p. 16 | Chile by F. W. Bishop

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 1, 1909

Chile

By F. W. Bishop

PUNTA ARENAS, MAGALLANES.—It is now two months since I came to this city. I began canvassing the day after I arrived, and have just finished the town. The times are very bad, many are out of work, and many small stores are selling out; but I sold five hundred pesos' worth of books. It takes three and a half pesos to get one North American dollar. Next week I expect to go into

the country among the colonists. The last few days have been very windy, but generally the weather is pleasant; it is never hot. The summers are long and dry. Recently there has been a big forest fire near the town, several miles of country being burned over. Thousands of carts of wood and some houses have been burned, but the city is safe. I have been thinking that this would be a good place for a family of Sabbath-keepers to be located. A good work could be done.

There is a great country to the south, called the Land of Fire (Tierra del Fuego), where there are gold-mines, and sheep raising is carried on. It contains three hundred twenty-two thousand square miles of territory, and is inhabited by only a few Indians and a few white people.

Patagonia is a new and wild country, but it is being settled by the English, most of whom are in the sheep-raising business. There are many wild animals, and animals with fine furs are found in the southern part of the country. I recently saw a bear skin which was valued at five hundred pesos. The ostrich abounds in all parts of Patagonia, also the llama, a small animal about the size of a year-old calf, which is killed for its skin. There are in the country many hunters of animals; but who will come to hunt men? The Lord says he will send hunters (Jer. 16: 16), so I believe some will come even to the ends of the earth. The best time to come here is in the months of October and November, just after the winter. If any one wishes to write to me about the country, I will be glad to reply. My address is Casilla 7, Pua, Chile, South America. F. W. BISHOP.