The first reference about Nahuelito, was published in 1922, during the media uproar following the news about a live plesiosaur in Patagonia. Which of course turned out to be unfounded (these reptiles died out with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.)
Mr. George Garret
There are countless references on the Internet about a Mr. Garrett who lived or worked in a ranch or a company in the area and who saw the monster back in 1910. I have also mentioned him in my book. However I have asked myself if he really existed.
The story is that he was working for a company by Lake Nahuel Huapi in 1910. At that time the town of San Carlos de Bariloche was a small village, 15-years-old, and there were no roads in the region, mostly trails. It took four days to ride the 120 km (75 mi) between Villa la Angostura and Bariloche. No wonder most goods, lumber, cattle, horses and people moved by boat across the lake.
George Garret is quoted as saying the following:
...we were beating windward up an inlet called 'Pass Coytrue,' which bounded the peninsula. This inlet was about five miles in length, a mile or so in width, and of an unfathomable depth. Just as we were near the rocky shore of the peninsula, before tacking, I happened to look astern towards the centre of the inlet, and, to my great surprise, I saw about a quarter of a mile to leeward, an object which appeared to be 15 or 20 feet in diameter, and perhaps six feet above the water. After a few minutes, the monster disappeared. On mentioning my experience to my neighbours... they said the Indians often spoke of immense water animals they had seen from time to time."
The quote above is said to have come from an article in the Toronto Globe, published on April 6, 1922, twelve years after this sighting took place (source). I have never been able to see the original article in the newspaper.
Pass Coytrue, does not exist, but the inlet mentioned is no other than the Huemul arm of the lake, at the base of the arm, is Paso Coihue. So it is the right spot! Below is an aerial view of the Huemul Arm, looking towards the SW (north is to the left).
Paso Coihue is at the base of the arm, in the distance. Below is a map I prepared, showing the same view:
There are references to a Garrett family settling in this area:
- "the inhabitants of the Huemul Peninsula area and to the east, up to the Limay River, mostly English speakers like the Bell, Newbery, Garrett, Jones and Neil families". Source
- "Some writings report that well-known settlers around the lake had their own sailing vessels, for example: Millaqueo, Tauscheck, Eggers, Garrett, Potthoff, Macías, Nahuelquín, used mainly for transport and transfers.". Source
- "Easton Garrett, having sold it. E. Garrett, settler and associated with the "La Península" Estancia [Ranch] (later Huemul), owned by the Livestock and Settlement Company." Source (see comments).
So this estancia, is where Garrett worked. Was he a settler at the Colony by Lake Nahuel Huapi? An area which was opened to homesteaders in 1902, along the shores of the lake.
It was created by an Executive Decree in 1902 based on the Homestead Act, and it granted lots of up to 655 ha (~1,600 acres). There were 133 lots, and over 230 people who had applied. They had to live on the property for 5 years, invest pesos 250 (a horse cost around 25 pesos), cultivate 10 ha. and plant 200 trees, after which they obtained the deed for the land. Or, they could buy it for pesos 500. In 1902, one U.S. Dollar was worth 2.35 Pesos (papel) Argentinos, so the property would cost 1,175 USD of those days, equivalent nowadays to 44,133 USD. Very cheap!
Below is a map of the Colony (source), notice that the area where Paso Coihue is located (red dot) was not included. The land east and south of it, along the shore of the lake and on Huemul Peninsula was already occupied by the estancias of Rodolfo Harrington, Jarred Jones, and Marcos M. Zorrilla, Anchorena owned Victoria Island, and on the south side of the lake, Estancia El Cóndor, and Sinforoso Medina had their estancias. These were large estates which had been granted before the homestead decree. The government had handed over vast stretches of fiscal land to the families that ruled Argentina (the Desert Campaign to eliminate the Indians in Patagonia had been financed with a bond, based on the sale of the fiscal land that would be added to the nation). The soldiers, and officers received land, but they mostly sold it at bargain prices to the aristocracy who formed vast ranches. Foreigners also bought land, like the Livestock and Settlement Company. Maybe Garret was an employee of this company.
In 1923 a National Park was created in this area, and all these homesteads and estancias were included within it. They gradually vanished over the course of the years. The park was organized in 1937 and many homesteads were revoked after being reviewed.
Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia Copyright 2009-2025by Austin Whittall ©
No comments:
Post a Comment