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148 BALLS— LANCE.
lead, or metallic ore, with shorter cords or thongs, which are
for small animals.
Sometimes two small balls, each of which has a cord about
a yard in length, are fastened to the thong of the larger set.
This is to entangle the victim more effectually. They do not
try to strike objects with these balls, but endeavour to throw
them so that the thong shall hit a prominent p a rt; and then,
of course, the balls swing around in different directions, and
the thongs become so ‘ laid u p ’ (or twisted), that struggling
only makes the captive more secure. They can throw them so
dexterously, as to fasten a man to his horse, or catch a horse
without bruising him. I f an animal is to be caught without
being thrown down suddenly—an inevitable consequence of
these balls swinging round his legs while at full speed—a
somai is thrown at his neck. The two balls hang down, and
perplex him so much by dangling about his fore-legs, that his
speed ft much checked ; and another set of balls, or a lasso,
may he used, to secure, without throwing him down. The
lasso is not much used, so adroit are they with the balls. A
formidable missile weapon is the single ball, called by the
Spaniards ‘ bola perdida.’ This is similar to the other in size
and substance, but attached to a slighter rope, about a yard
long. Whirling this ball, about a pound in weight, with the
utmost swiftness around their heads, they dash it at their adversary
with almost the force of a shot. At close quarters, it is
used, with a shorter scope of cord, as an efficient head-breaker.
Several of these original, and not trifling offensive weapons,
are kept in readiness by each individual ; and many a Spaniard,
armed with steel and gunpowder, has acknowledged their
effect.
The lance (chuza) is a long bamboo cane, from twelve to
twenty-four feet long, headed with iron or steel. The great
length and tapering slightness of these spears makes them formidable
to any adversaries, but often fatal to those who are
unskilful or timorous, because their vibration, artfully increased
to the utmost by the holders, makes it extremely difficult to
parry the advance of their point; but, once parried they are
ARMS WOMEN S DRESS. 149
useless—perhaps become encumbrances to their owners, who,
if they do not turn and dash off at full speed, have recourse to
their balls or to swords. Some have swords obtained from
white men ; others fasten long blades (knife-blades, perhaps, or
pieces of iron hoop, straightened and sharpened) to handles three
or four feet in length. Their bows are three or four feet long ;
and the arrows, about two feet in length, are headed with
small triangular pieces of agate, jasper, obsidian, or even
bone. But bows, arrows, shields, clubs, and heavy armour are
daily less used; and may we not infer, that arms and armour,
suited to foot encounters—such as arrows, heavy clubs or
maces, shields, and many-fold tunics—have been laid aside by
degrees, as horses have multiplied in the country ? Fighting
on foot is now seldom practised, except in personal quai-rels.
Falkner says, they used to envenom the points of their arrows
with a species of poison, which destroyed so slowly, that the
wounded person lingered for two or three months, till, reduced
to a skeleton, he at last expired ; but I have not heard of
such a practice among the southern aborigines in these days.
Those Indians who have felt the effects of fire-arms, and
own abundance of horses, the men of Araucania, who are the
terror of the Pampa tribes, have long abolished armour and
the arms of former wars—wars so well sung by Frcilla, in
which they gained unfading honour in maintaining the freedom
of their country. Naked on their horses, armed with
lances, swords, and halls, those men now rush like the whirlwind—
destroy—and are gone !
The women of Patagonia wear nothing on their heads ; their
hair, parted before and behind, is gathered into two large
tresses, one on each side. Far-ornaments, necklaces, bracelets,
and anklets, made of beads, pieces of brass, silver, or gold,
are much esteemed. Their mantles ar.e similar to those of the
men; but they are pinned across the breast by a wooden
skewer, or a metal pin, and are gathered about the waist,
hanging loosely almost to their ankles. A short apron, or
half-petticoat, made with skins of small animals, or coarse cloth,
is tied about their waist, under the mantle. I t only covers
them in front, and reaches to the knee. Boots, similar to those