Text and photos: Gerardo Bartolomé
We were in the ship's stern, with our life jackets and very warm, ready to embark on the boats. "We follow you, we get us a picture of the little Indians. "he said smiling Mrs. Chilean. "What pressure!"I thought.
This week I was giving lectures on board Australis cruise as we sailed channels Tierra del Fuego. In a story mentioned the Caleta Wulaia, people had paid much attention. I knew the story because there was fictionalized in my book "The betrayal of Darwin", but it was my first time there. I was not sure I could find the place of that recorded 176 years old my supporters wanted to photograph.
When Captain Fitz Roy commanded the Beagle on his first trip expedition returned to London with three young Indians fueguinos. Taught English, the educated, the catechized and even presented to the King and Queen of England. His project was that they were the basis of a colony that brought civilization to the Indians European fueguinos. Its aim was to civilize the tribes because, he said, that was the only way they could survive the wave that will inevitably sweep colonizing indigenous cultures.
The place chosen by the captain to found the colony was ... "Welcome to Wulaia!"The sailor said when the boat landed. Then we organize in groups for walks planned. I joined the group that barreled toward the heights, since there would be an overview to help me find the location of recorded.
And 1834, during the second voyage of the Beagle, English crew with the three little Indians landed on the beach and without wasting a minute began to build the huts of the colony where they would live fueguinos. Word spread among the natives of the area and the creek began to populate Yaghan Indians peacefully watching construction. The captain took a break to draw upon the scene I was pursuing, three Indians in front of a stream, behind the sailors working feverishly and background dominated by a peculiarly shaped hill.
After forty minutes we reached a height from which you could see the whole beach Wulaia. Something looked north stream. To the south the Monte King Scot and a snowy mountain dominated the horizon. I looked at my old copy of the engraving and smiled, I was pretty sure that was the place I was looking for. No doubt the King Scot was the hill that appeared at the bottom of the master drawing. Rest enjoy a breathtaking landscape and, After about fifteen minutes, we began the descent. Mrs. Chilean and other tourists were me, wanted removed the photo promised.
Upon completion of the Fitz Roy huts left leaving "his" Indians. Returned a year later, but nothing remained of the colony. Brought a canoe to one of the little Indians, Jemmy Button, who told him that just left the British Indians violently plundered Yaghan. So they took the set of china that had sent the Kings! Jemmy, of ethnic Yagana be reunited with his tribe. The other two, York Minster y Fuegian Basket, were ethnic Alacaluf, had no chance to survive there, fled by canoe to the territory of its people. Beagle's crew held an emotional farewell dinner in honor of Jemmy.
We went down fast. On the beach waiting for us with hot chocolate enhanced with a splash of whiskey. With my enthusiastic supporters walk a thousand feet to the place that I felt was the place chosen by Fitz Roy for drawing. We crossed the little stream called "Massacre" and hand engraving began to look. I walked a little to the north ... a little to the south ... the tree ... the stones ... We were ... "This is the place!"Exclaimed Mrs. Chilean excited. Each group had a photo in the same pose of the little Indians engraving. Everyone was happy.
Fitz Roy Wulaia not happened again, went to England where he had a life full of vicissitudes. Never saw Jemmy, yet heard from him by other boaters. The English-speaking Yagan lived at least thirty years.
"How do history continued?"I asked, when we returned by boat, a Mexican totally caught by the story. Already on board, with the group sat at the bar watching Australis Mount Scot King. I ordered a pisco sour and ended up telling the story.
After Fitz Roy English clergy followed the Falkland Islands with the idea of ??educating, or rather catechize, the Indians Yaghan. Wulaia founded another colony in England ended in many deaths; hence the name of the creek: “Matanza”. Jemmy was accused of leading the Indians in that rebellion.
Despite several more failures, a priest of the Falklands, Thomas Bridges, founded another colony in the nearby Bay of Ushuaia. This really prospered. The times had changed, advancing white settlers in the area without regard and the Indians had no choice but to take refuge in the small colony. Bridges over time, by agreement with the Argentine Government, Ushuaia had to leave and move their colony fifty miles west. The Argentine government had other plans for that bay. So he Almost fifty years after the colony of Captain Fitz Roy, y changed transformed, became the city of Ushuaia.
"Can I visit the colony of Bridges?"Asked the Mexican, very interested. “Claro. It is the Estancia Harberton. "
"What else can you tell us Bridges?"He said while calling for another pisco sour.
But ... the story of Bridges deserves another post.
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Gerardo Bartolomé traveler and writer is. To learn more about him and his work go to www.GerardoBartolome.com
