The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn

uaia. On some maps the settlement is located on Navarin Island, south of the channel, but the proper place for it is on a small bay that indents Tierra del Fuego, just east of the line

ation, containing only a single log hut, the home of the first Christian who succeeded in gaining a foothold among the Indian

necessary for the reader to shut out from his mind about all the real facts concerning them, and think only of what they seemed to be if he would fully appreciate the spirit and intent of the founders of the mission to the Yahgans. It must be remembered that the region was supposed to be bleak and desolate, that frightful

ey of the Mohawk, none so much as suggested in the early days a mission to the Yahgans, save only as Sarmiento's ill-fated colony hoped to convert the heathen as well as hold the Straits of Magellan for the crown of Spain. Nevertheless, a time came when the very terrors of nature a

evote his life to mission work, and only remained in the navy because he wished to learn what people of the earth was most neglected and forlorn-most in need of the Christian religion. Having caught a few glimpses of the Yahgans and their people, and having read the stories about th

visions to last six months," says the record. "But in a very few days the conduct of the natives showed the missionaries that to remain

too harsh. They did, indeed, strive to take valuables from the missionaries without making any return whatever for them, but it must not be forgotten that the Yahgans held practically all proper

ney for a ship in which he could live in a Yahgan harbor. He believed he could repel any Yahgan boarders that might attack him, and eventuall

decked them over. The sum of ￡1000 was deemed necessary for this enterprise, of wh

, 1850, in the ship Ocean Queen, which was bound to the booming town of San Francisco, but agreed to land them and their outfit in Tierra del Fuego. They carried stores for six months, and arranged for more to come before these should be exhausted. On December 5th their ship anchored in a bay called Bann

out the means of self-defence and of obtaining food," is the way the story of Captain Gardiner's life puts it, but the plain English of the matter is that they had come relying on guns to protect them. They meant to shoot

d with it opened the storehouse of God's exceeding great and precious promises. What I saw and felt of Christ's love no tongue can tell," but their faith in Divine protection was not strong enough to make them risk a visit to the Indians, and so, at last,

idity and over-caution," says the writer of the life of that missionary, and

ut the matter bluntly, is only one-the first of a lon

e a letter was found dated the day following. Gardiner, who was the last survivor, probably died one year from the time he sailed. In October c

Be

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ed the papers of the dead missionaries and buried the human bones. Her colors were lowered and three volleys were fired by the marines after the funeral,

o not doubt the honest intentions of the society people, some of their words would seem to be deliberate attempts to deceive, if coming from any

o Lennox Harbour and leave her to the care of Fuegian caulkers and carpenters; and after rambling through the streets of a thriving seaport to

nt it out to establish a station for the conversion of the Yahgans. She was commanded by Captain W. Parker Snow, and she carried Mr. Garland Phillips, as catechist, to Keppel Island, one of the Falklands then uninhabited. They arrived out on January 28, 1855, and found th

een, who loved everybody, and whom everybody loved," and this is the earliest mention of one who has since made himself the most noted of all who have worked in the mission. Thereafter

g on the ranch at Keppel Island. These instructions continued until the following October, when Phillips took them back in his schooner, which was manned by a captain, a mate, four seamen, a carpenter, and a cook, all "decidedly good men." On the way over (it was a

the natives came after him, and there remained until hunger drove him out. The natives then bound him, stripped off his clothes, but gave him their own favorite article of clothing instead-a coat o

in the missionary publications to show how fierce and degraded t

, but the young English boy spoken of-Tom Bridges-proved a natural linguist, and so rapidly learn

the Bishop of the Church of England for South America. On the arrival of Stirling "the interrupte

the records speak freely, and it is worth while considering what tha

re never lost sight of. The records give the length of time devoted to these "material" matters every day, as well as that given to mental and spiritual pursuits. Up to 1879 the natives had two hours per day for instructions, but in October of that year the school hours were increased to three per day. The rest of the day was devoted to work on the sheep ranch and to the garden where the missionaries raised vegetables. But n

ple and the expounding of the Gospel, all who knew these natives will admit, has [sic] work

rmer Bartlett's children. "After tea we had several games, among which was the avenging the death of a murdered man by the Indians, and

boys on the Keppel Island farm, and lest some one think I am exagg

week in which, under my supervision, they were encouraged to mend and repair their clothing." To this Mr. R. Wha

ustomed work the whole day through, but they had to do it u

e are other mission schools in the world conducted in the same fashion, and the pe

ood-looking, affectionate boy," was prepared for the missionary service, we come to the e

and learning from them their language. But in January of that year Mr. Stirling determined to

confidence in them; to encourage a more general and regular disposition in them to adopt our ways and

Here he lived for seven months. One of four boys who had been in England, and was subsequently continued in his educational career by being enlisted as cabin-boy of the mission schooner Allen Ga

hising. In the evening, ditto; and what with putting the house and its surroundings in order, making and f

ly described, Mr. Stirling was called home to Englan

the story of this mission; and it is quoted to show that the sort of training the Yahgan boys had received at Keppel ha

le Stirling was founding Ushuaia, and before Stirling reached England Bridges had been ordained a catechist, had married, and had sailed for Keppel Island. With the departure of the Rev. Mr. Stirling for ordination as Bishop, Ushuaia

l off the sun on the north, and on every other side the ranges are not very far away. To the west, however, there is

ninety feet above the sea is not favorable for procuring the best results. Many spots might be chosen where, shelter and greater

st their home; and straightway the work bringing the Yahgan Indians

gether with a plain statement of the means employe

tural pursuits together with fishing." And again: "Our daily endeavor is to bind them with the bonds of Christ's

he region, was to be transformed into a community of farmers there and then. A people who had in all their wonderful language of 40,000 words no term or idea of either God or a future existence

needed, is perfectly plain to all who peruse the record; and in that assurance they never faltered. They were as earnestly determined

s could do; and the work to which Mr. Bridges devoted the most time was that of impressing on them the advantages of civilization-i.e., making them like white men. He had little faith in the notions of those missionaries who at various times have believed they could best reach the heathen heart by living with the heathen, suf

N STATION

ad ever been while roaming at will about those seas and inlets in search of seals, birds, and fish, or when sitting beside a roaring camp-fire inventing and telling stories. It was, therefore

ingly told by a few extracts from the record, which are in all cases verbatim, save that I have italicize

he station was founded), we get not only Mr. Bridges's ideas about handling workmen, but also his way of composing

, thickened with flour, beans, or other farinaceous food. Besides, much work has been done to the road in carrying down the embankment, and we hope to have it available for our cart in a few weeks by diligent labor. A large quantity of wood has also been cut and brought do

poken, and Stephen, in great turmoil of spirit, came to me and asked to be employed elsewhere, saying that he could no longer work with the men with the cart. I set him to other work, and I went down to the men and reproved the guilty ones for violent language and threatenin

her. The young fellow seemed very fond of her and she of him. He had friends here whom he was diligent to move in his favor by descanting on the cruelties of the ot

f the woman raised when he came on and found that

ces, give what he could to restore peace. No doubt he has been a very guilty par

, this missionary advised him to buy off the outraged husban

kind and quantity of food served, for, in s

or two boys under him, and tea likewise. A break is made between the morning and afternoon working time, a space of four and three an

t was served in a quantity sufficient for the workmen only, as one may readily in

m. Then we would all throw ourselves down and enjoy ten or fifteen minutes' rest while we took this refreshment. The little children soon learned the course of things,

fluence over them to keep a good many so employed. In return he gave to the laborers what he calls "a sufficiency of food," but he here distinctly admits that they "would have

f old but most acceptable clothing sent by kind friends in Stanley which was very much needed." Then, "after the morning service, we all had a happy time with the natives, who were abundantly supplied with good stew and pudding." In a letter we read that "the half-yearly distribution of clothing to the baptized natives took place on the 28

rs wear, for two weeks of labor did not prove entirely satisfactory to the Indian

ed and sore, and you have to be constantly at them to do a fair day's work. The natives have been culpably idle at this and

en were not willing to do the work of English farm laborers in return f

use mussels were almost everywhere abundant, and they were lacking in food only when storms prevented their journeying from a place which had been eaten bare to one which had not been visited for a time. As farmers, if they were to be farmers, they would

came expressing their sad circumstances and sought to excite pity in order to get something to eat. Only three men were regularly employed, but four or five women were much employed in making shirts, so that these were envied by the rest, and certainly were much better off. During th

to these remarks he was answered, "You ought not to be sorry, but glad that these poor people have plenty. Besides, you ought not to

k, only so much food as that heathen himself needed. To the squaw only as much as she needed was given. Under that system of pay an able-bodied man and an able-bodied woman could not together earn even enough food above their own wants to supply one child. "Your son can gather mussels," said the missionary when they complain

the new-comers to get a share of any food they may have brought. They do not ask, but wait till they have received some. Each woman looks upon what supplies she gathers as her ow

among the Yahgans "they do not ask but wait," and that "each woman looks upon what

encouraged and promoted by a society in England that had an income of from $50,000 to $60,000 a year, and complained because it did not get more. Enough, however, has been quoted to convey an a

's teaching, "Justifica

ts, obedience to His will, love and gratitude for all His

ures of the boundless love of God, of their God, their Lord, their Saviour

ntative before God, who in our stead has borne our sins, and pleads His-now by faith our-merits, on account of which we can alone be lo

preaching. The following from the same pages of the reco

by anecdote and application, and great ef

sked whether they love and wish to serve Jesus, they answer affirmatively, b

conduct of Jemmy Button, Admiral Fitzroy's protegé, is ever being reacted here. He would not tell the people what he had seen, but made capital of their ignoran

he ground that the new vessel would enable the missionaries to extend their teachings to the other tribes of the region. They got their steamer, but when it came their zeal to preach to the Ona and to

ven years, in 1881, such progress had been made that they had a "Christian village, with cottages instead of wigwams, and an extemporized church in the midst," six frame cottages which the Indians had made for themselves out of whip-sawed

re than ten acres of ground were cultivated. An orphanage had been erected, and "twenty

had obtained in exchange for labor, or for the furs they caught when hunting, and a very large proportion of them had learned

aries laid greatest stress, was the change wrought in the t

ds for safety," says the missionary record. In return the Yahgans had slaughtered every wrecked crew of seamen that fell into their power, saving one man in each crew, however, whom they c

ate of things was brought about," says t

ncroachment, the Argentines decided to establish a station down on the south coast of Tierra del Fuego to defend their landed rights. They naturally chose this "Christian settlement" as the site for the station. That was a great event in the hi

wledge of those who had brought it about. Something was found to be wrong

isease. Excessive languor, without suffering

ople sick, and one old woman who had recovered. They told us three had died, and pointed out several others whom they sa

others who were in the house. We found one dear little fellow on his back, not quite dead. He asked me for water which I gave him. He died a few minutes after. In the same house we fo

ons in three weeks at Ushuaia. Ho

ost every house we have heard the voice of prayer a

wretchedness, uncomplaining suffering, and death that had taken place in this settlemen

eing "tired" and "sore," and had to be nagged into working steadily. They had slept naked in the freezing rain, but now, if they sat down in their shirt sleeves while at work, they caught a cold that developed into a fatal disease. Consumpti

cated at the expense of friends in England," died, and so did every other child in that "Christi

had been of advantage to the missionaries, but meas

cted them." Those are the words of one of the members of the missionary society, and they were true words. The ferocity of the Yahgans in their native state protected them from the devil

er for the Yahgans had a man-o'-war been sent there to kill the half of them rather than that they should have learned that lesson. For, alas, the missionaries made very little, if any, progress in overcoming the Yahgan

els were at last free to go among any Yahgans save the insignif

wife until he was overturned in a boat in the bay and drowned, when two of the grown children of the Rev. John Lawrence of Ushuaia, brother and sist

omachs digest mussels and whale's blubber better than turnip soup or mixed milk and water slightly swe

hey listened to and said they accepted his spiritual teachings; they reluctantly took up his farming and mechanic arts; they eagerly sought his kinds of food and clothing. The missiona

s of their civilization, rather-consists in the use of wretched and dangerous dugouts in place of graceful and safe bark canoes; the ragged cast off

markings of paint, are the really hideous evidences of diseases that have

s stood erect man fashion, and with furious anger fought in defence of wife and daughter or even for plunder, was a n