“ The toldos (htits) of these waaiderers.iare-in shape not
unlike gipsy tents.- Poles are,stuck in the ground), - to which
others are fastened, and jskinfcof animalsy'sèwed*'-together)
form the tJOYei»rig, ;so that anürregular.Mlt-shèped hüfe/isithus
made. Three sides .arak the top are. covered j bah the front)
turned towards the east/r is open. ’ These* :tbld os-are-about
seven feet, higlij and: ten or twelve tfeetcsquare; they are lower
at the hack/ or western side, than in ffont by . several feet.
These are their ordinary dwellings j.'Of other rath en>da,i%eif
constructions a description will W given hereafter. >
“ The country inhabited by these Patagonians; is .open,* and
generally speaking rather level, but with óéedsional hills, and
some extensive ranges of level-topped heights or-steppeSt
There are very few trees, arid water is scarce.! Thaeye -wanders
over an apparently boundlesaextent of parched, y.ellow-loóking
^emi-desert, whem rain seldom falls, and Mi# skp is ahnost
always clear. The heats of summrir -are very .'gyèatp.fairirmn
winter,, though the days are riot cold, the frosts at night lire
severe; and at all times in the year, i® .the day^timqp strong
winds* sweep over the plains.
“ The head of a Patagonian is ratherbroad; but not high;)
and except in a few instances the forehead isi small;and low.
His hair hangs loosely; it is;biack,#oarsè,and verydirlyi! A
fillet which is worn round the top of the head may be intended
as an ornament, for it is certainly of no use. The brow is
prominent; the eyes are rather small, black/ and ever restlèss.
Deficiency of eyebrow adds to the peculiar, expression of their
eyes ; and a mixture of simplicity andshrewdness/ daring and
timidity, with that singular wild look which is never seen in
civilised man, is very conspicuous in the Patagonians. Its
immediate effect is to. remind one of the •• necessity of being
always on guard whilst within reach ; yet of all savage
nations, perhaps the Patagonians are least inclined 'to attack
or deceive strangers.
“ By nature they have but little hair on either face or body,
and that little they try to eradicate. Their faces are roundish,
and the width or projection of the cheek-bones makes them
look unusually wide. The nose- is a little depressed, narrow
between the eyes, but broad and fleshy about the nostrils,
which * are^rather larger Their • mouth- is large, and coarsely
formed, with thick lips; Their, teeth are-often very good,
though.rather large;-and thosedn front have:/the peculiarity*
which .will- be discussed-when speakingoef.theeFnegrans, nf
being flattened,; ##lidi, andshewwg awiniial^subste.rifce. -The
ehiiA4«5>®snsciy broad If and' prominent#! .all 'the features indeed
are large; excepting tlm^yes» nTh®'eSsptefe«oi)*'iQ^dh6fix.
tenanceifciSeopen. and’ hon#shHc§ ^,Par,ei^vw' ^ ’©then skvages^
and their intrepid contented look* is ratherpcej^ssesrsingSr <
“ Of the stature and bulk of theseulndians I ha ve-al ready
*ffpnke®&i It; appears tri. me that thod&swhof now live^on th^
northern side-of Magelhaens’ Straits.'are,descendants of the
Patagonians whose, size excited so much surprise and dis-
ehssioay; a n d that occasionally individ.k#l#haye ^exis#6ded the
common heirght. Speaking - of Oangapol, - whose chieffresort
was thn.yi#iriity'bf the riveri Negfoy tho.ugh:he and hisrtribe
w#Tei'TesMM^vTOderers,'Falkner says, I This <^ief, who-Was
called by- the-, Spaniards ‘ Cacique bravo,’ was^eryMtall and
well-proportiouefl^ He must haveitfeeen £even!feet and me
inches in height^. because) on tiptoe, I could.not ijeaeh torihil
top;of Wtt h ^ d i I was very weff#aequainted with him/ and
went some journeys in his company.' I flw riot recoligcbever
■fe have >seen an~Tndian 'that .was-ahoys/an. iHeheoT *tsW© taller
than Cangapol. His - brotherpvSausin'ian, i was .'but. ahout^ix
le e t high.’ i
, “ The principal shbsiit#tee of tln^KsIndiafl^si# the flesh of
mar6s|!:' ostriches^ cayies, or guanaeoes; * -bat thbbgh they*!##
riotvpartiealar, and eat almost ariythi% tha^thfef eamcatrih,
the flesh of young mares h s1 preferred■ 'to HM dth#r4- They
boil their meat, arid eat it with a lamp o#ffat^iarid#alfe^ Thu
fat of mares and that and
put into bladders; but the fat of giianacoesoig eaten raw,
beino- preferred in that state. Them are two- root# that they
eat, one called tus, the other - Thevtus.is ^ bulbous
root/ growing wild, whicht wliemdleaned and baked, or rather
roasted, becomes mealy, hkeayam. They useht’''Sometimes
with ■ their meaty brit; neboHeiUr The-chalasuisra Ibng^White
root, | Ib is mtheimroastedf in
the embers, or put into broth, which they make for women