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east people; and tliose on the other side were known by the
term ‘ Molu-che,’ which signifies war people, or warriors : and
these terms are still in habitual use.
Numerous subdivisions have perplexed all whose attention
has been attracted to the aboriginal population of Southern
America. Falkner’s account is the least confused, in every
wav the most probable, and agrees the best with what is now
found to be the condition of that portion of uncivilized man.
For our present purpose, 1 believe, it will be sufficient to
remark, that the Puel-che and Molu-che called the tribes
who lived towards the south, ‘ Tehuel-het’* and ‘ Huilli-che,J
both of which terms signify people of the south. The Huillh
che were again divided into Pichi Huilli-che and Vuta HuiUi-
che; ‘ pichi,’ meaning little ; and ‘ vuta,’ great. Both the
Tehuel-het and the Vuta Huilli-che lived to the southward of
forty degrees of latitude. A branch or tribe of the Tehuel-het
who lived farthest towards the south, on the eastern side,
had no horses, and that tribe was called ‘ Yacana-kunny,’! (foot
people). AVestward of those people, separated from them by a
ridge of mountains, was a tribe called Key-uhue, Key-yus, or
Key-es ; and northward, the Sehuau-kunny!
Falkner, in his account, rather confuses the habits of the
'Vacana-kunny with those of the Key-uhue, which is not to
be wondered at, as he described those tribes solely from the
accounts of others. The Key-uhue have neither ‘ bowls,’ or
halls (bolas), nor ‘ ostriches,’ (see Falkner, p. I l l ) , in their
rugged tempestuous islands: neither do the Yacana-kunny
‘ live chiefly on fish.’ The former live on fish, while the
latter kill guanacoes, birds, and seals.
Between the Key-uhue and the Chonos tribe were the Poy-
yus, or Pey-es, living on the sea-coast. The Chonos inhabited
the Archipelago so called, and part of Chiloe.
These three last-mentioned tribes—Key-uhue, Poy-yus, and
Chonos—were called ‘ Vuta Huilli-che.’
* Called by themselves ‘ Tehuel-kunny.’
t ‘ Che,’ ‘ het,’ and ‘ kunny,’ signify people, in different dialects.
i The Sehnau-kunny are a part of the Tehiiel-liet.
: ir
Bather than occupy time in attempting to give an account
of the past state of these ever-varying tribes,—whose numbers
have been so much altered, and whose locations may be now
changed,—I will endeavour to give some idea of the present
condition, distribution, and probable numbers of the people
called Patagonians; of the natives of Tierra del Fuego, or
Fuegians, and of the western tribe called Chonos. By those
who have frequented the Strait of Magalhaens or its vicinity,
the latter are often called ‘ Canoe Indians;’ and the Patagonians,
‘ Horse Indians.’
The Patagonians (Tehuel-het) travel on horseback over the
country between the River Negro and the Strait of Magalliaens;
from the Atlantic to the Cordillera of the Andes. They have no
hoats or canoes of any kind ; and their disposition, habits, and
language are very different from those of the Fuegians (Yacana
kunny, Key-uhue, and Poy-yus). Those who live in the
north-eastern part of Tierra del Fuego have neither canoes nor
horses. The natives of the southern and western islands, and
of the shores of Otway and Skyring waters, also the people
who live upon the western islands and coast of Patagonia, have
canoes, but no horses.
The Patagonians are now divided into four parties, each of
which has a separate though ill-defined territory. Each of these
parties has a leader, or cacique; but they speak one language,
and are evidently subdivisions of one tribe. AVhen mutually
convenient, they all assemble in one place: but if food becomes
scarce, or quarrels happen, each party withdraws to its
own territory. At such times one body will encroach upon the
hunting grounds of another, and a battle is the consequence.
About four hundred adults, and a rather large proportion of
children, are in each of these parties: the number of women
being to that of the men as three to one. Near the Strait of Magalhaens
about fourteen hundred Patagonians have been lately
seen encamped together for a short time ; but usually there is
only one horde, of about four hundred grown people, in that
neighbourhood.
Less is known of the Yacana-kunny than of any other tribe,