Year 1883 - Romanche and Los Yaganes Ship

The most complete scientific expedition of the last century in Tierra del Fuego was carried out by the French Cape Horn Commission in 1882. 1883, on the transport "Romanche", under the command of frigate captain Luis Marial. The Paris Academy of Sciences entrusted him with hydrographic, astronomical, magnetic, meteorological, geological, botanical and ethnographic studies.

The ship anchored in Orange Bay near Cape Horn, where wooden houses were built for the scientific staff. While the observations and work were being carried out, the ship sailed around the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and the strait, carrying out various missions.

In Orange, the French had their first contact with the Yaghan Indians, many of whom spoke English, having been learned by Anglican missionaries. They were the subject of detailed studies by doctors Hyades and Hahn, medical specialists. Their observations were published in France and later in Chile, in translation. They are cited by ethnographers in various important works.

The "Romanche" explored the labyrinth of Tierra del Fuego; it stopped at Ushuaia, where Tomás Bridges was on a mission; it sailed through the Beagle Channel and the Ballenero, where it found the first Alacalufes (Aoniken). The ship reached Punta Arenas to collect correspondence and renew provisions. This trip was repeated and on one occasion it was to take eight shipwrecked sealers, found on the distant islets of Diego Ramírez.

The expedition's doctors studied the Yaghans of the Ushuaia mission, observing that most of them were consumptive. They recommended remedies and care.

In the Beagle Channel, cattle raising was being started with the cooperation of the natives. Some of them grew vegetables on their large farms. Dr. Hyades took plaster casts of the natives' features. During this time, scientists observed a comet and the passage of Venus across the solar disk, which was of concern to various international missions located at different points on the planet.

The "Romanche" sailed around the entire Wollaston Archipelago and sailed past Cape Horn, but was not seen due to bad weather. They sailed through channels and islands, where they sighted numerous canoes with natives. The French discovered, on this occasion, that the Yaghans, apart from the bark canoe, already had the boat made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, but in small numbers.

The ship sailed through the Beagle Channel several times, on surveys and studies, and on one of its voyages it reached Punta Arenas again, carrying 22 castaways from a German ship who had arrived in Ushuaia. They made a trip to the Malvinas in search of cattle for meat consumption. On this occasion they tried to make contact with the

with the Ona Indians at Sloggett Bay.

Finally, on September 1, the observations on land were suspended. The facilities were donated to the Anglican Mission of Ushuaia and, all on board, they set off for Punta Arenas, to return to France and publish the results of their work.