Chapter 3 Section 3 The End of a Free Land

Overlooking the entrance of the Beager Canal in the east on the new island, the island is about eight kilometers long and four kilometers wide, forming an irregular pentagon. The trees here are towering and the leaves are luxuriant, especially rich in beech, Eustoma, and holly. Myrtaceae, and moderately tall cypresses, steppes with holly, holly, slender ferns, and in some shelters, fertile ground, which are humus The soil is suitable for growing vegetables. In other places, especially around the beach, there is only a superficial layer of humus soil, and the naturally formed moss, moss and stone pine dot the land like a carpet.

On this island, on the back of the towering cliffs, near the sea, the Indian Calori has lived here for more than ten years. He could have chosen a place with more ideal conditions to settle down. All ships coming and going from the Le Maire Strait must pass under the eyes of the new island. If you just want to cross the Orles Cape and enter the Pacific Ocean, you don’t need anyone’s help, but if you want to cross the peninsula for trading, then You have to go down a number of different canals, which necessitates hiring a navigator. However, there are very few ships visiting the coast of the Magellan Sea!Calori and his son, of course, could hardly live by navigating these very few ships with meager pay, so they had to devote themselves to hunting and fishing to replenish their stores and exchange some of the best items. Basic daily necessities.

In fact, the area of ​​this island is limited, and there are very few alpacas, vicuna and other animals living here, but the fur of these beasts is extremely precious. Other neighboring islands, such as Lavalan, Khost, Wollaston, and Dausun, have countless wild animals, not to mention the vast plains, dense forests, and groups of camels and beasts of prey. of Fuego. For a long time, Kaloli lived in a deep cave in this natural granite rock, in short, many times stronger than the huts of the Yakanas. Since Le Corgi came, the cave has also been replaced by The house and the beams are made from local materials on the island, the rock is the rock, and the numerous shells, sorrel shells, oyster shells, and snails scattered on the beach provide the mortar.

There are three rooms in the house, in the middle is the shared living room with a large fireplace built in it, the one on the left is for Caloli and his son, and the one on the right is reserved for Le Corgi. On the shelf of this room, you can see It is full of books and papers, most of which are books on medicine, politics, economics, sociology, etc. The big wardrobe is full of various and colorful bottles and jars and some surgical instruments. As the thrilling scene described at the beginning of this book: he and his two partners returned from Tierra del Fuego to this house. He was going to the Indian camp just now because someone was injured there.Along a small stream, there were haphazard, haphazardly built thatched huts, wisps of smoke rose from the thatched roofs, and innumerable dogs jumped around, and their barking and barking showed the coming of small boats. On the grassland, two scrawny horses were grazing with their heads down.

When they heard that Le Corgi was coming, thirty-three men and women ran out and hurried to the shore, followed by a group of naked children. As soon as Le Corgi set foot on land, everyone rushed to him and shook hands with him. These poor Indians welcomed him in this way to express their gratitude for the help they had received from him. He patiently listened to their stories one by one. Many mothers brought him to their sick children, their gratitude was beyond words, and they all thanked Le Corgi passionately.His arrival has brought great comfort and honor to the residents here. At last he went into one of the thatched huts, and came out immediately, followed by two women, one old and the other young, with a child in their arms, the man who had been bitten by the jaguar. Mother, wife and son, despite all the care and treatment he had given him at that time, he unfortunately passed away during the crossing of the island!His body was sent to the beach, and all the aborigines in the camp surrounded him.

Le Corgi then told everyone the cause of his death. He generously left the jaguar skin to the orphan and widow. Ji boarded the boat and set sail. As winter was approaching, the family on the new island resumed their ordinary life in the past, and they received several sailors who came to travel along the coast from the Malvinas Islands. The snowstorm is approaching, the ground is frozen three feet, and the roads are impassable. Before that, they come to buy fur goods. The fur goods here are sold at a low price, and the residents use them to exchange winter storage and necessary military supplies.

In the last week of May, a large ship came to lead Calori, and Algie and Le Corgi were left alone on the new island. That little boy, Algye, was seventeen years old at the time, and he had a childish, innocent admiration for Le Corgis, and Le Corgis was also full of fatherly love for him. To develop the child's intellect, to transform him from his primordial wildness, to make him a man distinguished from his fellow-creatures in this land of Magellan, cut off from civilization. Or maybe it's a lie: Le Corgi only inspired this young Algie's idea of ​​independence, which seemed to him so precious that he was not the master, Calori and his son, from him. What you see is an equality.He doesn't have the idea of ​​being a master, even if he does, he is just his own master, and he doesn't need others to issue orders. He can neither dominate the sky nor the earth.

The seeds of this idea have taken root in this land, which appreciates it and accepts it with joy. The natives do have an infatuation with freedom. They are willing to pay all sacrifices for it, giving up the superiority of living and working in peace. Regardless of the relative benefits offered to them by others, or the security promised to them, it seemed impossible to keep them, and they still fled without hesitation!I lived the eternal, even a little longing, although somewhat miserable, but free and wandering life. In early June, the cold winter entered the land of Magellan. Although it was not a cold day in March and September, a burst of hurricanes swept across the entire area. The terrifying blizzard turned the coast of the sea upside down and made it chaotic. The new island was covered by heavy snow , Gradually disappeared without a trace.

June, July, and August passed by in this way, and in mid-September, the temperature began to warm up, and the crew of the Malvinas Islands began to show their faces in many messy waterways. On September 19th, Calori left the two Algies on the new island, and he went to an American steamer with a pilot flag on its foremast, which was sailing into the narrow channel of the Beager Canal. I left for seven or eight days. When the Indian sailed back in the boat, Le Corgi asked him, as usual, anecdotes about what he had seen and heard on the way. Nothing, Calori replied, just a beautiful sea and a pleasant breeze.

Where did you leave that boat? Darwin Strait, at the head of Steval Island, where we passed an oncoming frigate. where did it go Going to Tierra del Fuego, when I turned around, I saw it parked in a small bay again, and a small group of soldiers came down. The soldier Le Corgi exclaimed, which country are they from? It's Chileans and Argentines. what are they doing According to them, it was to escort the two quartermasters to Fuego and the surrounding islands for investigation. Where did the quartermaster come from? Benta︱Arras, the governor there handed over the frigate to them, and they commanded and deployed it.

Le Corgi didn't ask other questions, he was lost in thought: What does the appearance of these quartermasters mean?What will they do on this small piece of Magellan land?Was it just a geographic survey or a hydrographic survey?Are they only interested in routes?Or to conduct a precise and accurate confirmation of its cost? Le Corgi thought hard, and he couldn't help but feel worried. Will the survey develop to the whole of Magellan Island?Will warships berth in the waters of the new island again? The key question in this news is that this expedition was jointly dispatched by the Chilean and Argentine governments. Whether the two republics have reached an agreement. It is known that they have never been at peace so far, and they both claim their own rights to this area. sovereignty. These doubts and answers crisscrossed in Le Corgi's mind!At this time Le Corgi came to the end of the hill in the Antilles where the house was built at the foot of the hill. Looking down from here, looking at the entire vast sea, his eyes instinctively turned to the south, looking towards the tail peak of the American continent, which is the archipelago of Cape Orles. Is he going to leave his hometown?Can you find a piece of free land there again!Maybe go further afield?He is full of thoughts!His thoughts turned to this polar circle involuntarily, in the endless area of ​​Antarctica, he became dizzy and lost his way!There are many unfathomable mysteries here, which have always attracted those brave and ambitious to set foot in the expedition. How heartbroken Le Corgi would have been if he had known that his fears had been confirmed and that he had come to that point!Chilean warship Sia A.It is true that the two officers on board Dio, Mr. Ediast representing Chile and Mr. Herra representing the Argentine Republic, each received orders from their respective governments, both of which had claimed Sovereign states are ready to divide Magellan equally. This issue has been shelved for many years. There have been endless negotiations and negotiations, and it is always rare to come up with a solution that satisfies both parties. If this situation cannot be persisted, it is likely to lead to serious conflicts, no matter from the perspective of trade or politics. , ending this dispute has far-reaching significance.In addition, the British Empire, which is hard to fill, is also ready to move. He can easily get a shot from the Malvinas Islands to the Magellan Peninsula, and their sailors have already visited here. The influence of China is also increasing day by day. Maybe one day, when I wake up from the dream, the British giant ship may have settled down here.It would be an easy task for her British ships to sweep this place and occupy it, and now is the time to make up her mind. As soon as the survey work of Mr. Idiaster and Mr. Erra was completed, the one returned to Santiago and the other to Buenos Aires. A month later, on January 17, 1881, the two The nations co-signed in Buenos Aires to once and for all resolve their long-pending issue of Magellan's lands. The content of the treaty stipulates that Patagonia belongs to the Argentine Republic, excluding the territory west of Greenwich, latitude 52 degrees and longitude 70 degrees. In order to compensate for the uneven distribution of the territory, Chile will give up the territory located in the east. Part of Tierra del Fuego at longitude 68 degrees, and the rest of the islands belong entirely to Chile. The agreement also provided for the powers of the two governments, but deprived Magellan of his independence. How would Le Corgi react?From now on it will be the land of the Chileans! It was not until February 25 that the content of this treaty reached New Island, and it was Calori who brought the news when he returned from the pilot. Le Corgi was furious, unable to restrain himself, his eyes were burning with anger, he was silent, impatient, unable to control his chaotic pace, as if he wanted to trample the land to pieces, he made a move to the north. With a frightening gesture, his consciousness was completely in a state of collapse, and his whole body collapsed as if he had lost his support! He finally calmed down and gradually regained his composure. The short-term muscle twitch on his face was replaced by the coldness of the past. He found Calori and asked in a flat tone: Is the news reliable? reliable!The Indian replied, I heard in Penta Arras that at the entrance of the Tierra del Fuego, it seems that two flags have been hoisted: one is the Chilean flag, which is hoisted at the Cape Orange, and the other is hoisted at Espiritu. ．Cape Santo. So, says Le Corgi, all the islands south of the Beager Canal belong to Chile? all the islands. Niijima too? Yes. Something is going to happen, Le Corgi muttered to himself, his voice changed with excitement. Afterwards, he went back to the house and locked himself in and couldn't come out. What happened to this man? !What was it that compelled him to leave his land here or there, and come to the Strait of Magellan to hide himself?And willing to live a secluded life. Why?In his opinion, the concept of human nature seems uncomplicated in these indigenous tribes, but he really paid a lot for them, and he really dedicated himself to death! Some things are close at hand, and this book will take this as the theme, and it is very necessary to tell readers. As for other issues, such as Le Corgi's past life, I can give you some concise explanations. Starting from the development of humanities to develop the special values ​​of natural sciences, as a learned and fearless doer, Le Corgi is not the first person to make mistakes in this regard. , mistakenly regarded as the truth, and the conclusions drawn are also absolute. However, these awe-inspiring reformers, their honorable names, will still be etched in people's hearts forever. The real purpose of the subject of socialism is to recreate a more ideal society. In fact, this theory is not new. Many theorists, in the time and space of realizing various reforms, often go into a maze without discerning the direction. Saint-Simon, Fourier, Proudhon and Titi Gonti, etc., they are the pioneers of socialism; modern theorists, such as Lassalle, Karl.Marx, Gade, etc., just picked up their views again, and then revised them again: with the socialization of production methods, the abolition of capital, the abolition of competition, and the replacement of private ownership by social ownership, none of them seemed to think carefully about the The contingencies and contingencies of life.Eager, urgent, to put their theories into practice in full and complete form, they demanded the dispossession of almost all ownership and the imposition of world communism on a global scale. Whether it is for or against this theory, but you can see what a bold and brave idea it is! However, there is an even more extreme theory of theorist anarchism. To develop a collective society, there must be means of dictatorship, but anarchism wants to abandon it. What they try to advocate is absolute and complete individualism. What they hope is to eradicate ownership and destroy socialism. Le Corgi can be included in this rank. His character is solitary, proud, and unwavering. He has nothing to do with him, and he dismisses any laws. Trying to pass it and formulate various rules and regulations for the society. Obviously, the proponents of this law also use a lot of violence in the regulations, which makes him feel that it is simply intolerable, and there is no room for reconciliation. He had not been deported from France, Germany, England, or America, but his civilization to them disgusted and disgusted him, and he was impatient to shake the power of authority, whatever it might be.He is eager to find an ideal place where human beings can live completely freely and independently in a certain corner of the earth. He thinks he has found a destination on this peninsula at the ends of the earth, which is an ideal world that he rarely encounters in any other place. The Magellan Island in South America provides him with a habitat. However, Chile and the Argentine Republic have signed a treaty, so that the region and all his ideas will disappear and disappear, and of course people can enjoy the atmosphere of independence for a while. Once the provisions of the treaty between the two countries are realized, all of Magellan's land in the south of the Beager Canal will be placed under the jurisdiction of Chile, and then there will be no piece of land on this peninsula that can escape the rule of the Governor of Penta︱Alras up!Xindao, the land of peach blossoms discovered by Le Corgi, is no exception. He has gone through untold hardships and long journeys, and paid innumerable hard work and sacrifices, but who would have thought that he would end up like this today! Le Corgi spent quite a long time in this distress, before he calmed down from this heavy blow, just like the cruel and merciless lightning strike that knocked down a big tree, leaving it with mud and roots The shaking of the whole body, he is thinking about his future, since then he can no longer feel safe. There will be many policemen on the island, and they will definitely find out the situation of a foreigner coming to settle here. He doesn't know that those people feel uneasy about a foreigner coming to the Magellan Sea; fearful of the influence he would have on the natives. The Chilean governor asked him many times, trying to find out who he is.They questioned him, tried to force him to obey, and explained his motives and purposes for coming here, but Le Corgis regarded all these actions as paramount, and did not reveal any truth. A few more days later, Le Corgi stopped talking about the changes brought about by the partition treaty, but he looked more moody than ever.What is he planning?Does he want to leave the new island?To say goodbye to the faithful Indian, and to Algie, his beloved son! ?Where will he go? Can he find another independent and free habitat in another corner of the earth?His life seemed impossible without it! So now, even if he hid on the highest rock of Magellan, or on the islets of the Cape d'Orles, could he escape Chile's rule? It was the beginning of March, and this pleasant season would last for more than a month. Before the cold came and the ice and snow hadn’t blocked the voyage, Le Corgi would usually take advantage of this time to send doctors, medicines, Ask about the health and wellness, and now, Le Corgi is not ready to go out on the boat, so all the sails, ropes, and other appliances on the Villejet boat are unloaded and moored in this small bay. Until the afternoon of March 7th, Le Corgi said to Caloli: You go and check the boat, it needs to be used tomorrow morning. Are you going to go out for a while?asked the Indian. Yes. Has Le Corgi decided to go to the native tribe again?Will he set foot on Tierra del Fuego, which already belongs to Argentina and Chile? Algee is coming with us too?Calori asked. Yes. What about the dog? Zuo Le also brought. When the east was slightly white, Vierje set sail. At this time, there was a gust of east wind, and the surging waves beat against the Antilles and the rocky beach at the foot of the mountain.The waves on the water are undulating and the waves are rolling. If Le Corgi were to return to Tierra del Fuego, the boat would have had to struggle, for the wind blew harder as the sun rose. However, Le Corgi ordered the boat to go straight to Lavalan Island after passing the new island. The two mountain peaks in the west appeared hazy in the early morning mist, appearing and disappearing from time to time. Before the sun went down, Villje anchored at the southern tip of a modest island in the Magellan Islands, a small bay with a steep and precipitous coast.He thinks it is quieter and safer here, and staying here overnight is guaranteed to be worry-free. The next day, the boat turned around in Lasso Bay, sailed sideways, and rowed towards Wollaston Island. That night, they landed not far from the island. The weather became severe, the wind direction turned to the northeast and began to strengthen, thick dark clouds piled up in the sky, and the mountain rain was about to come and the wind filled the building!According to Le Corgi's instructions, the boat continued to head south. It is now crucial to choose a channel with calmer waters and leave Wollaston Island. Hermit and Helscher Island face each other across the sea, echoing this strait from a distance. What was Le Corgis pursuing?What could he possibly do when he came to the edge of the land, when he reached the Cape Orles, when he appeared before the endless sea? On the afternoon of March 15th, the boat was mooring at the tip of the peninsula. In fact, sailing on this rough sea is also very risky. Le Corgi disembarked immediately. He kept silent about his own intentions and would follow him. His dog came back, and Calori and Algie stayed on the beach, and he walked alone towards the cape. On Orle Island, which is piled up by huge chaotic rocks, the grass on the island is swaying!The coast is covered with a large amount of kelp washed up by the sea, and further away, the snow-white waves hit the reef, making it show layers of black patterns. From the large slope behind the north, you can climb up to the summit without difficulty, and you can see a few arable land on it. Le Corgi began climbing slowly upwards. What is he doing up there?Could it be that you want to look forward to the boundless sky!If it was just an endless ocean, what else would he see? ! The storm began to grow stronger and stronger. Le Corgi continued to climb, and the irritating wind beat him mercilessly. Several times he had to stick his body to the rock and use all his strength to support his body so as not to be caught. The wind swept away, and at the same time, there were often high splashing waves, hitting his face and body from time to time. Algie and Calori vaguely watched his disappearing figure from below!They have witnessed how hard and difficult he is, fighting against the hurricane and climbing hard! It took him more than an hour to climb, and finally reached the top. Le Corgi walked slowly to the edge of the cliff, stood in the vortex of the strong wind, motionless, and focused on the south with gloomy eyes! The night has begun to fall, and the western sky is still glowing with the afterglow of the sunset. The whistling storm and the scattered mist and water droplets are like a flash in the pan, fleeting, no matter how you look at it, at this time and here, apart from the sea or the sea. But, what was this heavy-hearted man trying to do here?Does he still have a glimmer of hope!Or feel overwhelmed!Even want to die forever! As time goes by, the earth is completely darkened, you can't see your fingers, and everything seems to perish! It's already night! Suddenly, a long flash of light flashed across the sky, and there was an explosion on the beach, and suddenly fell silent! This is the sound of gunfire from a shipwrecked ship!