A native of Largo in the county of<br> +Fife, Scotland.<br> +Who lived on this island in complete<br> +solitude, for four years<br> +and four months.<br> +He was landed from the Cinque<br> +Ports galley, 96 tons, 16 guns, a.d.<br> +1704, and was taken off in the<br> +Duke, privateer, 12th Feb. 1709.<br> +He died lieutenant of H.M.S. Weymouth,<br> +a.d. 1723, aged 47 years.<br> +This tablet is erected<br> +near Selkirk’s lookout by<br> +Commodore Powell and the<br> +officers of H.M.S. Topaze, a.d. 1868.<br> +</p> + +<p>This is the historical basis of Defoe’s work. It +may look somewhat meagre, but one can understand +that poor Selkirk had to work to preserve his life. +What a mental trial, not to hear a word spoken by +another, not to see a human soul for four years and four +months! Thus his fate was pretty adventurous even +if told without embellishment. On the other hand, he +left his ship at his own request, discontented with the +life on board. Besides, he might have chosen a worse +place. The climate is very mild, it rains just enough, +snow or frost is unknown. A few plants are edible, and +the goats, which were much more numerous in Selkirk’s +time than they are now, provided him with fresh meat.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f27"> +<img src="images/fig27.jpg" alt="lookout"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Robinson’s lookout, with commemorative tablet.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Through a walk lined with marvellous trees and +precious ferns we pass the natural gate and are on the +south side of the island. Down it goes, almost as +precipitous as on the other side. We have a magnificent +view of the coast and Santa Clara, where a tremendous +surf roars. Soon we came out of the forest, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span>and continued on to the barren slopes near the sea. The +vegetation here is more like that of a steppe, with short +grass and some heath-plants; only along the streams +is there a bright green strip, a mosaic of gigantic pangue-leaves. +And we bent the thick stalks at the side and +drank to the health of Masatierra and Robinson and the +whole world. There is only one way back, the way +we had come; it was getting dark and we hurried +on through showers of rain; large drops splashed on +the heads of the rosette-trees, the soil emitted strong, +peculiar scents. The last part of the way we slid down +in the slippery clay.</p> + +<p>Above I happened to mention the sandal-wood. The +discovery of this kind of wood, famous since the days +of Solomon, on Juan Fernandez most surely attracted +notice. We have no reports of it previous to 1624, +when, according to Burney, L’Heremite reported sandal-trees +in great number. According to another authority +ships used to visit the place as early as 1664 to bring +the valuable wood to the coast, where it was highly +appreciated. One did not think of preserving anything; +a hundred years later it was hardly possible to find a +living tree, and in the beginning of last century it was +regarded as extinct. No botanist had ever seen the +leaves or flowers. Suddenly F. Philippi in Santiago +got some fresh twigs brought to him in 1888; he found +them to belong to the genus <i>Santalum</i>; the species +being new, it received the name of <i>S. fernandezianum</i>. +The general interest in the tree was increased, but +nobody told where the branches came from; a living +tree was still unknown, Only in 1892 did Johow<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span> +get news of one; a colonist had found it in Puerto +Ingles, high up in the valley. He was the first botanist +who saw this plant. It is easily understood that I was +anxious to become the second. How many people had +looked for other specimens! All their efforts were +fruitless; as far as we knew Johow’s tree was the very +last. If it were still there!</p> + +<p>The man who brought Johow to the spot still lived, +and after we had explained our purely scientific interest +he promised to send his son with us. It would have +been more than uncertain for us alone to look for a +single tree in a valley clad with virgin forest.</p> + +<p>It is possible to climb across the ridge that separates +Cumberland Bay from the English Harbour, but we +preferred to go there with a well-manned boat. The +landing is, as in most places on the islands, performed +with some risk; one must jump just at the right moment, +and there has to be a good crew in the yawl, or the boat +would be thrown on the rocks and capsized. Perhaps +I ought to mention that the place in question only has +the <i>name</i> of a harbour. We walked up the valley +and made an ascent of the western side; the place is so +steep that one is forced to grasp the trees and shrubs +to get a foothold. Our guide stopped, looked round +for a minute, down a few hundred yards, and we had +reached our destination. The last sandal-tree. Absolutely +the last descendant of <i>Santalum fernandezianum</i>. +It is so queer to stand at the death-bed of a species; +probably we were the last scientists who saw it living. +We look at the old tree with a religious respect, touch +the stem and the firm, dark green leaves—it is not only<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span> +an individual, it is a species that is dying. It cannot +last very long. There is only one little branch left +fresh and green; the others are dead. We cut a piece +to get specimens of the peculiar red, strongly scented +wood. A photo was taken, I made some observations +on the place, and we said good-bye. Should I happen +to go there once more I shall not see the sandal-tree; +it will be dead and its body cut up into precious pieces—curiosities +taken away by every stranger.</p> + +<p>In the evening we gathered in the cavern near the +shore, Robinson’s Grotto, as it is generally called. Maybe +that Selkirk slept here a couple of nights; we know +that he did not take up his permanent quarters in this +place. The officers from the <i>Casma</i> met us here, bringing +some dinner for us. How excellent it tasted in the +spirit of poetry lent by Robinson’s Grotto, after what in +my journals is entitled “the day of the sandal-tree”!</p> + +<p>Early in the morning of August 26 we left Cumberland +Bay, passed the magnificent coast cliffs, especially +noteworthy at Cape Salinas, continued to the south-western +promontory of the island, and anchored in +Bahia del Padre. All this coast is more or less difficult +of approach, and only in fine weather can one effect a +landing. We had enjoyed several days of calm, and +were pretty sure of success. One of the colonists, a +Frenchman, accompanied us, bringing with him a small +flat-bottomed boat; without this a landing would +not have been safe, as the water is very shallow close +to the cliff, where one has to jump ashore. There is +always a heavy surf. The excursion, as usual, was a +miniature Alpine tour. Round the coast grow fine<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span> +seaweeds, and there was a rich animal life, so that the +result of our work turned out very well. At nightfall +we weighed anchor and made for Masafuera, finding +ourselves outside Quebrada de las Casas, the only +anchorage, at daybreak. Everybody on board looked +forward to this visit with some excitement; the shore +there is a steep slope, with large boulders and a heavy +surf; several days may pass without a landing being +possible, and in any case one must be prepared to get +wet. We had very good luck.</p> + +<p>The topography of Masafuera is more peculiar still +than that of Masatierra. Its area is less—34 square +miles—but the height is more than double, for +the summit rises to 6500 feet. Its shape is that of +a regular cone. The top is situated in the south-western +quarter; the north-western is occupied by a +plateau, 3000 to 4500 feet high. Towards the east +a series of narrow gorges radiate like the ribs of a fan, +of which Quebrada de las Casas is the largest and the +only one inhabited. From our beach we had seen some +houses; we did not take any notice of them, but started +to climb the mountain-side without delay. After having +crossed several forest-clad ravines, we found ourselves on +the plateau; the forest does not extend so far. Quensel +had brought his Winchester, and soon got a chance to +shoot a fine buck. Wild goats were numerous here.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f28"> +<img src="images/fig28.jpg" alt="masafuera"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">View from top of Masafuera, showing canyons.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f29"> +<img src="images/fig29.jpg" alt="grotto"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Robinson’s Grotto.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The most common tree here is a kind of myrtle; it +only grows on this island, and here takes the place of +the myrtle of Masatierra. We thus found the same +state of things as Darwin so splendidly described on +the Galapagos Islands. The vegetation above the forest +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span>is of a very remarkable appearance—ferns and more +ferns everywhere, groves of fern-trees, and a carpet of +smaller species.</p> + +<p>We had crossed the island and stood above the precipice. +In the most breakneck places goats climb with +ease, leaving man behind. Below our feet is a bank of +clouds hiding the sea; only the roar from the breakers +reaches us. Suddenly the veil is torn asunder by a puff +of wind, and then, right below—the depth of the abyss is +4000 feet—lies the ocean. Through the rents in the +clouds we can see the white foam dancing in across +a sandbank, where some wreckage shows the fate of a +vessel that came too close. It is a striking sight of +Nature’s greatness, that stirs the soul and is engraved +for ever in the memory. Time and place are forgotten; +but the sun sinks and it becomes necessary to return +to our ship.</p> + +<p>As the weather continued good the <i>Casma</i> could stop +without risk—the place is open to all winds—and I +spent the next day making excursions in two of the +gorges, and Quensel walked round the island to the +west coast. The valleys are truly most remarkable, cut +deep down 300 to 600 feet, and perhaps not more than +30 to 50 feet broad in the inner part, with sheer +walls, sometimes nearly parallel. One walks in a +natural alley, high above is a strip of the sky, and the +subdued light illuminates the green carpet on the rocky +walls. Here and there a tree is rooted in a cleft, but +unfortunately frustrates every attempt to get a specimen; +large rosettes of light green pangue gleam on the +narrow shelves; the stream, nearly filling up the bottom<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span> +of the valley, chatters merrily, now and then forming +a miniature waterfall. Yesterday we saw the grand, +to-day the pretty side of Masafuera scenery. Over the +desolate expanse eagles soar looking for prey; down +here the humming-birds shoot from flower to flower, +flashing with metallic splendour as they twist and turn. +Calmness and peace reign; not a breath of wind stirs +the elegant runners of the ferns.</p> + +<p>The next morning we were back in Cumberland Bay +and made some short excursions; unfortunately we +could not stop longer, but had to go back to Valparaiso. +The voyage across causes much apprehension, as one +can get a heavy sea broadside on, but we did not feel +much of it. On August 31 we were back again after a +most interesting trip, which also gave some very good +results—among other things I discovered some plants +on the top of Masafuera well known in the south of +Chile, but not to be expected out here.</p> + +<p>The Spanish navigator Juan Fernandez discovered +the islands in 1563, and was their first colonist. As we +have seen, it was not long before ships used to call for +sandal-wood, and in the seventeenth century Spain +erected a small fortress in order to shut out the numerous +English buccaneers who had their headquarters in +Cumberland Bay. An earthquake in 1751 brought the +fort and the small town also built there to an untimely +end. But the ruins are still left. Later the island +was used as a penal settlement; near the harbour are +some caverns where the prisoners lived. In our times +the islands were opened to colonization. On Masatierra +a number of families lived, and a fishing company had +stations on both islands. Sheep, cattle, and horses<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span> +ran about, greatly to the damage of the vegetation. +From an agricultural point of view Masafuera—and +perhaps also Masatierra—is of no importance. For the +development of Chile it is not of the slightest value +that this strip of land should be cultivated. The fishing +industry is of much greater account, especially the +catching of lobsters. The giant Juan Fernandez lobster +(<i>Palinurus frontalis</i>), sometimes from 2 to 3 feet long, +does not live on the main coast of Chile, but is the more +appreciated there. On the occasion of our visit it was +worth sixty cents when delivered by the fishermen to +the company; their agents get three pesos in Valparaiso, +and when it reached the table of the big restaurants it +fetched ten or even fifteen pesos for big specimens +(at that time one peso was about eightpence). I daresay +the fishing was not managed in a satisfactory way +or it would have been a profitable industry; we were told +that the company was about to abandon the place. +Because of the quite unnecessary colonization the future +of Masatierra, as seen from a scientific point of view, +looks very dark. But some time ago a still greater +danger threatened Masafuera. During our visit to +Chile the Government made preparations to establish +another penal settlement on that island. An official +commission had been sent there, looked at the place, +and reported it as very fit for the purpose. Among the +various descriptions of labour to be imposed on the +prisoners forest-cutting was mentioned—the practically +worthless, scientifically irreplaceable endemic trees +would be exterminated in the most brutal manner! +The least one can demand, now that the prison is +an accomplished fact, is that the members of that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span> +commission should spend the rest of their lives on the +island. Their sin is great enough to justify this.</p> + +<p>It is evident that the preservation of natural beauty +will appear a strange idea to a people like the Chileans, +who first of all must think of the material development +of their country, of the education of the people, and +other important questions; they have not been able +yet to give science the high place it occupies in the +countries of the Old World. But in this case there is +no time to lose. The Juan Fernandez Islands are of +international interest; their destruction means irreparable +loss to the whole realm of science. The order +of the day ought to be: Away with the colonists! I +can hardly imagine a more ideal place for a biological +station than this—the queen of an ocean. And at the +same time as plants and animals were being protected +a profitable fishing industry could be established, +many times surpassing in value agriculture or cattle-breeding. +Several times I have pointed out these +facts to the great public, but all in vain. I daresay +a true Chilean does not know what love of Nature +means. Perhaps he cannot help it, he was born like +that; nevertheless it is a pity.</p> + +<p>Since this was written I have had news from Chile that +the penal settlement has not turned out very well and +that the place is to be abandoned. But do not believe +that the island will be left alone. There is another +scheme: they are thinking of breeding sheep and cattle +for the wants of the army—a most noble pasturage they +will get. Is it possible? After what I have seen, anything +is possible.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c10">CHAPTER X</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">ACROSS THE ANDES INTO ARGENTINA</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">Before</span> we undertook the journey to the Patagonian +Channels we had resolved to move our field of work +to a more northerly latitude during the rest of the +winter, and I have already described the excursions +made between July and September 1908. Naturally +we had also discussed how we were to return south +again, and the idea of proceeding overland—<i>i.e.</i>, going +on horseback from Lake Nahuelhuapi to Punta Arenas—had +also suggested itself. We did not conceal from ourselves +that it would be a risky enterprise. When we +left Sweden we were by no means prepared for such an +eventuality, and therefore had not even studied what had +been written describing that part of the country. This +lack could in part be supplied, but not completely, and +we did not miss any chance of getting information about +Patagonia from persons who had personal experience. +As to the equipment suitable, the way of arranging a +caravan, and the technical side of the matter, Quensel +had gained very useful experience from his strenuous +summer round Payne and Lake Argentino. The +financial difficulty was the worst to get over. We were +told we could not start with less than fifty horses—and +I daresay this was no exaggeration from a South +American point of view. But we could not dream of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span> +any such number; our money would not permit of +our buying more than ten or twelve altogether. Anyhow, +we made up our minds to risk it, hoping that by +marching at moderate speed and resting the horses +every third or fourth day we should manage with the +smaller number. By the kindness of the Argentine +and Chilean Governments, we had received complete +sets of the maps of the Boundary Commission, and had +had ample time to study them in all details. Unlike +our predecessors, we regarded guides as unnecessary; +with a map and a good compass one should certainly +be able to get along everywhere, letting common sense +determine the details of the march. In general, fixed, +scientific ideas must lead us, and the usefulness of +<i>vaqueanos</i>, guides, who can never read a map, would +most probably turn out to be illusory. On the other +hand it was necessary to get hold of a good and strong +all-round man to accompany us the whole time, as we +did not want always to be tied by all the regular daily +routine work. It is not easy here to light upon reliable +people for such a purpose, and one ought not to take +anybody into one’s service without strong recommendations +from trustworthy persons. When we left Punta +Arenas we had told Pagels that we should perhaps +send for him later on, and we never had cause to regret +that at last we resolved to do so. I telegraphed to him +to join our party in Puerto Montt or at Nahuelhuapi, +and he declared himself willing to come.</p> + +<p>Briefly our plan ran as follows: We were to cross the +Perez-Rosales pass to Nahuelhuapi, and there complete +our equipment, buy horses, &c. Our way at first<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span> +would lead along the mountain across the high pampas, +then run between the main range and the mesetas, +across the transandine valleys and close to the east +end of the large lakes; on some of them boat excursions +would be undertaken. Everywhere we would avail +ourselves of all possible chances of penetrating westward +into the mountains. Our scientific purpose was to gain +a series of geological and phytogeographical observations +along the mountains, as well as on some sections across +them to the Pacific Ocean. Before I invite the reader +to follow us across the frontier to the neighbouring +republic, I shall make some few remarks on the more +important surveys made in the interior of Patagonia.</p> + +<p>The shipwreck of Camarga in the Magellan Straits +in 1540, as well as the unhappy result of Sarmiento’s +colonizing enterprise in 1584, gave birth to all sorts +of stories. It was said that survivors of these disasters +had wandered into the interior of Patagonia, where +they had found immense treasures and established +a settlement, which by-and-by had developed into a +flourishing city, mentioned in the tales as “la Ciudad +de los Césares,” the Town of the Emperors. No grounds +whatever for such a supposition existed, but that, of +course, did not hinder the place from becoming the chief +attraction for a large number of expeditions, which +tried to penetrate into the mysteries of Patagonia, and +succeeded in doing so during the seventeenth and +eighteenth centuries. Now and again a rumour cropped +up of the enchanted city, where the natives had prohibited +the white men from going back to their own +countries, and even to-day there are ignorant people<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span> +who still believe it. I myself have met one fellow who +was sure of the existence of such a city—and he was +an educated man.</p> + +<p>In 1621 Captain Flores de León started with an +expedition from Calbuco (near Port Montt). He +discovered the Perez-Rosales pass and reached Nahuelhuapi, +where he encountered numerous savage Indians. +And probably he is not the only one who made that +journey at so early a date. Soon the Jesuit mission +on Chiloé tried to effect communication with the east +side of the Cordillera, and on one of his journeys Father +Mascardi founded a station on the shore of Nahuelhuapi +in 1670. Under changing fortunes it existed until 1717, +when the Puelche Indians completely destroyed it.</p> + +<p>Investigations now ceased for a time, but at the end +of the eighteenth century we find new brave pioneers +setting out, and in the south the first expedition penetrated +far inland. Antonio de Viedma in 1782 marched +from San Julián, on the Atlantic coast, across the pampas +to the foot of the mountains, where he discovered the +big lake now named after him. We must skip some +years to find any dates worthy of mention in this brief +summary. The glorious expeditions of the <i>Adventure</i> +and the <i>Beagle</i>, well known to all English readers, +opened a new era of modern scientific investigations, +and Captain Fitzroy, accompanied by Charles Darwin, +in 1834 pulled up the Santa Cruz river. From the point +at which they were forced to return they beheld the +depression where Lake Argentino is situated; but not +until 1867 was this big lake discovered by the English +engineer H. Gardiner.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span></p> + +<p>R. A. Philippi, C. Fonck, and others in the fifties +started to explore the regions of Llanquihue and +Nahuelhuapi, and in 1862 William Cox, an ancestor +of the Swedo-Chilean family Schönmeyr, made a famous +journey to Nahuelhuapi and went down the rapids of +Rio Limay, till he got shipwrecked and was made +prisoner by the Indians. We owe him a debt of +gratitude for a great deal of information about the +natives. Later Captain G. Musters made prolonged +journeys through the land of the Tehuelches and +rescued the knowledge of their habits and customs +from oblivion. However, large “white patches” still +remained along the foot of the Cordilleras.</p> + +<p>The man who has gained the greatest merit for their +exploration is Dr. F. P. Moreno, late director of the +museum in La Plata. In my opinion his travels well +match most of those made in our days, and if his name +is not so well known in Europe the fault is ours, not his. +In the years 1875 to 1880 he crossed Patagonia in all +directions, often amidst great dangers; more than once +he nearly lost his life. He and his companions were the +first to reach Nahuelhuapi from the east; together with +Moyano he discovered Rio de la Leona, the outlet of +Lago Viedma in Lago Argentino, and also the great +Lake San Martín. Later he became the leading spirit +of the Argentine Boundary Commission, when a piece +of geographical work almost without parallel was +performed. In 1880 Moyano made an expedition +from Santa Cruz along the valley of Rio Chico, and +thence to the north, and he was the first white +man who beheld the vast surface of Lake Buenos<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span> +Aires. Another prominent Argentine explorer was +R. Lista.</p> + +<p>Long before these important events, Argentina as well +as Chile had begun to think of expansion, Argentina +towards Patagonia, the cramped Chile through the +transandine valleys out over the east slopes of the +mountains. Thus a boundary dispute arose, carried on +with great heat by both parties. It was deemed to have +been brought to an end by the treaty of 1881, which +settled that the Cordillera should constitute the boundary, +and thus the ground for dispute seemed to be removed. +Commissions were established to regulate the matter, +but soon all negotiations were broken off; a new controversy +had arisen. It was found that for long +distances the water-parting did not coincide with the +highest mountain-ridges, but lay east of it, and the +Chileans considered that the water-divide ought to +be the frontier, the Argentines that only the highest +peaks and crests would make a just and natural boundary. +The question was of great importance, as the +dispute involved the fertile subandine valleys, which +with every reason were considered a good field for future +colonization. However, matters could not be settled +as long as the region was not mapped, and in the nineties +a fine piece of work was accomplished, in which several +Scandinavians also took part as cartographers. The +Argentine exploration resulted in a large work, accompanied +by splendid photographs and numerous maps. +We could see now how much was still left to be +discovered: large lake-basins, such as Fontana-La +Plata, Belgrano-Azara-Nansen, Pueyrredon (Cochrane)-Posadas,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span> +the last one as late as in 1898. Sometimes +naturalists also accompanied the expeditions. From +the Chilean side efforts were made to start from the fiords +on the Pacific coast and penetrate up the rivers through +the mountains to the sources—enterprises associated +with tremendous difficulties. Dr. Steffen, the well-known +geographer, surveyed the river systems of +Puelo-Manso, Palena-Carrenleufú, Cisnes, Aysen and +Baker, Dr. Krüger those of Reñihue and the numerous +lakes east of it, Yelcho-Futaleufú and Corcovado. +The data having been gathered, the question was +submitted to the award of King Edward VII., in order +to prevent a terrible war. The King sent a commission +under the command of Colonel Sir Thomas Holdich, +and in November 1902 the decision was published +and the boundary was settled. After this combined +work was undertaken to erect the marks, new geographical +results being gained. The Chilean Government +published a work in several parts with numerous +maps, and the keystone was laid in 1908, when the +Argentine description of the demarcations appeared.</p> + +<p>Private expeditions had also operated in Patagonia +during this time. Dr. Hatcher with the Princeton +University Expedition occupied himself in the interior +of South Patagonia, discovered Rio Mayer, the outlet +of the Belgrano system, and did important geological +work. The geologists Hauthal and Roth made extensive +surveys, the former principally in the southernmost part +of the country, also visited by the Swedish expedition +of 1896-97. In 1903 Mr. A. Thesleff, a Finnish gentleman, +crossed Patagonia in order to look for land fit<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span> +for cultivation; with him went the Swedish botanist +P. Dusén, who brought home large collections from the +region between Santa Cruz and the lakes San Martín +and Viedma. Many smaller journeys are worthy of +notice, but I must confine myself to those already +mentioned. There was still, however, a vast field for +scientific work.</p> + +<p>The winter was coming to an end. In the forests +round Reloncaví the trees opened their flower-buds; +in Puerto Montt we enjoyed the first real spring days. +We were now more busy than ever, the question being +to choose a complete but light equipment, and to pack +the rest and the winter collections and send all together +to Punta Arenas. Our modest resources were severely +strained buying horse-gear, clothes, and a lot of small +things.</p> + +<p>The last nails were driven into the boxes, which were +sent down to a shed to wait for the next steamer, and with +a ridiculously small amount of luggage we started for +Puerto Varas at the Lago Llanquihue on October 6. +One is able to drive there very comfortably, for we had +not yet said good-bye to civilization, and were ordinary +passengers. A German-Chilean company, the leaders +being Germans, called Compañía comercial y ganadera +Chile-Argentina, owns land on both sides of the mountains, +and has established regular traffic between Port +Montt and Bariloche at Nahuelhuapi. A route like +this in Europe would certainly be crowded with tourists, +and prove a real gold-mine. But the everyday Chilean +has not got his eyes open to the beauty of his country; +seldom does he travel for pleasure in South America. And<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span> +when a foreigner has his holidays he goes to Europe, +where he will hardly find anything so magnificent as +the journey from Chile to Argentina across the Perez-Rosales +pass.</p> + +<p>In the evening our carriage stopped in front of +the Hotel Llanquihue in Puerto Varas. On the road +we had passed the half-completed railway joining Puerto +Montt to the town of Osorno, and thus with the longitudinal +main trunk. There is peace and comfort in that small +summer place, Puerto Varas, where numerous families +spend the favourable season on the shores of the large +lake. We have good luck, the sun rises on a splendid +day, and the small steamer takes us over a lake like a +mirror, between the two famous giant volcanoes Osorno +and Calbuco, which raise their shining white heads +one on each side of the east end of Llanquihue. What +a contrast to the landscape farther west, with pastures +and cultivated fields between the grooves! German +colonists have changed the province of Llanquihue into +a land literally flowing with milk and honey, for butter +and honey are valuable articles of export. The +honey has a rather peculiar taste, but the bees have to +collect it from plants very different from those we can +offer them.</p> + +<p>From an æsthetic point of view Osorno is an ideal +volcano. The cone, 7403 feet high, is very regular, +and covered with a cap of eternal snow. It is a long +time since it showed any signs of life—the last eruption +must be that described in his usual fascinating manner +by Darwin, who was lucky enough to witness it. Calbuco +is more than 1600 feet lower, and has not the same<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span> +regular shape, but is still active. With the glasses we +could see tiny puffs of white smoke between the snowdrifts +on the jagged crest; old Vulcan still has one of +his forges there, and one day or other he will blow his +biggest bellows again! Then the industrious people +will tremble; mud-streams will again drench their +fields, again the cattle will wade in the burning hot +ashes with hanging tongues—as some years ago, when +the sky became dark far away in Ancud in the middle of +the day.</p> + +<p>We land at the foot of Osorno. One of the old lava +streams comes down there, a picture of devastation, +where vegetation still struggles to give some life to the +stony desert. Horses are ready, we mount and gallop +across the neck of land to the next lake, Todos los Santos, +and go on board a small steam-launch. Calbuco now +lies behind. This lake has been called one of the most +beautiful in the world. Perhaps this is an exaggeration—I +have not seen enough to judge—but it is certainly +magnificent. Over its mountains, virgin forests, and +dark blue water there is a peculiar charm; it is an +enchanted lake if there be one in this world. What +a play of light and shadow on its surface, what colours +when the sun is painting the peaks with gold and +crimson, throwing longer and longer shadows over the +calm water! Slowly the rosy gleam fades away: +last of all Osorno is seen glowing, flashing a while in +the last beams, and then lies blue-white and cold. Night +has come, forest and water melt together in the shadow +of the mountains, but on the peaks the moon casts its +light. Osorno is wonderful in its silver cap. As we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span>advance new, fantastic peaks appear; we turn with the +lake, catch a glimpse of Tronador, and land in Peulla.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f30"> +<img src="images/fig30.jpg" alt="montt"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Puerto Montt.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f31"> +<img src="images/fig31.jpg" alt="ready"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Ready to Start.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The day had filled our minds with delight, but the body +had been neglected, and we were glad to see a laid table +again, not having had anything since the early breakfast.</p> + +<p>The manager of the company in Peulla, Mr. Roth, +proved of great help in realising our plans. The next +day he arranged an excursion to Tronador, the Thunderer, +a mountain 11,382 feet high, partly covered by +five glaciers, making a noise that gave its name to the +mountain. With good horses we rode through the +beautiful forest to Casa Pangue, at the foot of the Andes, +where one makes the ascent to the pass. Here mules +more suited to the ground were waiting. Along the +stony bed of a glacier stream we slowly approached a +large glacier, coming down right into the forest—a +remarkable sight. The morning had been very fine, +but we knew that rain could not be far off, and just as +we had tied up the animals in the dwarf forest the first +drops came, followed by a proper Chilean storm. We +climbed across the huge moraines on to the ice-border +itself, which is somewhat curious. All the lower part +is covered by sand and gravel, and the glacier advances +so very slowly that vegetation has time to take possession +of it. There are small groves of dwarf trees, some +getting not less than twenty or thirty years old before +they are carried down to destruction. One may walk +in the soft carpet of mosses and scrub without suspecting +anything; suddenly a crack opens, showing the sheer +ice, blue and cold. This is not unique, but I never met +with anything like it before. By-and-by the rain,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</span> +which increased to a veritable deluge, drove us from +the place. The horsemen who arrived in Casa Pangue +that night were in rather a miserable condition. There +was literally not a dry thread on our bodies. We made +a fire, undressed, and changed the place into a fine +exhibition of dripping rags. Wrapped in blankets, +we whiled away the time before nightfall with a game +of cards, and our dark-eyed hostess made us a nice +<i>cazuela</i>. The next morning we returned to Peulla, +and made excursions round it. The forests here still +bear a marked resemblance to those on Chiloé. On +October 10 we rode to Casa Pangue and got mules +for the march across the pass, which is only 3300 feet +high. It had been a favourable winter, and the road, +climbing zigzag up the steep, forest-clad slope, seemed +good enough on horseback. The traffic with the bullock-carts +had not been opened yet. The difference in vegetation +attracted our attention; the numerous leaf-trees +became fewer, needle-trees more and more +frequent. In the pass extensive snowdrifts were still +left. For a short distance we rode on level ground, +passed the boundary mark, and came down into the +deep grave where Laguna Fria is situated. Its icy +green glacier water looks cold indeed, and it needs +sunshine and fine weather if the shores, at the foot of +perpendicular cliffs, many hundred yards high, are +not to produce a gloomy or even terrifying impression. +We pulled across and walked over the isthmus separating +Laguna Fria and Nahuelhuapi, following a road in the +forest down to Puerto Blest. One need not walk on foot; +a car drawn by a bullock and running on wooden rails<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</span> +brings luggage and passengers down to the “hotel.” +How easily we had reached the famous lake in comparison +with the pioneers who risked their lives only to +behold its blue water! It has been compared with the +lakes in the Alps, but who knows if Nahuelhuapi does +not bear away the palm? It has so many different +aspects: far to the west it washes the foot of the +Andes, in narrow inlets reflecting the dark forests of +alerce and cedro, thickly wooded isles making the +scenery more varied; in the east it opens into the +endless widths of the pampas, the mountains are left +behind, the forests have dissolved into groves and +patches.</p> + +<p>In Puerto Blest we counted on getting one day for +excursions, and on the next we expected the steamer +from Bariloche. It had, however, started to blow hard, +and no steamer came, but a storm, first with rain and then +with snow and cold; winter made its expiring efforts, +the shores were dressed in white, all the forest lay powdered +with snow. We were shut in in a miserable room, +where a red-hot stove made life almost insupportable. +We could not complain, however, for in our bedroom +the thermometer refused to rise above freezing-point; +thus we got a tolerable daily average! One day passed; +two, three, during which the gale raged with unabated +strength, making the house tremble at each gust. +Finally on the 15th the sun showed its glorious face again. +There was still a good breeze, but as it was an ordinary +boat-day we could be sure that every effort would be +made to fetch us. In the afternoon the small steamer +arrived after a rough voyage. The day had yet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</span> +another surprise in store for us: when the bullock-cart +from Laguna Fria came rolling down the slope +Pagels was enthroned on the top of the load, and after +him came our old dog Prince lumbering along. An +extra mail-day brought letters and papers from Punta +Arenas. Now all of us were assembled, Pagels had +performed the commissions we had given him with +exactitude, and we could go to bed and sleep a couple +of hours—not more, for long before the sun gilded the +surface of Nahuelhuapi we slipped out of the bosom +of the Cordillera, to start a new kind of life, and for the +future march with this gigantic fold of the earth’s +crust to the west, whither we had been used to look out +over the endless ocean. The small town, or rather +village, Bariloche, was the destination of our steamer, +and at the same time the starting-point for our long ride. +We tried to make ourselves comfortable in the small, +dirty inn, and began our preparations without delay. +Pagels occupied himself making saddle- and provision-bags, +while we had some excursions to make.</p> + +<p>Bariloche is situated on the edge of the forest region. +West of it are big cedar-forests (<i>Libocedrus chilensis</i>), +in the east a yellowish steppe. Several mountains +exhibiting interesting geological features were easy to +reach from there, and as we did not want to encumber +our caravan with heavy collections at the very start, +Quensel and Halle made an excursion south for a couple +of days. I myself went round the lake, ferried across +Rio Limay, and stayed two days with an American +gentleman, Mr. Jones. He has a big cattle-ranch, with +a stock of several thousand head, his special business<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</span> +being to breed mules, which fetch double the price of +an ordinary horse. We had already solved our most +important question, the horse problem, and were the +happy owners of a small <i>tropilla</i> of ten animals and +a mare, the <i>yegua madrina</i>, without whom no troop +keeps together. They were rather small, and looked +like skeletons after the winter. Eight of them were +saddle-horses; each of us got two and the two others +were to carry our baggage. Generally the horses +in Patagonia are not shod, but as we were going to +spend most of the time in the mountains we were +forced to shoe them. Horses are cheap in Patagonia; +in the spring prices seem to be higher, and we paid +sixty dollars each—about £5 6<i>s.</i></p> + +<p>Our equipment was very simple indeed. We had no +suits other than those we wore, and they were already +old and shabby. The expedition also took one common +pair of reserve trousers. Of underwear each of us had +two shifts, but of socks we had a more ample supply. +Most of the clothes, some necessary handbooks, perishable +provisions, ammunition, a number of small, strong +bottles of formaline or spirits, some instruments such +as aneroids, thermometers, compasses, &c., films for +the camera, a 3½ by 4¾ ins. Kodak, notebooks, +journals, and other small things were packed in two +small waterproof English leather boxes, specially constructed +to be attached to a pack-saddle. We only +carried one rifle, a Winchester of small calibre. We had +had serious intentions of bringing also a shot-gun, but +it disappeared in one of our numerous flittings before +we reached our starting-point—firearms are always<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</span> +welcome in Patagonia, and I am pretty sure it is in use +somewhere. Overcoats or cloaks we had none, but tied +a poncho behind the saddle. Neither did we use +riding-boots, only leggings or puttees—certainly to be +preferred when one has to walk much. The two chests +made one horse-load, at the top of which our coffee-pot +was tied. The second load consisted of a small tent +for two, very seldom used, but sometimes necessary +to protect our equipment, a bag of provisions, and a +small bag containing our kitchen requisites, which were +of aluminium. The sleeping-bags, a simple blanket-bag +with canvas covers, were used as underlayers for the +loads, which were thereby prevented from galling the +horses’ sides. The load was fixed with a strong rope +after Pagels’ patent method—very practical but certainly +not without intricate sailor’s knots; woe to him who +tried, if only in the slightest degree, to deviate from +the approved arrangement: Pagels at once told him +the truth. Every load was of about 150 lbs.—quite +sufficient if one takes into consideration that the +pack-horses had to work all march-days, the saddle-horses +only every second day. Besides our own +weight, they carried also the <i>maletas</i>, containing various +articles of apparel, camera, plant-press, &c., and there +also the collections made during a march were stowed +away. Perhaps I ought also to say some words about +our horse-gear. The pack-saddles were almost new; +they had only been used for Quensel’s travels, and were +of the common South American type. Our saddles made +a varied show: one English, one half English, half +Chilean, one of the Falkland pattern, and one Argentine<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</span> +<i>recado</i>. The rest of the harness was pure Patagonian, +<i>bozal</i> and <i>cabresta</i>, always carried in the hand with the +reins; the stirrup had the usual leather protection, +the whip was a common <i>rebenque</i>.</p> + +<p>The provisions were of the most simple kind. They +were calculated for one month only—during which we +certainly counted on the renowned Patagonian hospitality—and +consisted of the following articles: ship’s +biscuits, flour, rice, oatmeal, coffee, tea, cocoa, <i>maté</i>, +dried fruit, sugar, salt, and fat. Luxuries such as butter, +condensed milk, &c., were, of course, not to be thought +of. A concentrated pea-soup, called Knorr’s “Erbsenwurst,” +we carried a supply of for the whole journey, +as well as plug tobacco.</p> + +<p>October 23 dawned with radiant pampas weather. +For the first time we saddled, and it took us a good +while to get ready, and not until half-past eleven could +the caravan start. The solemn time had come, and, +driving our troop in front of us, with good speed we +left Bariloche, where people had only tried to fleece us. +Before us a free life attracted us, full of privations but +far away from cash-books and bills; with deep breaths +we filled our lungs with the fresh pampas air, bringing +with it an undefinable sense of happiness and freedom.</p> + +<p>A group of Bariloche people had gathered to see our +start. I daresay no one believed that we should get +very far with our few horses, and no doubt they laughed +at our dream of reaching Punta Arenas. Never did +such a small caravan start in Patagonia on such a long +and difficult journey, never before had one reached<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</span> +its far-off destination with all the horses in even better +condition than at the start. But we had burnt our +boats; there was no return; we must succeed with the +scanty resources we had at our disposal.</p> + +<p>In the very last moment our expedition got another +member, a shaggy dog. He had made Prince’s acquaintance +in Bariloche and came lumbering with us. In vain +we made the most energetic efforts to chase him away; +he hung on, and followed us all the time under the name +of Pavo. And then we took our faithful friend with us +to Sweden, where he gained citizenship only by royal +grace, for Argentina at that time was declared to be +infected with rabies.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c11">CHAPTER XI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">THROUGH NORTHERN PATAGONIA</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">During</span> the first few days our march was not attended +by any difficulties, as we only followed the common +track, here and there visible over the pampas. On our +right was the so-called Pre-Cordillera, where outlines +are softer and the snow-patches insignificant. Deep +ravines appear in the easily disintegrating tufas, and +here dark forest-groves extend, though not reaching +down to where we were travelling. Behind and in front +of us lay the broken ground of the high pampas with +hills and ravines, towards the east the endless undulating +plains reaching far away to the Atlantic Ocean. +The yellow sand gleams between tufts of stiff steppe +plants and scented spring flowers, red or blue, yellow +or white, now and then tempting me to alight to +gather specimens. Everywhere the blue-green hillocks +of <i>Mulinum spinosum</i> (an umbelliferous plant) appear, +together with the stiff tussocks of grasses, the most +noticeable growths on the dry, sandy steppe. Almost +everything is prickly; the shrubs are armed to the teeth, +the leaves of the grass end in a sharp needle, breaking +off at the slightest touch: if one sits down carelessly +one soon jumps up again, spiny like an urchin, but with +the important difference that the spines are turned +towards one’s own skin. Now and then a cactus is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</span> +seen resting its growth on the stony soil. On the hills +and plateaus vegetation is more scanty. It is almost a +desert, red or yellow, strewn with sharp-edged stones, +with stunted plants in the cracks, such as are specially +fitted to endure the hardships of desert life; sometimes +they look like a tangle of spines, out of which some few +brilliant flowers peep forth; sometimes they are wrapped +in a dense clothing of thick wool and have roots disappearing +in the very bowels of the earth, where there +is perhaps water to drink. The numerous spines are +one of the nuisances of the steppe. Another is the +wind, often blowing hard for a long time and enveloping +us in a cloud of dust. But certainly we preferred this +to the eternal rains of the west coast.</p> + +<p>Hours pass, the sun bakes us red or brown, the dust +gathers in thicker and thicker deposits. The bell on +the mare tinkles, the hoofs rattle on the hard ground. +The horses, untrained as they are after a long winter’s +leisure, get less willing, one or other tries to pluck a +mouthful of the rough yellow grass. We must show +more energy in driving the troop, and Pagels is frequently +heard shouting a “verdammtes Kamel,” in a +very bad case increasing his anger to a “heiliges +Kanonenrohr,” the strongest expression he is able to +lay tongue to, and surely a relic of his service in +the navy. We welcome the small valley, our first +camping-place, where a tiny stream winds between +thickets of ñire. Patches of green grass attract the +horses; we find a nice and sheltered corner and unsaddle. +One horse is chosen and tethered to a long rope; the +others are simply let loose, with the exception of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</span> +mare, who is provided with <i>maneas</i> round the front +legs. So one is more or less sure of finding the troop +in the neighbourhood the next morning. The first camp-fire +crackles, the <i>maté</i> makes its round, and a real fat +<i>asado</i> of beef drips on the spit. Poor misguided vegetarians +would not thrive here; meat and meat again +will probably always be the staple food of the pampas. +Here in Sweden we hardly know what good meat is. +I learnt to understand my Argentine friend from the +Antarctic voyage, José Sobral, who deliberately shook +his head at the stuff he was offered in Upsala. I think +that then I tried to defend it, but I have already withdrawn +my defence.</p> + +<p>The delicious steak whets our appetite, and from +curiosity one soon cuts into it to see if it has not got the +right colour. A pack-saddle or the sleeping-bag is our +seat. A large piece of meat in one hand, the big sheath-knife +in the other—that’s the way to eat <i>asado</i>. A +couple of biscuits and a cup of cocoa end our meal—dinner +and supper at the same time. Generally we +only fed twice a day, put a piece of biscuit or cold meat, +if there was any, in our pocket, and ate it during one +of the halts we were forced to make to give the horses +a spell of rest. They got thirsty and we wanted to +stretch our legs.</p> + +<p>Darkness falls over the expanses, the stars come out, +and our camp-fire more and more commands the surroundings. +We gladly linger a while over our pipes; +it is the most pleasant hour of the day, and, if possible, +we want to prolong it. But there is a next day, and the +thought of this makes us look for a bed in the bushes,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</span> +spread out the bag, make a bundle of the clothes under +the head, creep down, and enjoy the last whiff of smoke. +Ah, these nights under the open sky—it seems almost +a pity to sleep—now out in the open camp, where the +barren sand gleams between the grass and the ghostly +silhouette of a single bush stands against the sky, now +under soughing trees, where the moonbeams seek a +way through the black foliage. Cross and Centaur +wander the eternal road, the murmur of the stream is +conducive to sleep.... A ghostly cry breaks the +stillness, our dogs prick up their ears and bark: only +a hungry fox who has scented our pantry! From +Pagels’ bag comes a “gute Nacht,” one turns to find +a comfortable position, and is soon at home among the +firs and red-painted houses in the land far away, which +now looks so marvellous to us. The night is clear and +cold, and with great satisfaction we greet the first +sunbeams that creep from the ocean all the way to the +foot of the Andes. The day will get hot, and the thing +is to get off when the freshness of the morning still +lies over the land. First the morning toilet must be +performed. The reader imagines, I should think, +how we enjoyed a good wash in the purling brook; +alas! we also imagined it, but it was seldom accomplished +in reality. It did not pay, for after half an hour’s ride +one was as dirty again, and we were more satisfied +with occasional thorough cleanings on solemn occasions. +But there was <i>one</i> paragraph in our codex of cleanliness +from which there was no exception: he who was to +make bread must first wash his hands.</p> + +<p>Work was certainly not lacking in the morning.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</span> +Collections and notes had to be put in order, the breakfast +prepared, and the horses driven to the camp, caught, +and saddled. Every day I had plants to press, which +I performed in a simple manner, for naturally the usual +heavy plant-presses were banished; but with two pieces +of cardboard, a rope, and old newspapers I got in the +settlements I managed all right. Breakfast consisted +for the most part of porridge, meat, bread (when we had +any), and coffee. It was soon eaten, cups and plates +washed, the saucepan cleaned. This last job we took +by turns; not even the palatable scrapings could make +it enjoyable.</p> + +<p>The watch-horse was saddled; we must look for the +others. In most cases this did not give us much trouble, +because when it was possible we carefully chose good +pasture. It was much worse to catch the horses. With +the ropes we made a corral, easy enough in the forest, +but often very tedious when out on the open pampas, +where hardly a single suitable bush could be discovered. +Some of the animals were easy to catch, but others +tried our patience, hiding amongst their fellows or +breaking away. Finally the full number of six were +tied and we started to saddle. We always saddled +our own horses, and soon got very expert at handling +all sorts of gear. The loads lay ready waiting, nothing +was forgotten, and the first camping-ground disappeared +behind a hill.</p> + +<p>We could soon distinguish our destination for the +second day, a single rust-brown peak, called Pico +Quemado (The Burnt). Following the Cordillera, the +track went ceaselessly uphill and downhill. But the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</span> +monotony was broken when suddenly the load on one +of the horses loosened. We stopped and tried to catch +him, but he bolted at once. The load slipped round, +terrible kicks struck the boxes, and our coffee-pot +soon was changed into a tragi-comic, completely useless +utensil. “It served you right, you ass!” Pagels +said, when the beast at last lay there, entangled in +the rope. By-and-by we gained more experience, +though not a day elapsed when we had not to rearrange +the loads. The whole day we were ascending, it grew +colder, and the wind freshened and felt biting cold in +spite of the northerly latitude. At 4900 feet we +reached the pass, and made downhill towards a small +stream on the south side of Pico Quemado.</p> + +<p>Another day and we came across the first houses, +a small settlement, and in the evening stopped in front +of a large wooden house in Ñorquinco. Here the Chile-Argentina +Company has established a branch. The place +is as typical of civilised Patagonia as we could wish: +an iron shed for the telegraph office, where floats a +faded Argentine flag, a <i>boliche</i> with horse-gear, bunches +of stirrups and spurs, hanging from the roof, a pile +of sheepskins thrown into a corner, heaps of clothing, +gaudy handkerchiefs, black, huge-brimmed hats, knives +and revolvers, long rows of tin boxes with multicoloured +labels, and last, but not least, the <i>cantina</i>—the bar with +wine-barrels, shelves of bottles in all the shifting colours +of the rainbow, <i>pisco</i> (a weak Chilean brandy), æruginous +Menta liqueur, Jamaica rum with its nigger +head, whisky and brandy, some champagne bottles and +the wash-up tub, where the glass is dipped an instant<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</span> +before it is offered to the next customer. Outside at +the traditional barrier some horses are tied, waiting +for their masters. And they will have to wait.... The +dice are thrown, laughter echoes within the walls. +Swarthy individuals, pure Indians dressed in poncho +and wide trousers, pulled together at the wrist, white +socks, and a pair of slippers, Chileans, Argentiners, +and <i>gringos</i> (strangers). A dirty policeman, dressed in +the remains of a uniform, hangs about the bar. Conversation +stops for a moment when we enter: evidently +we do not look like everyday comers and they gaze +curiously at our cargo. The social tone is free and +friendly here. You suddenly find yourself a member of +the party, a glass is thrust into your hand, <i>Salud!</i> to +right and left, and then it is your turn to order a +“round.” If one has any idea of Patagonian customs, +one takes care not to refuse—it might cost one dear.</p> + +<p>It was easy enough for us to get dinner and a bed, +but we thought more of our horses. Everywhere +here the scanty grass was gone, and as there were no +paddocks we were anxious lest the horses should run +away—a starved horse strays until he finds something +to eat.</p> + +<p>At seven in the morning the policeman rode away to +look for our troop, and we awaited his return anxiously. +And when he returned alone we knew the truth: the +horses had gone. There are many points on the compass, +but we must seek in all. Kind souls offered their +services, others confined themselves to discussing +matters and made all sorts of guesses. The inspector +of police, who had arrived, declared that the horses<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</span> +most probably had gone back to Bariloche, and we +sent a telegram there; others were inclined to suspect +that thieves had had a hand in it; one fellow looked +at the inspector and whispered to me that the police +perhaps knew ... Well, it would not have been the +first time a thing like that had happened in the Cordillera. +A number of <i>peons</i> (camp-labourers) were +sent to look in different directions, and we strolled +far away over the hills, provided with glasses; we +saw some horses, but not ours. At noon, however, +one of the men returned with the mare and five horses, +but the other five had strayed away. New guests +arrived in the evening; our horses were the favourite +topic, and if good advice had been able to do anything, +certainly there was plenty. We went to bed in a miserable +state of mind. Five horses gone; we could not +buy others without getting into debt, and who knew +if anybody would be willing to give unknown strangers +credit? And without these horses, the caravan reduced +to half, it would prove impossible to carry out our +scheme—an ignominious end to our bold hopes. The +next day we arranged a systematic search. Indian +peons got the description of the horses, and were promised +a reward if they brought them back. They +intended to track them down. The horses were shod, +it is true, and therefore easy to distinguish from +others, but the hardness of the ground and the strong +wind would make matters more difficult. We resolved +to continue our march with the rest of the caravan, +leaving Pagels behind to watch over our interests and +make inquiries of people all round in his beautiful<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</span> +Spanish. However, we had almost lost hope of seeing +our animals (some of them good horses) any more, +and began to believe that thieves had driven them +out of the way on purpose, only waiting for us to lose +patience and leave the place—an old Patagonian +trick often employed with profit. We left Ñorquinco +and followed a cart-track, after a while turning to the +west, through a very distinct pass, a true <i>portezuelo</i>, +leading down into the valley of Rio Chubut. Large +herds of cattle were grazing on the well-watered +meadows, and, hungry as they were, our horses would +not have refused a good meal, but time did not permit +of this. Rio Chubut, one of the largest rivers of Patagonia, +is here only small, though sometimes so swollen +that it is difficult to cross. Now there was not much +water, and we easily reached the small <i>estancia</i> Maytén, +where we stopped for the night. Only the wife of the +<i>capataz</i> (the “boss”) was at home, and at first she did +not seem very willing to welcome us, but after a while +promised to cook some food and let us sleep in the +peons’ quarters. I do not blame her, for the master +of the home was away and we might have been a band +of rascals, a possibility not at all contradicted by our +appearance. A gentleman rider in Patagonia brings +several servants, and if one does any sort of work +usually left to the peons this never evokes admiration, +but only sheer astonishment.</p> + +<p>As on every <i>estancia</i> one or two horses are tethered +for the night, we let ours go, and in the morning a peon +promised to fetch them. He went away all right; +and came back after two hours—without the horses:<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</span> +“he had not gone in the right direction,” he said. +A traveller, a kind fellow, who had spent the night +with us, offered to fetch them himself, and finally, at +noon, they came. The peon <i>had</i> been there, for a <i>bozal</i> +that we had left on one of the pack-horses in order to +catch him with less trouble was gone. There was no +time to look for it; it was nearly one o’clock, and we +had a ride of thirty-one miles in front of us. Over +easy ground we followed the Chubut river till it bent +to the east, and at nightfall reached the Lelej valley, +where we soon perceived a group of large buildings, +indicating a big farm. It was the headquarters of the +“English-Argentine Land Company,” whose manager, +Mr. Preston, welcomed us in a very kind manner. +Lelej is typical of a large cattle-farm. In a low building +of red brick—the ground is cheap, so there is no reason +to make houses of more than one storey—are the +lodgings, offices, shops, and stores; all round are various +workshops, such as a carpenter’s and a blacksmith’s +shop, the house of the “bosses,” and the plain <i>ranchos</i> +of the peons. In the vicinity one does not look in vain +for the piles of fuel, brought there from a long distance, +the great, ever-increasing heap of empty tin boxes, +the bulky, high-wheeled bullock-carts, and the rolls +of wire. Round the houses stretch smallish <i>potreros</i>, +or paddocks, for the hundreds of horses in daily use, +and away over the hills the fences run straight as an +arrow.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f32"> +<img src="images/fig32.jpg" alt="farm"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Small Patagonian Sheep Farm.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The peons are a peculiar class of people. Pure +Indians or <i>mestizos</i>, they are nearly all doomed to +eternal bachelorhood; one can hardly imagine a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</span>married peon. All day they spend on horseback, +at night they crawl in on the earthen floor round +the cauldron with <i>puchero</i> hanging down from the +roof, feed, smoke a cigarette, take innumerable cups +of <i>maté</i>, then, wrapped in a blanket, they sleep on +some rags in a corner. Pleasures of life take the form +of <i>maté</i> and tobacco, and, of course, spirit, when they +can get it. Here is the home of a peon to-day; +to-morrow he does some foolish thing, takes too long a +siesta, perhaps, and is sent off. In five minutes he +has packed together his property, put them and himself +on a horse, and has galloped away to seek fortune elsewhere. +Of course, he has horses, often a whole drove; +horses multiply and there is always pasture. But +light come, light go; an attracting “pub,” an unscrupulous +publican, and after some days of splendid +intoxication he rides away on a borrowed horse. A +peon who saves his pay puts it all into his horse-trappings; +one can see him in his Sunday clothes +with a small fortune of silver on the horse, an ancient +custom inherited from Tehuelche or Araucanian ancestors. +It is curious to think that not many years +ago this vast land was the free battlefield of the Indian, +he who now is its most humble servant, whom any +stranger with a piece of land thinks it fitting to kick +and insult, always letting him understand that he +belongs to an inferior race, living at the intruder’s +mercy. Sometimes it happens that he gains the +confidence of his master, is promoted to <i>capataz</i> and +gets his own house; and should it happen that a girl +finds her way out to the camp, he may get a family<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</span> +also. A common peon she does not look at; there +are always persons of higher rank who are glad to take +care of her.</p> + +<p>Life in Lelej goes like clockwork. All the employees +are Englishmen or Scotchmen and have brought their +customs to the new country. On the stroke of half-past +six they are sitting at breakfast, where every passing +gentleman may be sure of a seat and a mutton chop; +the bread is as English as one could wish, and luncheon +or dinner arrives with magnificent beef or roast mutton. +And if one discovers a football or golf clubs it is nothing +astonishing. Lelej appeared to us a very well managed +enterprise, where people work ceaselessly.</p> + +<p>The greatest difficulties these settlements in the +Andes have to contend with are the bad communications. +Everything goes by cart to the Atlantic coast, making +journeys lasting weeks and months, under great difficulties +of finding water on the half desert-like plains. +Great railway schemes are now spoken of, or even started, +and then Patagonia will be able to show what she is +capable of.</p> + +<p>Lelej was the last telegraph station, and we were in +continuous communication with Ñorquinco. All hope +seemed gone, as Pagels asked permission to buy a new +horse and join us; but I asked him to stop another +day, which proved to be a piece of luck. We had +plenty of work in the neighbourhood—made a ride up +in the mountains, where snow still lay in the forests, +just dressed in the verdure of spring. Quensel visited +the flourishing Cholila valley in the west, and Halle +was busy collecting fossils. However, we worked<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</span> +with depressed spirits. Certainly Mr. Preston had +promised to guarantee us money if we telegraphed to +Buenos Aires for some; he had no horses to sell us +himself. Later it proved that it would have been +very difficult to get any. We did not want to get +the expedition into debt, as it was our pride to make +an exception to the rule. November came, still no +news. Then, on November 2, like a sunbeam from an +overclouded sky came the following telegram: “Hay +noticias de caballos perdidos; Señor Pagels fué traerlos, +seguirá viaje mañana,” or, “Lost horses traced; Mr. +Pagels gone to fetch them, continues his journey +to-morrow.” The title plainly showed that Pagels had +understood how to inspire due respect! It had been +sent the day before, and we could expect him the same +day, and were almost ready to embrace the fugitives +when they appeared. Everything had nearly come to +nought; Pagels had bought a horse on credit, and had +one foot in the stirrup, when an Indian came on horseback +and told him that he knew where the horses were. +What a big weight was off our minds!</p> + +<p>Merry as before and with a complete caravan we +started for the next halting-place, two days off. Now +and then we put up ostriches (<i>Rhea</i>), which flew in all +directions with stretched wings, chased by our dogs, +who could never overtake them; now and then a small +herd of guanacos passed, but they also left Prince and +Pavo far behind. We had just unsaddled for the night +at the side of a small tributary to Chubut, when on the +other side of the water we saw the silhouettes of more +than a hundred guanacos against the evening sky. It<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</span> +would have been easy to get a good bag, but as long as +we were in communication with settled parts we need +not leave a settlement without a couple of fine steaks +added to the loads, and wild animals were safe from +our bullets.</p> + +<p>Guarded by the Esguel Mountains, a large plain +stretched before us, and far away we could see two +high peaks, between which our way would run, through +the so-called Nahuelpan Pass. It is a narrow but +fertile valley, with small cornfields round the grey +Indian <i>ranchos</i>, shadowed by small groves of cedars. +We were not quite sure of the way to Clarke’s place, +which we wanted to visit, and asked an Indian who +passed us; he told us that we had missed our way, +and would have to go back again, but also that if we +continued through the pass we should strike Underwood’s +farm in “Colonia 16-de-Octubre.” Certainly +we had special reasons for seeing Clarke; Preston had +sent letters to him, and besides he was an educated +man, a B.A. of an English university; but the <i>détour</i> +would be too much for our animals, and we continued +down to Underwood, where we arrived after a march +of thirty-four miles. The neat little brick cottage lies +embowered in a garden. Mr. Underwood was away, +but his wife welcomed us, and we soon felt at home. +By a happy chance Mr. Clarke came driving there the +same night, bound on a business journey through the +valley, and thus we had the great pleasure of making +his acquaintance.</p> + +<p>The “Valle 16-de-Octubre” is one of the most fertile +and populous of the transandine valleys. It is watered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</span> +by Rio Corintos, further down joining Rio Futaleufú, +which empties into Lago Yelcho, in its turn discharging +by Rio Yelcho into the Pacific. We stood by the same +river where we had camped some months earlier, but +the entire Cordillera was between the two places. Here +Chile had certainly wanted to emphasize the principle +that a water-divide was the natural frontier, but as the +valley had been colonized by Welshmen from Chubut +(Trelew), Argentine kept the whole valuable part of it. +We wanted to give our horses a rest and let them browse +a few days, and Clarke came with us to look for a farm +where people would be willing to lend us horses for our +excursions.</p> + +<p>Shut in by magnificent mountain-chains, this valley +is a real gem, green with vast meadows, wheat-fields, +and clover-fields, adorned by nice country houses, +where fruit-trees and berry-bushes, cauliflower and +lettuce were a delight to behold. We became quite +homesick when we rode through. At the schoolhouse +we stopped. The children are taught in Welsh, but +most of the people we met also spoke English and +Spanish. We crossed Rio Corintos, where fat cows of +English breeds grazed on the banks, and made a halt +at a farm of very modest aspect. The owner, however, +was a wealthy man. He was out marking colts, but +his wife asked us to off-saddle and come in, and welcomed +us with a <i>maté</i>. Then Don Antonio Miguens +came. He received us very kindly indeed, promised +us horses, and proved a thorough gentleman. He is, +besides, a very original man.</p> + +<p>On November 6 we rode further into the valley with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</span> +fresh horses. At the beginning we made good speed; +then the valley narrowed and the patches of beautiful +cedar-forest, further east only growing in the ravines, +closed into a dense covering on the steep slopes down +to the broad river that rushed westward, embracing +green islands. Ever since the time when the valley +was explored from the Pacific side a path has been left, +but it is anything but inviting, running up and down +over neck-breaking barrancas, through thickets and +stony places. The horses were used to this ground, +and did not hesitate, but jumped over the barricades +of fallen forest giants. One had better not sleep +in the saddle, for one’s knees are in continual danger +from trunks and huge blocks. We met passages so +intricate that we had to leave them to the horse’s +judgment—the only disaster that happened was that +our coffee-pot (the second!) suffered a fatal shock. +However, by giving it another kick we made it possible +to use for the day. The vegetation more and more +showed signs of the rain-forest, our old friends the beeches +and myrtle-trees appeared again, and when we reached +the boundary-mark high up on the south bank of the +river Chile welcomed us with rain and fog.</p> + +<p>With a sense of regret we parted with the valley and +sought a way south over very broken ground with +dense brushwood here and there, making it difficult +to keep together. We were not at all sure of having +chosen the best way till we came in sight of Lake +Rosario and the extensive peat-bogs at its west end, +where we passed it. Here Jeremias, one of the pack-horses—thus +named because he uttered strange, plaintive<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</span> +sounds when being saddled—got a chance to prove his +eminent intelligence. We had suspected that he was +not quite normal, and now made certain. He caught +sight of some horses on the other side of the swamps, +was seized by a sudden desire to make their acquaintance, +and in a rapid gallop flew down the slope. We +followed him as fast as our horses could carry us, but +only arrived to see him sink down, kick in desperation, +and disappear to his belly. It was a wet swamp of +the worst kind, and we nearly lost him. At first all +efforts proved futile, the ground would not bear us, +but we managed to unload him, and thus saved both +him and the load.</p> + +<p>At a tributary of Rio Carrenleufú we camped for +the night, and the next morning made for the main +river. We had some trouble with our horses, as two of +them had sore backs and could not be used. The +least pressure of a saddle might render them useless for +weeks.</p> + +<p>We tried to set a course straight for a settlement +indicated on the Argentine map. The ground was +very poor, innumerable ravines filled with thickets, +and sometimes so wet that the horses had to wade +in loose black mud over their knees. It was more by +good luck than good management that we struck the +house of Robert Day, where hospitality indeed +had its abode. Seldom do you find its laws so strictly +kept as in Patagonia. In the settlement of white men +or the <i>rancho</i> of an Indian, everywhere you are received +with open arms, and the best there is is put on the +table. Every effort is made to keep you there; never<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</span> +is the house too limited or the table too small. We shall +never forget old Day, his jolly wife and swarm of children. +The eldest sons had built their own cottages at other +places in the valley. Day is a true pioneer of the old +school, and in our Patagonian Baedeker we have marked +him with three stars. Originally, he, as well as so +many others, had come to look for the yellow metal, +but finished in good time and now has a rather flourishing +farm. However, he complained of the Government. +On repeated occasions he had offered to buy the ground, +but never got a definite answer; he had lived there +seventeen years, but could not feel sure that he would +not be chased away any day it pleased the authorities.</p> + +<p>Hitherto our direction had been more or less straight +south, but from Carrenleufú we bent eastward in order +to visit the camp round Rio Tecka, one of Chubut’s +sources, and at the same time make the acquaintance +of one of the very few Swedes in Patagonia, Don Carlos +Flach, of the well-known Swedish noble family. In +Valparaiso we were told that he was manager on an +<i>estancia</i> belonging to the Cochamó Company, named +after Rio Cochamó, which discharges into the Reloncaví +Inlet not far from Puerto Montt. There a road has +been made across to the Pacific coast, but it is said to +be passable only to riders. Only one day’s march +separated us from Pampa Chica, where the sought-for +<i>estancia</i> should be, but the track is rather ill-famed +because of the extensive <i>pantanos</i>, and, according to Day, +sometimes quite impassable. The saddle-horses were +happily brought over the bad places, but of course +Jeremias was bogged and caused us trouble and loss<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</span> +of time. In the afternoon we came across a flock of +the company’s sheep; they were badly afflicted with +scab, the wool hanging in tatters all round them. Well +hidden by the foot of a hill there was Flach’s cottage, +and the master of the house was not a little astonished +when three dusty riders greeted him in his own language. +A merry encounter it was, and he at once offered to +let us share his small hut; the lodge had burnt +down some time previous to our arrival. The company +seemed to be of the Yelcho sort; it had gone into liquidation +and was selling the animals. Flach was about +to leave, only waiting to get his money. He was +thinking of getting a piece of camp further south. Again +our horses could rest, for Flach lent us some for our +excursions. The vegetation was glorious here, and I +had plenty to do from morning to evening.</p> + +<p>It had proved more than necessary to get two more +animals in order to change the pack-horses, and this +problem was solved in a most unexpected manner. +Flach presented us with one, which belonged to nobody, +but had been two years on the company’s camp. Of +course he was baptized Flax (Flach’s; untranslatable +Swedish pun; Flax is = luck), and turned out one of +our very best horses. Besides, we bought a small but +good horse; under the name of Johansson he carried +me at least every second march-day during the rest +of the time.</p> + +<p>Of my horses I kept Solo, the largest of our animals, +but the old Manasse was degraded to a pack-horse. +Quensel got Flax, Halle took Jacob and gave Lazarus +(a long time with a sore back, thus his name) to Pagels,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</span> +one of whose horses became a pack-horse. The new +horses learnt to keep with our troop by getting coupled +with the mare the first nights. This lady was not tame, +and often annoyed us with her impertinent looks and +her obstinacy. To ride a mare is hardly thinkable in +Patagonia.</p> + +<p>Thus we considered ourselves well off, bought more +provisions, and on November 15 left our new friend, +whose small cottage soon disappeared from sight behind +the yellow hills.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c12">CHAPTER XII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">THROUGH THE CORDILLERAS TO THE PACIFIC COAST</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">The</span> pampas visited during the following days showed +us a new feature of Patagonian camp, the want of +water and fuel, which makes the journeys from the +settlements to the coast somewhat difficult. Had we +not found some wood left from a cartload once sent by +Flach, we should have been confined to very dry food. +The water was not of the best, full of innumerable +small animals, larvæ and crustaceans, but boiled it +did not taste bad; besides, there was more nourishment +in it than there would have been otherwise. +There was no lack of small lagoons, but they are all +without an outlet, and round their edge is a thick +white crust of salt. The water is bitter as gall. In +spite of that one likes to stop there a while to enjoy +the spectacle offered by thousands of beautiful water-birds. +Large flocks of bright flamingoes walk about in +the mud, hundreds of black-necked swans glide round +their large nests, resting in the bulrushes; nearer to +the edges moorhen and many waders have their quarters; +large fat geese walk round cackling on the shore, and +small ducks run through the channels in the salt-powdered +reeds. Every find of eggs is welcomed for our +kitchen.</p> + +<p>In the valley of Rio Pico we again met people; German<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</span> +settlers brought in by a company to drive sheep and +cattle-farm. They also wanted to try agriculture, and +had a nice garden already. As usual, we were received +exceedingly well, and my journal says that we slept on +mattresses—a rare pleasure.</p> + +<p>Before us lay a <i>meseta</i>, a table-mountain built up +of loose deposits, which we had to cross. The <i>mesetas</i> +are characteristic of the rand-zone of the Andes; further +south they have a cover of basalt, making it difficult +or even impossible to cross them with horses. This +plateau did not offer any difficulties, but, instead of +that, features of great interest, which also made progress +slow. We ascended to a height of about 3300 feet, +and went down into the Frias or Cisnes valley. The +large Frias river originates far east of the mountains, +but nevertheless discharges into the Pacific Ocean, and +here for a stretch Chile’s proposal for the boundary +was approved at the award. The piece of land is of +slight importance; only in the eastern part is there +good grass; proceeding westward, one soon gets into +impenetrable virgin forests.</p> + +<p>At first we looked in vain for any trace of people; +we did not know where the <i>estancia</i> was, and it was +almost dark, when, at a distance of about two miles, +we sighted the well-known houses, proving the existence +of another customer of the “Corrugated Iron Company, +Limited.” The company in the Frias valley, as +others in Chilean Patagonia, has got leasehold for a +number of years; after that time the land is disposed of +by auction; and it is considered that the company should +be able to give the best tender. One of the conditions<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</span> +for the concession is that a road is made through the +mountains to the Pacific Coast, in order to provide +communication with the rest of Chile. At the present +all transport goes to the Atlantic, and only Argentine +money is used. The company has not started the work +with the road yet, and nobody knows if it will ever +be able to bring it to an end before its time has elapsed. +The cost is tremendous.</p> + +<p>The director was not at home, but his manager, an +Englishman from South Africa, showed us great hospitality. +In his company we made an excursion far into +the valley, where the open ground comes to an end +and the roble forest replaces it. We here met one of +the most notable Patagonian mammals, the small +tuco-tuco (<i>Ctenomys magellanicus</i>), a lovely gnawer, +somewhat recalling the lemming. It lives on the roots +of plants and digs labyrinths of tunnels, completely +undermining the soil. Without suspecting anything +you come along at a canter; suddenly the horse goes +through with his front legs. You had better proceed +cautiously or you will easily get your horse hurt. Sometimes +it is not possible to avoid the tuco-tuco ground. +We had to cross the river several times before we +came to the forest-belt; here for the first time I saw +the Andine deer, the huemul (<i>Furcifer chilensis</i>), in +company with the condor supporter in Chile’s coat-of-arms. +Like other deer the huemul is of elegant +appearance; its colour is light brown with white on the +belly. The horns are no remarkable trophy; generally +they only have four points. Fifty years ago the huemul +was regarded as a rare animal; there was even a time<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</span> +when he was almost as mythological as the unicorn or +the griffin; but from the Boundary Commission we +learnt that he is common in the dry forest-belt east +of the Andes. There his well-marked paths cross each +other in all directions, running from the mountain-meadows +down to the streams in the valleys. +This day I regarded him only as a friend of nature +does, but later we welcomed him in order to see +his life’s blood. However, we never killed for the +sport of it.</p> + +<p>We were just back in the farm and it was getting dark +when we heard the sounds of an approaching caravan, +which soon arrived—horsemen, a troop, and the high-wheeled +pampas carriage. It was the director, Mr. +Brand, who had arrived from the coast. He brought +his wife and a baby one month old with him; they had +been shaken a fortnight on the rough camp, but did +not look any the worse for that. Mr. Brand seemed +very enthusiastic in his work, but told the rather amusing +story that the company’s directors in London are so +despotic that he dared not shear a sheep without asking +permission by telegraph! Concerning the future, he +did not hide from himself that it looked dark for the +moment, but better days might, of course, be in store. +Many a time as one is looking out over the fertile +subandine valleys one is ready to listen to those +optimists who prophesy a splendid future. They please +your eye—well-watered meadows, streams of great +horse-power, forests with good timber, and the Cordillera +with all its grandeur. The lack of communications, +however, is the great drawback, causing the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</span> +ruin of people, especially if they have to clear roads to +Chile!</p> + +<p>Our way south was closed by the mountains round +the Lakes Fontana and La Plata, and we found it +better to make a <i>détour</i> round the foot of the mountains +out on the open pampas, which truly was not in accordance +with our principles. At the pass over the Senguerr +river, the outlet of the above-mentioned lakes, a German +has established a combined store and public-house. +Further down the river live some colonists. It looked +as if Rio Senguerr had devoured all the water of the +neighbourhood. Under a broiling Sunday sun we rode +into the mountains, but nowhere a drop of running +water—one lagoon after the other, so white that one +tasted the salt far off, green grass and nice flowers, +but not the characteristic fringe of brushwood indicating +a murmuring brook. This day we came across the +largest herd of guanacos we ever saw, not less than +four or five hundred, a magnificent sight.</p> + +<p>We had now spent a couple of days in Argentina. +Again we arrived in Chile, but that did not help us, +for we had to ride thirty-four miles before we found +water. Down in a valley a dark band of foliage wound; +out of it the white skeletons of dead trees stood gaunt +and lone, promising us a regular camp-fire. Round +the east basin of Rio Aysen with its numerous tributaries +Chile has drawn its frontier-line. Again we +were among forests and mountains, and the open +spaces which are not a result of man’s labour are +easily counted. Our way led into the valley of Rio +Ñirehuao, where well-developed terraces on the sides<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</span> +attracted our attention, and on November 25 we +reached the first <i>estancia</i> belonging to Compañía +Industrial del Rio Aysen, where a kind Scotchman +offered us such dainties as we had forgotten the existence +of—milk, butter, bread, all fresh. Very soon we got +to know that we were back in the forest region. Spoilt +by dry and sunny weather, we did not like to experience +cold or rain or snow. To the east the sky was clear +over the steppe, to the west a rainy fog rested heavily +on the forest-clad ridges. In a snowstorm we left +this place in order to ride down to the main <i>estancia</i>. +The company has made a road between the two places, +which, considering the difficulties, cannot be called +bad at all. We met a party of shepherds employed +in lamb-marking. Ewes and lambs had been driven +together into large flocks; there was a bleating in +all sorts of keys. The lambs are driven into one +paddock, the mothers into another. The small, kicking +beasts are caught, and off comes the tail and the ear is +bitten through! If it be a ram he is castrated: a cut, +and the testicles are hauled out with the teeth—certainly +not a very agreeable, but nevertheless a practical +method. Then the poor creatures are let loose, and rush +in among the ewes with wild jumps, making a sorry +music looking for their mothers.</p> + +<p>The route winds over a <i>meseta</i>, reaches a height of +about 3000 feet, and drops again into the Coyaike +valley: the river is one of Rio Aysen’s tributaries. It +rained hard when we rode through the high roble forest; +the farther west we came the worse was the road, +in some places hardly passable. For long stretches it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</span> +was plastered with sticks, giving our horses much +trouble and bringing them innumerable lashes. Some +of the rebellious ones took their own way through the +thickets and gave us extra work. Here and there the +forest had been burnt, and sheep ran about among +the black skeletons. Pavo, who, according to his +custom, regarded sheep exactly as guanacos, soon got +his hide well tanned; it was not very pleasant to come +as guests to a farm with a dog who would worry sheep.</p> + +<p>The sun burst forth; from a hill we beheld the Aysen +valley at our feet; here and there a bend of the river +was visible between thick foliage, which glittered from +the rain; about eight miles further down we saw the +houses of Coyaike bajo, our destination, and in the +evening of November 26 we made our entry there. +It was the biggest place we had seen since Bariloche; +the houses are arranged in two lines with a broad +street between them, and Flax as well as Johansson, +who had never seen anything so imposing, visibly +protested against such an excess of civilization. The +head of the place, Mr. Dun, was not at home, but he +had written to his people, evidently asking them to +treat us well, for they did so, promising to put people +and horses at our disposal, so that our own animals +got a week which they sorely needed to gorge upon +fat grass and heal their backs.</p> + +<p>Here, amidst the wildest wilderness, on all sides +surrounded by virgin forests and mountains, was a +small piece of old England—English language, food, +and customs. Many a spare hour we spent in Mr. +Stewart’s cosy home, where he and his old wife vied<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</span> +with each other in taking care of us, offering us all sorts +of dainties, almost too sharply contrasting with our +plain diet.</p> + +<p>Our principal task here was to ride down to the +Pacific, using the road made by the company. We +borrowed a troop of big, strong horses, a mule for the +cargo, and a small, fat Chilote boy. Pagels had to +stop behind, well occupied with mending and darning +our damaged property. At a cost of 350,000 pesos the +company has constructed a road of fifty-one miles +down to the mouth of Rio Aysen, unlike even the +worst road you may find in the United Kingdom. +We must not expect too much, however, for the difficulties +here are enormous. Across or round narrow +abysses, climbing zigzag, through stony, rushing waters, +on narrow bridges over the precipices, thus runs the +first and best part of it. Then come the steep granite +barrancas along the river, where the road has been +blasted in the shape of a shelf in the wall. It makes a +turn and crosses the Baguales ridge. Here is the +boundary between the easier roble forest and the evergreen +one, which I have introduced to the reader on +several occasions. Once more we entered the kingdom +of eternal rain. On both sides the forest stands, dense +as a wall, with bamboo thickets and creepers high up +in trees, and the limited space left is filled by half-rotten +trunks. A never-ceasing rain completes the +picture. The poncho is heavy as lead with water, and +our boots are filled slowly but surely. Now and then our +steeds shake off the water, and then fall into their +old <i>tempo</i> again. The road is terrible. The horses +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</span>wade knee-deep through a tough clay or a loose black +mud, where one never knows how deep it is to the +bottom and where the entangled roots trip them up. +Now and then, often for half a mile or so, the road is +plastered with sticks; here one does not sink down, +but it is slippery as glass instead, and we are filled with +admiration of the surefootedness of the horses. On +downward slopes it felt like it might feel riding down +a staircase, an experience I never had.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f33"> +<img src="images/fig33.jpg" alt="rain-forest"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Patagonian Rain-forest.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>We halted at Rio Mañiuales—thus named because +there are large quantities of mañiú (in this case +<i>Saxegothea conspicua</i>) on its banks. It is the largest +tributary, and Halle and I resolved to stop there; +Quensel ferried across it and continued down to +the coast. With dripping clothes we sat down by the +hearth in the small cottage where the ferryman lives, +and soon his three little girls gathered round us, +curiously looking at the travellers from a far country. +Their mother offered us a cup of tea and told us about +the monotonous life in the forest. Sometimes the rain +makes the road impassable and one is cut off from the +rest of the world, sometimes the river rises, causing +serious inundations: last spring it had carried away +one of the ferries and threatened the house with disaster. +She was very proud of her husband, who was away +for the day, and showed us his medal with three +clasps from the South African War. For once the +climate gave up its bad ways and we got a comparatively +fine day with only a few showers. The air was +filled with the strong scent of <i>laurel</i> (<i>Laurelia serrata</i>, +order <i>Monimiaceæ</i>) and <i>arrayán</i> (<i>Myrceugenia apiculata</i>,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</span> +a myrtle-tree), the <i>corcolén</i> (<i>Azara lanceolata</i>, order +<i>Flacourtiaceæ</i>) was completely covered with golden +mimosa balls, the <i>ciruelillo</i> (<i>Embothrium coccineum</i>, +order <i>Proteaceæ</i>) was on fire with clusters of crimson +flowers. Yellow violets, fine orchids, mimulus, and +calceolarias adorned the soil. At the river the bamboo +(<i>Chusquea colihue</i>) showed a luxuriance I did not see +in any other place—about 30 feet high, and so thick +that it could be used for building purposes. One +would hardly believe that it is only two or three days’ +journey to the dry steppe.</p> + +<p>Quensel returned after a boat-trip to Puerto Chacabuco, +with greetings from “el Pacifico,” and now we all went +back. We had reached our goal, had made a botanical +as well as geological section through the mountains, +and the following days were spent in detailed studies +of certain interesting places. On our return, just as +we were about to climb the slopes of the Baguales +hill, we heard shouting from above, and slowly a caravan +of bullock-carts came down the sharp turns of the road. +As one sees these monstrous carts with their three or +four pairs of oxen one understands what it costs to +keep a forest road in order. We had to wait till they +had passed. Progress is not rapid; they need three +days for the trip. Now and then we met Chilotes +occupied in repairing the road after the devastations +of the spring flood.</p> + +<p>In Coyaike we bought provisions for the next part +of our journey. Hitherto we had met people now and +then and found great assistance, but between Aysen +and Lake San Martín, where we intended to make our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</span> +next stay, we could hardly count on meeting any +inhabitants after the first days of march. We thus had +to carry with us everything except meat, and the load +was almost heavier than at our first start. The provisions, +calculated to last thirty days, consisted of +about the same variety as before. However, we could +get neither oatmeal nor biscuits, but had to bring a +flour-bag. The result was that bread was of rare +occurrence on our table. It took too much time to +make it; pancakes were easier made; besides, it was +good to have something to long for and to celebrate +feast-days with.</p> + +<p>From Puerto Montt we had sent a box by steamer +to Aysen; there was paper for drying plants, spirits, +formaline, &c. We left two boxes of collections in +care of the company to be forwarded to Punta Arenas; +only in this way was it possible to make more extensive +collections. We had already sent one box from Lelej +and another from Valle Frias, and we hoped to find +them all on our arrival.</p> + +<p>On December 3 our caravan started again. On +account of the rest and the good grass our horses were +very fresh, and with greater speed than usual we +disappeared between the forest-groves, followed by the +waving of the Aysen people.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c13">CHAPTER XIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">LAKE BUENOS AIRES</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">During</span> the first few hours we followed the Coyaike +valley back the same way we had come, and then turned +south in order to cross a ridge, separating us from +the Mayo valley, which did not look very inviting. +A disagreeable yellow-brown colour told us that we +should find the crossing of it unpleasant. Generally +we all used to ride after the troop, two just behind and +one on each flank, but here we came to a passage where +two of us had to keep ahead of the caravan and survey +the camp, or we might be bogged without a warning. +The swamps are very treacherous here, and sometimes +we climbed a hill to get a view of the terrain. Now and +then we tried to follow the track of a guanaco; this is, +however, no particularly safe device, for where the light +guanaco can pass a heavy horse might easily sink down. +I rode Solo for the first time after his recovery. He +sank up to his girths twice, and I had to throw myself +off instantly and get him on safe ground again. Rio +Mayo presents a good example of a very small brook +offering serious difficulties. If a stream, running deep +down in a sort of furrow with the peat projecting like +a shelf above the water, is so broad that it cannot be +jumped, it is anything but easy to get the horses across. +It is not so bad if there is a firm bed, but in many cases<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</span> +the animal sinks deep down in loose mud and is lost. +Also a bed of sand or gravel may be troublesome; even +if one can urge the beast down it is much labour to get +him up again, the peat everywhere giving way under his +hoofs. It is of the utmost importance to find a suitable +ford, even if it should cost you loss of time. Along +a considerable distance of Rio Mayo we found only one +place where we could cross this insignificant stream, and +it took us half an hour’s hard labour before we had the +horses safe on the other side. The main thing is to +master the mare; the others will follow her—if they +are not like Ruckel or Jeremias, who had wills of their +own and nearly turned our hair grey.</p> + +<p>The Mayo valley is said to be one of the last refuges +for half-wild Tehuelches, living in their <i>toldos</i> in the +ancient manner. We did not see any traces of them, +but at a distance sighted a <i>rancho</i>, horses and cattle +indicating that the valley was inhabited. We had no +time to stop.</p> + +<p>In front of us lay a great obstacle, a <i>meseta</i> raising +its barrancas to a height of 4750 feet. There is a +path cut through the forest west of this mountain, +but it had not been used for a long time and was said +to be almost impassable; the people in Aysen had +advised us not to try it—they did not know anything +of the <i>meseta</i> itself, but thought it would be easier to +cross it. To ride round its east end is simple, but did +not suit our plans. Meseta Chalía, named thus +because the Rio Chalía originates on its west plateaus, +consists of loose material and lacks the basaltic crust +that made the table-mountains so dreaded. But<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</span> +we were soon to see that the difficulties were not +less here.</p> + +<p>A trying climb commenced, and leading the horses +in zigzag we reached the edge of the plateau, extending +in front of us level as a floor and covered with round +stones like cobbles; it reminded us of the marketplace +in a small town. For the most part there was no +vegetation, only strips of a meagre heath of diddledee, +strikingly recalling Alpine tundra. We waited some +minutes to recover our breath, and then set out. Some +few steps—what does this mean? The pavement, +looking so firm and safe, will not bear us! Between +the blocks, which fret the skin, the horses go down into +a terrible viscous stuff: when the snow melted the soil +had been saturated with water—it is what geologists call +solifluction, though the soil does not move, the ground +being fairly horizontal. Some snow-patches were still +left; at their edge there was no bottom. It was desperate +work. To ride was not to be thought of; we tramped +and tramped, dragging our saddle-horses and whipping +the others. We struggled to get on to the firm strips +of heath where we could breathe a moment, which we +really deserved, for the misery lasted several hours. +Suddenly we found ourselves at the edge of a ravine, +so steep that we had not observed it till we were close +on it. Every small brook, fed by the snowdrifts, has cut +a very deep canyon; the sides are clad with thickets of +ñire, dense as a hawthorn hedge, and the bottom is +filled up by wretched swamps. But we must go down +it. The horses disappeared in the thick carpet, the loads +were caught up by the branches, and we needed all our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</span> +energy to assemble the caravan in the bottom of the +ravine, where we found a very welcome camping-place. +The next morning we first worked our way out of the +canyon, and stood on the plateau again ready to recommence +the fight. It grew still worse than the day +before. Not even the patches of heath bore us; the +horses strove to get there, only to find them occupied +by the burrows of the tuco-tuco. Numerous ravines +had to be crossed; we made a small <i>détour</i> higher up +on the <i>meseta</i>, where we crossed the last, or rather first, +rivulets on snow-bridges, at a height of 4600 feet. +It was ridiculous to see the horses’ fright at the snow, +hitherto only seen from some distance. They required +both abuse and the whip, but eventually obeyed, and +that was the principal thing.</p> + +<p>Finally we stood at the end of the <i>meseta</i>. Three +thousand feet below extended the Koslowsky valley, +with inviting green meadows; on the other side was +another <i>meseta</i>, and to our right was the main range +of the Andes, blue and violet in the pale evening light. +Now arose the question of getting down into the fine +valley, which was more easily said than done. The slope +fell away perilously near a right angle. It was furrowed +by numerous rivulets, hidden under entangled ñire +thickets. We prospected along the edge of the plateau, +and, as nothing better could be seen, chose the least +uninviting of the ravines. I daresay none of us will +ever forget that descent. Hardly able to find foothold, +the horses simply slid down the slopes; now and then +one fell, but got on his feet again; another broke away, +made desperate efforts to gallop up again, and then<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</span> +stopped without knowing what to do. I do not remember +how many times we had to let go the horses, climb +up on hands and knees, and drive down the much-cursed +Ruckel, but I know he tried our patience to +the utmost. Rather shaken, we and the horses eventually +reached the bottom of the ravine. The slopes were +clad with forest-growth and were very steep, and our +only chance was to follow the dry, stony river-bed, +where huge blocks sometimes barred the way. Thousands +of trunks had rolled down from the sides, forming +irregular barricades and stopping the march times +innumerable. The horses lost their senses, rushed +at the sides, dashed into blind alleys, turned round and +tried to get back up the canyon. We divided the troop +up, each of us taking charge of some animals. Step by +step we advanced, giving encouraging shouts, and lashing +and chasing fugitives, who baffled all our efforts +to keep order. Here indeed was a good opportunity +for Jeremias to distinguish himself, and to be sure he did +not fail. Lagging behind for a second, he took advantage +of an unguarded moment, turned aside, and climbed +up through the forest with a speed and energy that he +never showed otherwise, and disappeared. A special +expedition was sent to fetch him down—and he got a +well-deserved thrashing. I had always suspected that +horses have not got much real intelligence, but after +studying them in all sorts of situations I <i>know</i> that they +have not.</p> + +<p>By-and-by, when the slopes became less steep and the +forest higher and less dense, we took refuge in it. One +of us acted as guide, and with some patience one could<span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</span> +get the <i>yegua</i> to follow; then it was the business of +the drivers to keep the others together. With loud +shouts of joy we greeted the open ground—though we +<i>could</i> easily keep from laughing when we discovered +that the tuco-tuco had taken possession of it. At some +distance a large animal sprang to its feet, made some +cat-like leaps, and was out of sight. Pagels said that +it was a puma (<i>Felis concolor</i>), and very likely it was. +The puma, here generally called “el león,” is the largest +and most dangerous of the carnívora in Patagonia. +He is very common, but seldom seen, keeping out of +the way by day. He does not assault man unless +wounded, but takes to his heels. However, he is the +most dreaded enemy of the sheep, killing them not only +for food, but also for the sport of it. Often he returns +to his prey, and advantage is taken of that habit to +poison the carcass with strychnine, and the next day +may find the puma only a few yards from the lamb. +To our surprise we did not at once find a camping-place +with running water; several of the rivulets from the +<i>meseta</i> disappeared in the swamps at its foot. But +finally we found an idyllic little place, and were not long +in off-saddling. Both we and the horses were longing +for a rest. We had marched ten hours without stopping; +and even if the distance did not much exceed twenty +miles we did not feel ashamed of the result.</p> + +<p>It proved necessary to give the horses a day’s rest. +For us these days were no rest; generally they were +employed in long excursions on foot. The flora of the +Koslowsky valley is rich in species, the summer had now +come, and a lot of plants, new to me, were in full flower.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</span></p> + +<p>We were without meat, and Quensel went to look for +human dwellings, which were reported as existing in +the valley, while Pagels took the Winchester and went +to shoot something. In the evening we were all back +in the camp, each with his prey. Quensel had met a +<i>mestizo</i>, who led him to his <i>rancho</i> and gave him meat. +Pagels returned with some small ducks and a hen eagle; +she had some very welcome eggs inside her, which were +delightful in the soup. We had had a very meagre diet +the last few days, but now made up for the loss. Quensel +had promised the people in the <i>rancho</i> that we would +visit them when we crossed the valley. Their miserable +hut, almost a veritable <i>toldo</i>, lay hidden in a valley—the +small river joins Rio Huemules, which in its turn +discharges into Aysen. The husband, José, was of +mixed breed, half Chilean, half Araucanian; his wife +was pure Indian and had been a real beauty. We sat +down with the family; evidently we were expected, +for when the lid was taken off the cauldron it was found +to contain rice-gruel. As far as I know I never showed +any predilection for this dish before, and to-day it +seems peculiar that I then ate three platefuls with +great gusto. So it was, however. José told us that there +was quite a new and small settlement on the other side +of the valley, and gave us directions for our march. +After a while we came to a cottage, where half a dozen +sheep-dogs rushed out barking frantically and calling +out the inhabitant. He was an Englishman called +Brookes, a very nice man, who had settled with about +2000 sheep and seemed to enjoy his life thoroughly. +With him lived also a Dane, who was glad to find his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</span> +native tongue for once understood. Brookes is one of +the few camp-men I met who was interested in nature; +he started to speak of the steppe flora, and showed +me a couple of rare plants that he had in his garden. +We wanted to get on after a short while, but the kind +souls were so persistent and we found ourselves so +comfortable that we resolved to stop for the night, +the more so as the Dane, Espersen, offered to show us +the best pass over to the next valley. In the evening +Mr. Lundberg, from Kuopio, in Finland, came riding in, +and invited us to visit his place further west in the +valley, which we were sorry not to be able to do. His +mother-tongue was Finnish; once he had also spoken +some Swedish, but five-and-twenty years had made him +forget both and he had never learnt a new language +thoroughly. He was best acquainted with English. +His case is not unique, I am sure.</p> + +<p>The Koslowsky valley lies only a thousand feet above +the sea and looks fertile. Probably it will be colonized +before long. In this connection the following story +from the boundary dispute may be told. According +to the rule that water-divide = boundary, this valley +would have gone to Chile as well as the Aysen district. +But Argentina put forth the following impressive +facts: it was already colonized (there was a scheme), +one could point to the Casa Koslowsky (a wooden hut) +on the map, and last, not least, there was a photo of the +telegraph-line there—this telegraph-line I have myself +seen on more than one Argentine map. At the house +there are fourteen telegraph-posts, with a wire coming +from nowhere and going nowhere; inside is apparatus<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</span> +that never spoke and piles of paper strips on the floor. +By the award Argentina kept all the valuable part of +the valley.</p> + +<p>It was December 8 when, in company with Mr. +Espersen, we started to cross the pass along the east slope +of Meseta Guenguel and descend to the large depression +where Lake Buenos Aires extends—the largest of the +Patagonian lakes. It was an agreeable ride in bends +and turns between the forest-patches. The rise was not +so bad but that it permitted us to remain on horseback +all the time, and at 3400 feet we reached our highest +point; from there we beheld the vast expanse of the +lake, with blue mountains behind. In the east the lake +reaches the pampas; the western arms penetrate far +into the mountains, as far as the edge of the inland ice, +with a row of giant summits making one of the most +magnificent pieces of scenery of Andine landscape, and +culminating in the two peaks San Clemente and San +Valentín, the latter with its 13,000 feet being the +highest mountain in Patagonia. On the maps as well +as in descriptions these mountains are often called +volcanoes, but there is no foundation for such a designation; +probably they are of the same nature as San +Lorenzo, mentioned below.</p> + +<p>Lake Buenos Aires has a surface area of about 800 +square miles, thus being almost four times as large +as the Boden lake. We were sorry not to have a boat, +and had to keep along the shore. The lake empties +in Rio Baker; as the reader will remember, we were close +to its mouth in June. We camped early that day. +Quensel and Pagels went to prepare the dinner and I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</span> +got time to look at the vegetation. On the sandy +banks near the river Fenix, where we had our camp, +I found quite a number of species I did not know, of +which several had just been described as from other +parts of Patagonia. Halle continued his studies in the +geology of the table-mountains; here he also found fossil +plants.</p> + +<p>When we got back Quensel had baked bread, and +otherwise made extensive preparations for a feast; that +is to say, he had boiled a potful of dried figs, all in order +to impress our guest, who stayed for the night. I +suspect that he had been used to far better kitchens +than ours. The next morning we parted; he went +back and we continued along the Fenix valley. It +was as if midsummer had come at a bound. The air +was oppressive, the sand burnt, the horses dripped with +sweat, and every time we tracked a bend of the river +the dogs plunged into the cold water to cool their sore +feet. Rio Fenix winds in innumerable serpentines, +bordered by a green fringe; now it leaves a level plateau +free at the foot of the barranca, now it cuts so close into +it that one must pass with caution.</p> + +<p>We sit half dozing in the saddle, too warmly dressed +for a day like this, when suddenly there is a stir. Now +and then we have passed a small troop of guanacos, +but not even the dogs had taken any interest in them. +At once we discover that they have young ones amongst +them; the dogs are after them and there is a wild hunt. +At first the guanacos gain, the small ones straining every +endeavour to keep up with the others, and they show +a tremendous turn of speed. Now one falls behind,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</span> +the gap between the small one and the fleeing herd +widens; the dogs are there: now it is for us to interfere, +or they will tear him to pieces and spoil the meat. It +is a very pretty little thing, about a fortnight or three +weeks old, with beautiful wool like yellowish red silk +on the back and with a white belly. In triumph it is +brought to the caravan and added to the load. If one +can call the meat of full-grown guanaco very eatable, +which I maintain is no exaggeration, that of the young +must certainly be characterized as delicious; it tastes +like the finest veal, and I refuse to tell how much we +ate the first time we had it.</p> + +<p>Only very occasionally is the guanaco killed for the +sake of its meat; on the whole the older animals are +seldom hunted, but the younger more often. Their skin +is very much appreciated, and is used for the celebrated +<i>quillangos</i> (mantles), which every traveller who +passes Punta Arenas or any of the small ports on the +Atlantic is able to procure. Even if he has not time to +go on shore he may be pretty sure they will come on +board; the deck is soon carpeted with products in the +way of fur from Patagonia—guanaco and fox, puma and +ostrich, and the valuable otter from the Channels. And +every passenger steamer brings with it quite a collection +of skins and imitation Indian curiosities, all sold at +advanced prices for the occasion. A common guanaco +mantle measures ten to eleven square feet, and is made of +from thirteen to fifteen young animals. In Punta Arenas +it costs fifty to eighty pesos, according to the exchange, +for in reality one has to pay in English pounds and +shillings. Another kind of mantle is made only from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</span> +the soft skin of the head and legs of the full-grown +guanaco; it requires a very great number of animals, +and prices run high; I very seldom saw these offered +for sale. The beginning of December is the season for +the guanaco-hunters; they swarm in certain parts of +the Andine pampas, and for the most part do a thriving +business. We saw their fires on the north slope of the +Fenix valley. I have heard there are some game-laws +for guanacos and ostriches, but they are probably +ignored, for it is hardly possible to maintain any effective +control in the vast uninhabited territories.</p> + +<p>Hardly had we begun to move again when the next +“plucked and roasted pigeon flew into our mouths.” +It was a small armadillo, a common <i>Dasypus minutus</i>. +The small armoured ball rolled away, but did not reach +its hole before we had it. After a while we caught +another. These animals are delicious cooked and eaten +cold, or roasted in their hard coats. He who has been +lucky enough to try a pig roasted whole in a Scania +parsonage can imagine what an armadillo is like. Small +baskets made of varnished armadillo, with its tail in +its mouth, are among the most common souvenirs +brought from Argentina. These animals belong to an +order that in ancient times played an important part. +The surviving species are dwarfs in comparison with +those which lived on the pampas during the Tertiary +period, true giants, the armour of which is beautifully +represented in the collection of the famous Museo de La +Plata.</p> + +<p>We had not come across armadillos till we came to +the Fenix valley; later on we saw them at times, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</span> +they never had time to get clear, since we knew what +they were good for. They live on locusts and other +insects, and to judge from the contents of their stomachs +there is no lack of such.</p> + +<p>The midday sun became too hot for us, and especially +for our horses; nowhere was there an inch of shade, but +nevertheless we made a halt at the river, off-saddled, +and took a rest. We wanted to make tea, but not being +used to the great heat and drought, we were not cautious +enough in making a fire. In less than a second the grass +all round was all ablaze, and the fire rapidly spread with +the wind, threatening our baggage, which was instantly +taken out of reach of it, though not without some +small losses. However, we had to isolate it without delay, +and the coffee-pot, the cauldron, and Quensel’s waterproof +hat sped to and fro from the river, while we at +the same time tried to stamp out the flaming tussocks. +After an hour’s work the danger, which might have +had serious consequences, was nipped in the bud.</p> + +<p>Further down the river we came upon a sort of peculiar +bush-vegetation, well worth being studied, and we stayed +there the next day. Accompanied by Halle, I strolled +about all day, and went back loaded with specimens. +The bushes, fine species of <i>Lycium</i>, <i>Verbena</i>, and others, +were in full flower everywhere in the hot sand; beautiful +yellow flowers of <i>Alstrœmeria pygmæa</i> peeped out, as +well as small spiny cactus with large yellow, red, and +white blossoms. I had to find out a method of conveying +the prickly things with me, but they landed +home in good condition. Between the tussocks many-coloured +lizards scurried to and fro, black and yellow,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</span> +brown with red and white markings or with a copper +lustre—always making me think of Pagels, who entertained +an inextinguishable passion for these animals. +All of a sudden we would see him stop, jump from his +horse, and pursue some speedy lizard, that often was +caught in his cap, to be afterwards transferred to an old +pickle-bottle he carried in his <i>maletas</i>. The bottle +always leaked, and when he looked at his treasures +Pagels always lamented: “Herr Doktor, jetzt gehen +meine Eidechsen <i>vollkommen</i> kaputt!”</p> + +<p>When Quensel and Pagels, who had been out doing +geology and hunting, returned we all took a bath in +the river. The hunting had yielded poor results; +they had come across some guanacos, but the feet of +the dogs were so damaged by the hot sand that not +even the young could attract them. By the river +were plenty of geese, and with regret we thought of our +gun; with the Winchester we got only a scraggy +gander.</p> + +<p>At sunset it grew rapidly chilly, and the thermometer +fell to freezing-point, 32° F., which did not prevent its running +up next day to 86° F. in the shade again. We followed +the river for some distance, and then took a short cut +across the hilly country down to Lake Buenos Aires. +Here we chanced among a veritable labyrinth of sand-dunes. +We started to look for ostrich eggs, and succeeded +in finding two; unfortunately they were addled. Such +eggs! The only drawback is that it takes twenty minutes +to boil them, and then they are but lightly boiled. The +reason we did not follow the river was that it runs east +for some miles before turning south, and finally west,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</span> +emptying into the lake. It is a rather peculiar river. +Just east of its bend another river, the Deseado, starts +from a swamp, fed by occasional tributaries from the +north; further down other streams join it, and now +visible, now disappearing in the marshes, it runs across +Patagonia and discharges into the Atlantic. The +water-parting between Deseado and Fenix—<i>i.e.</i>, between +the Atlantic and the Pacific—is very insignificant. Rio +Fenix has only just abandoned its old course to the +Atlantic, and it was possible for Dr. Moreno to remove +some of the morainic material and coax it back for a +while. Even now it sometimes sends water to Rio +Deseado.</p> + +<p>At the east end of the lake there is almost a desert—dry, +stony plains where the few plants look like monsters, +to such a degree have they adapted themselves to an +abnormal life. One is agreeably surprised when suddenly +the canyon of Fenix river opens at one’s feet; there +is luscious green grass; the horses betray delight at +this sight, and it is easier than usual to drive them down +the steep barranca. We made our camp not far from +the outlet of the river, where traces of one of the encampments +of the Boundary Commission still remained.</p> + +<p>Our supply of meat was finished, the dogs had to live +on their own fat—not much to speak of—and we made +inroads upon our poor vegetables.</p> + +<p>A cool breeze from the lake welcomed us as we rode +out of the canyon to go round the east end of the big +water, and the waves broke in over the shingle, which +was adorned by large-flowered yellow œnotheras. I +have seldom seen anything more inanimate than nature<span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</span> +here. There was not a bird to be seen on the water, +not an animal in the ravines running down to the shore +from the south; here and there white guanaco bones +gleamed in the bushes, but not a living thing was to be +seen. We made a halt in the canyon of Rio Chilcas +and camped. A rumour had spoken of fossils having +been found there. Quensel and Halle were busy +looking for them; I myself spent the time as usual, +and Pagels tried to replenish our pantry, but he returned +empty-handed, and supper was identical with breakfast—pancakes +of wheat-flour and water!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f34"> +<img src="images/fig34.jpg" alt="fenix"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fenix River.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f35"> +<img src="images/fig35.jpg" alt="valley"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Valley of Antiguos River looking south.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>On the north shore of the lake there is a small settlement +that we did not see; otherwise the whole region +is uninhabited, in spite of the good grass along Fenix +and south of the lake, which lies only 712 feet above +sea-level, for which reason the winters cannot be very +severe. An abandoned <i>rancho</i> not far from the Chilcas +valley showed that people have lived here for some time. +The geologists’ efforts proved futile, which did not +surprise them; the kind of rock was not promising +for the discovery of fossil remains, and we resolved to +leave the place and move our camp to Rio Jeinemeni, +which we were to follow to a pass across the mountains. +We left the lake, but enjoyed a last sight of it, following +the shore at some distance, and higher up making for +Rio de los Antiguos, which runs parallel with Rio +Jeinemeni, and the canyon of which we should have to +cross. We rested an hour near some lagoons, and in vain +tried to get some birds—there were numbers of black-necked +swans and ducks, but the swans kept far off +from the shore and the ducks hid themselves in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</span> +reeds. At random we cut across a plateau to reach +the river, and there we had a narrow escape. Arrived +at the edge of the canyon, we saw the river whirling +below, and the barranca was about 450 feet high. How +were we to get down? A safe method would have been +to follow the river down and cross it near the mouth, +as we could see from the map that it must be more +fordable there; however, this meant loss of time and +did not suit us. We experienced the truth of the proverb +“More haste less speed.” We rode to a point +from where we got a view up the valley, but nowhere +could we see a passage; all along the barranca fell +away almost vertically. Just below our feet, however, +was a sandy slope with some bushes, falling off at an +angle of 45°; what came after we could not see, the +rest of the barranca being too steep to be visible from +where we were. But Pagels assured us that he could +see a “very good place,” and we started to slide down. +It went all right for a while, though it was, of course, +some time before we got the horses to understand what +a fine way we had found for them. Our delight was +of short duration; after a few minutes we found ourselves +at the top of a hard, nearly vertical sandstone +wall without the slightest trace of vegetation. To turn +back was out of the question. Fortunately the mountain +here is furrowed by small streams during the spring +floods, and there was nothing to be done but climb down +one of the ravines, where stones and loose blocks, +plunging down at the slightest touch, made the descent +very risky. We had hard work to force the horses down +the ravine. It was so narrow (the section was <b>V</b>-shaped) +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</span>that we had to crawl in single file. Repeatedly +a horse would dash at the sides; instantly he had to +be driven back, or he went to certain death. Step by +step they were literally whipped down, sliding and +falling, stumbling on treacherous blocks; the whip +brought them to their feet again, and one after the other +landed safely in the thickets at the foot of the barranca. +Pagels had remained behind to look for Ruckel, who on +this day was carrying tent and provisions; he had +refused to come with the other horses, and disappeared +in the bushes to find his own private way down. Quensel +and Halle climbed up to see what was going forward, but +I found waiting tiresome, tied the horses, and climbed +the wall following another ravine. I had come half-way +when I stopped and shouted, but did not get any +answer. I could see nothing; climbed down again +and walked along the foot, and suddenly a dreadful +sight met my eyes. Half-way up the wall, at the end of +a small ravine ending abruptly, stood Ruckel, with his +load hanging loose, his legs entangled in the ropes, +trembling from head to foot, and without the most +microscopical chance of getting up or down, to right +or left. Straight above him on the slope were my +comrades. How had he got there? He had fallen, +tumbled down sideways with load and all, rolled about +90 feet, and was lucky to recover his foothold at the very +last moment; another inch and he would have been +dashed to pieces. Halle and Quensel had seen him fall, +and hastened up to end his sufferings with a merciful +bullet; to their immense surprise they found him +standing upright. The small space where he was able<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</span> +to keep on his feet sloped down; at any moment his +strength might give out and he would be precipitated +down and probably killed, for below him the barranca +sloped <i>inward</i>. There seemed nothing to be done. +I climbed up till I stood under him; the ropes were cut +and the things lowered down to me, and I carried them +down. As far as we could see the beast was not much +injured, and was only bleeding very little, so we of course +wanted to save him. Just below him, to the left, a +small ridge protruded; could we get him across it, +there was a small ravine leading down. Lying on his +stomach and clinging to the projections on the rock +in a manner hardly believable, Pagels dug some steps +in the sandstone with my sheath-knife, Ruckel regarding +him immovable as the Sphinx. Pagels crept down, +tugged at the <i>cabresta</i>—well, I hardly know what +happened; some rapid steps half in the air, an instant +he lay floundering and kicking with his belly across the +ridge, then was dragged into the ravine and saved! +Rubber must have gone to the construction of a good +deal of his body, for the following morning he was not +even lame. Ruckel had celebrated Lucia Day in his own +original way, and now we could laugh at the adventure. +When we looked at the barranca from below we could +hardly believe that we had come down there. The affair +had cost time, and we saw ourselves forced to camp at +Rio Antiguos, where another unsuccessful shoot forced +us to continue our pancake diet and the dogs to go with +empty stomachs.</p> + +<p>We were off early the next morning, for we wanted +to cross the river when there was not so much water as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</span> +later in the day. It was easier to climb out of the canyon +than it had been to get into it, and so we went on to +Rio Jeinemeni. This river is the frontier between +Chile and Argentina. We thought the best way to the +pass would be to follow the bank of the river, and +therefore climbed down into the magnificent canyon. +There was a stony strip of land along the water where +we could ride, but owing to the innumerable turns one +could not look ahead for more than a very short distance +at a time. We had not been under way long before we +had to alight and lead the horses. Now the barranca +sent sharp ridges out in the water, where a false step +would have been fatal; now we came across heaps of +blocks and <i>débris</i> fallen down from the wall, now deep +ravines, to get across which one almost needed trained +circus horses; if one risked remaining in the saddle, +one hardly escaped getting literally torn off by the +tough ñire branches. We sent Pagels ahead to signal +if any serious obstacle appeared. All of a sudden a +barranca ran almost vertically down into the river, +leaving a passage about two or three feet broad. Some +bushes increased the difficulties. Steady! The mare +looks at the water, but it does not seem very inviting. +Then she throws a glance full of unsatisfied desire towards +the sky, but 90° was evidently too much for her, +and anxiously squinting at last she walks the right way, +followed by the other party in single file. Suddenly +full stop! Pagels has stopped to clear away some +bushes; we shout to him to hurry up, but it is already +too late. Jeremias has taken the lead. With firm +resolution he turns right, crosses a branch of the river,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</span> +and lands on a sandbank, where he stops looking more +stupid than ever. Evidently the mare finds his idea +brilliant, and plunges after him, and the other loose horses +are not behindhand in following their example. We +caught one of the packhorses before he had time to +carry his evil plans into execution; but the other, +Manasse, was already in the middle of the rapid stream, +and with mixed feelings we saw the water washing his +load. Fortunately he carried the cases. There was +no time for cogitation; once out in the main branch +Manasse would probably have perished. Pagels +hastened after the fugitives and brought them back. +It was a narrow escape; we might have lost valuable +collections, journals, and note-books. The going was +wretched, but we continued up the river till the barranca +made further progress absolutely impossible. We climbed +up about a thousand feet to try if it was not better +up there. Pagels was sent ahead with the Winchester, +and a deer really came within range; however, the +distance was great, and though hit the animal did not +drop, but rushed down the slope and fled into Chile—that +is to say, he swam over the river, where he fell down +dead. The dogs rushed after him, threw themselves +into the water, the current took them, and they were +hardly able to reach the shore. We did not know +if there was any ford; at this hour of the day the river +looked like boiling mud, and it was not without risk +to try to wade it. However, Quensel, on Flax, the most +reliable of our horses, offered to try, and Halle and I +drove the troop to a suitable halting-place. Pagels +stopped at the river to help Quensel. Half an hour<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</span> +passed, one hour—we began to get anxious and walked +down the slope, and were glad indeed to meet them, +Flax carrying a pair of substantial deer-steaks on the +saddle. Quensel had got a bath in the river and had +had a narrow escape; he declared that with any other +horse he would not have been successful. “You will +never see Pavo any more,” he added. We were very +sorry at the loss of the dog, but at the same time glad +that nothing worse had happened—and our sorrow did +not last long, for whom did we see after a while, lumbering +up the slope, but Pavo, exhausted and dripping with +water.</p> + +<p>It had grown late. Quensel’s clothes were soaked, and +we resolved to camp on the spot, in spite of the fuel +being very scarce and the water bad. We had to fetch +it from a small pond so full of tiny crustaceans that it +turned quite red when boiled. We had a great feast +of venison, and both ourselves and the dogs enjoyed +a hearty meal. We also found time to prospect for +the next day, and saw that we must keep high above +the river; it was a mistake ever to try the bottom of +the canyon. We resumed at a height of from 2200 to +3000 feet; it turned out all right, and we camped at +Rio Zeballos, at 3300 feet, the largest tributary to +Jeinemeni, in the most inviting, dry, fragrant roble-forest. +We had a cold night and there was thick ice +in the coffee-pot when we rose. The horses enjoyed +the fresh mountain pasturage, and Quensel and I +employed the day in an excursion on foot up into the +mountains. We soon found a guanaco-track that we +could follow for more than a thousand feet. Now and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</span> +then a guanaco was seen, and once we sat down and +remained immovable, I with the camera. Making +smaller and smaller circles, one approached, stopped now +and then, gave a neigh and pricked up his ears. He +felt some anxiety, but curiosity overcame it, and I +snapped him from about a hundred feet. Later we tried +the same manœuvre with a fat deer, but I wanted to +get closer, and he was frightened and made off. Above +the forests we climbed over rattling heaps of loose +slates; numbers of charming Alpine plants were in +flower among <i>débris</i> and snowfields, and from a crest +of 5700 feet we had a splendid view: to the east the +mighty basalt-covered <i>meseta</i>; to the north we cast a +last glance at Lake Buenos Aires, where the smoke from +the guanaco-hunters’ camp was still visible; to the +west deep, forest-clad valleys and summits, not yet +found on any map; to the south the Zeballos pass, our +battlefield for the coming day. We felt monarchs up +here, as if these immense Alps, the snowdrifts, flowers +and noble animals were our property. Never is the +sense of freedom greater than in the high mountain air +with a good expanse of the earth below one’s feet. Down +we went, faster than we had come up; we slid down the +steep, loose heaps of stones, half ran through the +mountain swamps where red-brown geese had their nests, +and dived into the forest. Only Pavo was in the camp +when we arrived there. Later Pagels arrived with some +guanaco-meat; he had been on the <i>meseta</i> where our +way led, and said that he had surveyed a beautiful track +for the march. We received this not uncommon information +with equanimity, born of long experience.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c14">CHAPTER XIV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">LAGO BELGRANO</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">On</span> December 17 we crossed Rio Zeballos and climbed +the east side of the valley. Pagels was very proud of +the route he had planned, but his self-importance began +to diminish when we came to one swamp after the other +and had to go round them. The small streams were +numerous, and had, of course, cut deep ravines, over +which we could hardly force a way between blocks and +thickets; at one place we had to be very careful, but +the horses managed it very well indeed. The ascent +up to the pass was better than we had been used to, +and we reached the highest point at 5000 feet. Large +snowdrifts were still left, and the ground was very soft. +Round the pass are several well-marked peaks looking +like sentinels, one of them also bearing the name of +Cerro Centinela. Our way down was longer and gave +us more trouble than we had counted upon; we had been +in the saddle ten hours before we saw the first few bushes +and could obtain a little shelter behind some rocks at +the bend of Rio Gio, close to the Chilean frontier. The +weather had turned out stormy, and a strong wind +blew, making it rather difficult to cook the dinner, while +the rain pelted down as it can only pelt in Chile.</p> + +<p>Our original plan for the summer had also included +a visit to the <i>estancia</i> of the Baker Company, whereby<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</span> +we should get another section through the mountains; +but in consideration of the little time we had and the +scarcity of provisions we gave it up and rode straight +south, seeking our way through the winding valleys +down towards Lake Pueyrredon, where we camped in the +last forest-patch on the slope of Cerro Principio. The +dogs had just captured a fine young guanaco, and we +made a big fire of ñire branches. The fire was indeed +necessary, for it was cold and snowy.</p> + +<p>The landscape north of Lake Pueyrredon is peculiar +enough—an endless row of canyons cut down along +old cracks, crossing each other in all directions or ending +blind. Sometimes one could not see a hundred feet ahead, +and one of us always had to ride in advance and survey +the ground, otherwise the caravan would have found +itself suddenly in a cul-de-sac. Often we passed half-dried +or even dried-up salt-lagoons. Guanacos were +plentiful, and from a side valley a hind with her young +quizzed us, but soon disappeared when the dogs started +in chase. On the shore of the lake were many geological +features reminding one of the west coast of Sweden—the +same round, ice-polished rocks with beautiful +glacial striæ, showing that the basin of Pueyrredon-Posadas +was once filled by an immense glacier. Seen +from above these lakes present a very remarkable +appearance. A narrow neck of land, where high sand-dunes +are piled up by the frequent westerly gales, +separates them; the more shallow Posadas looks +bluish green, the Pueyrredon dark blue. According to +the Argentine maps, Lake Posadas lies 367 feet, Lake +Pueyrredon 364 feet above the sea-level; the former<span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</span> +empties into the latter by means of a short, deep, rapid +river, which in our journals is called Rio del Istmo. +The outlet of Lake Pueyrredon is Rio Baker.</p> + +<p>It is not possible to wade the river—that is to say, +with packhorses. However, there is a ford outside +the mouth in Lake Pueyrredon, where a sandbank has +been formed over which the waves break heavily when +there is a high sea. It runs in an irregular bend, and +it is far from advisable to leave the horses to themselves +in crossing. The evening we came to the ford +it looked bad, for there had been a gale of wind all day +and the surf was heavy, but we were not at all inclined +to put off the passage. The soil is very barren here; +there are some bushes and halophilous plants, but not +much grass; we were afraid that the horses would +wander all night, and could hardly imagine a worse place +than this for looking for them. For safety’s sake +we put <i>maneas</i> not only on the mare, but also on the +roisterer Vingel, who often led her and the rest of the +troop into forbidden ways, and then sat down round a +big blaze of driftwood. We had found half a dozen +duck’s eggs, and were greatly disappointed to find that +they had been sat on; however, we could not bring +ourselves to throw them away altogether, but took out +the chicken and used the rest of the yolk in the pancakes. +Don’t throw away an egg till the chicken has +absorbed it all—it is always good for something.</p> + +<p>The murmur from the sea increased at dawn, and +when we had brought the horses down among the heaps +of driftwood we saw that the surf was at least as bad as +the day before. Nevertheless we made up our minds<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</span> +to try, leading the packhorses. Certainly they did not +plunge into the water willingly, but were very frightened +at the thunder of the breakers, and it cost us much +trouble and the horses sore hides. Everything went +off all right, though we of course got wet and the loads +also received some showers. We had just waded in +water, now we had to flounder in sand along the sides +of the dunes; sometimes they were so steep that we +preferred to plunge through the shallow reeds of Lake +Posadas. The southern shore is very different from +the northern. The mountain here rises straight out +of the water to a giddy height as seen from below. +One feels oppressed, shut in on a narrow, stony strip +of land, where a stream coming from a deep canyon has +split up into an extensive delta, and one even wonders +how one shall get out again. There is only one answer: +Climb!</p> + +<p>Halle fell behind in order to survey the canyon, +where different strata were well exposed, and the rest +of us climbed 2200 feet in zigzag, and sometimes not +only the horses were four-legged! On the plateau we +halted and waited for Halle. Then we crawled along a +very steep, stony ridge separated by a jagged crest +from the valley of Rio Tarde, through a natural opening +at 3600 feet coming down into this valley. The landscape +was very desolate—yellowish-grey rocks cut by +innumerable ravines not marked on the map, and much +worse to cross than big valleys. The patches of vegetation +were swampy, and it promised ill for the night, +till suddenly, a couple of miles ahead, some forest-groves +were seen—evidently the most easterly in this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</span> +part of the country. They lay beside a tributary of +Rio Tarde and we soon had a roof of foliage, dry leaves +to sleep on, a grassy slope below for the horses, a bank +of fossil oysters close to and snowy mountains all +round. What more could we ask? Here was everything. +Some rusty tins showed that the place had been +used as a camp before; surely they had been left by +the Argentine Boundary Commission, for one of them +had contained preserved asparagus.</p> + +<p>We stayed here one day in order to give the horses +a chance to recruit their strength for the march across +the next mountain-pass. As our next goal we set ourselves +nothing less than Lago Belgrano itself, and indeed +actually got off before eight o’ clock. Now the reader will +think us a band of real sluggards, but I must protest +against such an idea, for as a rule we never rose later +than six o’clock unless we had gone to rest quite exhausted +the night before, and very often it was only five o’clock +when we crept out of our bags. But all the work that +had to be done before we could spring into our saddles +took much time. We had carefully studied the map +and chose another route than the one followed by the +engineers of the commission, to some extent shortening +the distance. It was wild and desolate up here at a +height of 5600 feet, gigantic basalt pillars lifted their +hard black bodies on both sides, and large snowdrifts +fed the boggy, sliding soil. The slopes, nearly without +vegetation of any kind save some monstrous plants in +the shape of compact balls, are coloured red, brown and +grey, and Rio Belgrano rises like a red-brown mud-puddle. +A chilly fog enveloped us and shut out the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</span> +view; only the nearest mountain, the fine Cerro +Belgrano (7500 feet) being visible, cutting the veil +with its worn peaks. The pass fell abruptly on the other +side making us hesitate for a moment. The river +makes innumerable turns and bends, from all directions +tributaries flow in; we saw no other way than to keep +to the bottom, every five minutes crossing the river +in order to take advantage of the narrow strips of +muddy shore separating the barranca from the water. +We made very slow progress, the horses were tired and +often refused to cross the stream, but nevertheless +we should have reached the lake if fate had not led us to +arrange a great Christmas slaughter.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f36"> +<img src="images/fig36.jpg" alt="pass"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Belgrano Pass, with giant basalt pillars.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f37"> +<img src="images/fig37.jpg" alt="western"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">West Arm of Lake Belgrano.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>We wrote December 22 in our journals and had +hardly a piece of meat in the pantry. We had just +crossed the river and were about to round a hill, separating +us from the Belgrano basin, when we caught sight of +four deer, two bucks with their hinds steadily regarding +us and shaking their little stumps of tail as they uttered +their peculiar cooing note. We tied the dogs up and +approached them with great caution. One of the +bucks was badly wounded by a bullet, but nevertheless +rushed down the slope at full speed, the other got a +broken shoulder and did not move. We went up to him +but he stood quite still looking at us with his large, +intelligent eyes, the blood slowly dripping down on the +flowers of the heath. We wanted to give him his +<i>coup de grâce</i>, but in spite of one bullet in the head and +one in the chest, he suddenly showed a spark of life +and rushed down to the water. We let the dogs loose +but instead of making for the wounded bucks they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</span>brought one of the hinds to bay at the river and Pavo +buried his teeth in her throat. As a rule we only killed +bucks, but of course had to kill the hind in this case. +Now we had to look for the bucks. Pagels and I went +down to the river where one of the bucks, wild with rage, +lay struggling with Pavo, who had bitten him; we let the +river carry him down to a place where it was possible +to land him. It was resolved to camp close by, and a +horse carried down the meat of this buck. Pagels and +Quensel went to take charge of the rest. The buck still +lived and butted round him; he hit Pagels and knocked +the knife (my bowie-knife) out of his hand into the river, +where it disappeared for ever. At nightfall we had +finished the bloody work; we had two hundred pounds +of good meat, more than sufficient for our stay at Lake +Belgrano.</p> + +<p>In the morning we rode down to the lake. The +horses had very heavy loads, but the road was only +nine and a half miles long and, with the exception of +some swamps round the west arm of Rio Belgrano, +easy enough. Just as we came down the last slope +we discovered the tracks of shod horses. People here? +Some expedition perhaps, looking for a camp? Now +two parallel lines appear; there is no doubt that a +cart-track leads down to the lake. And when the +view opened out with the glasses we could make out a +tent, horses and men. It was almost a disappointment—had +civilization reached this last great tract +of Patagonia? “And I, who hoped that we should +celebrate Christmas by ourselves,” said Halle with a +worried air.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</span></p> + +<p>The peninsula had been shut off by a fence and we +proceeded through a gate, the “strangers” gathering +in front of their tent. We alighted and walked to greet +them. Their appearance plainly told us, that they +were not children of the country, but “gringos,” and +we asked them if they spoke English or German. “Wir +sind deutsche Kolonisten, und Sie?” They gave us a +hearty welcome, and our thoughts coincided in a “now +we’ll celebrate Christmas.” By-and-by they told us +about themselves and their enterprise. A newly formed +company, called Sociedad Germano-Argentina, had got +a concession of about 1200 square miles of land +from Lake Posadas to Rio Chico, on condition that it +brought colonists from Germany who promised to devote +themselves to cattle-raising and agriculture. Two of +our new friends had a share each and were out looking +for a suitable piece of land in order to buy it. The +manager, C. Högberg, a Swede and late captain of a ship, +was only some days’ journey from there and was expected +after Christmas. The Germans had not made up +their minds as to where they wanted to settle in earnest, +but thought of stopping for the winter on the lake, +to see what the unfavourable season was like. It is a +doubtful question whether this part of the country is +fit for either of the purposes mentioned above. The +lake is situated not less than 2570 feet above sea-level. +The stony peninsula, connected with the mainland to +the east by a very narrow neck of land, produces the +impression of being barren and weather-worn. I can +see but one great advantage: it does not need to be +fenced in. Probably the winter is comparatively severe<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</span> +and the summer short with early night-frosts. I do not +think the colonists will stay long here. The communication +with the outer world goes over San Julian, a distance +of 220 miles as the crow flies. The land round Lake +Belgrano is certainly not especially good, and what it is +that has fixed the attention of the colonists just upon +that part I am unable to understand.</p> + +<p>The Germans complained that they were short of meat, +and we were glad to give them some of our ample supply. +There were deer on the peninsula, but the Company +wanted to spare them. In return for the meat they gave +us white beans and lentils; we were very short of +vegetables: the oatmeal was finished and our possibilities +of making pancakes had become sadly limited. +Of rice alone had we a sufficient supply.</p> + +<p>Lago Belgrano has been the starting-point for the +mapping out of several lakes, the acquaintance of which +we shall soon make. The landscape belongs to the +most beautiful in Patagonia, and I defy anybody to +show me mountain scenery more varied and grand than +that west of the Azara-Nansen basin. A very promising +field for work attracted us thither.</p> + +<p>Our first thought was to find a good camping-place, +and as we intended to make a longer stay than usual, +it had to be chosen with care. In the ñire forest on the +east side of the peninsula we found one satisfying all +our demands, cut some bushwood and fixed up our tent, +above which the Swedish colours floated. One of our +most important tasks was to make a boat journey +and penetrate westward into the mountains. We knew +that the boundary commission had left a canvas boat,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</span> +and the Germans told us that there were two of them, +a smaller and a larger, and indicated to us where we +should look for them. Halle stopped at home, the rest +of us went to find the boats. We had not gone far before +we saw a blockhouse in a grove. In the Koslowsky +valley we were told that the commission had spent +a considerable time by the lake, and that various things +were left there, among others preserved foods. The +hut was shut up; but an opening in its hinder wall was +only stopped with branches and one of them being +loose it was the work of a second to get into it. I will +specially emphasize that we were in the uninhabited +mountains of Patagonia with failing provisions, so that +the reader will be able to overlook what now happened. +In one corner there was a barrel of wine, and four +wooden boxes. Some instruments for making charts +were fixed under the roof. That this had belonged +to the last commission, which had put up the boundary +marks, we did not doubt for one instant, and our +hypothesis was strengthened when we opened the +boxes and saw their contents: tinned provisions, also +some luxuries, tobacco and any amount of cigarette +papers, barometers and thermometers. One of the +boxes contained nothing but Jamaica rum. We felt +happy enough—this was indeed the hidden treasure +of a fairy-tale. The Governments of both Chile and +Argentina had promised us their help: I declared +myself ready to take the responsibility for robbing +the depot, and we picked out a selection of provisions, +especially in view of the boat-trip, since we carried +scarcely anything suitable for that purpose. Even<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</span> +the Christmas brandy, a bottle of rum, we let the +Government present us. We made a list of the stolen +goods to be sent to Buenos Aires, nailed up the boxes +and effaced the traces of our visit. We found it +unnecessary to tell the Germans about it. Possibly +Captain Högberg, once a member of the commission, +had the keys; but it was less probable that he had let +the colonists into the secret.</p> + +<p>We soon found the boats; one had been fixed under +cover some distance from the shore, but it was so large +that we could not think of using it. The other lay +without any protection on the beach, it was a non-collapsible +eight-foot, rather the worse for sun, wind and +weather. Probably it had not been used for years. +We tried it and found it leaked terribly. It was not +easy for us to repair it, for we had no materials, but +some grease in the joints and on the canvas made +it serviceable enough, though the man in the stern was +kept busy all the time baling out the water. Heavily +laden with the “Christmas gifts” we returned to +the tent. Halle was at home writing: we opened +the door a little and threw in a tin: “Do you want +some butter for Christmas?... or perhaps milk?... a +piece of cheese doesn’t taste bad ... here, +too, you have an ox-tongue.” And at last, shaking the +bottle: “I think we’ll have some grog to celebrate the +day.” I have seldom seen a person look so absolutely +at a loss; he wouldn’t believe it, and it took him a +long while to grasp the situation. It almost looked like +a conjuring trick. The poor “extra” tins we had +bought in Aysen quite faded into insignificance in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</span> +comparison with all these new dainties; now we were +prepared for the double festival on the Southern +Hemisphere—Christmas and Midsummer’s Day at the +same time.</p> + +<p>The menu of the dinner on Christmas Eve was as +follows:</p> + +<p class="c large sp"> +Hors d’œuvre.<br> +Coeur de cerf sauté avec des légumes.<br> +Figues au riz avec du lait.<br> +Thé.<br> +Grog au rhum. +</p> + +<p>We were dangerously near gourmandising. I would not +say that the discovery we made the next morning, viz., +that the things we had taken could not belong to any +boundary commission, but to the employees and +engineers of the German colonizing company, helped +to the digestion of the strange dishes. The date on one +of the tins had revealed the truth—we had just committed +burglary. However, it was done and could +not be undone. I wrote a letter to Captain Högberg +explaining matters and offering to pay for what we had +stolen; in Punta Arenas I got an answer in which he +declared himself happy to have been of assistance to +some of his countrymen, and thus everything was all +right. We still feel indebted to him.</p> + +<p>Breakfast on Christmas Day wasn’t bad. What do +you say to pancakes with gooseberry jam; the latter +honestly acquired too, in Aysen, and coffee with bread. +We had had a baking for Christmas. In the evening we +accepted an invitation to visit the Germans. They were +nearly as poorly off as ourselves, but had one thing that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</span> +we could not even dream of—a barrel of wine, and round +it we sat having a merry time. At night they came to +have dinner with us. It was a proper Christmas, and +during the night it even snowed in spite of its being +midsummer. Probably this was a special attention paid +to the Swedish visitors, who knew how to appreciate it. +Then we had enough of feasting. All Christmas Day +we had done no work. On Boxing Day we wanted to +start our boat-trip, but it blew too hard in the morning +and we had to wait till the afternoon before we could +venture to set out. Carefully we packed the sleeping +bags and provisions for some days and more carefully +still we placed ourselves in the canvas boat, Quensel, +Pagels and I. There was not much of the gunwale +above water.</p> + +<p>Opposite us, on the south shore, the mountain-scenery +was splendid, reflected by the clear blue-green +water; down below green slopes with brown patches +of heath and yellow straps of sand, then a steep mountain +wall with multi-coloured <i>débris</i> and yellow, red and +violet tufa-layers; on the top of them a black jagged +crest of slate, split up into crags, sharp as needles, where +white snow still lingered here and there. We kept close +inland, and reached the narrow West Arm; the current +in the entrance is very strong. The evening was squally, +and we soon had to land for the night. The morning +arrived with a fresh breeze and the sea ran so high that +we could not sit three in the boat, but Pagels pulled +along the shore, Quensel and I walking on foot. It +was not long before the wind increased and both we +and the boat landed in a small bay. The great difficulty<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</span> +in navigation on Andine lakes is the persistent westerly +wind blowing without cessation.</p> + +<p>We had camped early in the day. From a hill we +could see the depression of the lakes Azara-Nansen. +They are completely shut in by snowy ridges, and the +brooks keep their waters at a nearly constant temperature +of some few centigrades above zero. The hour of +liberty did not strike that day, and our spirits fell indeed +when we rose with the same wretched weather. At +noon the wind abated, and in the evening we went +forward. Quensel and I walked as long as we could +when Pagels took us on board and we landed happily +at the short river, where a waterfall empties Lago +Belgrano into Lago Azara. Here we had to carry the +boat and things over the hills; the cascade has a fall +of twenty-six feet in a distance of only 700 feet. We +continued at once to the next beautiful lake, now smooth +as a mirror. Wanting to get as far west as possible +we turned off into the long narrow western branch, +the mouth of which is very shallow and almost barred +by thousands of big logs from the forests round the lake. +Already in the west part of Lago Belgrano, the forest-patches +closed to a thick covering, and all the slopes +were quite hidden under a dense forest. We had to pass +the entrance on foot, and Pagels was hardly able to +get through with an empty boat into the calm water, +which the reflections from the high mountains painted +black-green. We did not mind the dark, but wanted +to get on as long as it was calm, but hardly had we +agreed to do so when the first puff of wind came rushing +along, followed by others stronger and more and more +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</span>frequent. In haste we had to seek the first landing-place +we could find where it was possible to haul up the +boat. In order to find a place to sleep in we groped +along in the darkness and climbed up into a narrow +crevice; sixty feet above the water we found a nice little +shelf just big enough for the sleeping-bags. If one regards +this place from below it is impossible to see that there is a +camping-place in the middle of the very mountain-wall.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f38"> +<img src="images/fig38.jpg" alt="german"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">German Colonists, Lake Belgrano.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f39"> +<img src="images/fig39.jpg" alt="christmas"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Breakfast Table on Christmas Day. Lake Belgrano.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Now and then we woke up from sheer curiosity. +Really, we thought, it is getting calm again. At 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> +we got out, rolled up our bags and hastened off, in the +lovely weather, every peak standing out distinct and +towering against a cloudless sky. Not only the vegetation +had undergone some changes. Quensel looked at +the rocks now and then; we landed and he knocked +off a piece; the backbone of the cordillera, the granites, +appeared once more. After some hours pulling we +reached the innermost corner, where we breakfasted on +the sunny beach to the music of a small waterfall. We +followed the stream up to its origin, a charming little +lake without a name on the map, but by us called +Laguna Joya (the gem). In order to profit by the day +we made an ascent. The ground here is very uneven, +up and down over mossy rocks and forest-covered +ravines, but we made good speed and finally freeing +ourselves from the last embrace of the twigs had the +forest below us. Over rattling stones we climbed +Cerro Aspero till we reached the foot of a large glacier +covering the summit; only the sharpest peaks, from +which the ice glides in frozen cascades, peeped forth. We +have not seen many bits of scenery equal to the one seen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</span> +from here. The camera clicked, but certainly gave no +idea of the colours. South and west of us we had the +high peaks close by, shutting out the view in these +directions; but to the north like sparkling gems on +a dark green cloth lie the lakes, a small sapphire-coloured +corner of Lake Azara, the lakes Mogole and +Peninsula showing the tints of amethyst and emerald. +Beyond, summit after summit rises, in all directions +with large glaciers giving birth to milk-white rivers +winding through yellow moraines. Farthest north, +majestic and commanding, Cerro San Lorenzo reigns +over all, with its 11,000 feet, one of Patagonia’s highest +mountains and so steep that one really wonders how the +glaciers are able to cling to its sides. To the west the +inland ice gently wraps its sheet over Cerro Blanco, +shining like silver and gold in the strong noon-tide +light. It is a long distance to San Lorenzo, but nevertheless +we can see that its geology is different from the +surrounding lower mountains. Probably all the highest +summits, such as San Clemente and San Valentin are +of the same laccolitic nature. At the foot of Cerro +Blanco we catch sight of a small lake, not marked on +the map and probably never before seen by anybody. +We almost ran down, for we must make use of the fine +weather. In haste we gobbled some food on the shore +and said good-bye to Lago Azara. It was midnight +when we reached Lago Belgrano. In the whirlpools +below the cascade we were near to coming to grief, but +Pagels’ seamanship saved the situation. In the morning +we carried the boat across and were back in our own lake +again. This time we took the way north of the peninsula,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</span> +where the lake is rather narrow. To our surprise +we found it so shallow that we could hardly pass, owing +to Rio Lacteo carrying down masses of mud from the +glaciers on San Lorenzo. Further east we got into +deep water again and in the afternoon of December 30 +were back in our camp. In the evening we had a +notable visit from two Tehuelche Indians, for the time +staying with the Germans. Silently they sat down +before the fire, but when they had drunk a cup of cocoa, +a beverage rather unknown to them, they loosened their +tongues. They were brothers and indeed such a pair +of fine fellows to look at that we could hardly conceive +that they really belonged to the last remnants of a +dying race. To see them mount a bucking, unsaddled +horse, on which they sat like wax, was pure delight. +We spoke to them about the route we had taken from +Lago Pueyrredon there, but they did not at all approve +of it. Why should people endure such hardships +when they could gallop round those troublesome +mountains? Our dinner was now ready, and we +invited them to partake of it; they protested saying +that they had just had theirs; but nevertheless two +plates of beans and deer-steak went down. Bidding +us farewell, the elder said: “We shall give you some +veal, and it is very fat.” We thanked them and gratefully +accepted the offer.</p> + +<p>New Year’s Day had been fixed for the start. Halle +had made long excursions to survey this region and had +obtained very good results. On New Year’s Eve we +stayed at home and worked hard to get ready; we had +to make bread, write down our observations, pack the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</span> +collections and, last but not least, mend our clothes, +which by now were almost fit for a museum. Halle +had struggled with his trousers a long time—finally +they exhibited a mosaic so cunning that it might have +done for a tailor’s trial piece. At sunset all was in +order. The Germans had been kind enough to remind +us that there was still some wine left, and soon we sat +down in the old blockhouse, Swedes, Germans and +Indians. It was cold, but we had a merry fire, and +everybody was armed with a mighty tin mug of hot +wine; we spoke of our homes and old songs were sung. +When our watches showed midnight our revolvers +rang out, the roof was lifted by our loud New-Year-Greetings, +the dogs took up the cry and with a little +ring-dance we welcomed 1909. The Tehuelche boys +laughed till their beautiful white teeth shone.</p> + +<p>New Year’s Day, 1909. We struck camp, the flag +was lowered. Wild after the days of liberty the horses +strained against the ropes of our corral. We halted +at the camp of the Germans to bid farewell to the good +fellows, and then we gave the horses a free rein, left the +peninsula and rode up in a valley between the hills. +Here we stopped one moment and turned round to give +a last glance at this charming picture, to which many of +our merriest Patagonian remembrances are attached. +The surface of the lake disappears, the last peaks +sink behind the hills, we are on the high pampas, +where the flora shows all the beauty of midsummer. +For a moment we gather round map and compass, get +a direction, and at good speed the caravan trots over +the steppe-plains.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c15">CHAPTER XV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">LAKE SAN MARTÍN</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">There</span> are two different routes to follow from Lake +Belgrano to the South: one westerly, more inviting +from some points of view leading as it does through +inaccessible parts of the cordillera, here called Sierra +de las Vacas, and one easterly along the rivers Belgrano +and Lista. But the high passes would probably be +so deep in snow that we perhaps should not get over; +in any case they would require much time, and time was +valuable, as we did not know how long we should have +to stay at Lake San Martín. Further, the easterly way +would probably give better results for geology and +botany, and this circumstance determined us.</p> + +<p>Over blooming pampas, where steep hills rising fifty +to a hundred metres above the level ground, and +numerous lagoons make the scenery rather pleasant, +we rode down the cañadon of Rio Robles which we +followed down to Rio Belgrano, our old acquaintance +of the time of our march down to the lake. We crossed +Rio Belgrano and then, with some difficulty, because of +the depth and the strong current, the two joint rivers. +Here my horse, Johansson, nearly succeeded in playing +me a bad trick. As I did not want to get wetter than +was necessary I drew my legs on his back, and probably +touched him with one of the spurs; anyhow, he got wild<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</span> +and tried to throw me off in the middle of the stream. +Certainly it would not have been very pleasant had he +been able to carry out his intention, as it was I only +lost my rebenque (whip) and got soaked to my waist, +but the fresh pampas-wind soon dried my clothes. +We had just crossed this river and were trotting along +again, when, to our surprise, we discovered a caravan +further down—but alas! on the other side. We supposed +that it was Captain Högberg, and were very sorry +indeed that we could not stop, but we had a long march +before nightfall and thought it would be too troublesome +to cross the river twice. Had we only been able +to see the troop before we crossed the temptation would +have been too strong—one does not meet compatriots +every day in the uninhabited parts of Patagonia.</p> + +<p>We had to search well before we found a camping-place +that satisfied our needs. Everywhere there was +plenty of grass and water, but no fuel. When we unsaddled +our horses we discovered that Jeremias, whose +back had been bad for a long time, now looked terrible. +We had thought that after the rest at Lake Belgrano +he would be able to carry his load again, but his old +swollen wounds had broken open and were full of matter. +His job from this day was to act as watch-horse in the +night—and during the marches to lead the troop astray +and thus cause our riding horses a lot of extra work.</p> + +<p>The next day we continued along the valley of Rio +Belgrano, until we found a good pass where we could +cross the ridge and descend into the valley of the rather +large river, Lista, which drains the Sierra de las Vacas +by means of numerous tributaries. At the point where<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</span> +we struck the river it is divided into many branches, +which constantly shift their course over a bed of shingle. +The last one was so deep that the loads only just came +clear of the water. The Lista Valley looks very fertile. +Unfortunately this region as well as that through which +we rode on the following day lies so high above sea +level that the winter is generally too severe for both sheep +and cattle. An old abandoned <i>rancho</i> close to the Rio +Ñires, where we camped on January 2 showed that +colonisation had been a failure. But why not make +use of all this fat grass above the sea as we do in +Switzerland or in Scandinavia? The system of mountain +dairies, used only in the summer, will probably +reach Patagonia also in time.</p> + +<p>The rivers Belgrano and Lista belong to the Atlantic +system; they run to Rio Chico, a river anything but +small as the name denotes, which empties in the same +estuary as Rio Santa Cruz. A few miles south of Rio +Lista we passed the ridge which forms the water-parting, +and set our course for the valley of Rio Ñires. +The name of this river did not sound very promising, +and I have never seen brushwood which was denser. +For long stretches the stream was not visible, and one +had to search for a place where one could get down +and fill the pot with water.</p> + +<p>The next river had a still more discouraging name: +Arroyo Tucotuco. And on the map the valley was +marked as one extensive swamp. We walked carefully +along, crossed the sources where they emerge out of +narrow canyons and followed the valley south of the +stream. It was indeed a charming place; we had a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</span> +small strip to keep on: a few steps to the right and the +horses sank down into a bottomless swamp, a few +to the left, and the ground was completely undermined +by the tuco-tuco. Having passed a small tributary, +called Arroyo Potrancas on the Chilean map, we soon +met with dense forests. Only round the swampy +brooks was there a space of clear ground, but we soon +got tired of groping our way and turned at right angles +into the forest. Abraham made the most energetic +attempts to carry away the trees—a horse never learns +that his pack makes him broader—and we had to be very +watchful to release him, stuck fast as he stood between +two stems, with a most frightened expression on his +stupid face.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the ground fell off at a very sharp angle; we +stood at the top of a forest-clad barranca, 300 feet +high, that sloped abruptly down into the valley. I +was to lead one of the pack-horses, our old friend +Ruckel: he started to tremble as soon as he saw the +steep place, and nearly crushed me against a tree. We +found that we had reached our goal, the place where +Rio Carbón joins Rio Mayer. We camped in a high and +lofty roble forest. Mr. Hatcher made his principal +geological studies in the Meseta east of Rio Carbón, +and so the geologists were very anxious to visit the +place. However, our halt did not result in much; +it proved exceedingly difficult to identify Hatcher’s +localities; certainly we had no presentiment of the +discoveries, still greater than those made here before, +which were in store for us.</p> + +<p>When our caravan started again on January 5 we did<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</span> +not expect to cross the pass over to the depression of +Lake San Martín in one day. The maps spoke of +difficulties, and the distance was great. The first part +was not very difficult and at 12 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> we passed the last +forest-patch and made up our mind to push through. +The river, which carried plenty of water, had dug its +course between vertical walls. To pass above the +barranca was impossible, for on one side it rose sheer +for many hundred feet; on the other was the basaltic +meseta with a ground covered with millions of blocks, +impassable for horses or even mules. Thus we were +bound to keep in the bottom of the ravine, working our +way with the speed of a snail and climbing incessantly +from one side of the river to the other. Often cross +ravines or protruding joints stopped us, and we had to +exert all our powers to drive the horses through such +places, where they one moment would climb the barranca +and the next rush down into the water. In spite of all +we could not help laughing at the mare, who tried to +climb a vertical wall, but came down faster than she +expected. We came to ground covered with large, +sharp-edged blocks: the troop dispersed, the pack-horses +stumbled and fell. Without hesitation we let +our horses loose, climbed up to fetch the others and +managed to drive them down to more even ground. +Luckily enough none of them were hurt.</p> + +<p>The higher we rose the narrower grew the valley, and +the snow increased exceedingly towards the pass, +and we came upon large drifts and bridges which bore +or broke just as it pleased them. When we reached +the pass, we had crossed the river twenty-seven times.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</span> +The whole pass was covered with snow—only on the +steepest walls the withered rock lay bare and yellow, +without a trace of vegetation. The river wound between +vertical walls of ice and snow a few yards high. We +rode in the bed between them, until they met in an +unbroken white cover, under which the river disappeared. +Across the snowfields we slowly approached the south +side of the pass. We were prepared for nice surprises +in the shape of floating soil, and I very much doubt +if we shall ever forget that afternoon in the Cañadon +of Rio Fósiles. It is difficult to think of a more terrifying +scene. Everywhere high, steep walls with dirty +melting snow-patches, streams of clay, red-brown +or blackish, and deep down under our feet the river +like a boiling mass of red mud. Not a blade of grass—life +seemed extinguished; only a single condor soars +comfortably among the peaks watching the little black +points, which struggle along, expecting every moment +that a horse will get tired, stumble and fall down into +the abyss.</p> + +<p>There were places where we stopped without knowing +at first what to do; sheer rock walls where we could see +how the horses strained every muscle not to lose their +foothold, or loose floating soil, where they sank down +and fell. It often happened that danger was unsuspected; +the surface is dry, hard and full of crevices; +one drives the troop along and then, suddenly, all +the horses are down in the mud. If we had not helped +Jakob in time he would have stopped where he was; +the clay dragged him down, he struggled for his life, +but rolled round and started to slide down with the thick<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</span> +reddish mud which slowly floated away. We saved +the Winchester which was tied to his saddle, took him +by the legs and turned him round while one pulled +the cabresta and the other whipped him, and finally +we got him on firm ground again. Halle’s look when +he met his horse again was worth money. But he had +not time to worry. A discovery of an unknown rich +fossil flora had been made by him when he was away +from the caravan, and this cast a gleam of brightness +over the unpleasant valley.</p> + +<p>The hours passed and the horses became more and +more difficult to manage. To ride was impossible, +and many times we met with passages which the animals +could hardly clear even with an empty saddle. We +followed the east side of the river, and by-and-by climbed +out of the Cañadon on to the plateau, where the patches +of vegetation soon closed together. The first, violet +forest-patches were seen in the gloaming but we could +not reach them. Night fell and quite exhausted we threw +ourselves down by the first bushes, some “mata blanca” +(<i>Chiliotrichum diffusum</i>). We had been under way +twelve hours without rest and over the worst ground +to be found in Patagonia. We were 3000 feet above +sea level and had covered a distance of twenty miles +since the morning.</p> + +<p>When we came the following morning to fetch the +horses, almost all of them had lain down, which had +hardly ever happened before. We saddled to ride to +the first forest-patch, two hours’ march only, and there +the horses got a rest and we made our usual excursions. +We had discussed the possibility of stopping here some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</span> +days, but Halle thought the find so rich that he preferred +to return to the place during our boat-trip. Another +reason for continuing the march was that we were short +of provisions; the last thirty-one figs were boiled with +the last handful of rice, and from the last remains of the +bag of flour two small loaves were made. Consequently +we made a fresh start the following day, +January 7, in order to reach an estancia near Lake +San Martín which we had sighted from the pass. The +descent was not difficult, but the ground was such that +it gave the horses much unnecessary work, a confusion +of hills and canyons impossible to prospect. We had +just come down a very steep barranca, when on a little +green patch below we caught sight of a man on horseback +driving a small troop. “How far is Frank’s +farm from here?” “Only a couple of hours,” was the +answer, we should soon strike a track. At once we +divided the last loaf—it must not happen that we reached +our goal with provisions to spare. We soon found the +track, which followed a peculiar winding canyon where +the air was still and the heat oppressive. Suddenly +the view of the steppe opened, there lay the well-known +houses of corrugated iron, shining in the bright sun. +Our friend Mr. Frank met us, and the curtain fell on +the second act.</p> + +<p>We had met Mr. Frank on several occasions and he had +showed himself much interested in our plans and wanted +us to visit his farm in order to make an excursion on the +lake together. He is a German and lives in Santiago +during the winter. To reach his farm he has to take the +steamer through the Straits and up to San Julián;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</span> +from there he rides or drives up to the Cordillera. +Some years ago he had a special motor-car constructed +to go between the farm and the coast, having high +wheels to pass the rivers. The result, however, was not +very brilliant—it took twice as much time with the +motor-car as with the bull-carts. But as the first +experiment it is worth a page in the history of Patagonian +colonization.</p> + +<p>Shearing was just finished, but an important piece of +work had still to be done before Mr. Frank and his +people could be ready to join us in the excursion. The +sheep had to be dipped in order to prevent the spread +of “the scab,” a disease that of course has a very disadvantageous +effect on the quantity and value of the +wool. They swim through a channel filled with some +disinfecting fluid, and a man stands ready to give them +a proper dip. Up they come again, snorting and bleating +soaked with the brown water.</p> + +<p>We devoted our own energies to the boat. There +was left over from the time of the boundary commission +a ruined cutter, built by Captain Högberg; all loose +things had been stolen and the remains were of no use. +But there were also two canvas-boats, which lay on the +ground close to Bahia de la Lancha, a cove not far from +the farm itself. One of them was very large, not +collapsible and half-rotten, and we could not think of +using it. The other was of the same type that we had +used before in Tierra del Fuego, a first-class Berthon, +but much longer than ours, easily carrying eight +persons. It had been transported there some years +earlier, but left on the beach and never launched.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</span> +Wind and weather had treated it badly; part of the +wood was broken to pieces and the canvas had numerous +holes so that it was a job to repair it. But we all +helped and Pagels was very handy, as usual. On the +10th our work was finished and lay shining in the sun +with fresh paint and patches. We were sorry not to be +able to start at once. Certainly we had much to do +in the neighbourhood, and we saw day after day go by +without getting off. At last, on the 14th, they finished +the dipping and then came the preparation of provisions. +For meat we only carried the carcasses of two sheep; +they would not last long, but we were sure to find something +to shoot. On the 15th we went down to the beach, +Quensel, Frank, myself, Pagels and two men from the +farm. It blew hard, but we wanted to be quite ready +when the calm came.</p> + +<p>Lake San Martín, which is 660 feet above sea level, +has the most peculiar shape of all the Cordilleran lakes. +Its surface is 376 square miles and is split up into +several long and narrow arms, veritable fresh-water +fiords, penetrating far into the mountains. The most +westerly of the two north arms, here called only North +Arm, is the longest; the eastern we call the Mayer Arm. +The North Arm turns to the north-west near its end, +and here we find the outlet of the Lake, the big river +Pascua, which empties into one of the branches of Baker +Inlet in the Pacific. From this latitude and down to +Ultima Esperanza there is no interruption in the inland +ice; all the lakes south of San Martín empty into the +Atlantic, except the Payne lakes, which send their +water to Ultima Esperanza through Rio Serrano. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</span> +West and South Arms penetrate furthest into the Cordillera, +and in the latter the glaciers come down to the +water. The prevailing westerly gales drive the icebergs +out of the South Arm; most of them run ashore +without getting very far, but some are seen from the +settlements. The temperature of the water even in +summer does not exceed six or seven degrees centigrade. +Rio Pascua not only carries the water of San Martín +but also of much more distant lakes. As the reader will +remember we made the acquaintance of Rio Mayer on +the other side of the Fósiles pass, where it comes from +the canyon; after having received the rivulets Ñires +and Tuco-tuco this river makes a sharp turn to the +south and receives through Rio Nansen or Carrera the +water from the lakes Nansen, Azara and Belgrano, +disappears for a second time in the mountains and +emerges in the arm of Lake San Martín.</p> + +<p>Through the descriptions of the Boundary Commissions +we know how very difficult, not to say dangerous, +it is to navigate on Lake San Martín. The wind, which +often rises to a gale, can make progress to the westward +impossible for weeks. We trusted to our luck—there +was nothing else to do till we were able to make a start. +It calmed on the 16th; we rose hurriedly, hauled our +boat down, launched it, stowed the cargo in and got +under way with our little Swedish flag in the bows. +Frank steered and the rest of us pulled the four oars—thus +we had not much chance of being lazy. Rio +Fósiles has built a sandbank across the East Arm, +where we now were, and when the water is low it quite +shuts off the arm; we found a narrow passage and came<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</span> +through. We landed for a while on the rocky shores of +Chacabuco Peninsula to cook some food and thence +continued to the northern shore of the lake. We met +a heavy sea that broke all along the Fósiles delta, and +after several hours hard pull we landed for the night. +A glance out of the sleeping bag showed that we could +not think of starting the following morning. Over +the lake blew a fresh westerly gale and only at 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> +did we resolve to try again. There was plenty of sea +and we shipped some water and soon water also came +from above in the form of heavy rain, which in a few +moments soaked us to the skin. But it abated the +violence of the waves and we had to economize time +so we went on till it was quite dark. We were then +close to the Cancha Rayada Peninsula, where a bay +with a little natural harbour appeared.</p> + +<p>Storm again! We had a very nice camping-place +with a shelter of some rocks and surrounded by a dense +brushwood of <i>Escallonias</i>, just in full blossom with +flowers from snow-white to a deep crimson. And +we had plenty to do. I myself climbed about on the +rocks collecting; Quensel studied the geology; and +Frank shot ducks in the salt-lagoons. The ground +reminds one of the kind I have described above from +the north shore of Lake Pueyrredon.</p> + +<p>We tried again on the 18th. As long as we had +shelter under land it was all right, but when we had to +round a promontory the old game began as before. +From the north-west came a heavy swell from the lake, +and from the north-east as well, out of a large bay, +the seas met together over our poor little boat. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</span> +weather became squally, there was a “smoke” of water +on the port, on starboard and ahead, the regular swell +changed into a confusion of white furious sea, impossible +to reckon with, that seemed to come from every point of +the compass; our fragile craft—canvas and a wooden +frame—was banged about, sometimes with such violence +that the oars jumped out of the rowlocks in spite of +all our efforts to keep them in. But the boat stood the +trial in an amazing manner. Of course it shipped some +water—enough to soak us—but on the whole it proved +more seaworthy than we had expected. However, +we had to look for a harbour and found an inviting +corner in the above-mentioned bay which we named +Bahia Cuchillo, in remembrance of my last knife that I +left there.</p> + +<p>We kept a sharp look-out, and when the weather got +better we started again. The question now was how +to cross the entrance of the Mayer Arm. We made for +the eastern headland, which dissolved into two small +isles when we came closer. The passage was critical +enough, the waves came from two directions and were +as high as our boat could stand them. It was a hard +job and we felt very happy when we had reached the +west head safely, where we slept like logs.</p> + +<p>Now we had left the pampas behind and the forest +formed one continuous cover on the shores. Had the +water only been salt we could have believed ourselves +in the channels of West Patagonia.</p> + +<p>We went out again in the old swell, and made a good +start. But suddenly a suspicious gust of wind came +and then the gale began again. And it came on properly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</span> +this time; so that we passed some moments of considerable +anxiety. The gusts seemed to rush down +perpendicular to the water and whirled it up to a height +of thirty feet, the spray stood like a fog over the whole +bay, and the atmosphere glittered with hundreds of +minute rainbows. It was beautiful—but what if we +had come into one of the tornadoes that danced along +to our right and left? By exerting every effort we +managed to reach the innermost corner of the bay and +awaited the development of events. A torrential +rain supplied what still was wanted to make the weather +quite ideal!</p> + +<p>Ahead of us we had a peninsula, ending in a well-marked +point, and when the gale had abated a little, +we pulled to it and even tried to get round but were +driven back and were glad to discover a small crevice +just big enough to hold the boat. We waited again; +from the point we could overlook the lake, but what +we saw was not promising. Now and then we climbed +up to see if things were improving and finally +resolved to risk another struggle. I do not think we +shall ever forget it. The waves were big enough for a +lifeboat, and our little nutshell quite disappeared, +but rose up again, climbed the watery ridge and +won. But we could not spare ourselves; we had to +expend the very last ounce of our strength and energy +and still we could hardly note that we really were +advancing.</p> + +<p>The view of the lake had been rather limited until +now. A cry of admiration was heard, when the west +part appeared behind a cape, exposing the gigantic<span class="pagenum" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</span> +glacier in all its extent near the mouth of the Southern +Arm. It was as if this sight spurred us to new efforts, +and over crests of white foam which generally shared +their abundance with us, we pulled towards the eastern +head of the Northern Arm, where we rested upon our +oars an instant, ready to try a somewhat dangerous +experiment—to cross the arm. We had hardly left the +shelter of the point behind when some furious squalls +attacked us with such ferocity that we were driven back. +We had been working for thirteen hours and badly +needed some rest.</p> + +<p>Thus we stood at the entrance of the fiord, thirty-eight +miles long, whose end was our goal. To judge from the +appearance of the coast-line, the west-shore afforded +some advantages and our first enterprise was to cross +the arm. Once again we met heavy seas from two +directions, and it cost us three hours very hard pulling +to cover two and a half miles! We searched a while +till we found a place where we could tie the boat up out +of reach of the breakers. No smooth beach could we +discover. Do not believe, gentle reader, that the +whole thing is very simple—that you just land if +something happens which makes it desirable or necessary. +It is not at all so easy. For long stretches the +mountain sheers down at a very sharp angle or even +vertically from a height of several hundred feet. And +it is far from being the case that all sheltered places +are good. A canvas boat is as fragile as an egg, especially +when one is on a lake in the Cordilleras, without being +able to get back over land as we were now. A hole in +the canvas, and farewell! With the greatest care<span class="pagenum" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</span> +we chose the place to haul up the boat; the best being +on a beach of sand or fine shingle. Pagels, who was an +old sailor, regarded himself as an expert and responsible +for all our lives, and never forgot to shout “gerade +auf dem Kiel” when we hauled up the boat, and if +we were not quick enough he abused us. If I +got angry and told him a bit of my mind he always +said: “Sie wissen doch, Herr Doktor, dass ich +immer aufs Beste der Expedition arbeite.” And +nobody doubted that his intentions were the best in +the world.</p> + +<p>At last we had entered the Northern Arm. But our +bad luck did not leave us. The first day we made +little more than a mile when we were once more stopped +by wind and sea, and with the experience we now had of +the boat it really required something to stop us. We lost +a day and a half waiting. True we knew that we were in +Chile again. The forest also had undergone some changes. +Our old evergreens once more played an important part; +vast bushes of fuchsia and even the typical rain-forest +plant, <i>copihue</i> (<i>Philesia buxifolia</i>), with its large pink +flowers had reappeared. At last we could make another +move, but our joy was short-lived and we had to camp +again. It was a fine place, that reminded us very much +of the old camp near Rio Azopardo’s mouth. The +weather was bright, though windy, and the fiord +covered with white crests. It had cost us eight days +to reach this point, and we could not know how many +more we should require to reach the end of the fiord. +Probably we should not gain much more in our scientific +work than we had done already. Our appetite, I am<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</span> +sorry to say, had increased in proportion to our hardships, +and there was little left of our provisions. We +made a trip into the forest to get meat, and shot a deer +and some ducklings.</p> + +<p>However, it was with sore hearts we decided to +turn round without having reached our goal. It made +us grumble, but there was no help for it. In order to +get our clothes dried, which we needed very much, +and to make a sail out of two old pieces of canvas, +we stopped the night where we were and went back +on the 27th. We wanted some recompense for the +disappointment and probable loss we had sustained +and consequently sailed along into the Southern Arm +to have a look at the great glacier, which we named +Ventisquero Schönmeyr. The northern end of the ice-barrier, +which is about two miles and a half long was +barred by icebergs, amongst which we pulled into a +piece of open water. Here a little episode, which +proves that we had good luck sometimes, took place. +We wanted to get a snapshot of the boat in the ice, and +to that end I jumped ashore on a rock; the picture had +a fine background of icebergs from fifty to sixty feet +high above the water. Hardly had we got away from +the unpleasant company, when the largest by which we +had lain the moment before lost its balance and capsized +with a great noise. Had we still been there the +expedition would have come to a quick and dramatic +end. Further away we landed on the ice-barrier, where +it rested against a small mountain, either a peninsula +or a small island, half covered by ice. Quensel could +study the blocks in the moraine and thus get an idea<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</span> +of the principal rocks in the centre of the Cordillera; +the moraines carried no material from the surrounding +mountains. We camped for the night on a promontory +a few hundred yards from the glacier. The wind had +died down, it was perfectly calm, and the stars twinkled +in a clear sky. Sometimes there came a thundering +noise from the great glacier. We went to sleep in +unusually high spirits—no more pulling! Now the west +wind could blow as much as it liked, but we could be +lazy and do nothing but sail.</p> + +<p>Try to imagine our surprise when we woke up to find +it absolutely calm. Well, we could pull for a little while, +surely the wind would come. And it came—easterly. +For the first time we had an easterly wind, always +rare here. Our discontent over such topsy-turvy +meteorological conditions was as loud as it was natural. +The head wind did not last long, but it was followed by +a dead calm. For two days it did not blow the slightest +puff till the very last moment we pulled—nine hours +the first, five the second and last day, and with unmingled +satisfaction we heard the keel grate on the +bottom in the Boat Harbour. It was January 28 and +we had gone eighty-one miles on the lake.</p> + +<p>We needed a day to get fresh provisions, but were +then ready to start again. The horses had enjoyed +three weeks’ complete rest, as Halle had got horses from +the farm for his excursions. He was ready with his +study of the geology of this region: the results belong +to the most important obtained during the expedition. +When we rode away “Jeremias” was left behind in +the corral, neighing loudly. We abandoned him because<span class="pagenum" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</span> +his back was so bad that it would take him a couple of +weeks to get well again; when he was loose he only +disturbed the discipline of our troop. But his despair +at being separated from his comrades was probably +very real.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c16">CHAPTER XVI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">ACROSS THE SIERRA DE LOS BAGUALES</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">It</span> was already late in the day on January 28 when we +said good-bye to Frank’s <i>estancia</i>. The peculiar basaltic +peak Cerro Kachaik rising abruptly 2000 feet above +the surrounding pampas and visible for a very considerable +distance, was kept on our left and we headed +for Laguna Tar, a lake bordered by extensive swamps. +A small stream unites it with Lago San Martín, which +in pre-glacial times had its outlet through the Tar +depression towards the Atlantic coast. By dint of +spur and whip the marshy places were passed, and, +keeping higher up the slope south of Laguna Tar we +avoided the swamps. We made a halt at Mr. Reeves’ +new farm and stopped for the night. The small company +were in very comfortable frame of mind in spite of +the earthen floor and the chairs in the shape of old +wooden boxes, once containing articles so inseparably +associated with camp-life as Danish butter and condensed +milk. And after the master of the house +had found a motley company of old tin and china mugs, +the grog had been mixed, and the gramophone—never +wanting—starting on its waltz tunes, we could not +help telling each other how well off we found ourselves. +Suddenly the trotting of horses sounded through the +night, and two horsemen came galloping up, welcomed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</span> +by the barking of the dogs, unsaddled, came in, and +got a wooden box each to sit on. I tell this only to +show how small the world is. We sat looking askance +at each other, one of the last arrived men and I, wondering, +“Where have I seen that face before?” By-and-by +the truth flashed upon us. He had been on board +the cutter <i>Chance</i>, in which I had made a journey +in the Falklands from Port Stanley to Port Louis, +July 1902. That now, after six and a half years and +in spite of my full beard, he was able to recognize me +when we suddenly met in the heart of Patagonia I +could never understand. One can never feel safe!</p> + +<p>There was one drawback connected with our visits +to people: we never got away in proper time the next +morning. They must always make a spread for us +of all they could produce, and never understood that +we were in a hurry. What did an hour or two matter? +The distance was so great. Thus it was here also; +they did not let us off without a substantial breakfast.</p> + +<p>Following a depression, we rose a thousand feet +and then descended into the valley of Rio Shehuen. +There was a basalt <i>meseta</i> in front of us, called M. del +Viento, and we held a short council of war in order +to decide upon the best way. According to the map, +there ought to be a choice of two possible routes, and we +chose the one which looked best, climbed about 1300 +feet, descended into a shallow basin containing a couple +of small lagoons without outlet, and finally rode up to +the pass, a well-marked gap between black basalt peaks. +It is only 3000 feet high. I saw how my comrades, +who were a few steps ahead, started to cheer and wave<span class="pagenum" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</span> +their caps when they had reached the highest point. +Within a minute I was at their side. Below was the +large sheet of Lago Viedma, between the mountains +behind it a corner of Lago Argentino, and far away to +the south the long, jagged line of the Baguales Mountains. +Behind these was our goal. The <i>meseta</i> slopes +gradually towards Lake Viedma, the surface of which +is only 825 feet above sea-level. In vain we looked for +a camping-place on the slope. We wanted to avoid the +<i>détour</i> to Rio Cangrejos; but nowhere was grass, water, +or fuel, so we were forced to seek that river. The dogs +kept up our spirits. They stopped and sniffed round a +bush, where an unmistakable odour of skunk indicated +the reason. It had happened often before, but generally +they had to be contented with the smell. Here, however, +the wretched little beast sat ready to defend the position, +glaring defiantly at the enemy. Wise by experience, +Prince was careful, but the innocent Pavo threw +himself on the animal; quick as lightning it turned +round and sent him a well-directed volley right in his +face. He retired, rolled in the sand wild with rage, rushed +at it again, but with the same result. Now Prince +also advanced, and the two companions did not leave +the battle-ground till the skunk was changed into a +shapeless mass. All the afternoon they behaved as +if they had lost their wits—they indeed tried to run +away from themselves to get rid of the horrible smell, +making us double up with laughter. Two days later +they still perfumed the surroundings with the nauseous +smell.</p> + +<p>Rio Cangerjo has a canyon of the kind one does not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</span> +discover till one is close to it. Down in the bottom +nature was different altogether—any amount of fuel, +rich grass, and clear water. Next day we passed +the east end of Lago Viedma. One has a very fine +view from there. The shape is still more regular than +that of Lago Buenos Aires. Hardly can one imagine +a greater difference between the two extremities of an +Andine lake, and here one is able to observe it at a +single glance. To the west a gigantic glacier comes +down to the water between fantastic summits; to the +east the low, sandy pampas stretches as far as one can +see. We rode down to the shore to the waving fields of +<i>Stipa</i>-grass, the long, silky brushes floating eastward +on a fresh breeze. The further we came east and south +the more barren was the ground, and during the whole +trip we never saw a tract more bare than this. Large +parts are almost desert-like. Save for some armadilloes +the camp was quite inanimate.</p> + +<p>Lago Viedma empties into Lago Argentino by means +of a broad river, called Rio de la Leona, in whose valley +we had hoped to find pasture for the horses, but were +greatly disappointed. At two places we saw great piles +of guanaco bones, of which the explanation was that the +guanacos have certain places where they lie down to +die.</p> + +<p>We camped near the outlet. Our horses had hardly +any grass, and we tried to keep an eye on them. After +it had got dark Pagels went out and drove them down +to the river, but nothing was of any use, for they wandered +far and our start the next day was much delayed.</p> + +<p>We followed the east shore of Rio Leona. At first<span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</span> +the ground did not present any difficulties, but after a +while the valley changed into one of the finest canyons +in South Patagonia. Thanks to the paths made, first +by guanacos and afterwards by horses, one is able +to pass the barranca, though the utmost care is necessary. +Besides, we were already prepared for what was to +come, for Mr. Reeves, who knew the way, had told us +that we should have to climb the barranca and continue +at a higher altitude. We found a ravine where we +could lead the horses, climbed high up, and came into +a country the like of which we had never seen before. +It is difficult to imagine anything more desolate and +barren. In every direction a wilderness of hills, ridges, +and ravines, all the landscape of a yellowish-grey colour, +with nowhere a green blade or a drop of water. The +air was oppressively hot; not one sound broke the +absolute silence, not a living soul was seen or heard. +Thus it must feel to travel on a planet where life has +died out. One has to walk with great care, for the ground +is full of small, scarcely visible cracks, which open below +into large, funnel-shaped holes, probably formed by +water in the spring. The horses were not accustomed +to such pitfalls, and would have gone right down had +we not looked well after them. We felt quite uneasy +in this desert, and welcomed the murmur of the river +and the fresh breeze with joy. In outward appearance +the landscape reminds one of the famous “loess” in +China, though geologically there is no resemblance.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f40"> +<img src="images/fig40.jpg" alt="pampas"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">View of Pampas near Lake Argentino.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f41"> +<img src="images/fig41.jpg" alt="leona"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Dead Landscape, east of Leona River.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The ground along by the river made us very tired, +and with longing we looked for human dwellings, knowing +that a German settler, Karl Fuhr, should live somewhere +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</span>on the other side of the river. The river must be +crossed in a boat, and as soon as we got sight of the +house we made a signal-fire. When we came down to +the river he met us and took us and the luggage across. +The horses were left on the other side, the <i>yegua</i> with +<i>maneas</i> on and one horse with a tether; thus we felt +easy in spite of the bad grass. Carlos Fuhr is well +known throughout Patagonia, and his yarns and +adventures would fill a book. He was there at the +time when fortresses were built to check the Indians, +when the veil of fairy-tales still hung over Patagonia. +He had tried a little of everywhere, but at last seemed to +have settled for good. Especially is he known for one +achievement: he wounded and captured Ascensio +Brunel, the horse-thief and murderer, the “wild man” +of Patagonia, who appeared when least expected and +disappeared as suddenly as he came, the outlaw whose +fame reaches from Nahuelhuapi to Ushuaia, who had +frustrated the efforts of all Patagonian policemen. At +our request Fuhr kindly promised to transport us across +Rio Santa Cruz in his ferry-boat. Thus we saved both +time and money, the road striking the river further +east, where there is a <i>boliche</i>. The landlord has a ferry, +but to go there would have necessitated a <i>détour</i>, and +the man is known for keeping his guests under all +sorts of excuses; he postpones the crossing and one has +to pay high prices for accommodation.</p> + +<p>We wanted to cross on the day of our arrival, but +according to Fuhr it was blowing too hard; the horses +would meet a head-wind and perhaps not be able to +swim against it. On February 2 we got away. It was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</span> +very long before we secured the horses, for the watch-horse +had broken his rope and there was no trace of +any of them. We searched in all directions, till at last +we found them mixed up with other horses and the mare +without <i>maneas</i>. The reason of all this confusion was +love, in the shape of a stallion, who, for Tecla’s sake, had +abandoned his harem. Down at the river Santa Cruz, +the outlet of the Lakes Argentino and Viedma, we met +two other parties waiting to cross with their <i>tropillas</i>. +One of them was the inspector of police at Lago Argentino, +the other a man from the Baker Company on his +way to Punta Arenas with the last peons. Through +Captain Steele he had heard about us, and now brought +news from him. A steamer had called in Baker, Steele +and the other men had gone away in her, and the farm +was now empty, cattle and sheep running wild.</p> + +<p>The small ferry runs on a thin steel cable, and only +people and luggage are carried by it. The horses had +to swim the distance of nearly 400 yards. They were +driven in with loud shouts till they got out of their +depth. It was a fine sight to see the three troops +swimming in the strong current, which took them more +and more out of their course, but at the same time we +felt anxious. It is not uncommon that weaker horses +are caught by the current and drowned, and we had +hardly any experience of our horses as swimmers. +With our glasses we followed them eagerly. Vingel +was the first man home, then came Trumf and +Isac. One after another came out, shook himself, +and was all right. We felt relieved when they were +all in safety. Now we crossed—the ferry driven by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</span> +current in every direction—caught our animals and bade +farewell to our fellow passengers. They took the usual +route south, but we set our course on the Baguales +Mountains, south of the lake, where we pitched our +camp that night. Quensel had now crossed his track of +the summer before. In Mr. Cattle’s farm, not far +from the shore, he had his headquarters for some time, +and from there he undertook an interesting boat-trip +which he relates in the next chapter. His memories +of Estancia Cattle were so pleasant that he would not +pass at a distance of some miles without shaking hands +with his old friends; I myself very much wanted +to visit Cerro Buenos Aires, while Halle and Pagels +would continue up towards the pass over the mountains +and camp by the last bushes for the sake of the fuel.</p> + +<p>We saddled Flax and Johansson early in the morning +and made west. It was a pleasure to set them at a +gallop, for with the packhorses we had generally been +confined to a walk or trot, and now found them as good +as the horses we borrowed for our excursions round +the settlements. The farm we now went to visit is +pleasantly situated on the north slope of Cerro Buenos +Aires between two forest-patches. The master of the +house was not in, but we were welcomed by his partner, +one of the most remarkable figures of the extensive +gallery one is able to call to mind after a long journey. +She was the Amazon of Patagonia, and I had heard of +her before. When she comes walking towards you +dressed like a man, with hair cut and pipe in mouth, +nobody could tell that a woman, and an educated, +intelligent English lady of a very good family, is before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</span> +him. The equal of any man, she takes part in the daily +work on the farm, throws her lasso like a <i>gaucho</i>, or +digs in her garden, where there are cauliflowers as well +as strawberries. I am afraid my reader may think +her a disagreeable person only wanting to get herself +talked about, and at a tea-party in Punta Arenas +her very name is enough to call forth a cry of indignation. +But do not form an opinion too hastily. Nobody +comes to Cattle’s farm with an unfavourable preconceived +opinion without leaving it with quite another, +and, like myself, finding the woman <i>gaucho</i> a highly +interesting and genial person. We have nothing to do, +however, with her story—it is a romance as romantic +as any. For the last seven years she had not left the +farm.</p> + +<p>According to our agreement we were to join the +caravan on the 4th. We stopped for the night and made +an excursion to Cerro Buenos Aires, where one gets a +splendid view over the lake. Up there, on the stony +slopes, a disaster long expected happened: my old +boots refused to serve any more. I had long foreseen +the catastrophe, but in vain tried to get a pair large +enough. Most people in Patagonia seem to have +small feet, and those who have not had no boots to +spare. The result was that I had to leave Cattle +without any and pass the Baguales range in a pair of +slippers, which, however, is not as bad as it sounds, +for one is able to ride most of the way. It was already +late when we left the farm, and in a gallop we made +for Rio Centinela—which we were to follow up to +the pass. We looked for the tracks of our caravan<span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</span> +in vain, although some passages along the river are so +narrow that one has to ride in single file. It grew dark; +still no trace of a camp. We kept high up along the +barranca to get a better view, but the distance to the last +calafate bushes was greater than we had thought, and +it was already night before we saw the fire. Halle +told us that two strange horses had joined the <i>tropilla</i>, +and we resolved to let them help us across, should they +still be there in the morning. They were, so we +saddled them, and found them to be a pair of good +horses. Both of them were marked, probably left behind +by some traveller, and we let them go when we were +on the other side. Sierra de los Baguales, named after +the wild horses found there in old times—in other parts +we had seen such, as well as wild cattle—makes a very +irregular impression, thanks to the basaltic cover. The +pass itself is very picturesque, with its mighty pillars +and masses of stone in the shape of ruined castles and +fortresses. The way along the Centinela valley cannot +be called bad in comparison with what we were used to; +there is indeed much boggy ground, but one can get +round most of it. The caravan went ahead of me, +for in spite of my soft slippers I crossed the pass on foot +and secured a rich harvest of Alpine plants. Guanacos +were plentiful and very tame, and our dogs were very +energetic in hunting them, but without result, for the +young were big enough to follow their parents.</p> + +<p>We had crossed the wall between wild life and civilization. +In front of us was the part of Chile called +the Magellan Territories, South Patagonia, colonized +throughout. Within a couple of days we should get<span class="pagenum" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</span> +into communication with the rest of the world; the +post was waiting for us, and there is a telephone line +to Punta Arenas. We had taken the decisive step. On +the south side of the pass originates Rio Baguales, the +valley which we followed till we came across a small +calafate thicket, which afforded us some fuel.</p> + +<p>The last camp! The hot <i>asado</i> over the last camp-fire, +at least with the whole caravan. Certainly it +was high time that this long journey came to an end, +but we thought with regret of all the pleasant hours +spent round the fire, and with unmixed satisfaction +we looked back on the past months with their thousands +of varied memories. For the last time we struck camp, +followed the river another couple of miles, and came +down on the slope of Cerro Contreras, where we soon +found a road and where a strong smell of creosote +met us, showing that a “dip” was in progress somewhere +near by. We soon caught sight of the large +iron shed, and rode into a well-kept farm where dipping +was going on. It was one of the <i>estancias</i> belonging to +the “Sociedad Esplotadora de Tierra del Fuego”; +below I shall say something about its influence on the +history of South Patagonia. We were very well +received; the manager even lent me a pair of boots +which were big enough. From here we could telephone +to Cerro Castillo, the central <i>estancia</i>, where we spoke +with Mr. Burbury, the chief there, whose acquaintance +we had made at Punta Arenas. He welcomed us back +and told us that a big mail lay waiting for us. We left +Halle behind; fossiliferous layers had been reported +in the neighbourhood, but no specialist had ever visited<span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</span> +them. Quensel and I continued on to Cerro Castillo, +the headquarters of the company. Never before had I +found our progress so slow; the reins seemed to burn +our fingers, and with joy we hailed the first glimpse +of the big settlement, where we stayed in the manager’s +quarters. Two boxes of letters and papers waited, +for it was four months since we had any news, and far +into the night we stayed up reading, surrounded by the +mail spread out over table, chairs, and bed.</p> + +<p>Before I go on to describe our excursions in South +Patagonia some words on the history of its colonization +might be appropriate here. After the foundation of +Punta Arenas, in 1843, Chileans as well as strangers +started to settle along the Straits, mostly for sheep-farming, +but also to look for gold or other valuable +metals. Many people in Chile did not believe much +in the future of the colony, owing to the fact that the +region was unknown to them and reported as being +hardly habitable. However, civilization spread over +the Brunswick Peninsula and into Tierra del Fuego, +and finally the Ultima Esperanza district, which +interests us more especially, was also populated. +This was at the beginning of the nineties. At first the +colonists settled down without paying any tributes +or taxes and the land was apportioned by private +agreement. In 1884 the Government assumed control +and the first fixed lots were given on leasehold tenure. +South Patagonia had already proved to be a land of +the future where sheep-farming might become a source +of wealth for many, and voices were soon heard arguing +that the State should sell the land. Without being<span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</span> +owner of the soil nobody would sink either money +or labour in it, but a sort of sweating system was introduced +in order to make the greatest possible amount of +money in the shortest space of time. It was very long +before the Government consented to listen to the +complaints from the Straits of Magellan, and when at +last something was done it was done in a manner hardly +likely to satisfy the just demands of the farmers. In +1902 it was resolved to dispose of one million hectares +by auction, but everything was done in such a hurry +that many colonists had no time to arrange their +business affairs, and the auction was to be held in—Santiago! +The auction was postponed, and in 1903 +part of the land was sold, divided into ninety-five lots. +Only in the Ultima Esperanza district had everything +remained as it was.</p> + +<p>The first <i>estancia</i> there was started in 1893, and by +the beginning of the next century there were a score of +flourishing settlements, life and movement grew apace +amongst the mixed English and Scotch population, +and Punta Arenas increased rapidly. Then a decree +was issued ordering a large piece of land to be put up +for auction in Santiago on March 15, 1905. People +were attacked by a veritable fever. In a few days’ time +half a dozen companies had been formed with big +capitals, and in order to save their homes the colonists +formed themselves into one company, the “United +Estancias of Ultima Esperanza.” At the auction there +were wild scenes, enormous bids were made, and lots +were sold at prices ten times their true value. The +result was that most of the purchasers could not pay<span class="pagenum" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</span> +at the proper time—for the companies’ capitals existed +mostly on paper—they lost their rights, and another +date was fixed for another sale. Meanwhile the Sociedad +Esplotadora, which owned large estates in Tierra del +Fuego, appeared on the scene. With a big joint capital +at its back it entered the field and acquired almost the +whole district. The colonists had to surrender unconditionally +and take what it pleased the company to +pay them for houses and fixtures, the cosy homes were +broken up and Cerro Castillo made the headquarters. +The company now has about one million sheep. I can +hardly believe that the revolution was favourable to +Chile’s interests, and I daresay that is a rather ugly +page in the history of a so-called democratic people. +Men who knew Patagonia before and now say that the +star of Ultima Esperanza sank when the all-mighty +company became its master. Personally we owe much +to its leading men, Mr. A. Cameron of Punta Arenas and +Mr. T. Burbury of Cerro Castillo.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c17">CHAPTER XVII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">LAGO ARGENTINO</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">Thanks</span> to the kindness of Quensel, I am able to give +some details of his interesting and perilous voyagings +on Lago Argentino. This big lake has the typical +Andine character; its western branches run far into +the mountains and receive extensive glaciers from the +inland ice. Quensel went on horseback to the end of +the south arm and to Lago Frio, but in order to continue +his work to the most westerly part he had to take to +the water. There was in Cattle’s farm an old canvas +boat, rather dilapidated but still usable, of the same +pattern used by us on Lago Belgrano. Here follows +Quensel’s narrative:</p> + +<p>“At sunrise on January 13 (1908) we finally +got away, after having waited two days on the +shore for calm weather. From the very first moment +Æolus was not very gracious to us. A surface like a +mirror and a blazing sun encouraged us to set out +on the lake, but we had just gone so far that it was too +late to turn back when the first black line appeared +announcing a gale of wind, closely followed by a white +line of foam, and the water was flung more than thirty +or forty feet into the air. To pull against one of these +squalls was impossible, and the best thing to do would +have been to land, but often there were steep cliffs<span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</span> +all round and the only chance was to turn the stern +against the sea, which threatened to crush the small, +heavily laden boat. But Pagels had not sailed round +the globe for nothing; his skill served us in good stead, +and everything turned out all right, though more than +once we had a narrow escape.</p> + +<p>“Our first destination was the Bismarck Glacier in +the Southern Arm, which we reached in two days. +Half-way we had met some big icebergs and were +prepared for what was to come. They measured about +a hundred feet above the water. The glacier in +question was first visited and described by Professor +Hauthal, and is of special interest. From the inland +ice it protrudes more than a mile out into the water; +the height of its front wall, crowned by innumerable +pillars and needles of pure ice, varies between sixty +and a hundred feet. In front of it was a broad belt of +drift-ice, but we navigated carefully through the ‘pack,’ +which gives the branch its name, Brazo de los Témpanos.</p> + +<p>“We camped on the south side of the glacier and +spent the following days in studying the ice. What +makes the Bismarck Glacier so remarkable is that, +in contrast to all other glaciers in South Patagonia +that I have seen, it is advancing rather rapidly. Without +exception the others withdraw, sometimes indeed so +fast that the vegetation is not able to follow, so that +there is a sharp limit where the ice stood before. But +this one forces its way through the high forest on both +sides, crushing everything in its way; I saw trees, still +green, that had been knocked down by the ice, and +under the very edge shrubs still alive peeped forth.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</span> +We were able to reach the southern end of this fiord. +I walked on foot to Lago Frio and climbed a mountain. +Below, in a southerly direction, was Lago Dickson +nestling among green woods; in the west were Mount +Stokes and the glaciers from the inland cover, the largest +dividing into two branches, one extending to Lago +Dickson, the other to Lago Frio. Thus I stood on the +water-parting between Lago Argentino and the Payne +region, between the Atlantic and the Pacific—the water +from one and the same glacier seeking such different +ways.</p> + +<p>“We left the southern fiord in order to get into the +northern. The entrance is narrow, but inside it widens +into quite a system of inlets, of which different maps +give different ideas. A narrow gap called Hell Gate is +the entrance; outside we waited one day before we +could venture in, and late in the afternoon of January 31 +we got through. Everything indicated that we should +have a calm night, so we resolved to row as long as we +could. Hour after hour passed. Above in the twilight +hung the tremendous cliffs, sometimes as high as 3000 +feet; in the half-light summer night we could just make +out the few places where we could seek refuge in case of +a sudden storm. At midnight the moon rose, the larger +icebergs shone with a ghostly glimmer, their fantastic +outlines assuming the most marvellous shapes. With +frequent changes we made good speed. We knew that +the storm was only gathering its strength, and our object +must be to take advantage of every minute. At 3 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> +we caught sight of a big glacier glowing with a certain +peculiar light as if it were luminous. Nothing is more +difficult than to judge the distance to a glacier or an iceberg +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</span>in the darkness. One believes oneself to be close +to a piece of ice, or even turns aside to avoid a collision—and +there is half an hour’s pull to it!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f42"> +<img src="images/fig42.jpg" alt="bismarck"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Bismarck Glacier, Lake Argentino.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f43"> +<img src="images/fig43.jpg" alt="upsala"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Upsala Glacier, Lake Argentino.</span></p> +<p class="caption">(The biggest in Patagonia.)</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f44"> +<img src="images/fig44.jpg" alt="icebergs"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Icebergs and Canvas Boat, Lake Argentino.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>“At dawn we landed on a low promontory, where the +fiord divides into three branches, each of them ending +in a glacier. Large masses of ice were adrift here—one +could very well imagine one was in a polar country. +The next day we wanted to pull into the southern branch. +Tired as we were after the strenuous night, we overslept +ourselves, and the sun was high when we were ready for +a fresh start. The clouds had begun to chase each other +across the sky, portending wind. Hastily we loaded the +boat and set out, but in a couple of hours the first +gust came, and a strong swell from the bottom of the +inlet showed us that it was blowing hard in there already. +We followed the eastern shore; it was steep and inaccessible, +and a heavy sea broke on the rocks. There was +no time for long consultations. We chose a place where +a shelf ran out into the water, pulled to it, and I jumped +ashore ready to hold the boat. It was an anxious +moment. Up to my knees in water, I managed to hold +it; pots and pans and sleeping-bags, cameras and +haunches of venison were hurled up on to the shelf. +We bore our craft out of reach of the waves and were +safe. But not a moment too soon, for five minutes +later we should not have been able to land there.</p> + +<p>“We had now time to examine our refuge more +closely. The small ledge was overgrown with shrubs; +above rose a precipitous wall. The ten square yards +served our purpose, and with the teapot and the frying-pan +over the fire we spent a comfortable night in our +prison. We tried again the next day, but in vain, and I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</span> +resolved to go back and devote my energies to the north +glacier and the big mountains round it. At nightfall +two days later we landed on a beach with high forest +in the background and a row of large icefloes outside. +The glacier itself was hidden by a promontory. The +following night we had a most remarkable experience, +that might have had very serious consequences. As +usual we had pulled our boat high up on the shore, +sixty feet from the water and ten or twelve feet above +the level of the lake. Wishing to get away at sunrise, +we went to bed early. At dawn I was roused by Pagels, +who stood in the tent door, ripping out with a +fine flow of strong language: ‘Himmel! Herrgott! +Sakrament! Donnerwetter noch ein Mal!’ it came +without a pause. I sprang up to see what had happened, +supposing that a fox had made off with some of our +geese, a trick Mr. Reynard had played us before. But +the sight I beheld drove me to complete Pagel’s morning +prayer in fluent Swedish. The broad strip of beach +where we had landed had disappeared, innumerable +small icefloes floated round almost to our tent; our +boat was gone—on the spot where it had been left a +small, deep blue iceberg was aground. Where was the +boat? What had happened? How were we to reach +human habitations again? These questions whirled +through my brain at the very first moment. To two +of them there was no answer—what about the last? +The future looked dark enough—a march of four or five +days across the unknown Alps north of the lake was not +a very encouraging prospect. But we had good luck. +We found the boat 800 yards further down, stuck fast<span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</span> +between two huge blocks. And later we learnt the +explanation of the catastrophe. In front of the glacier +was a barrier about three miles long and one and +a half broad; large icebergs were piled on each other, +and the interstices were filled up with smaller pieces of +ice. It looked like a field of screw-ice in the Arctic +sea. We understood that the glacier had discharged +all this ice during the night; it dammed up the inlet, +making the water in the narrow place rise nearly +fourteen feet. Gradually it recovered its usual level. +The gigantic glacier with the ice-barrier presented a +splendid sight. I have called it the Upsala Glacier; +it is the largest I have seen in Patagonia, the front wall +attaining a length of not less than eight or nine miles. +The wall was a hundred feet high, more or less. On +the flanks magnificent granite mountains rose; in the +background there was a marked depression, for ‘Ventisquero +Upsala’ comes directly from the inland ice. +During an excursion on foot up in a side valley I gained +my northernmost point. With regret I had to go back +and commence my return journey. The boat being +heavier than ever, we had an adventurous run through +Hell Gate. Pagels ran before the wind as far as he +could, and I had my hands full baling with my hat, +the most capacious baler I could find.”</p> + +<p>After two days Quensel was back in Cattle’s farm, and +from there went to Ultima Esperanza, whence he made +a trip to the Balmaceda Channel. His arrival in Punta +Arenas, where he joined the rest of the expedition, has +already been related.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c18">CHAPTER XVIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">OUR JOURNEY TO PUNTA ARENAS</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">On</span> February 8 Quensel went to visit Mr. Ferrier, of +Estancia Payne. I had to stay till I had gone through +my collections, which badly needed attention. The +cook, a Malay, was very fond of looking at my herbarium, +but wondered why I made so much fuss over +plants good for nothing, either for food or for medicine. +I doubt whether I was able to explain the reason of +my interest, and probably I left with him the remembrance +of a more or less crazy fellow. I had also to +write some letters and telegrams, which Mr. Burbury +took with him to Punta Arenas. On the 9th I was +ready, and rode away west accompanied by Pagels and +a packhorse. The road led through the well-fenced +camps of the company. Some rounded mountains +with groves of roble forest gave the first idea of the +Andes. We passed some buildings; it was the late +Estancia Kark, one of the first in this part, but now, of +course, abandoned. The same sight met us at Tweedie. +Lago Toro lay open to our eyes, a typical Alpine lake, +surrounded by high mountains. It disappeared behind +Cerro Toro, but another lake spread out instead, and +we followed it for a couple of miles. This was Lago +Sarmiento, remarkable as the largest Andine basin +without an outlet. Considerable deposits of calcareous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</span> +tufas are found on the shores. We halted at a house, +but as nobody was at home we only let the horses take a +mouthful of grass and continued our march. The road +had come to an end, and was succeeded by a narrow +path, winding over the hilly, forest-clad country. At +once the view opened out; there was a lagoon embedded +in green woods, and we saw a small hut—our destination. +I have hardly ever seen so many foxes as on this day, +and never any so impudent. They sat down calmly +on the roadside and stared at us, or ran about among +the flocks of sheep. All were of the small kind (<i>Canis +Azaræ</i>).</p> + +<p>There was nobody at home here either. Some dogs +ran round, and one had been shut in in the room, where +we could not get. We had no provisions and looked all +round in the kitchen to find something eatable. A +piece of very dry bread and some coffee was all we found, +and outside in a tree was the flesh of an old mare. +Pagels did not conceal his disdain, but I told him to fry +some horse-steak, and after he had seen me start with a +good appetite he was not slow to follow my example. +In Patagonia horse-flesh has a much worse reputation +than with us.</p> + +<p>All the day we had seen the Payne Mountain. I +had heard much of it, and Quensel had described the +impressions he got in very enthusiastic terms. And +though I thought myself to be very <i>blasé</i>, when I beheld +Payne for the first time free from clouds I stopped, +looked, and never got tired of looking. And at the same +moment I knew that from Nahuelhuapi to Cape Horn, +from the Pacific to the pampas, there is but <i>one</i> Payne.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</span> +It looks like one of those geographical diagrams where, +in order to save space, the height-scale has been overdone +in proportion to the scale of miles. A beautiful +array of peaks, one higher and more abrupt than the +other, where the interesting geological structure may be +understood by anybody, the main part being a light +grey granite, the peaks black slates, and the limit +between the different rocks very sharp. The king is +Payne Oeste (West Payne), whose summit of 10,650 feet +is covered with ice, and perhaps the most magnificent +part is Tres Torres (Three Towers), three enormous +pillars rising 2600 feet above the surrounding glaciers. +The secret of Payne’s beauty is partly all this, but +mainly that it rises abrupt and isolated from the low +pampas without any marked junctions with the rest +of the range. One is not gradually prepared for what +is to come, but suddenly has these 10,000 feet of rock +close at hand, with no hills or lower mountains to be +climbed first.</p> + +<p>The next morning we continued, following a narrow +horse-track cut by Mr. Ferrier. The ground is so broken +that the path in more than one place makes riding too +hard work for the horses. We had an adventure with our +packhorse, who took the opportunity of running away +when we were busy watering our horses. After a wild +chase he was captured. At Rio Payne, a large river +draining this district, we found a boat; the horses swam, +and after another mile’s ride we reached Estancia +Payne. At the auction of land it was purchased by a +young Englishman, the first to settle there, Mr. Walter +Ferrier, who now welcomed us.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</span></p> + +<p>Here I will insert a brief description of some excursions +undertaken by Quensel during the summer of 1907. +On November 16 he left Ultima Esperanza with Pagels, +and spent some time with Mr. Burbury in Cerro Castillo. +From there he went to Ferrier’s place. He has written +about his travels in a Swedish journal, and I now give +a summary of his description.</p> + +<p>“With Estancia Ferrier as headquarters I made a +series of excursions into the mountains and to the +glaciers. From the top of the first high mountain +I climbed, Cerro Donoso, I had a fine view over the +mountain range, and as none of the higher summits +had been climbed before, I got a chance of completing +our knowledge of the geography of these parts. To +the west was the edge of the inland ice; gently inclining, +it extends as far as eye can reach, at first interspersed +with <i>nunatahks</i> rising like steep black islands; further +west even the steepest peaks are ice-clad. Split +up into numerous glaciers, the ice comes round into all +the valleys. In the vast moraines I had a good field +for work, for from the stones brought down it was +possible to form an opinion as to the structure of the +mountains under the ice-cover. An ascent in these +parts is a different thing from one in Scandinavia or +in Switzerland. The obstacles are first the swamps +round the foot, then an almost impenetrable forest-belt. +Once above the forest it is generally not difficult +to reach a considerable height. The scenery from one +of the mountains is well worth the trouble of the climb. +Eastwards the endless pampas, in the west the Andes +in all their splendour, and between the hundred smaller<span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</span> +and larger lakes—everything the result of the great +Ice Age!</p> + +<p>“From Ferrier’s farm I also went to Payne, a mountain +differing widely from the rest even in its outlines; +even a non-geologist can guess that special forces have +been at work in its creation. The lower part is nearly +white, a light granitic rock crowned by a cap of black +slates. In fact we have here the ideal laccolite. On +eruption the glowing magma did not break up through +the crust, but only pressed up the slate like a vault. +The way to Payne was for the most part difficult. We +started with three horses and tents and provisions for a +week, but after the first day had to leave the tent and +everything not absolutely necessary behind. Our route +followed the south edge; the forest grew worse, step by +step we struggled with prickly berberis thickets. After +six hours’ hard work we had advanced a distance of +hardly two miles, and the horses, not used to this kind +of work, refused to continue. Our position was not an +enviable one; it would cost us at least four hours to +get back to a place where there was any grass for the +horses, and hardly more than a mile ahead we saw open +ground. But the thickets grew worse still; we were +shut in by a steep mountain-wall on one side and a small +lake on the other. This last, unknown before and named +by us Lago Skottsberg, now became our refuge. We +resolved to take to the water, and this proved +possible. Once brought down, the horses were able +to wade along the shore most of the way; only twice +were we forced to unsaddle them and let them +swim. The small, beautiful lake is visited by terrible<span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</span> +tornadoes, which drive its waters into columns 300 feet +high.</p> + +<p>“At last we reached a camping-place with good pasture, +and round the fire we soon forgot all our troubles. +But the night brought others. Hardly had we crept +into our sleeping-bags and gone to sleep when snow +began to fall. Only after some hours did I realize that +I lay shivering with cold in a pool of water, which was +trickling in from the top. The rest of the night was not +very comfortable. When we rose we found several +inches of snow on the ground. In spite of the difficulties, +our survey of Payne yielded very good results, uniting +a highly interesting scientific work with a visit to a +splendid mountain district.</p> + +<p>“Our route the next day led first through a beautiful +forest, easy to march in, where deer now and then looked +at us curiously from behind the trees. Once we suddenly +came across a whole family, peacefully grazing in a small +depression. They did not show any sign of fright, and +we sat down to light our pipes, waiting to see how they +would behave. One after the other they now came +to look at us; advanced till they were eight or ten +steps off, went round us, and then walked off with an +expression of sheer amazement. A fine buck came so +close that the smoke from my pipe reached his nostrils; +he shook his head and turned aside, evidently not appreciating +the tobacco. To kill these animals, save to +appease our hunger, would not have been possible for +me; they were much too confiding. But our way led +us higher, and now, suddenly, the aspect of nature +changed. We had reached the edge of the forest;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</span> +below lay a deep canyon, its upper part filled with a +glacier. We descended and followed the ice up the +valley, and now stood in the heart of Payne so to speak. +All round precipitous walls rose, the narrow valley by +which we had come had disappeared behind a protruding +piece of rock; nowhere was an exit visible. One stands +as in a hollow mountain; the interior is worn away, +the outer cover is partly left. This peculiar circumstance +is explained by the geology; the interior consists of +the readily crumbling granite, the cover of the more +durable and resisting slates. All the day a never-ceasing +cannonade saluted us; masses of ice tumbled +down the precipices all round, and were welded together +on the next ledge to form a new glacier, slowly advancing +till a new barranca caused a repetition of the same +phenomenon. On our return some days later to my great +astonishment I caught sight of a snow-white deer, +which rapidly disappeared into the forest. The following +days I crossed the place in all directions without +finding any trace of it. Without doubt it was an albino +variety of the common huemul, but as I had never +heard of anything like it I very much wanted to get +hold of the remarkable beast.</p> + +<p>“After I had finished my work round Payne I moved +my camp northward. Our way led west and north +of the charming Lago Sarmiento, a lake eight and a half +miles long, lacking superficial outlet of any sort; only +some insignificant streams empty into it. The water, +clear as crystal, deep blue and brackish, the constant +temperature, great depth, and the large deposits of +calcareous tufas indicate that forces other than the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</span> +ordinary ones of nature played a part when it was formed. +Together with some alkaline and carbonated wells in +the vicinity, it exhibits the last remnants of a post-volcanic +action that followed upon the outburst of +the immense eruptive masses in the neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>“On Christmas Eve I came to a shepherd’s house, +and stayed there to give my horses a rest.”</p> + +<p>From there Quensel crossed the Baguales range, using +a pass situated west of the one by which we came down, +went to Cattle’s place, and made the boat journey on +Lago Argentino already described.</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>When I arrived at Ferrier’s <i>estancia</i> Quensel was +ready to leave; he intended to go straight to Ultima +Esperanza to complete some observations of the previous +summer. Ferrier was just expecting visitors, a large +party from Otway station, and followed Quensel +expecting to meet them on the way. Thus I was left +quite alone in the house. I was suffering from a bout +of influenza and went to bed early. But my rest was +soon disturbed, for hardly had I put out the light when +somebody knocked at the door: the whole picnic party +was there, ladies, gentlemen, and children, greatly +astonished at not finding Mr. Ferrier at home! He +had evidently passed them in the brushwood, and I +had to take charge of them. There was no cook, as +Ferrier prepared his food himself, so as soon as I could +I got some clothes on, went out in the kitchen, and +arranged a quick supper for eight persons. All the +blankets and pillows of the house were collected, +and gradually all settled down. The next day,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</span> +however, after breakfast, Ferrier returned and I was +relieved.</p> + +<p>With some provisions in our <i>maletas</i> Pagels and I +started on the 13th in order to penetrate as far west +as we could. Ferrier had lent us fresh horses, and after +a fine gallop across his estates we came down to Rio de +Grey (Rio Blanco), the outlet of Lago de Grey, incorrectly +called Lago Hauthal on the Argentine maps. +With the assistance of a Swede, Mr. Hülphers, in Patagonia +known as “Klondyke-Hans,” Ferrier had made +a hang-bridge across the deep and rapid river. We +carried our things across, swam the horses, and got into +the saddle again, following the river till we came within +sight of the lake. Between the trees we saw some +fine icebergs, coming from the glacier in the north-western +end. Close to the south end empties a river, +bearing no name on the maps; we called it Rio del +Hielo, or the Icy River, for it comes from the inland ice.</p> + +<p>It was a laborious ride. At first the mountains +left a narrow space, overgrown with shrub-wood along +by the water. We pushed through, often leading the +horses; but the barranca rose higher and higher, heaps +of blocks barred the way, the horses injured themselves +and bled, which I did not at all like, as they were not +mine. The forest became closer and closer, the thickets +of <i>leña dura</i> (<i>Maytenus magellanica</i>) so dense that we +hardly saw the horses, which we dragged along by the +<i>cabresta</i>. With slabs we built a road across the last +pile of stones, and I felt relieved when we had the +animals safe on the other side. Once more the ground +became more even; a beautiful roble forest with a carpet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</span> +of grass appeared; but after we had passed it we found +the way barred for horses. The mountain ran out into +the water, which here forms some rapids, and we made +up our minds to camp and continue on foot the next +day. We climbed part of the obstacle, and came on to +broken ground, woody ravines alternating with small +open spaces covered with grass-tussocks. The evergreen +beech became more and more frequent. After a +march of several hours we came to an even, gravelly +plain, over which Rio del Hielo winds, and here the +scenery was most imposing. The river flows from three +different tongues of the inland ice. Opposite us was +the <i>nunatahk</i> called Cerro Zapato, further north the +perfectly white Cerro Blanco, and in a north-easterly +direction the Payne Mountain shows quite a new aspect. +We followed one of the rivers up to the edge of the ice, +for with our equipment we could not get further. I +think it would be possible to cut across here to the +Pacific. The distance as the crow flies to Peel Inlet +cannot much exceed eighteen miles, but the ice is full +of crevices.</p> + +<p>After twelve hours’ hard walk we were back at the +starting-point, and spent a second night there. I had +reached my goal and we could return. Down at Rio +de Grey we had a passage of arms with the horses, +who refused to swim; Pagels’ horse broke the <i>cabresta</i> +and ran away from him, but was captured again. I +have seldom looked so shabby as when we came back +to the settlement. My old faithful rags that had hung +on since Bariloche and were old then were now at their +last gasp. But a pair of Ferrier’s old trousers enabled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</span> +me to leave his place dressed like a gentleman. His +visitors had gone, he was left by himself, and I stayed +with him another two days; then I had to go back +to Cerro Castillo. Here I found letters from Halle, +who had passed by there some days earlier on his way +to Ultima Esperanza, and the next day I went there +with the rest of our <i>tropilla</i>.</p> + +<p>Now one really knew one was in the civilized part of +Patagonia—a broad cart-road, fringed with telephone +poles, regarded with mistrust by our horses; here and +there neat houses. We met many waggons and riders, +but fortunately the locomotive of the company with its +two big trailers stood still as we passed. Even then +the mare nearly had a fit when she saw the monster. +It was Saturday, and more than one traveller had +already started to celebrate the holiday. We had just +sat down by the roadside to rest when a swarthy +figure came along, stopped and handed us a bottle, +and did not leave us until we had taken two respectable +pulls. After a while another fellow with another +bottle appeared. We left the main track, the forest +became finer and more lofty, and in the afternoon we +arrived in Puerto Consuelo. Here Hermann Eberhard +was waiting for us with his motor-boat, and we speedily +ran up the narrow inlet to his villa. It is the cosiest +place in Patagonia. Generally people do not take much +trouble with their dwellings, and the stranger is astonished +when he gets into Eberhard’s house and finds +himself surrounded by all sorts of European comforts.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f45"> +<img src="images/fig45.jpg" alt="inlet"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Last Hope Inlet.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>The name Eberhard is famous in Patagonia. It +was to a virgin land that Eberhard senior, late captain +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</span>of the port in Port Stanley, came in 1893 to try his +fortune. We made his acquaintance in Punta Arenas +in February 1908. Deeply interested in natural science +he opened his home to all the explorers who came to +these parts; Quensel also had been his guest. When +we came back from the Channels in June we heard of +his sudden and unexpected death. His son follows +in his footsteps, and all who know him hope that the +plot to deprive him of his camp will fail. On the occasion +of the great auction in 1905, Captain Eberhard turned +to the Government claiming that an exception for his +piece of land ought to be made as he had explored the +country and was the first colonist there. The Government +proposed to the congress that he should get +permission to buy his ground privately. In January +1906 this proposal passed the Senate, but the House of +Deputies had not taken up the question yet. Therefore +young Eberhard felt the ground anything but safe +under him. Quensel and he had just returned from the +boat journey; they had run into Worsley Sound and +discovered two unknown inlets called Resi and Gesa; +they also brought back a sketch-map.</p> + +<p>What especially has drawn scientists to Ultima +Esperanza is the famous “Mylodon” cave, situated +in a barranca some few miles from Puerto Consuelo. +Here, fifteen years ago, Captain Eberhard found a +most remarkable skin with small round bones embedded +in the hide and covered by long coarse yellowish brown +hair. It hung on his farm more than a year, nobody +suspecting its immense scientific value—travellers cut off +a piece as a souvenir, and O. Nordenskjöld also brought<span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</span> +a piece to Sweden. Great was the astonishment when +it was found that the skin had belonged to a giant +sloth, and all sorts of rumours that this animal was still +living in Patagonia were set going. At the same time +the attention of the scientific world was drawn to the +find, and in 1899 Mr. E. Nordenskiöld went there to make +excavations. A fine collection of bones and other remains +of the big sloth, a <i>Glossotherium</i>, and many other +animals, was brought together; in the upper strata +he even found traces that a pre-historic human race +had lived in the grotto. Close upon this Professor +Hauthal of La Plata made an exploration of the great +cavern, and in spite of the Glossotherium occurring +only in the lowest stratum, he and his collaborators +came to the conclusion that the sloth had probably +been contemporaneous with man, and even domesticated +by him, for in one corner of the cavern a big deposit +of dung, suggesting a stable, was found. However, +none of the persons who studied the place or the +deposits believed that the animal was still living +in Patagonia, which did not prevent a big English +newspaper from sending an expedition under a +young man, Mr. H. Pritchard, in order to capture a +living specimen for the Zoo. This was in 1900. +I do not expect the results of the expedition were commensurable +with the expenses. There is much work +left in the cavern. The floor is partly covered with a +barrier of huge blocks which have fallen down from the +roof since the deposits were formed; by removing them +the layers must be found quite undisturbed. It is +impossible to get an idea of the stratification in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</span> +remainder, for all sorts of people have been there digging +without any method collecting curiosities which are +sold in Punta Arenas. Our scheme did not embrace +a new survey of the place, which is likely to cost much +money and require considerable time.</p> + +<p>Naturally I would not leave Patagonia without having +seen the famous cavern, and consequently we rode there. +It cannot fail to produce a deep impression: the refuge +of extinct animals and human beings. It is about +eighty feet high and extends nearly 500 yards into +the mountain. Large stalactites hang down from the +roof. The very first glance shows how everything +has been turned upside down by the reckless diggers. +The so-called stable is still visible, and it is easy to get +fine specimens of dung. There was also plenty of hair +belonging to the curious beast, the Glossotherium. +After we had seen enough of the great cavern we walked +along the barranca on the look-out for new discoveries. +A shepherd has told Mr. Eberhard, that he had found a +second cavern but refused to give any details, waiting +to dig out curiosities and sell them without partners. +The forest is dense and we had to seek a while before +we found the entrance hidden under the trees. This +cavern also is very beautiful though only half the size +of the original one. It was evident that the shepherd +had done some digging there, but probably without +result for the soil does not seem to contain anything +at all. However it is necessary to make proper investigations.</p> + +<p>Before returning we visited another cave, a narrow +crevice, where we had to crawl in on our stomachs.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</span> +There was not much air, just sufficient for our piece of +candle. Eberhard had found a funny locust in there +living in the darkness. Neither eyes nor bright colours +are of use to it; it is half blind and nearly colourless. +As soon as we had got a number we crawled out again, +not without trouble, for the stalactites got hold of +our clothes like giant claws. The nature round Ultima +Esperanza has a certain stamp of Northern Europe +and I do not at all wonder that Europeans thrive better +there than in other places. I myself got very fond +of the place and deeply regretted that lack of time +did not permit us a longer stay than a day and a half.</p> + +<p>On February 22 we said farewell, and after some +hours’ ride passed the Argentine frontier, going on to +Meyer’s estancia on Rio Turbio, where we had been +invited to spend the night. Large heaps of empty +champagne-bottles adorn the place, showing that sheep-farming +in Patagonia is a profitable industry. We +found Halle here. He was pleased with his time spent +and nothing prevented us from riding directly to Punta +Arenas, only three days’ journey. The road bends +over a monotonous barren plain, over which a single +basaltic mountain, Morro Chico, rises. It was dark +when we reached the small hotel; we did not get much +sleep, for the customers made a terrible noise all night. +At eight o’clock we were in the saddle again. All along +the track lay dead horses; here and there a fox was celebrating +a feast, but our dogs soon laid him alongside +the carrion. We halted at Laguna Blanca, another +lake without an outlet, in order to get some food, but +were soon off again for we had a long march before us. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</span>We had resolved to make a small <i>détour</i> from the +straight track and visit Otway Station, where we had +been invited by the Saunders family whom I met at +Ferrier’s farm, as the reader no doubt remembers. +We thought of leaving our horses there and even hoped +that Mr. Saunders, a representative of a very substantial +company, would buy them.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f46"> +<img src="images/fig46.jpg" alt="cave"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The “Neomylodon” Cave, Last Hope Inlet.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Fortunately it was not too dark for us to find the side-path +to the farm, which we expected soon to strike. +The horses were tired, and to our surprise hour after +hour went by without any trace of human dwellings. +We alighted and led the animals, trying to follow an +indistinct cart-track. We got on all right for a while, +but lost it in the drifting sand on the shore of Otway +Water, which we now saw again or at least heard, +for it was pitch dark. At random we groped our way +when suddenly we heard a dog bark. Good! where +there is a dog there are also people. Led by the sound +we found the place—a dog tied to a pole; we shouted +but got no answer. Later we found out that some men +working at a fence had a tent there. Probably they +were frightened and dared not answer; it is impossible +that they did not hear us.</p> + +<p>There we were. It was so dark that we could +not see five yards: we spread over the ground +signalling to each other with matches and finally +found another cart-track. We mounted and made +another move but suddenly the horses stopped; we +alighted looking for the reason—a fence cut straight +across the road. That was a funny road; there was no +gate and we followed the fence in the direction we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</span> +considered to be the best. It turned at a right angle +and there we struck a proper road running south. We +had almost given up all hope of finding Otway Station, +believing that we had passed it at some distance, and +we did not know where the road led to. Then I thought +I saw a house; my imagination provided it with doors +and windows, I saw a light—and was greatly disappointed +when it was reduced to a big piece of rock. +I lit a match and looked at my watch; it was the +witching hour of midnight.</p> + +<p>Our surprise and joy were great when half an hour +later a real light was seen; we set our horses going +and reached Otway Station. We had gone exactly the +route we ought, but were mistaken in the distance. +We were almost ashamed to knock at the door at this +late hour, but needs must and in Patagonia the stranger +is excused; he may come at the strangest hours of the +day—or night. One of the young ladies came down +and made a cup of cocoa, and as soon as we could we +slipped into bed, for I will not deny that we were pretty +tired.</p> + +<p>February 21 was a day of great satisfaction: Mr. +Saunders did not really want any horses, but nevertheless +bought them and paid well. A great anxiety was +thus removed, especially we were pleased to know +our horses were in good hands. They had carried us +across swamps and streams, over mountain-passes, +where stony ground, snowfields and floating soil succeeded +each other; up barrancas, where the least +false step would have proved fatal, and we had grown +to like them and even parted with them with regret.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</span> +Quite sad I saddled Solo for the last time. Our riding +horses turned with a neigh to their comrades; they +must carry us the last few miles to Punta Arenas +from where they were sent back to join the tropilla. +After a nice canter we were down on Cabeza del Mar, +a bay that once communicated with Otway Water. +From the head of the bay the road cuts down to the +Magellan Straits following along the water to the +town. It became more and more lively on the road; +the number of public houses increased rapidly, and in +the twilight we rode into Punta Arenas, where our +country horses had much to think about. We went +straight to the Swedish Consulate and stopped below +its windows. It was some time before people recognized +the bearded highwaymen. The last act was played out; +for the last time we unsaddled. “Where do you come +from?” people asked us. And as we answered “from +Lago Nahuelhuapi” they thought we were joking +with them. But it was true.</p> + +<p>The distance from Bariloche to Punta Arenas is +1358 miles, covered in fifty-six march-days, which gives +a daily average of 24·25 miles. Counting excursions +the total distance amounts to 1640 miles.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c19">CHAPTER XIX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">THE BEAGLE CHANNEL</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">In</span> Punta Arenas everything looked the same. Times +were still bad though somewhat better than in the preceding +winter when paper money was worth nothing—the +peso was then down to sevenpence instead of eighteen; +now it varied between nine and ten. The great +fluctuation in the value of Chilean money is of course +a great drawback to commercial development; one +never knows from day to day how much one has, and +the first look in the morning paper is at “el cambio,” +printed on the first page in large type. Not a few +persons speculate in money, and more than one fortune +has been made only by buying and selling notes. I +believe the market has become more steady now.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f47"> +<img src="images/fig47.jpg" alt="beagle"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Beagle Channel looking west.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f48"> +<img src="images/fig48.jpg" alt="ushuaia"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Ushuaia and Martial Mountains.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f49"> +<img src="images/fig49.jpg" alt="glacier"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Glacier in N.W. Arm of Beagle Channel.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Long in advance we had made preparations for our +last expedition, the visit to the Beagle Channel. “El +apostadero naval,” the naval station, had a new chief, +for Mr. Rojas had been pensioned and was succeeded +by Rear-Admiral F. Valenzuela. He had got orders +from Valparaiso and received us with great kindness, +offering us the small but convenient steamer <i>Porvenir</i> +for the trip. The Government had purchased it during +the winter, when, owing to the bad times, more than +one Punta Arenas ship changed owner. The officers +started at once to equip the vessel.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</span></p> + +<p>The town was in a state of rejoicing. It was a carnival +time and festive processions passed through the windy +streets, but I think it was a hard job to raise carnival-spirits +on the shores of Magellan Straits. Dancing +saloons had been rigged up for the occasion, and were +filled all night long. We had no time, however, for +things of that sort. We had to go through all the +luggage sent from Puerto Montt in October; another +equipment had to be got together and I was running +all day long between the ports, the telegraph-office and +the Argentine consulate to arrange an important piece +of business, the transport of ourselves and our luggage +from Punta Arenas to Buenos Aires. There is regular +communication between the latter place and Ushuaia. +One of the steamers, however, had just run ashore on +the Atlantic coast, the other, <i>Primero de Mayo</i>, +had just passed on her way south, and the Argentine +Consul, Mr. Margueirat, told us that her commander +had orders to take us on board if this would suit us. +But she ought to be back in Punta Arenas long before +we had finished our exploration in the Beagle Channel +and we had to leave without knowing anything for +certain. I wired to Buenos Aires asking if there would +be any other possible ship besides the <i>Primero de +Mayo</i>, but could not wait for the answer.</p> + +<p>The summer had been uncommonly dry, it was difficult +to get water, and not until March 3 did the <i>Porvenir</i> get +her supply. In the evening we went on board, and +before sunrise were under way towards the Magdalena +Channel. The commander was Mr. P. Acevedo, captain +in the navy, an able officer and good companion. In a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</span> +short time we got into the familiar old fog again. It is +said in the tale of creation, that the water in the air +was separated from the water on the earth but in the +west of Tierra del Fuego one is inclined to believe +that the separation never was completed, so difficult is +it to see where the sea ends and the sky begins. On +clear days the magnificent Mt. Sarmiento, the highest +peak in Tierra del Fuego, shines like a gigantic beacon +visible far north of Punta Arenas on Elisabeth Island +at a distance of ninety-six nautical miles. We anchored +the first night in Puerto Barrow, and found time to go +on shore; I had never visited this part of Tierra del +Fuego before. At dawn we weighed anchor. The +weather was not nice, but not bad, and in any case good +enough to clear the sometimes critical passage round +the Brecknock peninsula. For a while one gets a +broadside from the Pacific, which for a small steamer +may be dangerous. We had vivid recollections of the +Swedish expedition in 1896, whose journey in the +<i>Condor</i> was nearly disastrous owing as far as I can gather +to the carelessness or ignorance of the officers. The +open passage with its black, storm-beaten rocks and +reefs produces a terrifying and desolate impression. +The whole business only lasted a couple of hours +and then we came into smooth water again. We +had just entered the Brecknock Sound, when we +met the <i>Primero de Mayo</i> on her way to Punta +Arenas—far too early for us; we saluted her with +the flag, continued through Whaleboat Sound and +anchored in Puerto Fortuna on the north coast of +Londonderry Island.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</span></p> + +<p>We had heard much of the beauty of the Western +Beagle Channel; but it almost surpassed our expectations. +It is mainly the same sort of country as we had +seen before with steep shores covered with evergreen +forests or bogs and with snow-clad crests and summits. +But down here a new and important feature is added, +the glaciers. In the Patagonian Channels it is only +in the inlets penetrating into the main range of the +Andes that the glaciers come down into the sea. But +in the west part of the Beagle Channel nearly every valley +is occupied by a blue stream of ice coming down through +the forest and causing that contrast between the +eternal ice and eternal green extolled by Darwin and +all travellers after him. Not only are the larger valleys +that run down into the sea thus ice-filled but any small +depression on a mountain-side has become a refuge +for a wee tongue of ice.</p> + +<p>As we wanted to see a little more of the glaciers we +went into a bay called Glacier Sound. Probably no +ship was ever in here, for the depth was unknown. +We sounded, but the water suddenly shallowed so that +we ran aground on the loose clay. Of course we got +off again. Unfortunately the way to the glacier was +barred by closely packed drift-ice, so we soon left the +place and went to spend the night in Romanche Bay. +We had now reached the most magnificent part of the +Beagle Channel, the Northwest Arm, where glacier +follows upon glacier. Opposite Romanche Bay there +is one especially worthy of attention. Blue as only +ice can be, it floats out over the mountain ledge, sending +a vertical tongue down into the water; from the edge<span class="pagenum" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</span> +higher up the river rushes out of its vault, at once +forming a waterfall playing with the miniature ice-floes. +The conditions at the Darwin glacier further east +were very favourable, making it easy to study the +moraines as well as the vegetation round the ice border. +Nature itself had come to our help. The ice does not +extend down to the water, but ends in the forest. Some +years ago the river changed its course owing to some +accidental damming-up; the obstacle disappearing, +it returned to its old bed again and left the new one free +of access. It formed quite a natural road across the +forest and we could walk up to the ice very comfortably. +The distance from the ice-border to the first stunted +trees is about ten feet.</p> + +<p>After a short visit to Yendagaia, we anchored in +Lapataia, a place well known to me, where I had spent +some time with Dr. K. Andersson in 1902. The saw-mill +was still there, but the old manager had gone long ago. +It was Sunday and work was stopped, but we met the +new boss and asked him to lend us a boat, for Quensel +and I intended to pull across Lago Acigami or Roca, as +the lake north of Lapataia is called. We saw at +once that he was a stranger in the country, and we chose +English to speak with him; however Quensel and I +exchanged some remarks in Swedish and at once he +joined in telling us that he also was a Swede, by name +Lundberg. Another Scandinavian, a Norwegian, also +worked in the small saw-mill.</p> + +<p>The next morning we pulled up a rapid stream, +the outlet of Lago Acigami. Without warning one is +out on the bosom of the lake, hitherto hidden behind<span class="pagenum" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</span> +dense foliage. The eastern shore slopes gradually +and is covered with dense forests down to the water, +into which the trees dip their branches. The western +shore is very different, rising abruptly like an immense +wall of stone with snow-patches in all crevices to a +very considerable height; the highest peaks, nearly +4000 feet, cast their dark shadow over the whole lake. +It was rather strange after an absence of six and a half +years to plough the waters of Lago Acigami once more—once +more to catch sight of the pretty points where +we rested upon the oars to breathe. Probably I shall +not come back for the third time....</p> + +<p>The boundary between Argentina and Chile crosses +this lake, cuts straight down to the Beagle Channel, +following it to the Atlantic. In the morning we started in +Argentina and landed in Chile at the other end of the +lake. Here we had a hasty meal, standing, or even +running about to get clear of the innumerable mosquitoes. +The Acigami-depression is continued by a broad valley +of exactly the same nature as the Betbeder Valley, +traversed by a river. The bottom is impassable on +account of the swamps and we worked our way through +the forest alongside it till we reached a point from where +we could overlook the neighbourhood. We made out +that we were in the Rojas Valley, whose river we had discovered +the previous year, and thus had reached our +goal. The same night we were back on board.</p> + +<p>To judge from the big mussel-banks Lapataia +was once a main resort for the Yahgan tribe. Halle +made some excavations and found some bone-prickers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</span></p> + +<p>The next day we continued eastward. We saw +Ushuaia at some distance, but left it behind and went +into the passage between the Navarin and Hoste +Islands, the Murray Narrows. We knew that the +English mission station formerly installed in Tekenika +Bay had been moved to a place opposite this, and found +it in Douglas Bay. There is no shelter here from +the prevailing wind, but otherwise Nature is prettier +than in the old place. A heavy sea was running, but +soon a small yawl came from the station pulled by two +Indians and in the person in the stern I recognized +the English missionary, Mr. Williams, whose acquaintance +I had made in Tekenika in 1902. He was greatly +astonished at seeing one of the fellows from the <i>Antarctic</i> +once more. We followed him ashore. What an agreeable +contrast between this place and Dawson Island. +Here the last remnants of the Yahgan tribe are collected, +numbering a hundred and seventy. Is it possible +that only seventy-five years ago their fires blazed +all along the Beagle Channel and round the archipelago +of Cape Horn? They have been extinguished for ever. +But before all the Yahgans gathered on the stations +the French Cape Horn expedition spent one year +in Orange Bay; quite a colony of Indians stayed with +them and were studied from every point of view. I +must also mention the valuable observations on their +habits and language made by the late Thomas Bridges +of Ushuaia, through which we possess a fairly complete +account of this people. In Douglas Bay they are very +well treated and get permission to make long excursions +hunting and fishing. Mr. Williams is a practical man,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</span> +whose enthusiasm for preaching the gospel has not +led him astray, and the Indians seem to have confidence +in him. He speaks their language fluently—well, this +might be considered a matter of course, though the +Salesian padre on Dawson Island hardly knew a word +of it. We had to leave Mr. Williams’ pleasant home +helter-skelter—for suddenly a south-west gale came +on and it was all we could do to get back on board. +We had to weigh anchor at once and seek shelter +under Hoste Island, where we anchored in Allen Gardiner +Bay, on the same spot where the lamented <i>Antarctic</i> +lay in 1902. There were hardly any traces of the +mission station, for all the houses had been moved to +the new place.</p> + +<p>Here Halle had an important task to fulfil. Dr. J. +G. Anderson had found fossilized wood and shells +embedded before the folding of the Fuegian Cordillera +took place; thus an investigation of the fossils would +give certain indications as to the age of the mountain +chain. The collections were lost in the <i>Antarctic</i>, and +we had come there to get new ones. Halle was left +there with a tent, a boat, provisions and two men. +We on the <i>Porvenir</i> went south. We were interested +to visit the old station in Orange Bay; the commemorative +pyramid with its marble plates was left intact +and a few steps from there was one of the pillars of the +magnetical observatory. At night two boats of Indians +came; they asked us to take them to the Wollaston +Islands. They were abundantly supplied with provisions, +flour, sugar, &c., and had also brought a rifle. +We went there the next morning. The southernmost of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</span> +these Islands is Hoorn Island with the famous cape. +The forest is limited to small groves and thickets and +the vegetation much reminded me of what I had seen +in certain places on the West Falklands. We only +landed at two places and then crossed again to Packsaddle +Bay, as Quensel wanted to study some of the +localities where the French expedition had been. When +we came back to Tekenina we found that Halle had got +comrades, several Yahgans, who had made a hut of +sticks and bundles of grass. They were on their way +to the mission, but could not help stopping, curious to +see what the white men were doing. One of the sailors +from the <i>Porvenir</i> had shown a rifle to them, which made +them come to Halle assuring him of their exceptionally +friendly sentiments. He was pleased with his results, +and in the afternoon of March 13 we went to Ushuaia. +The capital of Tierra del Fuego has a very pretty +situation on the channel at the foot of the Martial +Mountains and everywhere surrounded by roble forests. +The harbour is formed by the woodless peninsula, +where the houses that once belonged to Mr. Thomas +Bridges’ mission station are still left.</p> + +<p>Ushuaia is of importance as the Argentine deportation-station. +When I was here in 1902 the deported +were just building a new prison, which was finished now +long ago. The chief, Major Herrera, came on board +and welcomed us in the name of the Governor; he and +the judge were the only officials left, for all the rest +had gone to Buenos Aires in the <i>Primero de Mayo</i>.</p> + +<p>During the seven years that had gone by since my +first visit the place had been greatly developed. A new<span class="pagenum" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</span> +street behind the strand “Avenue” and several buildings, +above all a new police station, had been added, but +the Government House looked as shabby as ever +and the jetty was even more ramshackle than before. +Street lamps and policemen had increased in number +and my old friends looked well and had grown fat, +which proves that the prison gives sustenance also to its +employees. It was indeed funny now and then to meet +a face, half forgotten in the mists of past years. Naturally +there was a very hearty welcome, and we gathered +in Club Ushuaia—another step towards culture—and +drank a toast to the merry and unexpected encounter.</p> + +<p>We had not much to do here, but I wanted to return +to a place where I made some fine collections in 1902, +and Halle went to look for ancient shore-lines, indicating +a post-glacial upheaval of the land. Nature in this part +of the Beagle Channel is rather different from that +further west. The total amount of rainfall is much +smaller and the evergreen beach has nearly disappeared +altogether. The mountains get lower, the Martial +range is the last prominent part, where a miniature +glacier may be found at a great height; the highest +summit, Mt. Olivia, 4350 feet, attracts attention +through its peculiar form. We made an excursion to a +little stream coming from the foot of this mountain; +in the forest it forms a small waterfall; round it grow +some fine evergreen beeches and there is an uncommonly +rich cryptogamic vegetation. But then we had no +reason to stop in Ushuaia, so we continued on the 15th +under loud protests from the inhabitants who wanted +to keep us there.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</span></p> + +<p>We stopped some hours outside Gable Island, where +Halle went on shore to collect quaternary fossils in the +barrancas; the material gathered by J. G. Andersson +had shared the fate of the Tekenika collections. We +anchored in Harberton Harbour, where once more I +found myself among old friends. Harberton is the only +important farm on the Channel. When Argentina +founded Ushuaia the English mission pined away, and +when Thomas Bridges left his place, the Government +gave him a piece of land at Harberton, where he and +his sons have created a model establishment evoking +the admiration of every visitor. Old Bridges had long +been dead and only his son Willie was left in Harberton; +his brothers had moved to a new farm on the Atlantic +Coast, to which they had made a road past Lago +Fagnano. In 1902 we saw many Ona Indians in Harberton; +now only a few were there, as most of them +had gone to the new farm, which is developing rapidly; +soon it will be possible to keep a stock of 100,000 sheep +there.</p> + +<p>A few years ago the Onas were the absolute masters +of Tierra del Fuego, where they had vast hunting-grounds. +Most certainly they are a branch of the +Tehuelche people—but prolonged isolation and the lack +of boats in which to cross the Straits have gradually +changed their habits and language. Their tall forms +and good-looking faces remind one much of the +Tehuelches of Patagonia.</p> + +<p>If we consider how much this people has been in +contact with white men, it is strange that they have +not been properly studied until recent years. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</span> +Salesian mission has a station at Rio Grande, but there +are very few Indians. Some live on Dawson Island, +some families live in the forest north of Lago Fagnano, +but the rest are probably scattered over the land south +of Rio Grande. Not a few work on Bridges’ farm. We +were told that Modesto who went with J. G. Andersson +to Lago Fagnano and then with both of us to Gable +Island had been promoted “Capataz” of the carts. +Also Anikin was alive and lived as shepherd out in the +camp. The brothers Bridges never put any constraint +upon the natives. They simply received them, gave +them work and of course tried to eradicate bad customs, +but never kept them against their will or tried to convert +them. The result has been mutual satisfaction. +Messrs. Bridges had cheap labourers and the natives +felt happy with some regular work. Their number is +said to be slowly increasing at present—a glorious +exception to the rule.</p> + +<p>Originally we intended to spend much more time in +Tierra del Fuego studying the Indians. But we had +been informed that the well-known anthropologist and +ethnographer, Professor Lehmann-Nietsche of La Plata, +had made extensive studies and Mr. Bridges told me that +an American, Mr. Furlong, had visited him and made +observations on the natives. Thus we had reason to +shorten our stay in these parts.</p> + +<p>Among the interesting information I got from Mr. +Bridges there is one thing especially worthy of notice. +This was the story of a fourth Indian tribe, hitherto +not known to me. It was called <i>Hush</i>, and lived along +the Straits of Le Maire. Probably it was a branch of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</span> +the Ona people, perhaps originally a mixture of Ona +and Yahgan, but had a language different from either +of theirs and lived mainly on shell-fish and seal, wandering +along the beach. Canoes were not used. There +is no pure Hush left. In Harberton I saw an old man +looking more like a Yahgan; his mother was of the +Yahgan tribe. He had been married to a Hush woman, +the last of her race, and was a widower; he had two +unmarried daughters. They are the last of a small +people that disappears without leaving any traces +behind. We know nothing of their habits or of their +language. Probably the Fuegians Darwin found in +Good Success Bay belonged to this people.</p> + +<p>We left Quensel in Harberton and continued east +in spite of a falling barometer in order to try a landing +in Slogget Bay. This place also had been visited by +J. G. Andersson and is of importance for the determination +of the age of the Cordillera. After having passed +the woody Picton Island, we came out into open water. +We got a gale of wind, and turned back to land on +Picton, but had not gone far before the weather +looked better again, so we started to run our old course. +Slogget Bay is quite open to winds from south and east +which often make landing impossible. Inside the +point we saw a good landing-place, where two men +soon appeared. We hurriedly got hold of some necessary +things and rowed on shore. The two fellows +were the only people left of the gold-digging company; +one of them was in charge of the place and invited us +to come to his house. We had an hour’s hard walk +along the broken rocks covered by decaying seaweed,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</span> +spreading a nauseous smell. The establishment looked +very imposing: numerous buildings in two lines; +near the mouth of a stream stood a large dredge; but +no work was going on. The men were left to look after +the place and keep the machinery from rusting. Still +they did not know if the company was going to continue +the work or not.</p> + +<p>Gold has been found in many places in Tierra del +Fuego. Nearly all rivers carry some though only in +small quantities; and in several places in the loose +coastal barranca the precious metal has been found. +At such places at first very rich finds were made, but +no one thought that these might be the result of the +sea’s carrying down and washing the sand for thousands +of years and thus would not believe that after the first rich +harvest had been gathered, it would become much more +difficult to get anything. The gold fever broke out, +hundreds of people hastened there. In the parts where +we were just now it was Slogget Bay and Lennox Island +that attracted special attention. The gold deposits +had been discovered by a certain engineer, Popper, +famous in the history of Tierra del Fuego, a real <i>conquistador</i> +on a small scale. At first people washed by +hand and the yield was good. But the future was not +quite so golden. One company after the other was +formed and expensive machinery purchased. This +was the end of it all; the best finds had already been +made and worked and the result was not even sufficient +to pay the expenses. How many companies were +formed I do not know, but in Punta Arenas alone there +were thirty. During our visit to Patagonia the newspapers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</span> +almost every day contained the report of some +“Sociedad aurifera” winding-up—only in name was +it “aurifera.” When we left Punta Arenas to go home +people had still some belief in the establishment of +Lennox Island, and the descriptions we got from some +shareholders sounded very promising. One thing we +understood that quite as much money had been spent +in fine dwelling-houses, electric light, hot and cold water +in all bedrooms, &c.—as in Cutter Cove, which I am +not inclined to consider a good omen for the future. +The man in charge of Slogget, Mr. Dafonte, could tell +beautiful stories of the administration of that company.</p> + +<p>We started at once to look for the fossiliferous +deposits, which we found just east of the bay, near a +solitary rock rising like a fantastic obelisk out of the +water some fifty yards from the shore. It is very +narrow at the base and gradually widens upwards. +There is a marine flora the like of which I had not seen +since we were on the Falklands, and I secured a very +rich harvest. Both Halle and I were very pleased with +our visit, and I am sure that Mr. Dafonte enjoyed +the change offered by strangers’ company. We returned +to Harberton on the 17th to fetch Quensel and spend +the night there. How comfortable I found myself +in this truly English family! The conversation was +about old times, when the old <i>Antarctic</i> was at anchor +in the bay, and I had to tell all I knew about my comrades +and promise to convey greetings to them all. +I said good-bye to Harberton with great regret, and it +would be a matter of great satisfaction to go there again.</p> + +<p>In order to return the kindness of the Argentiners<span class="pagenum" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</span> +we went to Ushuaia and gave a dinner on board. The +best of spirits prevailed in spite of the dispute between +the two republics over the boundary farthest south, +not settled by the Award. The Argentine experts had +found out that the Beagle Channel as a boundary was +all right, but the question was: where does the channel +go to the extreme east? north or south of the Picton +and New Islands? They insist that it goes south of +these islands which should thus belong to Argentina.</p> + +<p>When we left Ushuaia we had the most lovely weather, +bringing out all the splendours of the Northwest Arm. +Even Halle who is a great enthusiast for the Pampas +expressed his admiration. The last night was spent +in Puerto Edwards, a typical Fuegian cove on the south +coast of the Brecknock peninsula. Without any +adventure we rounded it, cast a last glance on the +channel scenery that had become so familiar to us, +and for the last time beheld the menacing silhouette of +Cape Froward. Late in the evening, on March 20, we +were back again in Punta Arenas.</p> + +<p>Again I had to find out means of getting to Buenos +Aires in the cheapest manner possible with all our +bulky luggage. I went to the Argentine Consul, who +told me that he had just purchased a steamer for his +Government, and after some time it would proceed to +Buenos Aires to be delivered to the authorities. I +wired to the Minister of Marine and got his permission +to use the steamer. But all this would have been quite +unnecessary had I only got the telegrams waiting for +me on my arrival. I got them the next day. There +was an answer from the Argentine Government saying<span class="pagenum" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</span> +that, as there was no steamer running from Punta +Arenas, cabins on the first Kosmos steamer passing were +put gratuitously at our disposal. Of course we were very +grateful for this new proof of Argentine generosity. +Our luggage was brought up by the above-mentioned +steamer, which carried nothing else.</p> + +<p>On the 25th we went on board the fine steamer, the +<i>Thessalia</i>, and in the most agreeable weather and +company we left Punta Arenas for good, the town of +iron-houses, gramophones and cocktails, but also of +strenuous work and commercial industry. It was not +without regret we saw it disappear. How much friendship, +sympathy and assistance had we not met with +there. To the very last moment the Consul, Mr. Manns, +whose home was always open to us, helped us in every +way, and thanks to him and all the others, too numerous +to mention, we could look back on a Magellanic Expedition +brought to a happy end. On the 30th we arrived +in Montevideo, where the Consul, Mr. Rogberg, came on +board to welcome us and took us round the town once +more. The next morning we were in Buenos Aires.</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>Already before we left Sweden Halle had made up a +scheme to visit Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil before going +back, in order to study certain deposits belonging to the +<i>Glossopteris</i>-series that had been the object of his special +attention during the journey.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f50"> +<img src="images/fig50.jpg" alt="panorama"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Panorama south-west side of Lake Acigami. Tierra del Fuego.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f51"> +<img src="images/fig51.jpg" alt="winter"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">“The Winter’s bark.” Tierra del Fuego.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>I had planned another trip for Quensel and myself, +a voyage to South Georgia, the remote island on the +verge of the Antarctic Sea. I knew this island well +enough, but had important reasons for a second visit, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</span>and Quensel very much wanted to see this supposed +outpost of the Andes. Anyhow, it is closely connected +with the region we had just left.</p> + +<p>When in December 1903 the members of the <i>Antarctic</i> +Expedition returned to Buenos Aires, rescued by the +Argentine ship, the <i>Uruguay</i>, Captain Larsen who had +got news of the Norwegian law against whaling was +able to interest some people there to make a try south +and later the “Compañia Argentina de Pesca” started. +With the permission of Great Britain the company built +a station on South Georgia and commenced work in +1905. We had generously been granted passages on one +of the company’s vessels. The s.s. <i>Cachalote</i> was ready +to sail when we came to Buenos Aires, and on April 2 +we again left the metropolis of South America and the +civilized world.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c20">CHAPTER XX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c less sp">A WINTER TRIP TO SOUTH GEORGIA</p> + + +<p><span class="smcap large">Again</span> we are alone with sky and sea. The future +looks bright, we lie flat on the deck in the sun enjoying +our siesta, a company of five, we two, Captain Esbensen, +his wife and brother-in-law, all three Norwegians.</p> + +<p>Like the quiet flow of a river the first days went by. +Then, suddenly the engines stopped. There was +much wondering and asking of questions. We had +certainly noticed that they had begun to make some +unusual noise, but did not think much of it. A closer +investigation supplied no explanation; they were set +going again, but the noise increased more and more. +Again they were taken to pieces, but it was impossible +to discover whence the mysterious sound could proceed. +By a mere chance the fault was found. One +of the cranks was loose on the shaft and we could not +continue until such a serious fault had been put right. +The engineers shook their heads and set to work without +delay. Disabled, we lay adrift, but the weather kept +fine. Far off a full-rigged vessel passed at a good speed—how +we did envy her! Two bolts from opposite +sides were driven through the crank and into the shaft, +but this work which took a whole day proved futile. +The engine worked silently some few minutes, then the +bolts were driven out by the rotation and we had to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</span> +stop again. A new dodge was tried; a bolt of steel +being driven right through crank and shaft and clenched +at both ends. The weather had changed and we knew +that we had gone south. The north-west wind was +blowing very fresh; there was a high sea running and +we might get a gale at any moment. On deck the crew +was busy rigging yards on the short masts and making +sails out of old tarpaulins so that we might get some +way on the boat. Those who had nothing to do fished +for albatrosses with a hook baited with a piece of meat. +The repairs took a day and a half, but the bolt, one +inch in diameter, held for one night only and then was +literally cut into three pieces. There was now only the +slight hope left that we could make a still thicker bolt +and also replace the axle-journal, filling in the semicircular +notches in crank and shaft, with a new one. +If this did not hold, we could do nothing more. We +could not get enough sail on to steer against wind and +sea. Where would currents and waves bear us? +Certainly not to South Georgia—we were already making +jokes about our visit to Cape Town or to Australia. +But long before that the sea would probably smash up +the ship and drown us all!</p> + +<p>Eager expectation could be read in all faces when the +engines were once more set going. We were already +at April 10 and ought to have been at our destination. +Every five minutes we went to listen but no strange +tunes were heard.</p> + +<p>The storm came. Long enough had it threatened us. +It was Easter Eve; and we took turns in balancing a +big tureen in which the eggs for the traditional toddy<span class="pagenum" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</span> +were beaten up. Why should we abandon a good +custom merely because of being on board a sick ship in +the South Atlantic? The night was very uncomfortable. +Our berths were situated just above the screw, which +was revolving more in the air than in the water, and it +was only because I was used to things of that sort that +I was able to sleep. In the morning our yard hung +naked, for the wind had robbed us of four of our five +small sails. More than ever was it necessary that the +engine should hold, and we did not venture to go at +more than half speed. It felt like being on slippery +ice and our anxiety increased when the fog came and +with it the fear of icebergs, which according to the +captain’s experiences might turn up at any moment.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f52"> +<img src="images/fig52.jpg" alt="factory"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Norwegian Factory, South Georgia.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f53"> +<img src="images/fig53.jpg" alt="meeting"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Skottsberg.</span> <span class="smcap space">Larsen.</span> <span class="smcap">Andersson.</span></p> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">A meeting in South Georgia.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Again the engines started to be noisy, the above-mentioned +axle-journal threatened to creep out of position +and had repeatedly to be driven in again. Should +we reach our destination? Finally, on the 15th, +the island came in sight. We had longed for it as if it +were the Promised Land itself, and there it lay, the +lonely isle, shining white, shimmering through the grey +fogs! It proved impossible to reach Cumberland Bay +the same day and we had to spend another pitch-dark +night on an angry sea and with a wretched on-shore +wind. The fear of drifting ashore made us work out +from the coast, which soon disappeared in a blinding +snow-storm. The easterly wind died, but we got a gale +from the north-west instead, and in the morning made +the pleasant discovery that we had driven past Cumberland +Bay. We also understood by our course that +we had passed across the dangerous Nansen-reef, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</span>where the <i>Fridtjof Nansen</i> struck some years ago and +went down like a stone, nine people losing their lives. +A mere chance had saved us from sharing their fate. +The wind was too stormy to permit of our beating up +against it, and not until the next day did we see land +again. The points grew familiar to me, and in bright +sunshine we passed Mt. Duse and turned into the cove. +It was seven years since—I remembered a virgin Pot +Harbour with luxuriant tussock-grass and roaring sea-elephants. +There is the point where we found the big +pots and the old boat; a small observatory now stands +there. Now the harbour lies quite open to the eyes. +A strong smell of whale-oil mingles with the stink of +the numerous carcasses on the shore where thousands +of screaming gulls and cape-pigeons have an everlasting +feast. Some buildings are seen on the shore +at the foot of an abrupt mountain-wall; they are half +hidden by boats, coal-heaps and oil-barrels; people are +running to and fro, funnels smoke, a whistle gives a +hoarse prolonged note——</p> + +<p class="gtb">******</p> + +<p>South Georgia which is of about the size of the +Swedish Island Gotland, extends between 54° and 55° +S. lat. and 36° and 38° W. long. A look at a map of +the world readily suggests the idea that the island is +part of a sunken mountain-fold, running from the Andes +over South Georgia, the South Sandwiches and Orkneys, +to Graham Land. The geological survey to a certain +degree confirms this opinion, but the great depths +between the different links in this broken chain are +difficult to explain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</span></p> + +<p>South Georgia is a much folded steep mountain-ridge, +running north-west to south-east and cut by deep +inlets on both sides. Its height probably exceeds 6500 +feet though only very few summits have been measured +with exactitude. The impression of the island is wild, +but grand: the mountains are very steep, the summits +sometimes have a rather fantastic shape and everywhere +eternal ice and snow stand out against the black +slates. The interior is more or less covered by a mantle +of ice, the flap of which hangs down into the valleys, +often reaching the water in the innermost corner of an +inlet. Their mouths are the oases in South Georgia, +where the plant-world thrives and animals have found +means of existence.</p> + +<p>It cannot be expected that a land with the nature of +South Georgia should have a mild climate. The variations +in temperature are very slight; in the summer +it is some centigrades above, in the winter some centigrades +below zero—the average being a little lower than +in the Falklands—and unsettled weather is the most +prominent climatic feature here also, for the sunshine +may be interrupted by a snow-storm, regardless of +whether it is summer or winter. The strong south-westerly +gales are terrible, nor are the local hurricanes +less terrifying, rushing down the glaciers almost without +a warning and threshing the water into a thick white +smoke looking like fog at a distance. The annual fall +of snow and rain is large. During the winter snow +mostly falls, sometimes forming a continuous covering +thick enough to hide even the tussock-grass. This is +the same fine plant that we met with in the Falklands,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</span> +but in South Georgia it everywhere puts its mark on +the coastal region; on the shingles there is a nice +and uniform covering, but on the steep slopes it grows +patchwise and shows great gaps where it looks as if it +had slid down and landed in disorder on the debris +below. The tussock-grass must take the place of both +trees and bushes in South Georgia. It ends rather +suddenly inland and is replaced by a scanty meadow-or +grass-tundra, where some insignificant flowers are +also seen. The cryptogamic plants play a more prominent +part and are of great interest, as many of them +have only been found here. South Georgia is the Juan +Fernandez of mosses.</p> + +<p>The flora of the sea is also very remarkable and indeed +it was this that made me undertake a second expedition +to the remote island. Most people are more attracted +by animal life. The place of honour is held by the sea-elephant +(<i>Macrorhinus leoninus</i>). It is the largest +seal living, a plump, yellow-brown creature anything up +to twenty feet long; only the old males reach this +length, the females being much smaller and more +slender. The name refers to the faculty of the male of +blowing his nose into a short trunk when angry. This +remarkable animal, of a distinctly ancient type, is +confined to some islands in the south and has greatly +decreased in number. It will probably prove necessary +for the English authorities to forbid hunting him on +South Georgia. I was told that American sealers do a +good deal of poaching on the west side of the island. +Other kinds of seals are also found, especially the +sea-leopard (<i>Ogmorhinus leptonyx</i>); but the southern<span class="pagenum" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</span> +fur-seal (<i>Arctocephalus australis</i>) seems to be extinct here. +Bird life is abundant. Most of the species are oceanic; +cape-pigeons and petrels have their nests round the black +peaks, and on small “tussock-islands” the largest +bird of the oceans, the big albatross (<i>Diomedea exulans</i>) +breeds. Two species of penguins have small rookeries, +amongst them the king-penguin, hardly less magnificent +than his imperial cousin of the Antarctic. But one +is still more attracted by the small land-birds, the +edible teal duck (<i>Querquedula Eatoni</i>) and the small +titlark (<i>Anthus antarcticus</i>), remarkably enough endemic +in the island, merrily hopping about round the +streams.</p> + +<p>In a short while we were moored alongside the quay. +Larsen’s stout figure appeared; I had heard that after +his visit to the South Sandwich Islands, he had been +taken seriously ill. Now he looked himself again, and +we slapped each other’s backs properly. In the dwelling-house +another old acquaintance received me, the +cook of the <i>Antarctic</i>, Axel Andersson, who stayed in his +kitchen, day in and day out, during the long severe +winter on Paulet Island in biting cold, half choked by +the nauseous smoke from the blubber. A remarkable +encounter indeed; three old comrades re-united after +seven years on one of the places where they had camped +together. The place had changed more than we; +I hardly knew Pot Harbour with its shores spoilt and +its air polluted. With great satisfaction we found the +low land to be free of snow, and the first excursion gave +good results. Judge of our surprise when the winter +suddenly arrived! It snowed day and night, and did<span class="pagenum" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</span> +not stop until the ground was covered by snow, two feet +deep, under which the plants remained out of reach. +We comforted ourselves with the fervent hope that +the snow would melt within a few days, and I started +to work on the seaweeds, for here the snow could +not hinder me. The results obtained gave me reason +to be contented with the journey, in spite of the prophecy +of mild weather never coming true, for it was not +a passing snow-storm, but the long winter that had come +in earnest. It is obvious that Quensel could hardly +make any geological observations, but there was no help +for it. Our good luck had at last abandoned us.</p> + +<p>Larsen was kind enough to put a steamer, originally +purchased to tow whales with, at our disposal for a +trip round the fiords, but we put it off as long as we could +hope to get suitable weather. Waiting, however, +seemed hopeless and we set out. On April 24 the <i>Undine</i> +left Pot Harbour—seven years earlier, also in Cumberland +Bay the Swedish Antarctic Expedition had celebrated +the deed of the <i>Vega</i>. It was the first fine day +since our arrival. The island lay there, radiant in all +its Antarctic beauty, with every summit clear and +sharp. We steered out to the sea and then followed +the coast for some distance, making a visit to the so-called +Strömnaes fiord. There were three whaling +steamers belonging to a Tönsberg Company, laid up +for the winter. Larsen’s company was all but alone +on the island at that date, and the only one with a land +station by means of which it is possible to make far more +out of the whales than by floating boilers. They all +come from Norway to spend the favourable season.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</span> +According to Larsen there is already to be noticed a +certain decrease in the number of whales, and by-and-by +the Governor of the Falklands will have to regulate +the whaling in some manner or the Colony will lose an +important part of its income. Whalers have now reached +the Antarctic Islands also and there are stations on +the South Orkneys and also on Deception Island, the +famous old crater.</p> + +<p>We continued north along the coast, passed the +entrances of several fiords and entered the Bay of Isles. +The fine weather was gone again, an easterly gale and +snow and fog came after us at a gallop, and we anchored +at the very last moment before an impenetrable mist +had hidden land and water from us. Had not Captain +Angell been so familiar with all corners here, the night +would have been rather unpleasant. The <i>Undine</i>, +which is built on very elegant lines and makes good speed, +was once Queen Victoria of England’s pleasure-yacht; +in her declining years she still bears evidence of having +seen better days. The large saloons and cabins with +their real mahogany fittings tell us that we are not +on board a common tug.</p> + +<p>The bad weather continued, but we were able to spend +the next day on shore. At night the wind increased, +and in the morning we had terrible weather with a +mixture of rain, snow, and hail. However, we resolved +to set out and came out in the heavy sea round Cape +Buller. Just before nightfall we ran into a shallow +bay, called by the Norwegian whalers Rightwhale +Cove. The wind grew more and more squally, a menacing +bank of leaden clouds gathered in a westerly direction<span class="pagenum" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</span> +and the night was indeed anything but pleasant. +We had two anchors out and the engines ready, but every +now and then the captain went on deck to have a look +at the situation, for the hurricane was so terrible and +the strains on the chains so violent, that every moment +we expected to see them break. In the morning the +same conditions prevailed, and it was hardly possible +to stand on deck. Through the white foam we heard +the roaring of the sea-elephants in the tussock, but +could not see them nor get the least glimpse of land, +in spite of being so near. Now and then came a sharp +and sudden snow-squall. It was a pity that we had +not got an anemometer; the iron-rail round the bridge +was bent by the pressure of the canvas, which perhaps +gives an idea of the velocity of the wind. Down in the +saloon we read or played cards and looked at the +barographer, the index of which jumped a couple of +millimetres at a time. In the evening the weather +improved and we had a tolerably calm night. But alas! +our time was up; we expected that the <i>Cachalote</i> would +be ready to leave and with sore hearts we had to abandon +our schemes of visiting the west coast. Settled good +weather could not be expected, so although another +snowstorm came on we left the harbour, and made for +the station. The fog was so dense that after half an +hour we had lost every landmark and wondered how we +should find our way back. Then, as if by magic, the +fog lay behind us like a wall and we were out in the +sunshine. We found ourselves outside Strömnaes Bay +and were soon back in Pot Harbour.</p> + +<p>During our absence the three small steamers had been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</span> +out fishing and got several whales, two of them right +whales (<i>Balaena australis</i>), but once more the cutting-up +decks were empty and it looked as if we should leave +South Georgia without having seen whale-fishing. The +weather was still miserable and the <i>Cachalote</i> had soon +taken in her cargo. But then prospects lightened. +On the last of April the steamers were out again and +came back in the night with one right whale and some +humpbacks, and at once we made up our minds to go +with one of them as many whales were reported forty +miles from the coast. Hurriedly we took our oilskins +and climbed on board, and the next moment the <i>Karl</i> +started. She is a modern whaler, built of steel and +specially constructed for the purpose; in comparison +with her size (about 150 tons), the engines and winches +may be described as very powerful. In the bows +is the short, thick gun; it is loaded, and the point of +the harpoon, where the shell is, protrudes from the +mouth. From there a strong hawser goes down into +the hull, where innumerable fathoms lie neatly coiled +ready to run out.</p> + +<p>From the mast-head single whales are seen blowing, +but it is not worth while going after them, if one is sure +that there is a school further out. Now we catch sight +of one of the other steamers. With the glasses we see +that her line is taut; evidently there is a fish on the +hook, and soon we are amidst the school. Monsters dive +up everywhere, swimming in long files, blowing and +snorting, a little more of the fat shining back is seen, +for an instant the “hump” is above water and then +the beast disappears. They come and go all round, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</span>not the least disturbed by our presence; the water is +thick with their food, small crustaceans and other +marine organisms, and they are not inclined to leave +their good feeding-grounds, for they do not understand +that the “steel-whales” are armed to the teeth and +are only waiting for a chance to spread death and destruction +among them.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="f54"> +<img src="images/fig54.jpg" alt="whale"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Humpback Whale, upside down, South Georgia.</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f55"> +<img src="images/fig55.jpg" alt="whale"> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Three right whales. South Georgia.</span></p> +</div> + +<p>Now we open the ball. The small, bearded “gunner,” +who is also captain of the ship, takes up his position +behind the gun. Three big humpbacks come swimming +obliquely towards us: “Stop ... hard port ... slow +ahead!” With a steady hand he sights and fires the +gun—shell and harpoon are buried in the shining back—a +sudden jerk and the rope runs out at a tremendous +speed! As he dives the whale sends a cloud of blood +from his nostrils; then a dull report is heard, the shell +has burst, and soon he rises to the surface dead. As +the shot is fired the fuse of the shell takes fire and burns, +casting the sparks backwards for four seconds; then +a spark reaches the charge, which instantly explodes +and kills the whale, if the shot is a good one. Naturally +it is important that the shell does not explode too early. +The animal is hauled in under the bows; a chain is fixed +round the caudal fin and the beast is hauled up to the +gunwhale. The rope of the harpoon is cut and so are +the big wings of the fin, for they would check the ship’s +speed too much. A mark is put at the edge of the fin +indicating that only <i>one</i> harpoon has been used; the +harpooner sets his private mark, the chain is fixed +properly, the tail lowered, and we are ready for another +shot. Meanwhile we have been able to follow the movements<span class="pagenum" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</span> +of the other steamer on the battle-field, and this +is not less interesting. They have got another whale, +but did not manage him and he is swimming at quite a +fair speed towing the vessel behind him. They disappear +in the fog, and come out again after a while. +The beast has still got strength left and, snorting blood, +he joins two others and tries to keep up with them, +but at last tires, is hauled within range and a second +harpoon finishes him on the spot.</p> + +<p>We set to work again and got another whale before +dark. With a nice fish on each bow we turn back. +Both are humpback whales (<i>Megaptera</i>); we have seen +both blue and fin-whales, but were not equipped with +ropes strong enough to hold them. They are not +generally killed by one harpoon, but often run out the +line to the end and set off at a tremendous speed, mad +with rage. It sometimes happens that one must cut +the line after a wild chase of several hours.</p> + +<p>The day’s catch is worth about £160, but had we got +out sooner the sum would have been double. There are +days when all the steamers come in with four whales +each; that means money, and the harpooner has +reason to be satisfied, too, as for every full-grown +humpback he gets ten crowns extra; if it is a right whale +he puts one hundred crowns in his pocket. But a good +right whale is worth five or six hundred pounds. This +species is nearly related to the big Balaena of the north. +Its great value lies in the baleens which are from six +to eight feet long.</p> + +<p>Night has come and we must try to find the station. +The snow-fog is very thick, the moonlight cannot<span class="pagenum" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</span> +penetrate it. We have two whales to tow and progress +is slow. Sometimes we lie down on a sofa, trying to +sleep, but soon curiosity drives us out again to look at +the weather. It is still snowing, and pitch dark—better +to sleep, if we can, in spite of the heavy rolling.</p> + +<p>I wake up as the engines stop and go out on deck to +look. We are close on the shore, a mountain wall +rises over our heads and all round there are masses of +kelp. The captain does not know where we are, but +after a while he realises that we have come too far south. +We back out again and change our course, old landmarks +appear, well-known snow-patches, and soon we are +back in Pot Harbour which is asleep in the silent winter-night. +It is 3.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> when we plunge into the snowdrifts +to reach the house. Who knows if we should +have gone to bed earlier had we been in Upsala. Yesterday +it was May 1.<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> And a rather original one too!</p> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> At the Swedish universities May 1 is a day of great feasting +and rejoicing.</p> + +</div> + +<p>The whales are moored round buoys and jetties. +Most of them belly-up, showing the long, peculiar +furrows. Some are so filled with gases that they look +like balloons ready to burst. Now comes the slicing +and stripping. Tail first they are winched up on to the +cutting-up stage, where some men provided with long-handled +knives, are ready to receive them. First the +curious crustaceans—which live in their houses on the +whale, profiting from his rich hunting-ground—must be +plucked off; they are fine large colonies of Balanids, +leading a very easy and comfortable life. Slice after +slice of blubber is cut off, the fat round the intestines<span class="pagenum" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</span> +and the tongue are also taken, as well as the gigantic +cheek-bones. The meat is edible if not very delicious. +The blubber is sent to a machine which cuts it into +thin slices, and then it is carried into the big tanks, +where it is boiled down to oil for twenty-four hours. +The cheekbones are sawn up and put into a closed +tank, where steam under high pressure is sent in; the +water is drawn off and the oil collected. The baleens +are treated in a special house. They are well washed +in a small stream, are scraped and brushed, dried, +polished and packed into bags.</p> + +<p>On May 4 the <i>Cachalote</i> was ready—as ready as she +could get. The engineers had done all they could, but +any day the new bolt might give, and Larsen dared +not send the steamer alone to Buenos Aires, but let +the <i>Undine</i> accompany her. It was a long journey +as we had bad weather at first. It was very pleasant +to stand on the bridge looking at the <i>Undine</i>, for she +rolled so heavily that we sometimes could see the keel. +Quensel had not felt very comfortable in the stern +of the <i>Cachalote</i> and preferred to go by the other steamer, +where he got a berth amidship, but nothing could make +us leave our old vessel with her excellent kitchen. +The table of the <i>Undine</i> was very simple. One day we +killed a fat goose and by means of signal-flags the +passengers of the <i>Undine</i> were invited to come on board +and have dinner with us. In order to annoy them we +also signalled the word “goose.” Come they could not, +for it was impossible to put a boat off. They answered +us very impolitely!</p> + +<p>After some days the engines began to give trouble and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</span> +we tried to get a hawser on board the <i>Undine</i>, but failed +owing to the heavy sea. She was to tow us when repairing. +The next afternoon we repeated the experiment +with better success. On May 14 land was seen, and the +day after we were moored in the Boca, one of Buenos +Aires suburbs, and I dare say all of us felt pleased that +the somewhat adventurous passage had come to a +happy conclusion.</p> + +<p>In Buenos Aires we had to wait some time before +there was a Swedish steamer. Halle came back from +his journey; he had not been troubled by snow or +storm, and was pleased with everything. On May 23 +we went on board the <i>Crown Princess Victoria</i>, belonging +to the Johnson Line. We had a delightful run and shall +always remember the captain, Mr. Camp, the officers +and crew, with feelings of deep gratitude. It was agreeable +to get a good rest under a tropical sun after so much +hard work. But better than anything we had experienced +in our various travels, was the perfume of the +young birch trees from the Scandinavian skerries, +which came in sight on June 21. On that same day +we arrived in Christiania, and by different routes the +members of the expedition hastened to their homes in +Sweden.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c21">INDEX</h2> +</div> + +<ul class="index"> +<li class="ifrst">Acevedo, Captain P., <a href="#Page_297">297</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Acigami, Lake, <a href="#Page_300">300</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boat excursion on, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">high summits west of, <a href="#Page_301">301</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Aconcagua, Mount, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">river journey along, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Adalbert Channel, passing through, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Adam, Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Admiralty Inlet, nature of, <a href="#Page_38">38</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Albatross Channel, passing through, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Albatrosses, fishing of, <a href="#Page_315">315</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Alerce, <a href="#Page_108">108</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Allardyce, W. L., <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Allen, A. L., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Allen Gardiner Bay, visit to, <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Alm</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_90">90</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Alstrœmeria</i>, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ancud, aspect of, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">cathedral, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">harbour, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">plaza, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">schools, <a href="#Page_107">107</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Andersson, A., <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Andersson, J. G., <a href="#Page_vii">vii</a>, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_303">303</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Andersson, K., <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Andrew Sound, visit to, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Anita Channel, narrow passage in, <a href="#Page_82">82</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Antarctic Expedition, <a href="#Page_40">40</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Anthus antarcticus</i>, <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Antiguos River, adventurous descent to, <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Arauco district, geological survey in, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Arauz Bay, seeking refuge in, <a href="#Page_74">74</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Arctocephalus australis</i>, <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Argentino, Lake, boat excursion on, <a href="#Page_272">272</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">icebergs, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">storms, <a href="#Page_275">275</a>, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Aristotelia magui</i>, <a href="#Page_137">137</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Armadillo, <a href="#Page_209">209</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Arrayán, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Asado, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_169">169</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Aspero, Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_235">235</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Auchenia huanaco</i>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Aysen Valley, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">excursion to the Pacific, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">roads, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_194">194</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Azara, Lake, boat excursion on, <a href="#Page_234">234</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Azara lanceolata</i>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Azopardo River, camping at, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">canvas boat on, <a href="#Page_57">57</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Azopardo Valley, <a href="#Page_41">41</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Baguales Mountains, South Patagonia, crossing of, <a href="#Page_267">267</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Baguales Range, Aysen Valley, crossing of, <a href="#Page_194">194</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bahia del Padre, visit to, <a href="#Page_143">143</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Baker Company, <a href="#Page_86">86</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Baker Inlet, visit to, <a href="#Page_86">86</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Baker, River, crossing of, <a href="#Page_239">239</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">sources, <a href="#Page_225">225</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Balæna australis</i>, <a href="#Page_324">324</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Balanids on whales, <a href="#Page_327">327</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Baleens, treatment of, <a href="#Page_328">328</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bamboo, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bariloche, visit to, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">departure from, <a href="#Page_165">165</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Barrow Cove, visit to, <a href="#Page_298">298</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bay of Isles, visit to, <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Beagle Channel, ancient shore-lines in, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">glaciers, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature of east part, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">of west part, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>, <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Belgrano, Lake, camping on, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boat excursion, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature of, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">shallow part, <a href="#Page_237">237</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Benney, Messrs., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Berberís buxifolia</i>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>Darwinii</i>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Berthon boats, excursions with, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, <a href="#Page_247">247</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bertrand, R., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Betbeder Valley, survey of, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Billing, J., <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bismarck Glacier, remarkable nature of, <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Blanco, Mount, <a href="#Page_236">236</a> (west of Lake Belgrano); <a href="#Page_287">287</a> (west of Payne)</li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Blechnum magellanicum</i>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Boklund, Mr., <a href="#Page_133">133</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bolus, Mr., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bordes, J., <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Brand, Mr., <a href="#Page_190">190</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Brecknock Passage, <a href="#Page_298">298</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bridges, Th., <a href="#Page_302">302</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bridges, W., <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Brockow, C., <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Brookes, Mr., <a href="#Page_205">205</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Brunel, A., <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Bueno, Point, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Indians in, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Buenos Aires, Lake, visit to, <a href="#Page_206">206</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_266">266</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Buller, Cape, <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Burbury, T., <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>, <a href="#Page_278">278</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Cabeza del Mar, nature of, <a href="#Page_295">295</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Cachalote</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">damage to, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Calafate,” <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Calbuco, volcano, <a href="#Page_158">158</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cameron, A., <a href="#Page_271">271</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Camp, V., <a href="#Page_329">329</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Campsidium chilense</i>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Canelo,” <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cangrejo River, camping at, <a href="#Page_260">260</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Canis Azaræ</i>, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>falklandicus</i>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Caracoles, railway station, <a href="#Page_130">130</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Carbón River, valley of, <a href="#Page_243">243</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Casma</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_134">134</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Castillo farm, visit to, <a href="#Page_268">268</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Castro, appearance and history of, <a href="#Page_117">117</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cattle, Mr., <a href="#Page_265">265</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Centinela, Mount, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">valley of, <a href="#Page_267">267</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Cereus</i>, <a href="#Page_128">128</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chacao Channel, <a href="#Page_106">106</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chaigneau, F., <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chalía River, sources of, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Challenger Expedition, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Charqui” (dried meat), <a href="#Page_111">111</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chasm Reach, echo in, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Chaura,” <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Chicha,” <a href="#Page_110">110</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chilcas River, camping at, <a href="#Page_213">213</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chile, central valley of, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">longitudinal railway, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">national feast, <a href="#Page_132">132</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chilean money, fluctuation of, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Chiliotrichum diffusum</i>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chiloé, bullock-carts, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Catholic church, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">culture of potatoes, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">excursions on horseback, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">flamingos, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">forests, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">life in, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">oysters, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">roads, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">valuable timber, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">whaling, <a href="#Page_112">112</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chilotes, character of, <a href="#Page_109">109</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Chloëphaga</i>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Chubut River, crossing of, <a href="#Page_175">175</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Chusquea colihue</i>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>quila</i>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Ciruelillo,” <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cisnes Valley, excursion into, <a href="#Page_188">188</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ciudad de los Césares, <a href="#Page_151">151</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Clarke, Mr., <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cobb, F. E., <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Cochamó Company, <a href="#Page_184">184</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cochayuyo, <a href="#Page_110">110</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Colihue</i>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Compañía, Argentina de Pesca, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">comercial y Ganadera Chile-Argentina, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">industrial del Rio Aysen, <a href="#Page_193">193</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Concepcion, visit to, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Condor, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Condor</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_298">298</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Consuelo Harbour, visit to, <a href="#Page_288">288</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Contreras, Mount, <a href="#Page_268">268</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Copihue,” <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_254">254</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Corcolén</i>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Corcovado Gulf, volcanoes, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>, <a href="#Page_122">122</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Mount Corcovado, landing at, <a href="#Page_123">123</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Corintos River, crossing of, <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Coronel, visit to, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Corral, visit to, <a href="#Page_125">125</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cox, G., <a href="#Page_153">153</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Coyaike bajo, visit to, <a href="#Page_193">193</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Crown Princess Victoria</i>, steamer, returning on, <a href="#Page_329">329</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Ctenomys magellanicus</i>, <a href="#Page_189">189</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cuarenta Dias Harbour, visit to, <a href="#Page_79">79</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cumberland Bay, <a href="#Page_317">317</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Curtis, Mr., <a href="#Page_129">129</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cutter Cove, visit to, <a href="#Page_63">63</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Cypress, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Dafonte, Mr., <a href="#Page_310">310</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Darwin, Ch., <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>, + <a href="#Page_299">299</a>, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Darwin Glacier, <a href="#Page_300">300</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Harbour, <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Dasypus minutus</i>, <a href="#Page_209">209</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Dawson Island, visit to mission station, <a href="#Page_35">35</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Day, R., <a href="#Page_183">183</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Deseado, Lake, excursion to, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">River, nature of, <a href="#Page_212">212</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Diaz Palacios, Lake, <a href="#Page_62">62</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Diomedea chlororhyncha</i>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>exulans</i>, <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Donoso, Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_281">281</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Douglas Bay, visit to mission station, <a href="#Page_302">302</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Dreyfus, Mr., <a href="#Page_112">112</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Drimys Winteri</i>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Duc d’Aumale</i>, sailing vessel, <a href="#Page_15">15</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Dun, Mr., <a href="#Page_193">193</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Durvillea</i>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Dusén, P., <a href="#Page_156">156</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Eberhard, H., <a href="#Page_288">288</a>, <a href="#Page_291">291</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Edwards, Port, <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ekdahl, G., <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Embothrium coccineum</i>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Empetrum rubrum</i>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></li> + +<li class="indx">English-Argentine Land Company, <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> + +<li class="indx">English Harbour, landing in, <a href="#Page_142">142</a></li> + +<li class="indx">English Narrows, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Escallonia</i>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Escarpada Island, old Indian camp on, <a href="#Page_66">66</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Esguel Mountains, <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Espersen, Mr., <a href="#Page_205">205</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Eudyptes chrysocome</i>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">remarkable track of, <a href="#Page_17">17</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Evangelistas Islands, landing on, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature of, <a href="#Page_81">81</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Excelsior Sound, Indian portage in, <a href="#Page_101">101</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Fagnano, Lake, appearance of, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">arrival at, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boat trip on, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">camp at, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">depth of, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history of exploration, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">return from, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">road past, <a href="#Page_306">306</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Falkland Islands, albatross rookery, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">alpine plants, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">bishop, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boggy ground, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">climate, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">climate during Ice Age, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">fossil forest, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">foxes, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">lack of trees, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">marine life, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">mountainous district, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">origin of stone-runs, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">outlying islands, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">penguin rookery, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">position, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">riding in, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">sheepfarming, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">shepherds, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">tidal currents, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">tussock grass, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">wild cattle, <a href="#Page_12">12</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Falkland Island Company, <a href="#Page_4">4</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fallos Channel, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Felis concolor</i>, <a href="#Page_203">203</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Felix Lighthouse, <a href="#Page_90">90</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Felton, A., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>, <a href="#Page_15">15</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fenix River, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">vegetation at, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">water-divide of, <a href="#Page_212">212</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ferrier, W., <a href="#Page_280">280</a>, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fitzroy’s excursion in Patagonia, <a href="#Page_152">152</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fitzroy Channel, <a href="#Page_65">65</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Fitzroya Patagonica</i>, <a href="#Page_108">108</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Flach, C., <a href="#Page_185">185</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Foley, Ch., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fonck, C., <a href="#Page_153">153</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fontaine River, survey of valley, <a href="#Page_44">44</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fósiles River, floating soil at sources, <a href="#Page_244">244</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">geological discoveries at, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">mountain pass, <a href="#Page_245">245</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fortuna, Port, <a href="#Page_298">298</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fox Bay, visit to, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Frank, S., <a href="#Page_246">246</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fria, Laguna, <a href="#Page_160">160</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Frias Valley, excursion into, <a href="#Page_188">188</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Frio, Lago, <a href="#Page_274">274</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Froward, Cape, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Fuchsia magellanica</i>, <a href="#Page_65">65</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Fuhr, K., <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Furcifer chilensis</i>, <a href="#Page_189">189</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Furlong, Ch., <a href="#Page_307">307</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Gable Island, fossils on, <a href="#Page_306">306</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gajardo Channel, survey in, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gajardo, T., <a href="#Page_62">62</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Galapagos Islands, <a href="#Page_144">144</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gallant, Port, Indians in, <a href="#Page_77">77</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gardiner, H., <a href="#Page_152">152</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gesa Inlet, discovery of, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gio River, camping at, <a href="#Page_221">221</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Girling, W. C., <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Glacier Sound, <a href="#Page_299">299</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Glossopteris</i>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_312">312</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Glossotherium</i>, <a href="#Page_290">290</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gomez, Port, visits to, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Granfelt, G., <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Grappler, Port, Indians in, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + +<li class="indx">de Grey, Lake and River, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Guanaco, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">curiosity of, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">large herds, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_191">191</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">tracks, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, <a href="#Page_219">219</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Guia Narrows, Indians in, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Gunnera peltata</i>, <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Guyon, Mr., <a href="#Page_66">66</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Gyldén, O., <a href="#Page_1">1</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Halle, J. G., <a href="#Page_viii">viii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Harberton Harbour, visit to, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>, <a href="#Page_310">310</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Harding, W., <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> + +<li class="indx">“Harina tostada,” <a href="#Page_111">111</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hatcher Expedition, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>, <a href="#Page_242">242</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hauthal, R., <a href="#Page_155">155</a>, <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Herrera, Mr., <a href="#Page_304">304</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hielo, River, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">sources of, <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hill Cove, settlement in, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hogberg, C., <a href="#Page_240">240</a>, <a href="#Page_247">247</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Holdich, Sir J., <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hooker, Sir J. D., <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hope Bay, camping in, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_59">59</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hoste Island, <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Howard, Port, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Huafo Island, excursion to, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">forests on, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">gales, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">wild dogs, <a href="#Page_119">119</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Huapiguilan Islands, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_120">120</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Huemul, first encounter, <a href="#Page_189">189</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">hunting, <a href="#Page_218">218</a>, <a href="#Page_226">226</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">tameness, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>, <a href="#Page_283">283</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Huemul</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">aground, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">damaged, <a href="#Page_73">73</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Huilliches, <a href="#Page_105">105</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hülphers, H., <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Hush Indians, <a href="#Page_307">307</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Hymenophyllum</i>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Icy Reach, drifting ice in, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Inca Lake, <a href="#Page_130">130</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Indians of Patagonian Channels, appearance, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">food, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">future, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">garments, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">habits, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">industry, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">language, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">polygamy, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">portages, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">travels, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">weapons, <a href="#Page_96">96</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Indian canoe, construction of, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Indian interpreter, <a href="#Page_77">77</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Inocentes Channel, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Jeinemeni Valley, difficult passage, <a href="#Page_217">217</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Jerome Channel, nature of, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nightly passage, <a href="#Page_73">73</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Johow, F., <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Jones, Mr., <a href="#Page_162">162</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Joya, Lake, <a href="#Page_235">235</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Juan Fernandez Islands, arrival at, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">first appearance, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history of discovery, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">lobsters, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">magui, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">palm trees, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">remarkable flora, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">sandal tree, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">situation, <a href="#Page_134">134</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Juania australis</i>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Juncal, railway station, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Kachaik, Mount, aspect of, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Karl</i>, steamer, hunting whales on, <a href="#Page_324">324</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Kelpgeese, <a href="#Page_44">44</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Kentish Islands, <a href="#Page_88">88</a></li> + +<li class="indx">King, Cape, <a href="#Page_82">82</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Koslowsky Valley, <a href="#Page_201">201</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Krüger, P., <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Laccolites in the Andes, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>, <a href="#Page_282">282</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lacteo River, <a href="#Page_237">237</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lafonia, district, nature of, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Lafonia</i>, schooner, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Landgren, T., <a href="#Page_122">122</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lapataia, visit to, <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Larson, C. A., <a href="#Page_313">313</a>, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>, <a href="#Page_321">321</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Larus Scoresbyi</i>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Las Cuevas, railway station, <a href="#Page_131">131</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Laurel, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Laurelia serrata</i>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lebu, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lehmann-Nietsche, R., <a href="#Page_307">307</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lelej, English farm, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Leña dura, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> + +<li class="indx">León, F., <a href="#Page_152">152</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Leona River, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">bare landscape near, <a href="#Page_262">262</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Lessonia</i>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Libocedrus chilensis</i>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>tetragona</i>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lista, R., <a href="#Page_154">154</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lista Valley, aspect of, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Llanguihue Province, colonisation in, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Los Amigos, stay at, <a href="#Page_65">65</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Los Andes, visit to, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>, <a href="#Page_132">132</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lota, famous pack in, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Löwenborg, A., <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Löwenborg Lake, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Luche, <a href="#Page_110">110</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Luma, <a href="#Page_108">108</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lundberg, Mr. (Koslowsky Valley), <a href="#Page_205">205</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Lundberg, Mr. (Lapataia), <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst"><i>Macrocystis</i>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Macrorhinus leoninus</i>, <a href="#Page_319">319</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Maldonado, R., <a href="#Page_116">116</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mañiú, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mañiuales River, excursion to, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Margueirat, F., <a href="#Page_297">297</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Maria, Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Marsippospermum grandiflorum</i>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Martial Mountains, aspect of, <a href="#Page_305">305</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Masafuera Island, ascent of, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">flora, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">future, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">penal settlement, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">topography, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">wild goats, <a href="#Page_144">144</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Masatierra Island, topography of, <a href="#Page_136">136</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mascardi, Father, mission journeys of, <a href="#Page_152">152</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mascarello River, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">camping at, <a href="#Page_46">46</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mata Blanca, <a href="#Page_245">245</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Maté, <a href="#Page_49">49</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mathews, Mr., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mayer, Mr., <a href="#Page_39">39</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mayer River, <a href="#Page_242">242</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mayo River, boggy ground along, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Maytén, farm, <a href="#Page_175">175</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Maytenus magellanica</i>, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Megaptera</i>, <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Merino, J. E., <a href="#Page_117">117</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Meseta Chalia, difficult crossing of, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Meseta Guenguel, pass across, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Meseta del Viento, crossing, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Messier Channel, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Meteoro</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_76">76</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Miguens, A., <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Miller, Mr., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Mogole, Lake, <a href="#Page_236">236</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Montt, J., <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Moreno, F. P., <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, <a href="#Page_212">212</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Morro Chico, stopping at, <a href="#Page_292">292</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Moyano, Mr., <a href="#Page_153">153</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Mulinum spinosum</i>, <a href="#Page_167">167</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Müller, F., <a href="#Page_49">49</a>, <a href="#Page_54">54</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Murray Narrows, <a href="#Page_302">302</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Musters, G., <a href="#Page_153">153</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Mylodon Cave, visit to, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>, <a href="#Page_291">291</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Myrcengenia apiculata</i>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Myrtus luma</i>, <a href="#Page_108">108</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Nahuelhuapi, Lake, <a href="#Page_161">161</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Navarin Island, <a href="#Page_302">302</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ñire, <a href="#Page_41">41</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ñirehuao Valley, excursions in, <a href="#Page_191">191</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ñires River, camping at, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Nordenskiöld, E., <a href="#Page_290">290</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Nordenskjöld, O., <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ñorquinco, last telegraph office, <a href="#Page_172">172</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Nothofagus antarctica</i>, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>betuloides</i>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1"><i>pumilio</i>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_64">64</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Obstruction Sound, Indian road to, <a href="#Page_101">101</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Ogmorhinus leptonyx</i>, <a href="#Page_319">319</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Olivia, Mount, <a href="#Page_305">305</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ona Indians, <a href="#Page_306">306</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Orange Bay, visit to, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Oravia</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Oronsa</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_31">31</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Osborne, Mr., <a href="#Page_13">13</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Osorno volcano, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Otway Station, visit to, <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Otway Water, nature of, <a href="#Page_64">64</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Pacheco Island, <a href="#Page_82">82</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Packe, V., <a href="#Page_x">x</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Packsaddle Bay, visit to, <a href="#Page_304">304</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pagels, A., <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Palinurus frontalis</i>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pampa Chica, stay at, <a href="#Page_184">184</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pascua River, <a href="#Page_249">249</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Patagonia, alpine flora, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boundary dispute, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">camping in, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">cedars, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">dryness of, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">equipment for voyage in, <a href="#Page_163">163</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">forests in, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">foxes, tameness of, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">fur trade, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history of discoveries, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">horses, <a href="#Page_163">163</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">hospitality, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">journey planned, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">lamb-marking, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">life of peons, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">ostriches, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">rapid changes of temperature, <a href="#Page_211">211</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">salt-lagoons, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">solifluction, <a href="#Page_200">200</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">swamps, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">table-mountains, <a href="#Page_188">188</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">thefts of horses, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">water-birds, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">vegetation of pampas, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>, <a href="#Page_203">203</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Patagonian Channels, animal life in, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">forests, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">glaciers, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">latitudinal changes of vegetation, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">meeting Indians in, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">scenery, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">traffic, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">weather, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">western passage, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Patagonian skerries, nature of, <a href="#Page_79">79</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Payne, Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">aspect of, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">geology, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pearce, J., <a href="#Page_8">8</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Peel Inlet, survey in, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">possibility of crossing inland ice to, <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pembroke lighthouse, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Penas Gulf, visit to, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Peninsula, Lake, <a href="#Page_236">236</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Perez-Rosales Pass, crossing of, <a href="#Page_160">160</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Pernettya mucronata</i>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Peulla, arrival in, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">forests round, <a href="#Page_161">161</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pico River, visit to German settlement, <a href="#Page_188">188</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pillar cactus, <a href="#Page_128">128</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pitt Channel, bad anchorage in, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Philesia buxifolia</i>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_254">254</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Philippi, F., <a href="#Page_141">141</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Philippi, R. A., <a href="#Page_153">153</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Philomel, Port, <a href="#Page_11">11</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Poa flabellata</i>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Podocarpus nubigena</i>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Poncho, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Popper, J., <a href="#Page_309">309</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Port Egmont, old settlement in, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Port Louis, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Port Stanley, life in, <a href="#Page_3">3</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Porvenir</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Posadas, Lake, visit to, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>, <a href="#Page_224">224</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pot Harbour, changes in, <a href="#Page_317">317</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Potrancas, rivulet, <a href="#Page_242">242</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Preston, Mr., <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Primero de Mayo, <a href="#Page_297">297</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Princess Ingeborg</i>, leave Sweden on, <a href="#Page_1">1</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Principio, Mount, camping at, <a href="#Page_222">222</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pudeto River, voyage up, <a href="#Page_113">113</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pudú, <a href="#Page_115">115</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Puerto Blest, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">snowstorm in, <a href="#Page_161">161</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Puerto Montt, departure from, <a href="#Page_156">156</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Puerto Varas, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Pueyrredon, Lake, visit to, <a href="#Page_222">222</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Puma, <a href="#Page_203">203</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Punta Arenas, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_312">312</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Quebrada de las Casas, <a href="#Page_144">144</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Queen Adelaide group, <a href="#Page_82">82</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Quellon, visit to, <a href="#Page_122">122</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Quemado, Mount, camping at, <a href="#Page_177">177</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Quensel, P. D., <a href="#Page_viii">viii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Querquedula Eatoni</i>, <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Quila, <a href="#Page_115">115</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Quillango, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Ramirez, Chilean settlement, <a href="#Page_83">83</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Reeves, Mr., <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, <a href="#Page_262">262</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Reid, A., <a href="#Page_ix">ix</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Resi Inlet, discovery of, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Rhea</i>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Rhodostachys bicolor</i>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Rio Grande, excursion to, <a href="#Page_75">75</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Robinson Crusoe, <a href="#Page_135">135</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Robinson’s Grotto, <a href="#Page_143">143</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Roble, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_64">64</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Robles River, crossing of, <a href="#Page_239">239</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Roca, Lake, boat excursion on, <a href="#Page_301">301</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Rogberg, C., <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_312">312</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Rojas, B., <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Rojas River, discovery of, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Romanche Bay, visit to, <a href="#Page_299">299</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Rosario, Lake, dangerous swamps near, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Roth, C., <a href="#Page_159">159</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Roth, S., <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Roy Cove, settlement in, <a href="#Page_15">15</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Samuel Cove, visit to, <a href="#Page_118">118</a></li> + +<li class="indx">San Carlos, excursion to settlements, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> + +<li class="indx">San Clementi, Mount, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> + +<li class="indx">San Lorenzo, Mount, <a href="#Page_236">236</a></li> + +<li class="indx">San Martin, Lake, boat excursion on, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">glaciers, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">icebergs, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">terrible squalls, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> + +<li class="indx">San Pedro Island, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">primeval forest, <a href="#Page_120">120</a></li> + +<li class="indx">San Valentin, Mount, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Santa Cruz River, crossing of, <a href="#Page_264">264</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Santalum fernandezianum</i>, description of last specimen, <a href="#Page_142">142</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Santiago, Swedish colony in, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx">H.M.S. <i>Sappho</i>, arrival of, <a href="#Page_31">31</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sarmiento Channel, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sarmiento, Lake, remarkable nature of, <a href="#Page_284">284</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sarmiento, Mount, <a href="#Page_298">298</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Saunders Island, visit to, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Saunders, Mr., <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Saxegothea conspicua</i>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Schönmeyr, A., <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Schönmeyr glacier, <a href="#Page_255">255</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sea-elephant, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>, <a href="#Page_323">323</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sea-leopard, <a href="#Page_319">319</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Selkirk, A., <a href="#Page_139">139</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">commemoration tablet to, <a href="#Page_140">140</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Senguerr River, crossing of, <a href="#Page_191">191</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sheep-dip, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Shehuen, valley of, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sixteenth October Valley, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">rain-forests in, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">Welsh Colony, <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Skottsberg, C., <a href="#Page_viii">viii</a>.</li> + +<li class="indx">Skottsberg, Lake, visit to, <a href="#Page_283">283</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Skunk, <a href="#Page_260">260</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Skyring Water, coal mines, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">colonists, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">fossils, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">gales, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">glaciers, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history of discovery, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">hydrography, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature of, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">travels of Indians, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Slogget Bay, gold-digging in, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">fossils in, <a href="#Page_308">308</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">marine flora, <a href="#Page_310">310</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Smyth Channel, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Sociedad Esplotadora de Tierra del Fuego, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_271">271</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Solanum tuberosum</i>, <a href="#Page_114">114</a></li> + +<li class="indx">South Georgia, arrival in, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">climate, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">hunting whales, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">hurricanes, <a href="#Page_323">323</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">nature of, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">vegetation, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">voyage to, <a href="#Page_314">314</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">whaling industry, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>, <a href="#Page_321">321</a></li> + +<li class="indx">South Patagonia, gold-digging in, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">history of colonies, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Steffen, H., <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Stewart, Mr., <a href="#Page_193">193</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Stipa</i>, <a href="#Page_261">261</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Svea, Mount, visit to, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst"><i>Tachyeres cinereus</i>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Talkahuano, naval port, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tar, Lake, swamps round, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tecka River, <a href="#Page_184">184</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tehuelches, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_237">237</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Témpanos Narrows, strong tidal currents, <a href="#Page_69">69</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Témpanos, Port, discovery of, <a href="#Page_89">89</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tepú, <i>Tepualia stipularis</i>, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Thesleff, A., <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Thessalia</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_312">312</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tierra del Fuego, alpine flora, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">arrival at, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">bird life, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boundary dispute, <a href="#Page_311">311</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">camp life, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">equinoctial gales, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">forests, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">gold prospecting, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">mission station, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">mountain scenery, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">peat bogs, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">tertiary fossils, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">weather, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Todos los Santos, Lake, <a href="#Page_158">158</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Toro</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Transandino railway, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">great tunnel, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">wild life among labourers, <a href="#Page_130">130</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Trichomanes</i>, <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tronador, Mount, excursion to, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">glaciers with vegetation on, <a href="#Page_160">160</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tropilla, <a href="#Page_163">163</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Troya Channel, <a href="#Page_86">86</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tuco-tuco, <a href="#Page_189">189</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Tuco-tuco, rivulet, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Turbis River, <a href="#Page_292">292</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Ulloa, F., <a href="#Page_104">104</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ultima Esperanza, visit to, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">boat excursion from, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">great caverns near, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Ulva</i>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Underwood’s farm, stay in, <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Undine</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_321">321</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Upsala glacier, survey near, <a href="#Page_277">277</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Usborne, Mount, ascent of, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ushuaia, visit to, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>, <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Uspallata Pass, crossing of, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">statue of Christ in, <a href="#Page_131">131</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Vacas Mountains, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Valdivia, visit to, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Valdivia, P., <a href="#Page_104">104</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Valdivia</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_116">116</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Valdivieso Mountains, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">discovery of pass across, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Valenzuela, F., <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Valparaiso, visit to, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Ventisqueros Inlet, survey in, <a href="#Page_68">68</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Verbena</i>, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Verde, Mount, <a href="#Page_40">40</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Veronica elliptica</i>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Vestfold</i>, steamer, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Viedma, Lake, visit to, <a href="#Page_261">261</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Viel Channel, first encounter with channel Indians, <a href="#Page_82">82</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Warrah River, excursion in valley of, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Westpoint Island, nature of, <a href="#Page_15">15</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Whales, blue, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">fin, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">humpback, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">right, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">whale-oil, <a href="#Page_327">327</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Whaleboat Sound, <a href="#Page_298">298</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Whaling steamers, <a href="#Page_324">324</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Wickham Heights, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Winter’s Bark, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Wollaston Islands, vegetation of, <a href="#Page_304">304</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Woodsworth Bay, beautiful waterfall in, <a href="#Page_90">90</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Worsley Sound, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Yahgan Indians, disappearance of, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">encounter with, <a href="#Page_302">302</a>, <a href="#Page_303">303</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">mussel-banks of, <a href="#Page_301">301</a></li> + +<li class="indx"><i>Yegua Madrina</i>, <a href="#Page_163">163</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Yelcho River, excursion in valley of, <a href="#Page_123">123</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Yerba, <a href="#Page_49">49</a></li> + + +<li class="ifrst">Zapallar, visit to, <a href="#Page_132">132</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Zapato, Mount, <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> + +<li class="indx">Zeballos River, camping at, <a href="#Page_219">219</a>;</li> +<li class="isub1">mountain scenery east of, <a href="#Page_220">220</a></li> +</ul> + +<p class="c p4"> +<span class="smcap">Printed by</span><br> +BALLANTYNE & COMPANY LTD<br> +<span class="smcap">Tavistock Street Covent Garden<br> +London</span> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter1" id="f56"> +<a href="images/fig56big.jpg"> +<img src="images/fig56.jpg" alt="map"> +</a> +<p class="caption">MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA SOUTH OF 41°<br> + +SHOWING THE ROUTE OF Dᴿ SKOTTSBERG’S EXPEDITION<br> + +SCALE 1:3000000</p> +<p class="caption"><span class="greentext sans">(click image to enlarge)</span></p> +</div> + + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<table> + +<tr> + <td class="tdc">Telegrams:<br> +“Scholarly, London.” <br> +Telephone: <br> +No. 1833 Mayfair. </td> + <td class="tdc">41 and 43 Maddox Street,<br> +Bond Street, London, W.<br> +<i>September</i>, 1911. +</td></tr> + +</table> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp"> +Mr. Edward Arnold’s</p> + +<p class="c xxlarge sp"> +LIST OF NEW BOOKS,</p> + +<p class="c xlarge sp"> +Autumn, 1911. +</p> + +<hr class="r5"> + +<p class="c xlarge sp"> +MEMOIRS AND LETTERS OF THE<br> +RIGHT HON. SIR ROBERT MORIER,<br> +G.C.B.,</p> + +<p class="c sp"> +FROM 1826-1876. +</p> + +<p class="c sp">Edited by His Daughter, Mrs. ROSSLYN WEMYSS</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>In Two Volumes. With Portraits. Demy 8vo.</i> <b>32s. net.</b></p> + +<p>These two volumes of the Memoirs and Letters of a very eminent +diplomatist are of intense value, not only from a literary, but also +from an historical point of view, containing as they do a most graphic +and lucid description of the various events that went to make up +the history of Germany from 1853 to 1876. The matters that led +to the War of Schleswig-Holstein are dealt with in a vivid and +interesting fashion, and with a clarity which will enable the reader to +understand many points that have hitherto seemed obscure. The +story of the struggle for supremacy in Germany, and for German +Unity, and of the Franco-German War, is set forth impartially and +without prejudice by one who witnessed critical events from the +inside.</p> + +<p>Subjects of the most vital interest—as, for instance, the war scare +of 1875, the spread of European Liberalism, etc.—are dealt with by +Sir Robert Morier in his correspondence in a style which must appeal +to anyone at all interested in the European history of the past century. +The distinguished diplomatist’s views upon the Foreign Office, the +Emperor William I., and Bismarck, are given in a series of letters +to various correspondents all over the world, among whom we may +mention Jowett, Sir Louis Mallet, Lady Derby, and the Emperor +Frederick. The friends and acquaintances of Sir Robert Morier’s +youth—Froude, Tennyson, and other eminent contemporaries—are +portrayed with a skilful pen.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">NUTS AND CHESTNUTS.</p> + +<p class="c sp"> +By the Hon. L. A. TOLLEMACHE,<br> +<span class="smcap med">Author of “Old and Odd Memories.”</span> +</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>2s. 6d. net.</b></p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2"> +A MEMOIR OF<br> +EDWARD CHARLES WICKHAM,</p> + +<p class="c sp more"> +DEAN OF LINCOLN, AND FORMERLY HEAD-MASTER<br> +OF WELLINGTON COLLEGE.</p> + +<p class="c sp"> +By Canon LONSDALE RAGG,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"> +<span class="smcap">Rector of Tickencote.<br> +Author of “Dante and His Italy,” “The Book of Books,” etc.</span> +</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations. One Volume.</i> <b>7s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>The interest of a life is not necessarily proportioned to its share of +dramatic incident and adventure. Edward Charles Wickham was +essentially a scholar and a student rather than a man of action: +his life was almost exclusively academic—at Winchester, at New +College, at Wellington College, and finally in the Deanery at Lincoln. +But it was far from being in any sense a stagnant one. Wherever +he went he bore with him the inspiration of a born reformer, +combined with an enlightened reverence for the past like that which +made his illustrious father-in-law, Mr. W. E. Gladstone, a thorough-going +Conservative in certain departments. In accordance with +what would certainly have been the Dean’s own wish, the Memoir +has been kept within strictly modest limits, and a sparing use has +been made of letters; but the record is enriched by reminiscences +contributed by not a few of Wickham’s former associates, colleagues, +and pupils. Mr. A. O. Prickard supplies an appreciation of Wickham’s +contribution to Scholarship, and Dr. Lock an appreciation of +his University Preaching. Dr. Wickham’s singular gifts as a +preacher are too well known to call for mention. Specimens of a +few of his most notable sermons are given in an Appendix.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2"> +HANDLEY CROSS;</p> + + +<p class="c more"> +OR,</p> + +<p class="c xlarge sp"> +MR. JORROCKS’S HUNT. +</p> + +<p class="c sp">Illustrated by CECIL ALDIN.</p> + +<p class="sp"><i>In Two Volumes, with 24 Coloured Plates and about 100 Black-and-White +Illustrations in the Text. The Ordinary Edition will be Royal 8vo., +handsomely bound.</i> <b>21s. net.</b></p> + +<p class="sp"><i>Also a limited Edition de Luxe of 250 copies only for the British Empire, +each Copy Numbered and Signed by the Artist.</i> <b>£3 3s. net.</b></p> + +<p>This is a complete edition of Surtees’ glorious work, illustrated by +the one artist of the day who is pre-eminently fitted to do justice to +it. The tale of the immortal Jorrocks and his Hunt is to-day the +most popular classic work on fox-hunting, and Mr. Cecil Aldin is +unquestionably the most popular sporting artist. He has entered +heart and soul into the spirit of the work, and the excellence of his +pictures proves that they were inspired by enthusiasm for his subject. +The period is one that Mr. Aldin has made peculiarly his own, and +while preserving the traditional representation of the characters, he +has been able to give full play to his powers of depicting old-fashioned +country scenes both indoors and in the open, especially, of course, +those in the hunting-field. His strikingly original style brings out +the full flavour of the famous book.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE HORSE:</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng large">Its Origin and Development, combined with<br> +Stable Practice.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Colonel R. F. MEYSEY-THOMPSON,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “A Hunting Catechism,” “Reminiscences of Camp,<br> +Course, and Chase,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> <b>15s. net.</b></p> + +<p>This work covers a large field of remarkable interest to all lovers +of the horse. It is full of valuable matter, combined with sound +advice. The volume commences with the horse in its earliest shape, +and traces briefly its development down to the present time. Each +breed has a special chapter devoted to it which has been submitted +to the best known authorities in each department; and, amongst +others, it may be mentioned that Lady Anne Blunt has kindly +criticized the chapter upon Arabian Horses, while Mr. Hermon +Biddell has done the same for Suffolk Punches, Mr. Walter Winans +that on American Trotting Horses, and Mr. Alfred Withers has +overlooked the account of Carriage Horses; in this way it is hoped +the work may be regarded as authoritative on these subjects. The +latter half of the book deals with Stable Practice, Simple Ailments +and how to treat them, Breeding, Riding, Driving, Race-Riding, and +Training Horses for the race-course and for hunting. Colonel +Meysey-Thompson has had a lifetime’s experience in all these +subjects, and is admirably qualified to deal with them.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE PACIFICATION OF BURMA.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Sir CHARLES CROSTHWAITE, K.C.S.I.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Chief Commissioner of Burma, 1887-1890; Member of the Council of India, etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Maps and Illustrations. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i><br> <b>16s. net.</b></p> + +<p>Sir Charles Crosthwaite succeeded the late Sir Charles Bernard +as Chief Commissioner of Burma when that officer was compelled +by sickness to leave the Province in March, 1887. From that date +until December, 1890, he administered Burma, and he had every +opportunity, therefore, of knowing what was done. The measures +by which, in four years and in a country which has been described +by a soldier as “one vast military obstacle,” order and law were +established, are narrated. After the military measures, without +which no attempt at a Civil Government would have been possible, +the constitution of the Indian military police and the establishment +on a legal basis of the indigenous village system were the chief +means of restoring peace. These measures are explained, and the +way in which order was gradually evolved out of confusion is told. +Separate chapters deal with the Shan States, with the wild Chins on +the West between Burma and Bengal, with the Kachins about +Mogaung on the North, and the Red Karrus on the South-East.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">MY ADVENTURES IN THE CONGO.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By MARGUERITE ROBY.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Numerous Illustrations and a Map. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> +<b>12s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>This is a book that casts an entirely new light on the vexed +question of Belgian rule in the Congo. The authoress travelled +alone with black porters for hundreds of miles through the very +districts in the Congo where the alleged Belgian atrocities have been +taking place, and the results of her observations, as here set forth, +put a somewhat startling complexion upon some views of the situation +that have been commonly accepted hitherto.</p> + +<p>Although the conclusions drawn by Mrs. Roby from her travels +in Central Africa are such as to set all truly patriotic Britons +thinking, this book is no mere political tract. On the contrary, it is +a stirring human document, in which humour, pathos, adventure, +and indomitable pluck stand out from every page.</p> + +<p>The devotion of “Thomas,” the authoress’s black boy, who stood +by her when everyone else had deserted her, and to whom on more +than one occasion she owed her life; her desperate straits amongst +mutinous porters who sought to kill her; her days and nights of +raging fever, alone and delirious in the Bush; her big-game exploits; +her experiences with savages who had never before clapped eyes on +a white woman; these and innumerable other incidents combine to +make this one of the most remarkable books ever penned by +traveller.</p> + +<p>The emotions of a lifetime are crowded into this record of a six-months’ +trek through Darkest Africa.</p> + +<p>A feature that makes the book still more fascinating is the series +of splendid photographs taken by the authoress and her black boy +during their hazardous journey.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE WILDS OF PATAGONIA.</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng"> +A Narrative of the Swedish Expedition to Patagonia,<br> +Tierra del Fuego, and the Falkland Islands<br> +in 1907-1909. +</p> + +<p class="c sp">By CARL SKOTTSBERG, D.Sc., etc.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations and Maps. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i><br> <b>15s. net.</b></p> + +<p>Three years after his return from the great Swedish Antarctic +expedition in which he played so prominent a part, Dr. Carl Skottsberg, +the distinguished naturalist and botanist, set forth once more, with +two eminent fellow-scientists, Dr. Quensel and Dr. Halle, to explore +the territories of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, of which so little +is known to the outside world. This “Swedish Magellanic Expedition,” +as it was called, not only resulted in many valuable biological, +botanical, and geological discoveries, but was also the means of +supplying Dr. Skottsberg with the material upon which he has +founded his book, “The Wilds of Patagonia.” Full of interest and +excitement are the graphic accounts which the author gives in this +volume of the various expeditions made by him in the Falkland +Islands, of the hardships he endured in the unknown interior of +Tierra del Fuego, of his constant exposure to wind and weather in +the heart of Chile, of his visit to Robinson Crusoe’s romantic island, +and his journeys across the Andes and through the Cordilleras. +Dr. Skottsberg writes with humour as well as charm, and while the +descriptions of his various adventures and misadventures are amusing +as well as thrilling, his pen-pictures of South American scenery are +striking and vivid. This book should appeal especially to the +naturalist and the traveller, but cannot fail to prove a source of +pleasure and interest to the general reader. Its attractive character +is further enhanced by a number of illustrations from photographs +taken by the author in the course of his travels.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">BRITISH AND GERMAN EAST<br> + +AFRICA.</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng">Their Economic and Commercial Relations.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Dr. H. BRODE,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Tippoo Tib.”</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With a Map. One Volume, Demy 8vo.</i> <b>7s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>In this book Dr. Brode graphically describes the growth and +development of British and German territories in East Africa, gives +most interesting details as to the trade of the country, the shipping +and railway services, etc., and discusses the question of native +taxation and the position of native labour. He deals at length with +the agricultural position of East Africa, its natural products and +resources, the education of its aboriginal inhabitants, and many +other matters of paramount importance. The comparison which +Dr. Brode draws between the administration and commercial methods +and arrangements of Germany and Great Britain respectively is of +the greatest possible interest to British readers, and the tables of +statistics with which he supplements his arguments must prove +of enormous value to all who seek for information on the subject +of East Africa.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE KING’S CARAVAN.</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng">Across Australia in a Waggon.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By E. J. BRADY.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations and Map. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i><br> <b>12s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>After attaining eminence in the musical and cricket worlds, +Australia seems to be rapidly coming to the front in literature. +The <i>Sydney Bulletin</i> has for some time been the centre of a group of +young Australian-born writers who bid fair to do their country great +service by revealing its charms to the world at large through the +medium of both poetry and prose. One of the strongest among +them is Mr. Brady, whose volume announced above is the outcome +of an adventurous driving tour he made a few years ago. Starting +from Sydney in a light waggon, he made his way gradually to +Townsville in the north of Queensland. The route he took—parallel +with the coast, but for the most part some way inland—enabled +him to visit all the places of importance on the way, and +to study the conditions of life under great variations of climate. +The result of his observations, given with much dry humour and +interspersed with interesting yarns, will be a revelation to English +readers, and probably very largely so to Australians. The trip was +not without its dangers, for the veneer of civilization is in parts still +somewhat thin, while there were also tornados, snakes, alligators, +and the peculiarly Australian terror of getting lost.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">FROM PILLAR TO POST.</p> + +<p class="c sp"> +By Lieut.-Colonel H. C. LOWTHER, D.S.O., M.V.O.,</p> +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Scots Guards</span>. +</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> <b>15s. net.</b></p> + +<p>Colonel Lowther is already well known as a soldier and a +diplomatist. He has held a commission in the Scots Guards for +over twenty years, has served with distinction in the last South +African War, and has held an important appointment in the Intelligence +Department of the War Office. In 1905 he accompanied the +Diplomatic Mission to Fez, and for the next four years filled the +responsible position of Military Attaché at Paris, Madrid, and +Lisbon. Colonel Lowther, who is a brother of the present Speaker +of the House of Commons, has recently been appointed Military +Secretary to H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught, who is shortly to take +up his duties as Governor-General of Canada. In his volume of +personal reminiscences, “From Pillar to Post,” Colonel Lowther +shows himself not only as a soldier and a diplomat, but also as an +explorer, a world-wide traveller, and a sportsman, possessing great +powers of observation, a facile and gifted pen, and a keen sense of +humour. In a light and breezy style he describes his travels all +over the world—from Crete to Morocco, from Ceylon to East Africa. +He narrates his experiences of cattle-ranching in America and of +lion-hunting in Somaliland, and gives a most interesting account of +his adventures in times of peace and war, on active service in South +Africa, and on manœuvres at home. The volume is illustrated +throughout by original photographs taken by the author.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">MY LIFE STORY.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By EMILY, SHAREEFA OF WAZAN.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations. One Volume, Demy 8vo.</i> <b>12s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>Some forty years ago there was a considerable stir in European +circles in Morocco, and in London as well, when the news was +published that a young Englishwoman was about to marry the Grand +Shareef of Wazan, who is the Ecclesiastical Head of Morocco. +There was a violent discussion in the London Press, many people +going so far as to protest against the intended marriage. Now, in +1911, the Grand Shareef is no more, but his widow is still living +in Morocco, and, at the request of their many friends in Europe and +America, has set down the story of her life. It may be safely +said that her experiences have not been paralleled by any European +woman, and that she has been brought face to face with the intimate +seclusion of the Moorish woman’s life, even while maintaining her +original faith. The story of her life has been edited by Mr. S. L. +Bensusan, and Mr. R. B. Cunninghame Graham has written a +preface. The book is dedicated by permission to Princess Henry +of Battenberg, and will contain many original illustrations.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">PERU OF THE TWENTIETH<br> +CENTURY.</p> + +<p class="c sp"> +By PERCY F. MARTIN,</p> +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Mexico of the Twentieth Century,” etc.</span> +</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With 32 pages of Illustrations and a Map. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> +<b>15s. net.</b></p> + +<p>Of all the South American Republics, perhaps Peru ranks as the +most interesting, not only on account of its romantic history and the +extremely picturesque nature of its people, but because its future is, +by general consent of those travellers who have sufficiently studied +the subject, one of the most brilliant and likely to prove one of the +most permanent.</p> + +<p>Of the many volumes upon Peru which have been issued from +time to time, the economic student has sought in vain for a complete +account of the Republic’s commercial and industrial conditions, and +thus a new work from the pen of an acknowledged authority upon +this part of South America will be especially welcome.</p> + +<p>Herein will be found a careful, well-considered, and painstaking +account of the Republic’s present condition and future prospects. +The writer has studied the country very closely and very carefully; +and it was generally admitted in Peru at the time of his visit last +year that he actually travelled more extensively throughout the State, +and looked more deeply and critically into its economic resources, +than any author who had latterly visited it.</p> + +<p>The result is a volume literally crammed with valuable first-hand +information about the leading industries. The many different railways +are described fully. The copper, gold, and other mines are carefully +dealt with. The sugar, guano, rubber, oil, and cotton industries +are faithfully depicted and frequently illustrated, and new mercantile +prospects of every description are foreshadowed.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">SALVADOR OF THE TWENTIETH<br> +CENTURY.</p> + +<p class="c sp"> +By PERCY F. MARTIN,</p> +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Mexico of the Twentieth Century,” etc.</span> +</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With 32 pages of Illustrations and a Map. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> +<b>15s. net.</b></p> + +<p>Of late months the smaller Latin-American States—those forming +what is known geographically as “Central America”—have +attracted a great amount of attention, principally owing to the +attempt made by the United States to force an alliance, commercial +and financial, with them. Hitherto not a single book has been +written regarding the most important, because most settled and most +progressive, of these States—Salvador—and the present volume will +therefore meet with more than ordinary attention. This work is +from the pen of Mr. Percy F. Martin, F.R.G.S., the author of several +well-known publications, most of which (at least those devoted to +Argentina and Mexico) have received the <i>cachet</i> of “standard works” +upon their particular subjects. Mr. Martin has probably seen more +of Latin-America than any living writer; and he has made this +particular portion of the world his careful and special study. +“Salvador of the Twentieth Century” will afford a complete description +of the Republic; will show its gradual emancipation from the +thraldom of the Spanish yoke; its early struggles against annexation +by more powerful neighbours; its commercial accomplishments and +possibilities—in fact, it will afford a thorough insight into a little-known +but extremely interesting land with vast potentialities.</p> + +<p>Mr. Martin, who travelled extensively throughout the Republic, +and was accorded every facility by the Government for making his +enquiries and investigations untrammelled by official interference, +has shown us in these pages an unexpectedly impressive and attractive +picture of Central American life and progress, which, being +assisted by a number of capital illustrations, should prove a welcome +addition to Latin-American literature.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Mrs. M. A. HANDLEY.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Numerous Illustrations. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i><br> + +<b>12s. 6d. net</b>.</p> + +<p>“Roughing it in Southern India” is just what its name implies—a +book of travel, but with such a refreshingly picknicky air about it +as lifts it quite out of the common rut of such books. The work is +an account of the writer’s journeyings with her husband through the +wilder forest tracts of Coimbatore, the Wynâd, and Malabar—vast +districts, each of them—in the course of his duties as an officer of the +Madras Woods and Forests Department; it relates a story of adventure +and novel experience in pursuance of work and <i>shikar</i> with all +the incidental predicaments and obstacles. It describes encounters, +sought and unsought, with wild animals; dealings with quaint jungle-people; +excitements of travel along bad roads and no roads; difficulties +in great variety, all of which had to be got through and over +somehow. The manner in which these difficulties are portrayed +gives a vivid human interest to every page, the whole being sketched +in with an enviable lightness of touch, and clearly shows that <i>nerve</i> +without <i>nerves</i> is indispensable to make such a day-after-day life as is +here depicted possible, to say nothing of enjoyable. To a person +hampered with nerves it could be no better than a series of nightmares.</p> + +<p>The book gives one a pleasant feeling that the day has gone by +when Englishmen in India thought it fine to speak slightingly of, and +even to, natives as “niggers”—a manner of speech as ignorant as it +is insulting.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE LIFE OF A TIGER.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By S. EARDLEY-WILMOT,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Forest Life and Sport in India.”</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With nearly 150 Original Illustrations. One Volume. Medium<br> 8vo.</i> + +<b>7s. 6d. net</b>.</p> + +<p>In his popular work, “Forest Life and Sport in India,” published +last autumn, Mr. Eardley-Wilmot devoted a chapter to the habits of +tigers. This, however, by no means exhausted his material, but it +aroused much interest in an enthralling subject and paved the way +for the present volume. The author has cast his work in the form +of a life-history of an individual tiger from birth until, owing to the +inroads of civilization into his ancient preserves, he becomes a man-eater +and is finally shot. It would be difficult to over-emphasise the +fascination of this tale, which not only records the <i>vie intime</i> of +the tiger family, but introduces the whole life of the jungle in a +series of vivid and kaleidoscopic pictures. The attractions of the +book are enhanced by about 150 thumb-nail sketches by the author’s +daughter, as well as by reproductions of some of Mrs. Eardley-Wilmot’s +charming and artistic photographs.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE SPORT OF SHOOTING.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By OWEN JONES,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Ten Years of Game-Keeping,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Illustrations. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> <b>10s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>This is an informative volume of absorbing interest and utility to +the ever-increasing army of shooting-men, and to those many others +who cherish an innate hankering after shot-gun sport. While the +seasoned sportsman cannot fail to glean many a useful idea, the +chief object of the book is to cater sympathetically (at the same time +avoiding technical phraseology) for the beginner, whether he be an +eager youngster or one whose opportunities have come with riper +years—to put him from the first on the right track, and save him +the endless disappointments of unguided inexperience. It explains +those perplexing questions which undermine confidence and account +for disheartening failures, puts him in the way of meeting each +difficulty as it comes, assists him in laying out his money to good +advantage, in buying a gun, cartridges, or dog: taking a shoot, +engaging a keeper, and managing them both: or in distributing +appropriate tips. Thus, perceiving the why and wherefore of this +or that all-important detail of the ropes of shooting, he will be +resourceful, self-reliant, and independent of others for the goodness +of his sport; find abundance of healthy recreation in the making +of a modest bag; by his own wise woodcraft cancel mere deficiencies +of marksmanship; and last, but not least, whether as guest or host, +add tenfold to his own enjoyment and that of his companions.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE ROMANCE OF THE HOLY<br> +LAND.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Dr. CHARLES LEACH, M.P.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Numerous Illustrations. Large Crown 8vo.</i> <b>7s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>Avoiding technical terms and scientific descriptions, the author +has produced a volume that should be welcomed by men and women +in every country who have even a remote interest in the Bible and +the land in which it was produced.</p> + +<p>The writer has made nine visits to Palestine during the last +twenty years, and has delivered lectures upon it in many of the +large towns of England. He takes the reader on a tour to the Holy +Land, and travels with him to the principal places of Biblical +interest. He describes many of the chief towns in such terms that +the reader not only sees them as they are to-day, but can picture +them as they were in the far-off first century. He describes the +manners and customs of the people, the physical features of the +country, the rivers and lakes of Palestine, and some of the remarkable +historic events which have made the land famous throughout +the world.</p> + +<p>Those who have been to the Holy Land will welcome this book, +whilst those who have not been so fortunate will profit greatly from +its pages.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE GRAVEN PALM.</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng">A Manual of the Science of Palmistry.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Mrs. ROBINSON.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With about 250 Original Illustrations. Medium 8vo.</i><br> <b>10s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>This work is the result of nearly twenty years’ practical experience, +and the careful examination of many thousands of hands. The +illustrations are drawn by Mrs. Robinson herself, and are in every +case taken from hands which she has herself read. The great majority +of the lines given are entirely original—<i>i.e.</i>, are not to be found in any +known work upon the Science of Palmistry.</p> + +<p>This book will enable those who study it to read character correctly +from the shapes of the hands and the comparative lengths of +fingers and phalanges; to understand the values of the different +mounts, as bearing upon the character and life; and, by the full and +comprehensive delineation of the six principal and the many chance +lines upon the hand, to understand and read correctly the events of +their own past and future, as given by the lines on the Mount of +Venus in particular, and also in a minor degree by the lines of fate, +fortune, and health.</p> + +<p>There are also at the end of the book several photographs of the +hands of well-known and celebrated people.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">SOCIETY SKETCHES<br> +IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By NORMAN PEARSON,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Some Problems of Existence.”</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Photogravure Portraits. One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i><br> <b>12s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>This book deals with some features and figures of the eighteenth +century which have hitherto escaped any detailed treatment, and +with certain aspects of familiar persons which have been unduly +overlooked. The Virtuosi who founded the Royal Society, but also +called into existence a host of scientific quacks and charlatans; the +Scowrers, and their successors the Mohocks, who infested the +streets of London at the beginning of the eighteenth, and the Highwaymen +who survived into the nineteenth century, are discussed in +its pages. An essay is devoted to the fashionable Wits of the period, +and another throws new light upon the inner history of the Macaronis. +Tradition represents these as mere brainless fops, but the author +shows that this reproach belongs rather to their later imitators than +to the Macaronis of 1764.</p> + +<p>Governor Pitt, grandfather of the first Lord Chatham, the brilliant +scapegrace “Etheldreda” (third Viscountess Townshend), the “Mad +Duchess” of Queensberry, and that clever oddity Soame Jenyns, also +find a place in the book, while new aspects of even such well-known +characters as Horace Walpole and Hannah More are revealed in +“The Serious Side of a Worldly Man,” and “The Lighter Side of a +Serious Woman.”</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">CAMEO BOOK-STAMPS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By CYRIL DAVENPORT, F.S.A.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Superintendent of Bookbinding in the British Museum.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With about 150 Illustrations from Original Drawings<br> by the Author.</i></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>The First Edition will be limited to 500 Copies only.<br> In One Volume.</i></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>Super-Royal 8vo.</i> <b>21s. net.</b></p> + +<p>Bookbinding stamps of different kinds have already been much +written about, especially heraldic ones, but cameo stamps, although +they have now and then been mentioned, have up to the present +received no special recognition. They are in low relief, like medals, +and are generally left ungilded and uncoloured.</p> + +<p>These stamps—the larger and more important of which are illustrated +in this book—form, in fact, a very important division of the +subject of decorative bookbinding, and, unlike most of the other kinds +of book decoration, they rarely can be satisfactorily photographed. +Mr. Davenport’s drawings, however, are singularly accurate copies +of their originals, and will undoubtedly prove of the utmost value both +to book-collectors and dealers in books.</p> + +<p>Some of the stamps shown are well known—those English ones, +for instance, showing the Tudor Rose, and the coat-of-arms of Henry +VIII.; but others are not so common. The English stamps of St. +George and of St. Michael are very fine indeed. The beautiful +French stamps of the vision of the Emperor Augustus, and the very +interesting Italian stamps of Horatius Codes and of Marcus Curtius, +will doubtless come as a revelation to many, and so with the +“Canevari” stamp of Apollo, although it is better known to +connoisseurs.</p> + +<p>The large series of German stamps, mostly on pigskin, is of great +importance; there are several excellent portraits of Luther and of +Melanchthon, and quaint stamps of Lot and his daughters, Judith +and Holofernes, Jonah and the Whale, and many delicately cut +stamps of incidents in the life of Christ and of the Virgin Mary.</p> + +<p>All these stamps, of which there are about 150, are beautifully and +truthfully copied from the originals, and with each is a short description. +At the end is a full and most useful index. Every inscription, +whether in Greek, Latin, or German, is translated, and every +initial noted and indexed.</p> + +<p>The book will be invaluable to every librarian—in fact, necessary—and +it will add much to the interest of every book, whether in +morocco, calf, or pigskin, that bears upon it one of the stamps +illustrated.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">A LITTLE HISTORY OF MUSIC.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By ANNETTE HULLAH.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Numerous Illustrations. One Volume. Medium 8vo.</i> <b>5s.</b></p> + +<p>This is a history of music written in a simple way for young +people. After a chapter on aboriginal songs and dance-tunes, and +another on the music of ancient nations, the Romans lead us into +early Britain, and so to the first Christian chants. Then we have +mediæval monks and scholars arranging scales. Minstrels and +troubadours, with the stories of their time, bring us to the Elizabethian +age of masque and madrigal. How Florentine genius +developed these into the first operas and oratorios completes the +next century. Then we come to a period of fine players and fine +instruments, of Corelli and Tartini, of Amati and Stradivarius, of +harpsichordists like Scarlatti, and of German organists long since +eclipsed by the light of Bach. What he, and the other great composers +since his day, did for music fills up the rest of the chapters +and takes the record down to our own time. There are many +legends and anecdotes in the book, and illustrations of quaint +musical instruments of old days.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE FRAMEWORK OF HOME<br> +RULE.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By ERSKINE CHILDERS,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “War and the Arme Blanche,” “The Riddle of the Sands,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> <b>10s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>A study of the Irish question, mainly from the Imperial standpoint. +First sketching the history of Ireland in close conjunction with that +of the lost American Colonies and the present self-governing +Dominions, the author shows that the same forms of misgovernment +arising from similar conditions have always led to the same +mischievous results, and that their only remedy, when applied in +time, has been Home Rule. He then reviews the present state of +Ireland, describing the extraordinary anomalies of the semi-colonial +government. Full attention is given also to the brighter side of +Irish life. But the author points out the deep marks of arrested +development, and the need for self-reliance and self-development +under a responsible Irish Government.</p> + +<p>With regard to the form Home Rule should take, the author +devotes special attention to the vital questions of finance and Irish +representation at Westminster, as well as to guarantees for an Ulster +minority, executive power, police, judges, and numerous other points +of secondary importance.</p> + +<p>The aim is to supply not only a reasoned defence of Home Rule, +but a practical up-to-date guide to the legislative settlement of the +question.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">PROS AND CONS OF POLITICAL<br> +PROBLEMS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Sir J. D. REES, K.C.I.E.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume.</i> <b>7s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>In this book Sir J. D. Rees, K.C.I.E., ex.-M.P., surveys the more +important political problems at present before the nation from the +points of view of both great parties in the State. The following +subjects are dealt with: Imperial Organization, Defence, Foreign +Policy, Indian and Colonial Problems, Trade Relations and Tariff +Reform, Suffrage, Home Rule, Education, Disestablishment, Finance, +Socialism, Labour Questions, Land Reform, and the Constitutional +Problems at present before the country. To each great question a +chapter is devoted which gives the reader a concise survey of the +points at issue and a summary of the position at the present day, +and to every chapter are appended the arguments for and against: +in the hope that the reader in a few pages may find a guide to the +reasons upon which political parties base their case. The utility of +the work to the student and politician will be enhanced by the +bibliographical notes at the end of each chapter, which indicate the +scope of the works recommended, so that the reader may be able to +follow up his study of any political question. The information has +been compressed into a volume of handy size so as to be of use +to speakers and politicians. It is not, however, merely a work of +reference—although an excellent index and the sub-division of the +chapters make reference easy—but is intended to be read.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">ECONOMICS FOR BEGINNERS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By GEORGE W. GOUGH, M.A.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Sometime Exhibitioner of Balliol College.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>3s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>The need of a short textbook of economics which teachers can +place in the hands of pupils who are starting the subject with a view +to preparing for the more elementary parts of the higher examinations +in it, is well known, and Mr. Gough’s little volume is an +attempt to meet it. The <i>core</i> of this vast subject, if the expression +may be used, is fully and simply treated in accordance with authoritative +opinion. Hence the beginner who means to continue his +studies will be put in a position to read one or more of the larger +manuals with advantage. As appendices there will be given a guide +to further reading, a selection of typical questions—for the answers +to which the text of the book will be found to furnish materials and +hints—and a short selection of statistics illustrating modern economic +conditions in the United Kingdom. It is, further, the author’s hope +that the book will be useful to older students interested in social +problems, and that they will find in it the elements of the economic +principles bearing on their solution.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE GREAT PLATEAU OF<br> +NORTHERN RHODESIA.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By CULLEN GOULDSBURY <span class="allsmcap">AND</span> HERBERT SHEANE,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Of the British South Africa Company’s Service</span>.</p> + +<p class="c sp">With Preface by Sir ALFRED SHARPE, K.C.M.G., C.B.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With 40 pages of Illustrations and a Map. One Volume.<br> +Demy 8vo.</i> <b>16s. net.</b></p> + +<p>This book has been written about the Tanganyika Plateau of +Northern Rhodesia, which—though some fifty thousand square +miles in extent—is still practically unknown, since it has not yet been +penetrated, or its resources tapped by the Cape to Cairo Railway.</p> + +<p>Apart from its abundant natural resources, the excellent climate +of the Plateau and its high altitude (from 4,000 to 6,000 feet) render +it as healthy and suitable for white colonization as the far-famed +Highlands of British East Africa.</p> + +<p>The book is divided into two parts, European and Ethnographic. +The Ethnographic Section is dealt with by Mr. Sheane, who, during +the past ten years, has made a special study of language and native +customs upon the Tanganyika Plateau.</p> + +<p>The needs of prospective settlers and ranchers are fully discussed, +and information for sportsmen and travellers is supplied in two +chapters dealing with elephant-hunting and the species and habits +of game, big and small, to be found upon the Plateau.</p> + +<p>Lastly, the Native chapters should prove of value, not only to +anthropologists, but also to that increasing body of readers who are +interested in the problems of native life and of native law and +custom in Central Africa.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">HINTS TO SPEAKERS AND<br> +PLAYERS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By ROSINA FILIPPI.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>3s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>Miss Rosina Filippi is an actress well known to, and deservedly +popular with, the playgoing public of Great Britain. The excellent +work she has done in teaching the younger members of her profession +has evoked the admiration of her colleagues who recognize +her claims to a front place on the English stage which she has long +adorned. She has, indeed, won a deservedly high reputation as a +teacher of dramatic art, and many are the students who have profited +by her instruction and owe their success to her ripe experience. +“Hints to Speakers and Players” is, as its name implies, a guide +or handbook to all who desire to attain proficiency in the art of +speaking or acting. In this work the author offers invaluable advice +upon such subjects as Elocution, Diction, Gesticulation, Ranting, +etc., not only to would-be actors, but also to Members of Parliament, +orators, clergymen, and all who may be called upon to deliver +speeches on the political platform, in the pulpit, or at the dinner-table. +Her facile pen ranges over the wide field of her experience +and deals in a light but informing fashion with a hundred matters +that must inevitably prove interesting to all who are compelled to +raise their voices in public.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND LIFE<br> +OF FATHER TYRRELL.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By MAUD PETRE.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>In Two Volumes. Demy 8vo., cloth.</i> <b>21s. net.</b></p> + +<p>The first volume, which is autobiographical, will cover the period +from George Tyrrell’s birth in 1861 to the year 1885, including an +account of his family, his childhood, schooldays, and youth in +Dublin; his conversion from Agnosticism, through a phase of High +Church Protestantism to Catholicism; his experiences in Cyprus +and Malta, where he lived as a probationer before entering the +Society of Jesus; his early life as a Jesuit, with his novitiate and +first studies in scholastic philosophy and Thomism. This autobiography, +written in 1901, ends just before the death of his mother, +and was not carried any farther. It is edited with notes and +supplements to each chapter by M. D. Petre.</p> + +<p>The second volume, which takes up the story where the first ends, +deals chiefly with the storm and stress period of his later years. +Large use is made of his own notes, and of his letters, of which a +great number have been lent by correspondents of all shades +of thought. Various documents of importance figure in this later +volume, in which the editor aims at making the history as complete +and objective as possible. Incidentally some account is given of the +general movement of thought, which has been loosely described as +“modernism,” but the chief aim of the writer will be to describe the +part which Father Tyrrell himself played in this movement, and the +successive stages of his mental development as he brought his +scholastic training to bear on the modern problems that confronted +him. The work ends with his death on July 15, 1909, and the +events immediately subsequent to his death. The date of publication +is uncertain, but will be announced as soon as possible.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE PARTING OF THE WAYS.</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng large">Essays on Judaism and Christian Origins.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By GRADUATES OF JESUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.</p> + +<p class="c sp">Edited by Dr. F. J. FOAKES-JACKSON.</p> + +<p class="c sp">With an Introduction by the Very Rev. W. R. INGE, D.D.,</p> +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Dean of St. Paul’s</span>.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Demy 8vo.</i> <b>10s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>Several volumes of Theological Essays have appeared from the +two ancient Universities, but none hitherto by members of a single +college. Jesus College, Cambridge, has, however, had exceptional +opportunities for encouraging the study of Divinity, owing to the +fact that of recent years it has numbered two Lady Margaret Professors +among the fellows, and has been generously endowed by the +late Lord Justice Kay, who founded scholarships for post-graduate +study in Theology.</p> + +<p>The object of these essays is to trace the origin of Christianity from +Judaism, and its development till the final parting of the two religions. +With the exception of the Introduction and Essays I. and III., all +the writers have taken their degrees quite recently, and though they +have obtained high honours at the University, the volume must be +judged as a young men’s book. As such it may prove the more +interesting as illustrating the ideas of some of our younger theologians. +The essays are not the product of any school, but represent +all shades of thought in the Church of England, whilst one is written +by a Nonconformist, and another by a Jewish scholar. All the +essayists have, however, been the pupils of the editor, and most +have come under the influence of the Dean of St. Paul’s.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">HOW TO DEAL WITH MEN.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By the Rev. PETER GREEN, M.A.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Rector of St. Philip’s, Salford, and Canon of Manchester.</span><br> + +<span class="smcap">Author of “How to Deal with Lads,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>2s. 6d. net.</b></p> + + +<p>Beginning with chapters on the nature of work among men, and +the special needs of the present time, and on the type of man +required for success in this kind of work, the author goes on to +treat in detail such subjects as the Men’s Bible-Class; the various +methods for promoting its success; the different kinds of work +which should spring out of the work of the class; and some of the +commoner dangers to be watched and guarded against. Following +the chapters on the Bible-Class and its developments, come chapters +on social and recreative work, such as that of the Men’s Club and +the minor clubs in connection with it, temperance benefit societies, +and social and parochial work for men. The second part of the +book is devoted to a detailed treatment of personal work with +individual men. Methods with men troubled with religious doubt, +or with other intellectual difficulties, and methods of dealing with +various moral problems, are carefully and fully discussed.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE FAITH OF AN AVERAGE MAN.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By the Rev. CHARLES H. S. MATTHEWS, M.A.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “A Parson in the Australian Bush,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>3s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>The author is profoundly convinced that on the one hand the +endless restlessness of modern life is a witness to man’s need of a +vital faith, and on the other that the continued vitality of the historic +Church of England is in itself a proof of her power to meet this +fundamental need of men. The position he occupies, and would in +this book commend to others, may best be described as a kind of +progressive Catholicism, a true <i>via media</i> between an exclusive +Protestantism on the one hand, which seems to him to be founded +on a view of the Bible no longer tenable, and an equally exclusive +Catholicism on the other, which in its turn seems to be founded on +a no less untenable view of the Church. It is the author’s hope +that his appeal may be read, not only by laymen, but also by the +younger clergy.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE CHURCH AND MODERN<br> +PROBLEMS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By the Rev. C. F. GARBETT, M.A.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Vicar of Portsea.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>3s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>An interesting volume, composed of addresses mainly delivered +in the course of the author’s ordinary parochial work during the last +two years. They are all united by the attempt to state the attitude +of the Church to some of the many modern problems of religious +thought and action. Among these are Modernism, Rationalism, +Agnosticism, the Higher Criticism, Inspiration, the Reunion of +Christendom, Divorce, Temperance Reform, and Socialism. The +attitude of the Church to all these tremendous intellectual, moral, +and social problems is briefly argued and discussed with tact and +ability.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE MIND OF ST. PAUL:</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng">As Illustrated by his Second Epistle to the Corinthians.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Canon H. L. GOUDGE, D.D.</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Principal of Ely Theological College.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>2s. 6d. net.</b></p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">A GOODLY FELLOWSHIP</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng">Thoughts in Verse and Prose from many Sources.</p> + +<p class="c sp">Collected by ROSE E. SELFE.</p> + +<p class="c sp">With a Preface by<br> +His Grace the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Small 8vo.</i> <b>2s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>This small religious anthology has been compiled in the hope +that the various suggestions and counsels, the voices of praise and +aspiration, and the poets’ visions of the past, present, and future may +come through the windows of the soul, which are open to receive +them with comfort, encouragement, and inspiration. The passages +are grouped under the following headings: Religion in Childhood, +Our Human Life, Sorrow and Suffering, On Prayer, Aspiration +and Communion, The Incarnate Christ, Christian Seasons, Old Age, +Death and After. But there are no hard and fast divisions, and many +of the extracts might be appropriately classed under two or more +of these headings. More than seventy authors have been laid +under contribution, including some as widely separated in time as +Boethius, Thomas Traherne, William Law, Christina Rossetti, the +present Dean of St. Paul’s (Dr. W. R. Inge), and Mr. G. K. +Chesterton.</p> + + +<p class="sans sp p2"><b><i>New and Cheaper Edition.</i></b></p> + +<p class="c xlarge sp">SCOTTISH GARDENS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By the Right Hon. Sir HERBERT MAXWELL, Bart.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With 32 Coloured Plates from Pastel Drawings especially<br> +done for this work by</i></p> + +<p class="c sp">Miss M. G. W. WILSON,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Member of the Pastel Society and of the Scottish Society of Artists</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>New Edition. Medium 8vo.</i> <b>7s. 6d. net.</b></p> + +<p>It was not originally intended that this charming work, of which +both the Edition de Luxe and the ordinary Edition were sold out +two months after publication, should be reprinted. So persistent, +however, have been the inquiries for it that it has been decided to +re-issue it in a cheaper edition, but with all the original plates. The +success of the book in the first instance may be attributed both to +the attractiveness of the subject and to the harmonious combination +of artistic and literary skill which characterized it, and these features +will in no sense be modified in the new edition.</p> + + +<p class="sans sp p2"><b><i>A New Edition Revised.</i></b></p> + +<p class="c xlarge sp">A BOOK ABOUT ROSES.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By the late Very Rev. S. REYNOLDS HOLE,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Dean of Rochester</span>.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>With Coloured Plates. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>3s. 6d.</b></p> + +<p>This edition contains the Dean’s latest corrections of his famous +book, a new chapter on “Progress” up to the present time by +Dr. Alfred Williams, Member of Committee of the National Rose +Society, and a full and up-to-date list of roses compiled and classified +by the same competent hand.</p> + + +<p class="sans sp p2 c large"><b>NEW FICTION.</b></p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp">TANTE.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By ANNE DOUGLAS SEDGWICK</p> + +<p class="c sp">(Mrs. Basil de Sélincourt),</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Franklin Kane,” “Valérie Upton,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>6s.</b></p> + +<p>A deeply interesting book, which, it is believed, will be considered +by far the most powerful work the author has accomplished. It is +a long story, but the interest never flags, and the plot culminates in +an exceedingly dramatic way.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE BRACKNELS.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By FORREST REID.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>6s.</b></p> + +<p>This is an interesting novel describing the fortunes of an Irish +family, into the midst of which comes Mr. Rusk, a young English +tutor. Each member of the family is well and distinctly portrayed, +and there is an under-current of mysticism of a distinctly uncanny +tendency. Denis, a boy of sixteen, the pupil of Mr. Rusk, is a +particularly charming figure, who contrasts sharply with some of the +other members of the Bracknel family.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">A ROMANCE OF THE SIMPLE.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By MARY J. H. SKRINE.</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “A Stepson of the Soil.”</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><b>6s</b>.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">MORE GHOST STORIES.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Dr. M. R. JAMES,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Provost of King’s College, Cambridge.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Author of “Ghost Stories of an Antiquary,” etc.</span></p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>Medium 8vo.</i> <b>6s.</b></p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">THE MOTTO OF MRS. McLANE.</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng large">The Story of an American Farm.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By SHIRLEY CARSON.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Crown 8vo.</i> <b>3s. 6d.</b></p> + +<p>A very clever piece of character drawing; the scene is laid in +a Western American farm, where the McLane family have been +settled for a considerable number of years. Life on the farm at +various seasons is painted in vivid and attractive colours, but the +feature of the story is the shrewd homely wit of Mrs. McLane and +her neighbours. Their conversations remind one of the success of +“Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch,” and are so clever and +spontaneous that they cannot fail to be thoroughly enjoyed by all +readers.</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">LOVE IN BLACK.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By Sir H. HESKETH BELL, K.C.M.G.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Governor of Northern Nigeria</span>.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>One Volume. Medium 8vo.</i> <b>6s.</b></p> + +<p>This volume contains a number of sketches of native life in West +Africa, in the garb of fiction. No one has had better opportunities +than the author of penetrating the veil of mystery and fetish that +enshrouds the inner life of the native, and no one has drawn their +characters with a more sympathetic and romantic hand. The titles +of the sketches give some idea of the contents of the volume. Among +them are “The Fetish Mountain of Krobo,” “The Yam Custom,” +“The Tale of a Tail-Girl,” “His Highness Prince Kwakoo,” “On +Her Majesty’s Service,” “A Woman of Ashanti.”</p> + + +<p class="c xlarge sp p2">STEAM TURBINE DESIGN:</p> + +<p class="c sp oldeng large">With Especial Reference to the Reaction Type.</p> + +<p class="c sp">By JOHN MORROW, M.Sc., D.Eng.,</p> + +<p class="c sp med"><span class="smcap">Lecturer in Engineering, Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne</span>.</p> + +<p class="c sp"><i>Demy 8vo. Fully illustrated with 150 Diagrams and 9 Folding Plates.</i></p> + +<p>Since the days of Watt no greater revolution has taken place in +steam machinery than the advent of the turbine. In the face of the +greatest difficulties it was introduced by the Hon. Sir Charles A. +Parsons both for marine and electrical work, and with the success of +the s.s. <i>Lusitania</i> and <i>Mauretania</i> the public for the first time realized +that it had come to stay. Many books, both of description and +theory, have been written on the steam turbine, yet up to the +present few have been devoted definitely to its design. In the +present volume Dr. Morrow gives a clear explanation of the principles +and practice of turbine design and construction as followed +out in the drawing-office and engineering workshop.</p> + +<hr class="r65"> + +<p class="c sp more">LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD, 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, W. +</p> + +<div class="transnote"> + +<p class="c">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> + +<p>Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been changed.</p> + +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76274 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76274-h/images/cover.jpg b/76274-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f4bf3a2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76274-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76274-h/images/fig1.jpg b/76274-h/images/fig1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..061faa9 --- /dev/null +++ b/76274-h/images/fig1.jpg diff --git a/76274-h/images/fig10.jpg 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