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canoes, injures the shape and size of their legs, and causes
them to move about in a stooping manner, with the knees
much b en t; yet they are very nimble, and rather strong.
They suffer v'ery little hair to grow, excepting on their
heads. Even their eyebrows are almost eradicated—two muscle-
shells serving for pincers. This aversion to the smaller tufts of
hair does not extend to the thatch-like covering of their ugly
heads, which is lank, covered with dirt, hanging about their ears,
and almost over their faces. Just above their eyes it is jagged
away by a broken shell, if they have not a piece of iron hoop
for a knife, the pieces cut off being scrupulously burned. In
height varying from four feet ten to five feet six, yet in the
size of their bodies equalling men of six feet, of course they
look clumsy and ill-proportioned ; but their hands and feet are
rather small with respect to the size of their bodies, though not
so in proportion to theiiTimhs and joints, which, excepting the
knees, are small. Their knees are all strained, and their legs
injured in shape, by the habit of squatting upon their heels.
Awkward and difficult as such a posture appears to us, it is to
them a position of easy rest.
Sometimes these satires upon mankind wear a part of the
skin of a guanaco or a seal-skin upon their backs, and perhaps
the skin of a penguin or a bit of hide hangs in front; but often
there is nothing, either to hide their nakedness or to preserve
warmth, excepting a scrap of hide, which is tied to the side
or back of the body, by a string round the waist. Even this
is only for a pocket, in which they may carry stones for their
slings, and hide what they pick up or pilfer. A man always
carries his sling around his neck or waist, wherever he goes.
AVomen wear rather more clothing, that is, they have neaidy
a whole skin of a guanaco, or seal, wrapped about them, and
usually a diminutive apron. The upper part of the wrapper,
above a string which is tied around the waist, serves to carry
an infant. Neither men nor women have any substitute for shoes.
No ornaments are worn in the nose, ears, or lips, nor on the
fingers ; but of necklaces, and bracelets, such as they are, the
women are very fond. AA’ith small shells, or pieces of the bones
of birds, strung upon lines made of sinews, these necklaces and
bracelets are made, when nothing preferable is to be found ;
but beads, buttons, pieces of broken glass, or bits of fractured
crockery-ware are most highly esteemed.
The hair of the women is longer, less coarse, and certainly
cleaner than that of the men. I t is combed with the jaw of a
porpoise, hut neither platted nor tied ; and none is cut away,
excepting from over their eyes. They are short, with bodies
largely out of proportion to their height ; their features,
especially those of the old, are scarcely less disagreeable than
the repulsive ones of the men. About four feet and some
inches is the stature of these she-Fuegians—by courtesy called
women. They never walk upright : a stooping posture, and
awkward movement, is their natural gait. They may be fit
mates for such uncouth men ; but to civilized people their appearance
is disgusting. Very few exceptions were noticed.
The colour of the women is similar to that of the men. As
they are just as much exposed, and do harder work, this is a
natural consequence : besides, while children, they run about
quite naked, picking up shell-fish, carrying wood, or bringing
water. In the colour of the older people there is a tinge of
yellow, which is not noticed in the middle-aged or young.
Both sexes oil themselves, or rub their bodies with grease;
and daub their faces and bodies with red, black, or white,
A fillet is often worn round the head, which upon ordinary
occasions is simply a string, made of sinews; but if going to
war, or dressed for show, the fillet is ornamented with white
down, white feathers, or pieces of cloth, if they have obtained
any from shipping. Small lances, headed with wood ; others,
pointed with bone ; bows, and arrows headed with obsidian,
agate, or jasper ; clubs ; and slings ; are the weapons used by
the Tekeenica.
The smoke of wood fires, confined in small wigwams,
hurts their eyes so much, that they are red and watery ; the
effects of their oiling, or greasing themselves, and then rubbing
ochre, clay, or charcoal, over their bodies ; of their often
feeding upon the most offensive substances, sometimes in a