Marble chapel and the theft of River Phoenix
Over 150 years, Argentina and Chile fought the Andes of Patagonia. Complaints, charges, traps and even threats were used on dozens of issues in dispute. Along with my wife went to visit one of the most controversial points of this frontier. This is a very special lake, because it sits on a huge steppe forming a lengthy hiatus in the mountains. The two countries had agreed that the border but would Andes, and there ... Where are the mountains? Only it is an undulating plain sterile.
The Agreement 1881 proposed the criterion to determine the border by the high peaks or watershed. In the absence of peaks that should define where the water drained at Pacific territory belonged to Chile, where he drained at Atlantic corresponded to Argentina. To the despair of the early explorers Argentine, that lake and the entire surrounding area emptied into the Pacific, so that would correspond to Chile. That was the thing 1896.
We lined up our van to stay on the side now belongs to Argentina, looking to meet where occurred one of the most amazing tricks in the history of Patagonia: Phoenix River theft.
We rode near the shore, guided by a gaucho knows the area, a local guide, We sought chenques, Indian graves. Over the afternoon the horizon, on the west it was a violet staining. "It's the wind that lifts the ashes of the volcano." Said the gaucho. What volcano?
"It was terrible." Said the owner of the field. And 1991 a distant Chilean volcano, el Hudson, erupted. The west wind perpetual, no mountains that curb, brought rain of ash that covered the Patagonia to the Atlantic Ocean, nearly four miles away. Surrounding the lake is a blanket of ash deposited three feet thick. Killed all the sheep. In the nearby village of Old succumbed to the weight of the ceilings and most of the people had to be evacuated. On the Chilean side and steered embalsaron ashes rivers, isolated buried houses and left many settlers. Many years it took to recover from the terrible zone eruption.
We continue our journey along the lake, its shore lined with small stones floating. Floating Stones?? Yes sir. Pumice
And 1896 Francisco Moreno, known as the Perito Moreno, explored the area. He worried that this steppe could be left to Chile by a small factor: the only thread of water in the area, River Phoenix, zigzagged but instead of being carried away by the general slope of the ground and head into the Atlantic, inexplicably bent towards the west into the huge lake. Moreno had been admitted to the Chilean land to make sure a thing, that lake emptied into the Pacific. And this steppe reads correspond to Chile? "By no means!"Must have thought the Perito, and devised a bold and patriotic action but unscrupulous.
We continue our journey along the lake, its shore lined with small stones floating. Floating Stones?? Yes sir. Pumice. It was once incandescent stone thrown by the volcano, cooled rapidly to, internally generated so many pores that air contains more stone. Fleet because it is lighter than water. In its last eruption Hudson had not thrown stones, only ashes. It was clear that there had been many eruptions in the geological history of the area.
Shortly after passage of the Perito a group of Welsh settlers, specialize in the construction of canals, went to work in the very place that Moreno had indicated. Shoveled for a few days to finish the job. Now the Phoenix river flowed eastward to the Atlantic ....
The gray floor clearly told us that the ashes were to blame and trees on the old channel allowed us to calculate that this was due to a rash
On the Chilean side still looking for evidence of ancient eruptions of Hudson and its effect on the area. A dead forest, drowned by another river which nature had changed course. The gray floor clearly told us that the ashes were to blame and trees on the old channel allowed us to calculate that this was due to an eruption ago, at least, eighty years.
But if River Phoenix was different, had not been diverted by the volcano ... There was a diplomatic scandal when a Chilean expedition discovered the ruse Argentinean and it ended in an arbitration against the British crown. The English king sent a man experienced imperial army that crossed the area with a representative from each country. Colonel Robert Holdich confirmed that the river had been diverted artificially. The Perito Moreno did not deny, was impossible to do, but he defended himself saying that having diverted the river with as little work showed that ash from an eruption could easily change the course of the river. Perhaps, ventured, in its history the river had run to the Atlantic and to the Pacific alternately. Holdich the miró serious; there was evidence of large amount of eruptions. Moreno further risked: The lake is in an unstable equilibrium; the ashes of a major eruption could close the drain and do drain west into the Atlantic. According to the Perito, there, due to the instability of the area, had to discard the watershed approach and apply a more Solomonic. Without giving your opinion Holdich returned to England to write his report.
Finally, our journey around the lake took us to a place with large blocks of semi submerged caverns showing Gothic forms. We were in Marble Chapel. A boat approached us rocks. Up close you could see that the water had eroded the stones. How? The eruptions throw huge amounts of sulfur in the lake water and eat it chemically generating marble cathedrals such strange ways. It was clear that the Hudson threw ashes for thousands of years.
And 1904 Sir Robert Holdich read British award that defined most of the Argentine-Chilean border lengthy. At this point of contention was the decision to split the lake in the middle. The English had accepted the thesis Argentina. To avoid further discussions at the same lake were given different names on either side. For Argentine waters were called Lake Buenos Aires while Chilean waters were called Lago General Carrera.
Back in Buenos Aires consulted with geologists. They assured me that modern observations showed that the River Phoenix had never flowed into the Atlantic. The Perito Moreno hypothesis was not true ... but it served to convince Holdich.
Contacto@GerardoBartolome.com
Gerardo Bartolomé traveler and writer is. To learn more about him and his work go to www.GerardoBartolome.com
Comments (19)
Pablo Basanta
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Why were the British who made awards? What is the relationship with Argentina and Chile?
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Gerardo Bartolomé
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On several occasions the Argentina and Chile could not reach an agreement on their limits and went to third countries as arbitrators (common among South American countries). In the case of the referee was U.S. Puna, in Patagonia was Britain and 1978 the Vatican was a referee in the Beagle Channel.
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Sergio
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Very good !!!
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Ana Luisa Therefore
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I loved the story Gerardo!!! All of a patriot Moreno, inescrupoloso, but a great patriot!!!
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Gerardo Bartolomé
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Thanks Ana Luisa. These traps or "creole revivals" (as Argentine…) are commonplace in any trial. An Arbitration is not nothing but a lawsuit between countries but a trial at last. Believe me not only to trap Moreno… Greetings
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Gerardo Bartolomé
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At this time a volcano is raging in southern Chile and Argentina. Situation similar to that described in this blog. From here I send you a thousand greetings to the people who are suffering from the Puyehue volcano ash.
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Juan Carlos
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And then we say that Chileans are thieves expansionist.
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Mariano Martinez
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One, Juan Carlos. In this Chilean border conflict had made several traps. But, Moreno did not have to know the area much better than them and their traps were discovered. On the other hand, The conditions favorable for Argentina started by Chilean expansionism, They embarked on the Pacific War against Bolivia and Peru, and had to accept the conditions Argentinas and they could not have faced a war on two fronts.
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Mariano Martinez
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Dear Gerardo, is a pleasure to communicate with you by this means. I have read your book «The Limit of Lies», excellent work. I haven't been able to find "The Betrayal of Darwin" yet but I hope to read it soon. And I see you've been there I ask you something that I'm not clear. The Fenix river diversion was reversed and was definitely well. In the photo you posted looks like this last. Greetings. Mariano.
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Guillermo Garcia
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Good morning, very interesting article.
I understand that the photo "Rio Fenix today" is wrong since it represents the Page River on the banks of the R 40.
Please appreciate review.
Thank you very much
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Gerardo Bartolome
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William. When taking this photo with gps geolocalizaba not so I can not ensure that it is one or the other. I always assumed it was the Fenix. Crossing both R 40 very close to each other and the Page is a tributary of the Phoenix. You'll see that both are very similar photos. I could not be sure that the picture is the Fenix Moreno or Page but her book titled Rio Fenix. Maybe modern place names have changed something. If you are sure that the current picture is the change Page.
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Gerardo Bartolome
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Mariano: River Phoenix'm off to the Atlantic. On the old course runs a small one that runs to the lake (and thence to the Pacific) I call that Fenix Rio Chico
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Thomas
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So they feel proud of their ancestor Argentines thief. Well, in the genes they have, and will be their downfall. The decline will crescendo.
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javier Brandoli
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Being as we are a magazine that respects all opinions, where we have left writings that we are insulting the creators of this project somehow respecting what everyone thinks and censorship do not interested, have to make clear that we are opposed to such Comments that do not share a single word. Viajesalpasado is quite the contrary to the previous message; is a magazine that tries to pull barriers, teaching the world to avoid stereotyping. We like Argentina as we like anywhere in the world I would do the same appreciation to an attack so generic and unrealistic. In this case, in cooncreto, creators of these three page, and the author of the post, Gerardo, Argentina, We are fans of this a la tierra we deseando every time we come back.
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ricardo Coarasa
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The only decline we are willing to censor in VaP. is lack of curiosity and leads to absurd and unfair generalizations, like all generalizations. If someone can not blame that has sweetened the character of Perito Moreno, precisely, Gerardo Bartolomé, who despite his condition Argentine has not been shy about documenting his lies (and in fact has published a successful book about). That attitude away from stereotypes, intellectual curiosity, honesty before history, is the VaP. applaud. And if a decline is unstoppable is of those who see the world through the narrow gap of prejudice. My condolences, Thomas.
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Gerardo Bartolomé
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Thomas: Makes you a sorry.
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Giuliano
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Perito Moreno sinvergüenza not a Latin American. So they stole a large part of Chilean Patagonia. Because Chile allowed the theft?.We should have gone to war. And 1978 we almost destiny that hablaran.Triste weapons for two countries similar history and culture. Chile has lost a significant portion of the nation trasandina territory without having fired a shot. In Peru and Bolivia defeated militarily who has twice won major territorial quotas. Argentina being territorially more extensive than Chile would have been defeated and another "rooster would sing to us". The Argentines have never won a war and Later for the Falklands in the South Atlantic meant a humiliating defeat at the expense of G Britain stategicly Who Chile support.
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Giuliano
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Exacto! Argentina country that has never won a war …Later major defeat for the Falklands…has practiced systematic dispossession "taking advantage" of the fact that Chile was facing the secret Peruvian-Bolivian alliance, whom it defeated militarily on two occasions.
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Maria
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Dear Bartolome, Clemente is known about Onelli, perhaps also he diverted the rivers for Argentina? And Lake Posadas to Rio Furioso and Gold? What do you know about them?
Thank you for your knowledge,M
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