It was a beautiful night last night, with a sky full of bright austral stars everywhere. There is no hurry today, no mountains to cross. Breakfast was leftover lamb. The gaucho method is to slice off a hunk of meat and eat it cold in a bread roll. No muss, no fuss, easy to eat and sticks to your ribs. Nearby is the site where Lucas Bridges and the Ona built a corral to hold the sheep before the treacherous bridge crossing to our side of the Varela River. Huge logs cut from the forest are still in place, though the bridge is mostly deteriorated. Again, one marvels at the ability to create such a structure out of the forest that could provide a way for thousands of sheep to cross the river. And this was in 1902!
It was a beautiful ride down the mountain. Here we encounter the last castorera, where the beaver have created a swamp that is not always passable. Jorge carefully tests the 100-year old logs that the Ona laid here. We dismount and carefully lead the horses across. I led another horse as my Truco followed behind. At the last minute he changed his mind and headed for the swamp. I called out to him and he changed course toward us. What a team we make!
After crossing over the seven hills we arrive at a small bay on the Harberton Estancia. The mountains of Chilean Navarino Island are in the distance.
The estancia is on the Beagle Channel, and is noted for a very irregular coastline. The Yahgan people were attracted to this area because of this. It provided for abundant shellfish and easy access to the sea in their canoes when they hunted sea lions. Within the hour I will say adios to Fernando and Jorge, the only people I have seen in the past three days. We will arrive at the estancia soon.
Next: overnight at the first ranch on Tierra del Fuego and meals in the first house on the island.
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