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of tlie men, and additional clothes, are worn when they ride
distances; sitting astride, upon a heap of skins, which serve
at night for bedding.
The principal subsistence of these Indians is the flesh of
mares, ostriches, cavies, or guanacoes; but though they are
not particular, and eat almost anything that they catch, the
flesh of young mares is preferred to any other. They broil their
meat, and eat it with a lump of fat, and salt. The fat of mares
and that of ostriches are boiled together and put into bladders;
hut the fat of guanacoes is eaten raw, being preferred in that
state. There are two roots which they eat, one called tus, the
other chalas. The tus is a hulhous root, growing wild, which
when cleaned and haked, or rather roasted, becomes mealy,
like a yam. They use it sometimes with their meat, but not
often. The chalas is a long, white root, about the size of a
goose-quill. I t is either roasted in the embers or put into
broth, which they make for women and sick people. When
on the sea-coast, limpets and muscles are gathered by the
women and childi-en; but fish or seals are seldom obtained.
Dogs are not eaten, neither are horses, unless disabled by an
accident.
Cattle are yet scarce in the southern regions, because pasture-
land is rather deficient; but about the lately-discovered river;
Chupat, (lat. 43.21. S.) which, though small, is supposed to
cross the continent, they are rather numerous, but their flesh
is not thought equal to that of mares.
The only prepared drink which they use, besides the decoction
of chalas, is the juice of barberries, mixed with water, and
drank in its natural state. They have no fermented liquor.
Hunting is both amusing and necessary to the men. They
go out to the chase in parties, more or less numerous, according
to the strength of the tribe, the scarcity of food, and the
supply of horses. An extent of country is enclosed by the
horsemen; then drawing together, they drive before them all
the animals; till, when tcfterably collected together, the cacique,
or leading man of the party rides at an animal and throws it
down with his balls. All then set to work, and ball away in
every direction. They do not stop because one animal falls,
CHASE— WEALTH HUTS.
since not one in a hundred escapes by his own exertions when
once entangled; hut another and another become the victmis
of a good hunter, before the collection escapes out of hft reach.
All their sets of balls being employed, and the game dispersed,
thev begin to kill and divide. Each animal is knocked on the
head with a hall, skinned, and cut into pieces, where it tell,
and the pieces are then carried on horseback to their huts. _
After reaching their settlement, the produce of the chase is
brought together, and divided among the different famihes, m
proportion to their respective numbers. I f one family has
L e n its share sooner than others, some one of that hungry
house goes to any party which has meat left, and cuts off what
is wanted, without a question. , .
A number of large dogs assist in the h u n t: whether they
scent the game I know not, hut probably they run by eye, as
so many animals are a-foot at once. Each regular hunter has
a spare horse at hand ; the best horses being carefully reserved
for war and the chase. Upon others they travel, place the
women and childi-en, and their property.
The method of hunting ahovementioned is that employed
on set occasions; hut if only a few men are together, they
surprise and chase, as they can. Sometimes they ride together,
and chase whatever they see, whether ostrich, skunk, guanaco,
fox, or puma. j
The wealth of these Indians consists chiefly in horses and
dogs, the richer individuals having forty or fifty horses, and a
large number of dogs ; the poorer, only one or two horses, and
but one dog.
The tents or huts called by themselves ‘ cow, and by the
Spaniards and their descendants, toldos (tolderia is the place
of toldos, or Indian village, in Spanish), have already been
partly described. Made of skins, sewed together and supported
by poles, a tilt-like construction, open towards the east, is their
hastily-formed dwelling. The top slopes towards the west
side, which is not above two feet in height. The front is about
six or seven feet high; and the inside space about twelve
feet by nine. Both poles and skins are cai'ried with them when
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