Other alternatives along the Strait of Magellan

Other options along the Strait of Magellan

The theory that Samuel Pontén bought the butterflies, however, is, to say the least, far-fetched and not very likely. For me, it felt like I was stuck in a hopeless dead end. I therefore returned to Skogman's book and read the chapter about the section between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso. As an axiom, among the researchers who thought about where these Colias butterflies were collected, it has always been stated that the only place at all that these butterflies could have been collected was the day when Kinberg and Andersson visited Mt Tarn, in spite of not reaching the area above the cloud forest. But was this really the only time they were ashore during the passage through the Strait of Magellan?

No! Skogman writes that on the frigate Eugenie, after fighting against the weather and wind for five days just west of the southernmost cape of the South American mainland, the mythical Cap Froward, and in beautiful weather, made a visit to the westernmost part of the Brunswick Peninsula in a place that apparently appealed to Skogman.

The above fantastic painting by Christer Hägg's grandfather's father Jacob Hägg shows Eugenie during a difficult passage through the Strait of Magellan when she just rounded the steep cliff of Cap Froward on February 7, 1852. The picture from Christer Hägg's fantastic book about this world voyage.

When I see this picture I think, did anyone have the Colias ponteni butterflies on board here?

The frigate anchored at Borja Bay just outside the mouth of the Bachelor River at half past four in the afternoon Monday, February 9, with Carl III's island on the other side of the frigate. Probably that afternoon, reconnaissance beach visits were made, but it was probably the next day before more extensive scientific studies of this area at the mouth of the Bachelor River were planned.

Skogman writes in his book about this place:

“The night before, they had anchored on the rescue between the island of Carl the III and the Brunswick peninsula, Just west of the mouth of the small Bachelor River that runs up at the split Bachelor peak one mile into the country.”

Based on the above assumptions, in my article in our magazine Insectifera in 1997 I launched a new theory where perhaps this particular place at the mouth of the Bachelor River could be the collection site for Colias ponteni.

Frigate Eugenie's route through the Strait of Magellan and tacks when rounding Cap Froward. Also note Eugenie's anchorage on 9/2 at Borja Bay. The picture taken from Christer Hägg's book.

My new "theory" in Insectifera in 1997, which is partly reproduced below, would have completely unplanned consequences for me, which I would like to describe in more detail. However, I would like to point out that in this "summary" I have changed some time indications based on the information I have now received from Christer Hägg's investigations and reports in his fantastic book about this voyage that came out in 1999 (see Appendixes 4 and 5).