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266 PORTS WOOL— VlriRNET.
danger, if a vigilant look-out and common skill were exercised.
Berkeley Sound (besides many other ports) would contain a
large fleet in security, while around it are coves and basins in
which any repairs might be carried on.
Probably some intercourse might be opened with the Patagonians,
and, by them, vith other roving tribes on the continent,
who would exchange guanacoes, horses, cattle, poultry,
hides, horns, tallow, and hair, for hardware, clothing, cutlery,
ornaments, saddles, spurs, bridles, &c.; and as the guanaco is
so warmly clothed in the high southern latitudes, and is capable
of being domesticated,* it might be found a valuable animal to
encourage among sheep and cattle at the Falklands. Mr. Brisbane
told me, that some wool, sent by Mr. Vernet from East
Falkland to Liverpool, sold for nearly double the price of
Buenos Ayres wool; and this was the produce of sheep which
had only been a few years on the island, of the Buenos Ayrean
stock, unmixed with any superior breed. To show how well
the little colony, established by Mr. Vernet, was succeeding,
prior to its harsh and unnecessary ruin by Captain Silas Duncan,
I wiU give an extract of a letter received from a brother
officer who visited Port Louis.
“ The settlement is situated half round a smaU cove, which
has a narrow entrance from the sound; this entrance, in the
time of the Spaniards, was commanded by two forts, botli now
lying in ruins, the only use made of one being to confine the
wild cattle in its circular waU when newly brought in from
the interior. The governor, Louis Vernet, received me with
cordiality. He possesses much information, and speaks several
languages. Plis house is long and low, of one story, with very
thick walls of stone. I found in it a good library, of Spanish,
German, and English works. A lively conversation passed at
dinner, the party consisting of Mr. Vernet and his wife, Mr.
• “ Magalhaens, in his voyage, saw Patagonians who had with them four
yoang g]uanacoes, led about with a kind of halter.”—Burney, vol. i. p.34,
anno 1520.—And others on which they placed their wives. Pennant.
At Mocha the natives had tame guanacoes, or ulpacoes, in 1598. In Peru,
the llama has been a domestic animal as long as we have any record.
ESTABLISHMENT— DELUSION.
Brisbane, and others; in the evening we had music and
dancing. In the room was a grand piano-forte ; Mrs. Vernet,
a Buenos Ayrean lady, gave us some excellent singing, which
sounded not a little strange at the Falkland Isles, where we
expected to find only a few sealers.
“ Mr. Vernet’s establishment consisted of about fifteen slaves,
bought by him from the Buenos Ayrean Government, on the
condition of teaching them some useful employment, and having
their services for a certain number of years, after which they
were to be freed. They seemed generally to be from fifteen to
twenty years of age, and appeared contented and happy.
“ The total number of persons on the island consisted of
about one hundred, including twenty-five gauchos and five
Indians. There were two Dutch families (the women of which
milked the cows and made butter) ; two or three Englishmen;
a German family; and the remainder were Spaniards and Portuguese,
pretending to follow some trade, but doing little or
nothing. The gauchos were chiefly Buenos Ayreans; but
their capataz or leader was a Frenchman.”
Such was the state of Vernet’s settlement a few months
before the Lexington’s visit; and there was then every reason
for the settlers to anticipate success, as they, poor deluded
people, never dreamed of having no business there without
having obtained the permission of the British Government.
They thought, naturally enough, that the Buenos Ayrean
Government could not have sold the islands to Mr. Vernet,
unless the state of La Plata had a right to them; they believed
that the purchase-money had been paid ;* but they were not
awai-e that the British Government had protested formally
against the pretended claim of Buenos Ayres, so quiet was
that fact kept by the Argentine Government, although the
solemn protest was made hy Mr. Parish, the British consul-
general, in November 1829-
• It is said that officers in the Buenos Ayrean army, relations of Mrs.
Vernet, had claims upon their Government, which they agreed should be
liquidated by receiving certain sums of money from Mr. Vernet; in consideration
of which the Government made over to him their pretended
right of property in the Falklands and Staten Land. v
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