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 THE PATAGONIANS
 
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 AT HOME 
 
 WITH 
 
 THE PATAGONIANS 
 
 A YEAR'S WANDERINGS OVER UNTRODDEN GROUND 
 
 FROM THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN 
 
 TO THE RIO NEGRO 
 
 By GEORGE CHAWORTH MUSTERS 
 
 RETIRED COMMANDER R.N. 
 
 ^fronir (5i)itiou 
 
 WrTIf MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 LONDON 
 
 JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 
 
 1873 
 
 The right of translation is reserved
 
 Piinted by Watson and Hazell, London and Aylesbury. 
 
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 PEEFACE 
 
 In submitting the follomng pages to the public, I am 
 conscious that some readers who desire exact and 
 scientific descriptions of the geography and geology of 
 Patagonia will be disappointed ; but it must be urged 
 as an apology that instruments could not be carried 
 nor safely used under the circumstances. The course 
 travelled was as carefully laid down, by the help of a 
 compass, as was possible ; and the map of the country 
 is so far accurate, and, if incomplete, at least is not 
 imaginative. To others who may perhaps eagerly 
 expect tales of stirring adventure and hair-breadth 
 escapes, such as are usually recounted as the every-day 
 occurrences of uncivihsed life, I can only express the 
 hope that this faithful record of life with the Indians 
 all the year round, if not very sensational, will serve 
 at least to make them really at home with the 
 Tehuelches. It is a pleasanter task to record my 
 thanks to those by whose assistance the results of 
 my journey have been utilised ; foremost of whom is 
 the venerable ex-President of the Royal Geographical 
 Society, Sir Roderick Murchison, who.se kindly
 
 vi PREFACE. 
 
 reception and introduction of the returned traveller to 
 the Society are gi-atefuUy acknowledged. My obliga- 
 tions are scarcely less to Clements Markham, C.B., 
 whose unrivalled knowledge of the early history as 
 well as the geography of South America has been 
 freely placed at my disposal ; and to Dr. Hooker, 
 Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, for his courteous 
 assistance in identifying some of the plants observed : 
 while to Mr. Rudler, of the Museum of Mines, I am 
 indebted for a careful classification of the various 
 specimens of rocks and minerals collected in the 
 country. Lastly, the reader will share in my grati- 
 tude to Mr. ZwECKER, whose able pencil has created, 
 out of rough outlines sketched in a pocketbook, the 
 vivid and faithful illustrations which bring before his 
 eyes the scenery and incidents of life in Patagonia. 
 
 G. C. M. 
 
 September 1, 1871.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FROM THE STRjUTS TO S.USTA CRUZ. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Journey Planned — Preparations — Passage from Stanley — The 
 Straits — First Footsteps in Patagonia — The Narrows — Punta 
 Arenas — Conunandante Viel — The Colony — The Town — 
 Chilotes and Convicts — Resources — Visit to the Coal Bed — 
 Lieut. Gallegos — The Start — Rio Chaunco — The Patagonian 
 Pampa-s — Our Party — Cabecera del Mar — Oazy Harbour — A 
 Useless Chase — A Fireless Night — Volcanic Hills — Parapa 
 Yams — Rio Gallegos — First Indians — Sam Slick — Rio Cuheyli 
 — Meeting with Tehuelches — Caravan of Women — ' AnglLsh ' 
 Politeness — Desert — Santa Cruz at last 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 
 
 Introduction to Chiefs — Orkeke — Chilian Deserters — The Settle- 
 ment — Island of Pabon — Natural Advantages — The Mission 
 Station — Mr. Clarke — Our Circle at Pabon — Expedition to 
 Lake Viedma — Winter Occupations — Work and Play — Casi- 
 miro's Adventures — His Character — A Winter Hunting Ex- 
 cursion — A Pampa Snow-storm — The Santii Cruz Valley — Up 
 the River — The Northern HCls — Pumas — Devil's Eyes — Hunt- 
 ing on Foot — Intense Cold — Return of the Deserters — 
 Visit to the Indian Camp — Firi<t Night in a Toldo — To\ving a 
 Horse — Adieu to Santa Cruz ....... 35
 
 viii CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 
 
 PAOK 
 
 Breaking up of the Camp — An Idle Day — A Rash Start — A 
 Dilemma — Alone on the Pampa — Reunion — The Kau or Toldo 
 — The Domestic Interior — The Indian Tribes — Three Races — 
 Order of the March — The Hunt — Indian Game Law — Tehu- 
 elche Cookery — Basaltic Hills — An Indian Festival — My First 
 Tehuelche Ball — Mrs. Orkeke's Spill — Fording Rio Chico — 
 A Battle — Death of Cuastro — Dangerous Times — Chilian 
 Conspiracy— Obsidian Plain and Pass — First Ostrich Eggs — 
 Amakaken — Lifting the Boulder — The Devil's Country — 
 God's Hill — Condors and Dinner — Sunrise on the Cordillera 
 — The Plague Herald — Gelgel Aik — Escape from Matrimony 
 — Tfle — Eyes of the Desei-t — Preparations for War — Another 
 Fight — Water Tigers — Indian Bravoes — Iron Ores — Shiji Rock 
 — Perch Fishing — Appley-kaik — Casimiro's Escape — Arrival at 
 Heuuo ........... 65 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HENNOKAIK TO TECKEL. 
 
 Ceremonial of Welcome — Hinchel's Indians — Tehuelches and Arau- 
 canos — Jackechan and the Chupat Tribe — My Examination — 
 Encampment at Henno — Peaceful Occupations — The Oldest 
 Inhabitant — Chiriq — The Hidden Cities — Modern Legends — 
 Mysteries of the Cordillera — Los Cesares — La Ciudad Encan- 
 tada — Its • "Whereabouts — The Indian Cesares — The Guanaco 
 — The Patagonian Ostrich — Neighbourhood of Chiriq — Horse- 
 racing — Indian Horses — Indian Dogs — Dog and Lover — Plait- 
 ing Sinews — Windy Hill — Surrounded by Fire — Young Gua- 
 naco — Arrival of Grog — News from Santa Cruz — Gisk — Roman- 
 tic Scenery — A Pleasant Neighbourhood — Fairy Glen — Break- 
 ing a Horse — Female Curiosity — The Wild Cattle Coimtry — 
 The Forests of the Cordillera — The Watei-shed — Among the 
 Mountains— Wild Flowers— A Bull Fight— The Bull Victorious 
 —No Christmas Beef— Teckel— Change of Quarters . .11-3
 
 CONTENTS. IX 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OP THE TEHUELCHES. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Patagonian Giants — A Long Walk — Strength and Good Humour — 
 HeadBof Hair — Tehuelche Coquettes — Dressof Men and Women 
 — Ornaments and Cosmetics — Toilette and Bath — Arms and 
 Implements — Ancient Bolas and Arrows— Saddles and Bridles — 
 Silversmiths — Manufacture of Mantles — Women's Work — Diet 
 and Cookery — Smoking — Card Playing — Game of Ball — Cere- 
 monies at Birth — Childhood — Marriage — Funeral Rites — Reli- 
 gion — Demons and Doctors — Witchcraft and Omens — Medical 
 Skill — Population and Politics — Etiquette — Tehuelche Charac- 
 ter — Natural Affection — Advice to Travellers . . . .165 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 
 
 Casimiro'.s Household — Carge-kaik — Quintuhual's Son — Woolkein 
 — Partridges — Meeting with the Araucanians — The Cacique 
 Quintuhual — Esgel-kaik — Araucanian Belles — Communication 
 with Chupat Colony — Diplaik — Calficura's Declaration of War 
 — Tehuelches learn Fishing — My Indian Relatives — Woodland 
 Rambles — An Indian Paradise — The Upper Chupat — Cushamou 
 — Losing Horses — Official Functions — Message from Las 
 Mauzanas — Blessing the Liquor — Casimiro Intoxicated — 
 Foyel's Encampment — Great Parlemento — Foyel's Ideas — 
 Gatchen-kaik — Arrival at Geylum . . . . . .199 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 
 
 Catching a Thief — Miss Foyel — Start for Las Manzanas — First View 
 of the Apple Groves — Omens of War — Inacayal's Tolderia — 
 Crossing the Rio Limay — Mr. Cox's ShipwTCck — Lenketrou's 
 Raid — A Night of Alarm — Bravery of my Cousins — The Great 
 Cheoeque — A Mounted Parlemento — Apples and Piflones —
 
 X CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Graviel's Madness — Las Manzanas — Cheoeque's Palace — The 
 Revels — Feuds between the Chiefs — Picunches and the Passes 
 to Valdivia — Trading and Politics — Resolutions of Peace — A 
 Grand Banquet — Power of Cheoeque — Araucanian Customs — 
 Farewell Presents — Invitation to Return — Orkeke's Generosity 
 — Return to Geylum — Outbreak of an Epidemic — My Pretty 
 Page — Departure from Geylum 230 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 GEYLUM TO PATAGONES. 
 
 A Sick Camp — Oerro^ Volcanic Hill — Crime's Deathbed — Graviel's 
 Promotion — The Burning Ground — Hot Springs — Fighting the 
 Gualichu — A Real Fight — A Soda Lake — Encampment at 
 Telck — The Doctor comes to Grief — An Obliging Ostrich — 
 Appointed Chasqui — Miseries of Pampa Life — A Bad Time — 
 The Plains of Margensho — Casimiro's Distrust — Doctor and 
 Sick Child — Duties of a Messenger — Departure of the Chasquis 
 — Travelling Exjjress — The Paved Pampas — An Ideal Bandit — 
 Letter from the Chupat Colony — Trinita — Teneforo's Pampas 
 — Champayo's Generosity — A Morning Drink — Departure from 
 Trinita— Valchita— The Pigs' Road— Wild Horses— The Tra- 
 vesia — Limit of the Patagonian Fauna and Flora — First View 
 of the Rio Negro — Sauce Blanco — The Guardia — San Xaviel — 
 Approach to Patagones — Seiior Murga — Welsh Hospitality — 
 Among Friends at last 261 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 
 
 Patagones, or Carmen Old Town — The Fort and Buildings — The 
 Southern Town — The English Mission — Elements of the 
 Population — The Negroes — The Convicts — Lawless State oi 
 Society — The Cemetery — Early History of the Colony — A Suc- 
 cessful Stratagem — Villarino's Ascent of the River — Expedition 
 of Rosas — The Islixnd of Choelechel — La Guardia Chica — 
 Estancia of Messrs. Kincaid — Ancient Indian Graves — Flint
 
 CONTENTS. XI 
 
 Weapons — The Shepherd and Pumas — Estancia San Andrd — 
 The Indians and the Colonists — Calficura's Raid — Indian 
 Method of Attack — The Tame Indians — View of the Valley — 
 Trade of Patagones — Fertility of the Soil^Rio Negro Wine — 
 The Sportsman — Advice to Emigrants — Interview with Col. 
 Murga — The Government Grants to Chiefs — Casimiro again — 
 The Tehuelches in Town — Farewell — The Welsh Utopia — 
 Social Life at Patagones — The Steamer at last — Aground — The 
 Pilot — Pat Sweeny — Adieu to Patagonia 304 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 A. — A partial Vocabulary of the Tsoneca Language as spoken by 
 
 the Northern Tehuelches . 37.3 
 
 B. — Testimony of successive Voyagers to the Stature of the Pata- 
 
 gonians 341
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 HUNTING GUANACO AND OSTRICH, VALLEY OF RIO CHICO Frontispiece 
 
 MAP OF PATAGONIA at the end 
 
 STATION ON PABON ISLAND, SANTA CRUZ . . . tO faCe p. 39 
 
 WAKI KILLING A PUMA „ 77 
 
 START FROM THE CAMP AT MOWAISH, OR WINDOW HILL „ 79 
 
 THE PRETTY HOUSE AND DANCE „ 81 
 
 CEREMONY OF WELCOME (TEHUELCHES AND ARAUCANIANS) „ 115 
 
 A WILD BULL IN THE CORDILLERA .... ,,159 
 
 SKETCH MAP FROM RIO SENGEL TO TECKEL . . . ,,164 
 
 TEHUELCHE ARMS AND IMPLEMENTS .... ,,176 
 
 CROSSING THE RIO LIMAY „ 236
 
 INTEODUCTION. 
 
 Three hundred and fifty years ago the great navigator 
 Magellan anchored in a port on the eastern coast of an 
 unknown shore, part of the seaboard of the vast continent of 
 South America, to which he gave the name of St. Julian. 
 Starting from this point, the pilot Serrano explored the 
 coast to the southward, and discovered a river which he 
 named Santa Cruz. His ship was ^vl•ecked near the mouth, 
 and left her timbers on the rocks, the fii'st of the long list of 
 vessels lost on that ironbound coast, which, from the mouth 
 of the Rio Negro to the Straits, offers but one or two safe 
 harbours, while submerged reefs, fierce gales, strong tides, 
 currents, and overfalls combine to render it nearly the most 
 perilous known to navigators. 
 
 Magellan remained at Port St. Julian and Santa Cruz from 
 April till October of 1520, when he sailed southward, and 
 discovered the Straits which bear his name. Two months 
 after his arrival at Port St. Julian a man of gigantic stature 
 appeared on the beach, * larger and taller than the stoutest 
 man of Castile.' Eighteen natives afterwards arrived dressed 
 in cloaks of skins and shoes of guanaco hide, which made huge 
 footmarks, whence they were called Patagoncs, or ' large 
 feet,' by the Spaniards ; and thus originated in a nickname
 
 xiv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the name of the country, Patagonia. These men used bows 
 and arrows, and had with them four young guanacoes, with 
 Avhich they decoyed the wild ones within shot. Two young 
 men were treacherously seized and earned off, howling and 
 calling on their god Setebos. The natives naturally resented 
 this return for their ready friendliness, and, attacking a 
 party sent after them, killed one Spaniard with their arrows. 
 Enough, however, was seen of them to furnish Pigafetta 
 with some details. ' Their tents were light movable frames, 
 covered with skins ; their faces were painted ; they were 
 very smft of foot, had tools of sharp-edged flints, and ate 
 their meat nearly raw.' 
 
 That the first knowledge of Patagonia was diffused in Eng- 
 land by Pigafetta's narrative is suggested by Caliban's lines in 
 the * Tempest ': ' He could command my dam's god Setebos ;' 
 but it was not till 1578 that the newly- discovered countrj' 
 was visited by Englishmen. 
 
 Sir Francis Drake in that year anchored in Seal Bay — 
 probably a little to the south of Port Desire — and saw several 
 Indians. His chaplain narrates theu* method of stalking 
 the ostriches : ' They have a plume of ostrich feathers on a 
 long staff, large enough to hide a man behind, and with this 
 they stalk the ostriches.' He further says : ' They would 
 have none of our company until such time as they were 
 warranted by theu' god " Settaboth." They never cut then- 
 hau", which they make a storehouse for all the things they 
 carry about — a quiver for arrows, a sheath for knives, a case 
 for toothpicks, a box for fii-e-sticks, and what not j they are 
 fond of dancing with rattles round theii- waists ; they have 
 clean, comely, and strong bodies, are smft of foot, very 
 active, a goodly and lively people, Magellan was not alto-
 
 INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 gether wi-ong in naming them giants, yet they arc not taller 
 than some EngUshmen.' Drake next visited Port St. 
 Julian ; and, curiously enough, as Magellan had in this place 
 put to death two and marooned a third of his captains who 
 mutinied, so this harbour was the scene of the execution of 
 Mr. Doughty, who chose rather to be beheaded than to be 
 put on shore. The ensuing year Sarmiento was despatched 
 from Callao to examine the Straits in search of the daring 
 Englishman. He saw natives who chased their game on 
 horseback, and brought it down with bolas. But fifty years 
 had elapsed since horses had been imported by the Spaniards 
 of the Rio de la Plata, and already the Indians in the far 
 south had become horsemen, and would seem to have 
 exchanged their bows and arrows for the bolas. 
 
 In 1581 Sarmiento was sent from Spain with 2,500 men 
 in twenty-thi-ee ships, to found new colonies in the Straits, 
 and established a settlement, leaving 400 men and thu-ty 
 women furnished with eight months' provisions. On his 
 way home his ship was captured by the English, and the 
 unhappy colonists were altogether forgotten and neglected 
 by their Government. 
 
 Five years after, Thomas Cavendish anchored in a bay to 
 the south of St. Julian, called by him Port Desire, which 
 perpetuates the name of his little craft of 120 tons. Here 
 the natives attacked his men with bows and arrows. Visiting 
 the Straits, he arrived at the settlement, and found only 
 twelve men and three women surviving, the rest having 
 perished of slow starvation and disease ; and the name of 
 the place. Port Famine, conferred by him, still recalls the 
 miserable fate of these ill-fated colonists. 
 
 On his next voyage, in 1591, Cavendish died ; but John
 
 XVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Davis twice visited Port Desire, and explored the river for 
 twenty miles. During his stay some 1,000 natives visited 
 the strangers, and Knyvet describes them as being fifteen or 
 sixteen span high. 
 
 Passing over the visits of Van Noort and Schouten, in the 
 reign of Charles the Second, Sir John Narborough took 
 possession of the country near Port Desire in the name of the 
 King. But few natives were seen, and the mate, Mr. "Wood, 
 boastingly declared that he himself was taller than any of 
 them. 
 
 In the eighteenth century BjTon and Wallis successively 
 visited the shores of Patagonia, and made friends with the 
 natives, whose height was found to be from five feet ten 
 inches to six feet, while some were nearly seven feet high. 
 
 In 1774, the Jesuit Father Falkner published his work on 
 Patagonia, containing all the information procui'ed by him- 
 self and the other Jesuit missionaries who had attempted to 
 obtain a footing on the western and northern boundaries. 
 His account of the Tehuelches, or Tsoneca Indians, was 
 evidently derived from personal communication with them, 
 although his knowledge of the topography of theii' country 
 seems to have been procured from the reports of others. By 
 this work, which produced a great sensation, the jealous 
 fears of the Spanish Government were ai-oused, and they 
 hastened to despatch an expedition to form settlements on 
 the coast of Patagonia. 
 
 Of the brothers Viedma, who were sent in command, 
 Francisco founded Carmen at the mouth of the Rio Negro ; 
 and Antonio, after first fixing on Port Desire, determined 
 finally on Port St. Julian as the site of another colony. He 
 thence undertook the first exploration of the interior in
 
 rsTRoDucTiny. xvii 
 
 search of timber for building, in the course of which he 
 reached the great lake at the foot of the Cordillera, from 
 which flowed the Rio Santa Cruz. Both on the coast and in 
 the interior he received much friendly aid from the Indians, 
 of whom he formed a most favourable opinion. 
 
 Under his brother's auspices the Rio Negro was ascended 
 as far as the mountains of Villarino, to whose expedition 
 reference will be made in the proper place; 
 
 No further knowledge was gained of the interior of Pata- 
 gonia until the survey of the Beagle, so ably performed and 
 so admirably described by Fitzroy and Darwin ; during 
 which the ascent of the Santa Cruz River for 200 miles 
 enabled the latter to observe the remarkable formations 
 which he has so aptly described in his work on the Geology 
 of South America. 
 
 This brief but perhaps tedious account has been given to 
 show that although the coasts of Patagonia had been ex- 
 plored and surveyed, yet the interior of the country, though 
 pierced by the expeditions of Viedma and Fitzroy, remained 
 up to a late date still almost unknown. Its inhabitants, the 
 Tehuelchcs, had been often communicated with, their stature 
 noted, and their friendly disposition commended ; but their 
 real manners of life as they wandered through the country, 
 and their relations with, or difference from, the Ai'aucanian 
 and Pampa Indians, had remained almost as much a mystery 
 as they were in the last century. 
 
 During the last thirty years the Governments of Chili and 
 of Buenos Ayres have shown themselves inclined to claim 
 the possession of the coast, the former trying to advance 
 from the Straits, and the latter from Patagones ; and the 
 natives have acknowledged the influence of either Govern-
 
 xviii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 mcnt as they happened to be in the northen or sonthem 
 parts respectively. Our missionarieB also have not left the 
 Patagoniaus without some efforts to instruct and evangelise 
 them ; and although these efforts have been necessarily 
 limited to the coast, yet the fruits of Mr. Schmid's sojourn 
 with the Tehuelches remain both in their friendly feelings 
 and in the lasting record of the vocabulary of the Tsoneca 
 language published* by him. And the intercourse of these 
 Indians with Argentines and Chilians, and more especially 
 with English officers, sealers, and missionaries successively, 
 all of whom have testified favourably to their character, has 
 tended to make them more open to access, and to give them 
 a knowledge of foreigners ; so that in this respect I can feel 
 that to all those who have been mentioned as having thus 
 preceded me, this brief record is due from a traveller who 
 has expeineuced the friendly feelings of the natives towards 
 strangers, and especially Englishmen. 
 
 While engaged in preparing the ensuing pages for the 
 press, I have had an opportunity of perusing the work of M, 
 Guinnard, first published in French, and recently given to 
 the EngUsh public in a spirited translation, entitled ' Three 
 Years' Slavery among the Patagonians.' The name necessarily 
 attracted me, but to my great surprise careful perusal led 
 to the distinct conviction that the author's personal experi- 
 ences were altogether confined to the Pampas Indians north 
 of the Rio Negi'o. From his own statements and omissions 
 it is quite evident that he was not carried by any of his suc- 
 cessive masters across this river, which he clearly and accu- 
 rately defines to be (page 40) the northern boundary of Pata- 
 gonia. The name of Patagonians is, therefore, a complete 
 misnomer ; and the curious account (pp. 72, 73) of the
 
 INTRObUGTlON. xix 
 
 * Tcheouclchcs,' or Foot Nomads, clothed in seal skins, and 
 accustomed to live on fish, and literally destitute of horses, is 
 applicable to no tribe whatever east of the Cordillera, the 
 Fuegiiins being the only race presenting any of the character- 
 istic habits attributed to this so-called Patagonian tribe. 
 
 I hope I may not be supposed to be desirous of impeach- 
 ing the accuracy of M. Guinnard's account of the hardships 
 endured in his captivity, or the customs of the Indians into 
 whose hands he fell, much of which I can corroborate ; but 
 it is to be regretted that he was induced, probably by others, 
 to describe under the name of Patagonians the Pampas 
 Indians, who, by country, race, language, and character are 
 marked as being altogether distinct from the Tehuelchcs of 
 Patagonia.
 
 AT HOME 
 
 WITH 
 
 THE PATAGONIANS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FE03I THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 
 
 Journey Planned — Preparations — Passage from Stanley — The Straits — 
 First Footsteps in Patagonia — The Narrows — Punta Arenas — Com- 
 mandante Viel — The Colony — The To^v•n — Chilotes and Convicts — 
 Resources — Visit to the CoiU Bed — Lieut. Gallegos — The Sbirt — Rio 
 Chaunco — The Patagonian Pampas — Our Party — Cabecera del Mar 
 — Oazy Harbour — A Useless Chase — A Fireless Night — Volcanic Hills 
 — Parapa Yams — Rio Gallegos — First Indians — Sam Slick — Rio 
 Cuhcyli — Meeting with Tehuelches — Caravan of Women — ' Anglish ' 
 Politeness — Desert — Santa Cruz at last. 
 
 r April, 1869, cbance took me to our remote colony of 
 the Falkland Islands, with the purpose of taking thence 
 a passage to Buenos Ayres to arrange some business matters. 
 During my stay in the settlement, the coast of Patagonia, 
 in the survey of which H.M.S. Nassau was then engaged, 
 formed a frequent topic of conversation. I had formerlj', 
 when stationed on the south-east coast of America, read 
 with delight Mr. Darwin's work on South America, as well 
 as Fitzroy's admirable Narrative of the Voyage of the Beagle, 
 and had ever since entertained a strong desire to penetrate 
 if possible the little-known interior of the country. Now, 
 
 1
 
 2 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 at length, a favourable opportunity seemed to have amved 
 for carrying out the cherished scheme of traversing the 
 country from Punta Arena to the Rio Negro, Valdivia, or 
 even to Buenos Ayres. The accounts given me of the 
 Tehuelchc character and of the glorious excitement of the 
 chase after the guanaco, gi-aphically described by a seaman, 
 Sam Bonner, who had been much on the coast and had 
 resided at the Santa Cruz station, made me more than ever 
 anxious to prosecute this plan ; and, having a tolerable 
 acquaintance with Spanish, which language many of the 
 Indians know well, it seemed to me possible to safely traverse 
 the country in company with some one or other of their 
 wandering parties. Accordingly I bestm-ed myself to obtain 
 information as to the best way of getting such an introduc- 
 tion to the Indians as would probably secui'e their consent ; 
 to which end most material assistance was afforded by j\Ii\ 
 Dean, of Stanley, who kindly provided me with letters of 
 introduction to Captain Luiz Piedra Buena, an intelhgent 
 Ai'gentine well knoAvn in Stanley, the owner of a schooner, 
 in which he worked the seal fisheries on the coast, and also 
 of a trading station at the Middle Island, on the Santa Cruz 
 river. Mr. Dean was of opinion that I should be almost 
 certain to meet with Don Luiz in the Straits of Magellan, 
 and that he would willingly exert his influence with the 
 Indians to enable me to carry out my plan of travel. I was 
 furthermore provided with letters of credit to the firm of 
 Messrs. Aguirre and Murga, at Patagones, or, as it is most 
 commonly called at Stanley, the Rio Negro. 
 
 Thus armed with credentials, and equipped with a guanaco 
 skin mantle, lazo and bolas, I availed myself of the ofier of a 
 passage to the Straits made by an old friend who was bound 
 to the westward coast. 
 
 In the first week of April we sailed from Stanley, and, 
 after a boisterous passage of eleven days, anchored in Posses- 
 sion Bay, just within the entrance of the Straits, to wait for 
 the tm-n of the tide, as the extreme velocity with which the
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 3 
 
 tides ebb and flow through these channels renders it im- 
 possible for any vessel not possessed of great steam-power 
 to proceed except the tide is favoiu'able. Our first view 
 of the Straits did not impress me favourably. On cither 
 hand the shores looked bleak and barren, though far away 
 to the south and west the mountains of Tierra del Fuego 
 could be distinctly seen. As we anchored early in the after- 
 noon, a descent on the coast of Patagonia was proposed, 
 and a party speedily volunteered — well provided with guns 
 and other arms, for the purposes of sport and self-defence 
 in case of necessity — and were soon in the boat. As the 
 tid'e was out, the shoal water did not permit us to reach the 
 shore, so we had to wade some two or three hundred yards 
 over beds of sharp-edged mussels, and, after a climb up the 
 steep cliff, found ourselves on the verge of a barren plain 
 which seemed perfectly destitute of life. 
 
 After a tramp of some distance we came to the edge of a 
 gully running down to the coast, where finding the torn car- 
 case of a guanaco, we stopped to examine what was to most 
 of us an unknown animal ; and our speculations as to the 
 curious hj'brid form of the odd-looking ' camel-sheep' were 
 put an end to by the discovery close by of the fresh foot- 
 prints of a puma. These were eagerly tracked, in the hopes 
 of a little entertainment ; but after some tedious searching 
 we abandoned the pursuit, and again resuming our excur- 
 sion, tramped along through high, coarse grass, and sparsely 
 scattered thorny bushes ; some of the sportsmen varying 
 the monotony by an occasional shot at a snipe. The day 
 •was very genial, the warmth of the bright sunshine was 
 tempered by a wind just cool enough to make a walk 
 pleasant, and the Patagonian climate was pronounced by all 
 hands to be agreeable. Whilst we were beating a rough 
 bit of gi-ound, to our utter amazement and delight our 
 friend the puma jumped out of a bush ; but the first surprise 
 was so great, that the opportunity of giving him a long shot 
 was lost. Away we all started in chase, hoping to ba able
 
 4 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 to keep him in sight from a small adjacent eminence ; and 
 after a good breather two of the party succeeded in vic\ving 
 him to somewhere near the edge of the cliffs, mainly guided 
 by a retriever dog, which seemed as anxious as anybody to 
 see what the catamount hide was made of. On arriving at 
 the cliff, a seaman observed his tracks on the soft clay of the 
 shelving brow, and soon proclaimed his discoveiy of the 
 puma in a hole or small cave just below, by the exclamation 
 of ' There he is ! ' at the same time thrusting the stick he 
 had been beating with nearly into the mouth of the ' lion,' 
 which had set our dog, and appeared about to spring on him. 
 Two shots were fired in quick succession, but apparently 
 without effect, as he made good his retreat, affording us a 
 fine view as he went off, springing in great bounds, along 
 the beach. Pursuit was of course organised, but night being 
 near failed to afford us an opportunity of a closer study of 
 this specimen of the feline race ; and we accordingly started 
 again for the ship, after firing a shot or two into the numer- 
 ous flocks of oyster-catchers and shags which were domiciled 
 on the rocks and about the cliffs. The number of these and 
 other sea-birds was incalculable ; the numerous beds of 
 mussels furnishing them with constant food. 
 
 Next morning we were under weigh with the flood-tide, 
 and rapidly ran through the narrows at a speed of eighteen 
 miles an hour. The scenery on the northern side of the 
 Straits offered little variety until we sighted the Barrancas 
 of San Gregorio, a range of somewhat picturesque hills, 
 rising near the north shore of the bay of the same name, and 
 running along for some miles in an easterly direction. On 
 the southern or Fuegian side of the Straits the land was low 
 for some distance from the coast, and resembled the northern 
 shore, but high mountains were \asible in the backgi'ound. 
 After passing the second narrows, an hour or two's run with 
 the fl©od-tide and a good head of steam brought us opposite 
 to the ' Island of San Isabel,' or Elizabeth Island ; after 
 passing which, the snow clad peaks of Mount Sarmiento, in
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 5 
 
 the southern pai-t of Tierra del Fuego, came into sight, 
 appearing to rise out of the water, ninety miles distant, if 
 not more. Steaming along the coast through numerous beds 
 of the characteristic kelp seaweed, which in the most forcible 
 way attracted our attention, by fouling the screw, and hold- 
 ing the ship as if anchored for about an hour, we passed 
 Cape Negro, and opened completely difierent scenery. In- 
 stead of undulating plains, hills thickly wooded were seen ; 
 at the foot of one of which, on a low piece of flat ground, 
 numerous horsemen, dressed in gay-coloured ponchos, were 
 visible, careering about. 
 
 It was the afternoon of Sunday, which in all Spanish 
 South American countries is a gala day, more or less appro- 
 priated to horse-racing. However, the sight of a steamer 
 appeared to cause a diversion, and, in fact, a general race 
 to the settlement ensued, all being apparently anxious 
 for anything new or strange. The anchor was soon 
 dropped, near an American schooner lying off the Sandy 
 Point, from which the Chilian settlement of Punta Arenas 
 derives its name. 
 
 There was no sign of the Nassau, then engaged in the 
 survey of the Straits, which we had hoped to find in this 
 anchorage ; but from the Chilian officer, who speedily boarded 
 us, we learned that she had sailed to the westward a day or 
 two before our arrival, and was expected to retm-n imme- 
 diately. The results of the careful observations made by 
 Mr. Cunningham, of the scenery and natural history of the 
 Straits, have appeared while these pages were in preparation 
 for the press ; and it affords mo pleasure to refer such as 
 desire more scientific accounts of the botany and zoology, at 
 least of Southern Patagonia, than it was in my power to 
 obtain, to his work. 
 
 My own object in visiting Punta Arenas was to proceed 
 thence to Santa Cruz with the Indians, or in whatever way 
 might prove feasible ; but, in truth, it was by no means clear 
 to my mind how it was to be accomplished ; it was, therefore,
 
 6 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 with great relief that I learned from the Chilian lieutenant 
 that a small expedition was about to be despatched by the 
 governor to Santa Cruz in pursuit of some runaways from 
 among the deserters who were serving their term of punish- 
 ment in the colony. He suggested that the Commandantc 
 would, doubtless, give permission to accompany this party ; 
 and, without delay, I accompanied him on shore, and was 
 introduced to Commandante Seiior Viel. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the kindness and courtesy with 
 which the Commandante entered into my plans ; he at once 
 not only gave me permission to accompany the party, but, 
 unasked, oifered me the use of a horse, and told me not to 
 trouble myself about the commissariat for the road. It was 
 possible, however, that the deserters might be overtaken in 
 the Pampas, in which case the party would return without 
 proceeding as far as Santa Cruz ; he therefore advised me 
 to secure the services of some one acquainted with the route, 
 who could act as guide in the event of having to proceed 
 without the rest of our companions. 
 
 I was afterwards introduced to Seiiora Yiel, a fair Limena 
 possessing all the proverbial charms of the ladies of Lima, 
 and who bemoaned bitterly the isolation and ennui of life at 
 Punta Arenas ; she had literally no equals of her own sex, 
 and scarcely any of the other to speak to. Senor Yiel had 
 formerly commanded a Chilian ironclad, instead of which he 
 had accepted the government of this distant colony ; his 
 zeal and energy in discharging the duties of his office were 
 unceasing, and his naval habits asserted themselves in the 
 strictness of discipline maintained, which was absolutely 
 necessary to keep in order the motley population. But as a 
 residence, viewed from a social point of view, Punta Arenas 
 must have been unimaginably dull. The Commandante 
 kindly pressed me to make his house my home, promising 
 quarters for the night — which his own limited accommoda- 
 tion could not supply — in an adjacent house. So after two 
 days, agreeably spent in the interchange of coui'tesies and
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 7 
 
 visits, I bade adieu to my shipmates, who were to sail at 
 daylight for the Western Straits, and removed myself and 
 traps to a wooden house close to the Cuartel, the quarters of 
 Don Centeno, the engineer in charge of the Government 
 works. The next morning, accompanied by Captain Gushing, 
 of the schooner Rippling Wave, I set out to procure some 
 few necessary supplies, and make inquiries for a guide. We 
 bent our steps to the store of a man named Guillermo, and 
 after purchasing tobacco and other necessaries, the talk 
 turned on gold, of which Don Guillermo showed us some 
 specimens, obtained from the banks of a neighbouring stream. 
 One of the crew of the Rippling Wave grew greatly ex- 
 cited and exclaimed, 'Ah, that's the stuff we used to grub up 
 in a creek in Californy ; I guess if the old boat lays her bones 
 on these here shores, I'll stop and tui-n to digging again.' 
 Hanging up in the store were some Indian bolas and a belt 
 made of beads, studded with silver bosses, which the owner 
 informed me was a woman's gii'dle, and, ^\^th the bolas, 
 had been left in pawn by the Indians. They had not, 
 however, visited the colony, at least for trading purposes, for 
 several months, as they had taken umbrage about a dispute 
 between a Chilian and an Indian, in which they considered 
 their comrade to have been treated with injustice. The party 
 described by Mr. Cunningham evidently arrived with doubt- 
 ful intentions, and the tact displayed by Senor Viel removed 
 their resentment. This information explained what had 
 previously mystified me, viz., that nothing was to be seen or 
 heard of the Indians with whom I had hoped to make 
 acquaintance. My good fortune in arriving on the eve of the 
 departure of the expedition, and the Commandante's courtesy, 
 were now even more keenly appreciated by me, as otherwise 
 I should have been sjmply stranded in Punta Arenas. The 
 guide difficulty was not long of solution, although, from the 
 natural dishke of most of the unofficial population to take 
 part in the recapture of runaways, it had seemed rather per- 
 plexing. After we had quitted the store, we were accosted
 
 8 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 by a man named J'aria, who came to offer his services. A 
 short examination of his knowledge and recommendations 
 proving satisfactory, he was engaged on terms which certainly 
 were far from exorbitant, and he deserves to have it recorded 
 that he fully earned his pay. My equipments and prepara- 
 tions for the journey were now made complete by the 
 thoughtful good-nature of Captain Gushing, with whom I 
 proceeded on board his vessel, where he pro\dded from his 
 stores, and forced on my acceptance, several most useful 
 articles ; and it is pleasant to be able to publish my sense of 
 the kindness received from one of our American cousins, who 
 are always ready to sympathise with and befriend a Britisher, 
 at least according to my experience. 
 
 A stroll of inspection round the settlement was extended 
 to the saw-mill, not far distant, worked by water-power ; 
 where, under the direction of IVIi'. Wells, an American, the 
 trees when cut down are converted into boards to build the 
 houses that take the place of the forest. Proceeding thence 
 to the half-cleared outskirts, we found the Commandante 
 supervising numerous labourers, principally of the convict 
 class, who were busily engaged in felling trees, dealing 
 stumps, and otherwise preparing the way for the futm-e 
 development of the settlement. 
 
 To any one unaccustomed to frontier towns, the coi/jf-d'ceil 
 of the town presented an irregular and random growth of 
 wooden houses ; but the plan which was indicated in outline 
 was laid out after the usual Spanish-American fashion, as 
 originally prescribed by the Council of the Indies. A 
 main street ran near and parallel to the beach, crossing 
 a large vacant square — the Plaza, out of which, and at 
 regular intervals from the main street, ran other embryo 
 streets intersecting at right angles, so that the houses, 
 whenever they should be built, would form blocks or ' cua- 
 dros.' In the Plaza were the church and a large unfinished 
 school-house. Chilian ideas as to the pubhc duty of 
 education are advanced, and the schoolmaster is a state
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 9 
 
 functionary, combining at this time at Punta Ai-enas the 
 duties of secretary to the Governor with those proper to his 
 office. The excellent sketch of Staff"-Commancler Bedwell 
 (Cunningham, ' Straits of Magellan,' page 70) shows the 
 Governor's house nearly at the end of the main street, and 
 beyond it was the Cuartel, a palisadoed inclosure, containing 
 the barracks, the gaol or lock-up, and the guard-house, 
 irreverently termed by the officers of the Nassau ' The Punch 
 and Judy House,' and shown in the same sketch. 
 
 From this a constant look-out is maintained, and a light 
 displayed at night. The transverse streets, running up 
 almost to the uncleared forest, were only indicated by 
 scattered houses, and in the line of the main street two or 
 three detached dwellings a mile distant were only separated 
 from the trees by patches of potato ground. 
 
 The first penal colony planted in the Straits by the 
 Chilian Government was established in 1843, at Port Famine, 
 the ominous name of which recalls the miserable fate of the 
 colonists left there by Sarmiento in 1581. The superior 
 anchorage was the inducement to select the same place for 
 the modern colony, but the same evil destiny seemed to cling 
 to it. After struggling on for some years, during which the 
 inhabitants were frequently reduced to great distress by the 
 failm-e of supplies of food from Chili, it was sacked and 
 destroyed by the convicts, who mutinied and killed the 
 Governor and Padre. They afterwards seized a vessel in 
 which they attempted to escape, but were pursued by a man- 
 of-war, and met with deserved punishment. 
 
 The colony was subsequently removed to its present posi- 
 tion, and in addition to the involuntary immigrants, chiefly 
 deserters from the army, settlers were tempted by liberal 
 grants of land, and a large number of Chilotes, or uatiVes of 
 Chiloe, were introduced. These men, who are of mixed 
 Spanish and Indian blood, are a hardy, sturdy race, ac- 
 customed to the use of the axe in tlieir own thickly-wooded 
 country, whence they export quantities of timber. They are
 
 10 AT HOME ]ViriI THE patagonians. 
 
 very Paddies iji their diet, living almost together on 
 potatoes, which grow freely in Chiloe, but in Punta Arenas 
 do not attain large size. Besides land, the Chilotes receive 
 wages from the Government for their labour, and are the 
 most industrious portion of the population : the men are hard 
 working, but also hard drinking, and the women are said to 
 be very lax in their notions of fidelity. Of the convicts some 
 were allowed, for good behaviour, to live in then- own houses, 
 subject to certain restrictions ; but many of them were utterly 
 reckless, and needed to be kept under the strictest surveil- 
 lance, and locked up in the Cuartel every night. Notwith- 
 standing all precautions, escapes are continually contrived, 
 and the runaways face the difficulties of the Pampas, some- 
 times succeeding in joining the Patagonians, but as often 
 losing their way, and perishing of starvation, or becoming a 
 prey to the pumas. Thus, ten or a dozen had succeeded in 
 escaj)ingjust before my visit, necessitating the despatch of the 
 expedition in chase of them. The garrison consisted of some 
 fifty or sixty regular soldiers, besides in'egular employes, who 
 hunt wild cattle or deserters, as occasion requu'es. The 
 number of troops is quite sufiicient to defend the place 
 against an attack of the Indians, but the southern Tehuel- 
 ches are not naturally inclined to raids, and if well and fairly 
 treated are more willing to avail themselves of the trading 
 facilities afi'orded by the half-dozen stores, the existence of 
 which could onlj', in my mind, be accounted for by the hopes 
 of Indian barter, for they were far in excess of the wants of 
 the colony. Still the permanent population was certainly a 
 thirsty one, and seemed to do its best to encom'age trade, at 
 least in grog : drunkenness in the streets is, however, an 
 offence punishable by imprisonment, and at the time of 
 my visit the blacksmith was in durance vile, whence the 
 Irish Doctor had only just been released for this venial 
 oflence. 
 
 There appeared to be little cultivation, with the exception 
 of potatoes. The climate does not permit wheat or barley to
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 11 
 
 ripen, though, perhaps, oats or lye might sucoeed. The tame 
 cattle seem to be stunted and miserable, but in the forests 
 there are others of a wild breed, which are said to be large and 
 of excellent quality ; these as well as the red deer, afford, 
 during some portion of the year, occupation to a few hunters, 
 who obtain high prices for their meat, but the supply is too 
 scanty and irregular to prevent fresh meat from being a rare 
 luxuiy. The resources and prospects of the colony naturally 
 formed the subject of conversation at Seiior Viel's, and Don 
 Centeno, who was in charge of the survey of the newly- 
 discovered coal-bed in the vicinity, invited me to join him 
 the next day in a visit of inspection. 
 
 Next moraing we accordingly set out, and crossing a small 
 stream, shortly arrived at the commencement of the forest, 
 through which a straight road was in course of formation 
 Numerous groups of Chilotes were employed on all sides, 
 some levelling the way already cleared, others at work felling 
 trees, others applying fire instead of the axe. The timber 
 consists chiefly of Chilian beech (Fagus autarctica) and 
 Winter's bark, described by Mr. Cunningham, the former of 
 which splits readily and is available for most purposes. 
 
 After Don Centeno had completed some minor details of 
 surveying, we struck into the dense forest, and followed a 
 winding path until we arrived at the bed of the stream, 
 which debouches at the colony. This we followed up for 
 some time, and eventually arrived at a ravine, the sides of 
 which were as regular as if navvies had been employed to 
 form a cutting, in which, at a point of sixty yards above our 
 heads, the seam of coal was visible. Hero we dismounted 
 and scrambled up a slippery path to a spot where a shaft, or 
 rather burrow, had been driven into the bed, to the depth of 
 perhaps fifty or sixty feet, made apparently for the purpose 
 of examining the quality, regularity, &c., of the seam. The 
 coal did not appear to me of a very good quality ; but I 
 have since heard that it gave exceedingly favourable results. 
 My companion also pointed out to mo a place in the opposite
 
 12 AT HOME ]VIT1I THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 bank where some men had been washing for gold, the speci- 
 mens of which I had seen in the town ; and their labours 
 were said to have been attended with good retui-ns. As the 
 day was advancing and rather chilly, a fire was kindled ; and 
 after a warm thereat, mounting our horses, we returned 
 homewards down the ravine. On emerging from the forest, 
 we observed a large steamer just on the point of anchoring ; 
 so we hurried on to obtain news and despatch our letters if 
 it should prove the Magalhaens — one of the line of packets 
 from Liverpool to Valparaiso. On the beach we found the 
 Commamlante and Mrs. Viel, the latter having visited the 
 vessel and obtained some English newspapers. After dinner, 
 accepting the Governor's offer of his boat, I proceeded on 
 board, and found her to be a magnificent steamer of great 
 power and good accommodation. The establishment of this 
 line of steamers will doubtless have a most beneficial efiect 
 on the prosperity of Punta Arenas ; as, though agriculture 
 and Indian trade are not likely to reward industrious or 
 speculative immigrants, the discovery of the coal-bed is of the 
 most obvious importance as aifecting the future of this colony. 
 It will now be possible to maintain powerful steam-tugs to 
 tow sailing-vessels through the Straits, and thus avoid the 
 passage round Cape Horn ; whereas up to the present time 
 the navigation of the Straits has been almost closed to 
 sailing-ships ; while, owing to the great steam-power required, 
 even steamers, whether war or merchant ships, are frequently 
 obliged to buy wood at Sandy Point ; and then, owing to the 
 vast quantity used to keep steam, not unt'requently are 
 obliged to stop again before entering the Pacific to renew 
 their supply wherever they could cut it. Now this will all 
 be changed, and a steam-launch will probably be kept to tow 
 the lighters to and fro, and thus materially facilitate coaling. 
 As population and colonisation increase, encom-aged by the 
 accommodation aflbrded by the Pacific steamers — which at 
 this present date run every month, bringing the Straits of 
 Magellan almost within hail — the interior of the countiy may
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SAXTA CRUZ. 13 
 
 become opened up, in which case, probably, other sources of 
 mineral wealth will be discovered and made productive. 
 
 Our departure having been definitely fixed for the morrow, 
 I proceeded to review and arrange my equipments for the 
 journey, a Ust of which may gratify intending explorers of 
 Patagonia. Two saddle-bags contained my kit and neces- 
 saries, consisting of a couple of shirts and a jersey or two, a 
 few silk handkerchiefs, and soap, lucifer matches, writing 
 materials, fishing lines and hooks, quinine and caustic, and a 
 small bottle of strychnine. The armoury comprised a rifle 
 in case complete, and two double-barrelled breech-loading 
 pistols, hunting-knives, a small ammunition -case of un- 
 filled cartridges, and a supply of powder. The only instru- 
 ment ventured on was a small compass. My personal equip- 
 ment was a shootmg suit of tweed and a Scotch cap, and a 
 most excellent pair of boots made by Thomas, to which for 
 comfort were superadded a guanaco skin mantle, two ponchos, 
 and a waterproof sheet. In the evening Senor Viel intro- 
 duced me to my future travelling companion, Lieutenant 
 Gallegos, who was to command our party. He was a short, 
 thick-set man, with a dark, almost Indian complexion, and 
 looked all over what the Commandante declared him to be, 
 ' a man for hard work.' In his native province of Ai-auco he 
 had been for many years employed in the frontier wars with 
 the Indians, and could handle the lazo or the lance with 
 wonderful dexterity. He spoke with great cordiality of the 
 ofticers of the Nassau, and seemed well inclined to the com- 
 pany of one of the same service ; indeed, I am strongly 
 inclined to believe that he is introduced into the foregi'ouud 
 of Commander Bedwell's sketch — at all events, if any reader 
 wishes to know his appearance, the occupant of the fallen tree 
 presents a strong resemblance to the leader of our pai'ty. Our 
 arrangements and prospects were fully discussed ; and after 
 bidding farewell to Captain Cushing, who was to sail the next 
 day, and to my most kind and courteous host and hostess, 
 we parted, agreeing to meet at dayhght ready for the road.
 
 14 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 At an early hour in the morning of the 19th of April I 
 was awoke by J'aria, and with him and my small belongings 
 proceeded to the Corral, where the horses were being caught 
 and loaded. Here we were joined by Gallegos, and when 
 everything was nearly ready for the start adjourned to his 
 house close by for a cup of coifee. The Senora seemed to 
 regard me with great commiseration, and recounted various 
 dismal tales of the dreadful cold winds, hardships, Indians, 
 and other disagreeables to be encountered ; her consolations 
 were cut short by the entrance of J'aria -with the news that 
 all was ready. After a parting glass of something stronger 
 than water, we got into our saddles, and the cavalcade, con- 
 sisting of Gallegos, myself, one regular soldier, three irregu- 
 lars or employes of the Government, and J'aria, with twenty- 
 one horses, left the town. As we passed the Cuartel, the 
 guard turned out in the balcony and presented arms, and the 
 bugler executed a musical salute. It was a fine frosty 
 morning, and we rode on in high spirits, accompanied by 
 two or three horsemen, who were going to spend their 
 Sunday festa in duck shooting, and had made an early start 
 to escort us a little way. Scarcely had we crossed the 
 stream when one of the baggage horses kicked his load off; 
 this was soon replaced ; but when the bustle was over and 
 the cavalcade reformed, J'aria and one of the employes, to 
 whom I had confidingly entrusted a bottle of rum, were 
 missing, and they did not turn up again for some time, and 
 the bottle never again. We rode along the coast until we 
 reached the outpost called Tres Puentes, where a narrow 
 pass between the forest on one hand and the sea on the 
 other, is barred by a gate-house tenanted by two men, posted 
 there to prevent desertion ; they tui-ned out, and we lingered 
 for a farewell chat, during which one of the sportsmen 
 stalked and shot some ducks ; at the report of his gun, the 
 regular soldier's horse, not being used to stand fii'e, shied 
 and threw him, capsizing his saddle-bags, and strewing the 
 beach with tortillas (cakes) and coifee, with which his no
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 15 
 
 doubt provident and thoughtful ' she ' had stored them. 
 Gallegos sat in his saddle and laughed at the scene ; but as 
 the others could not catch the horse, he gave us a proof of 
 his dexterity with the lazo. After this little diversion we 
 pursued our coui'se along the beach as far as Cape Negro, 
 where the forests terminated, and our accompanying friends 
 bade us adieu after taking a parting glass all round ; J'aria 
 and the other absentee overtaking us in time for this part of 
 the performance. 
 
 Our horses' heads were then turned from the coast in a 
 north-north-west direction, and after half an houi''s ride a 
 halt was called for breakfast under the lee of a sheltering 
 hill. To the southward we viewed the counter slope of the 
 wooded hills, below which on the other side lay Punta Arenas. 
 A thick growth of shrubs covered the ground, but beautiful 
 glades of luxuriant pasture were visible ; one of which opened 
 just to the south of our camping-place, and others appeared 
 east and west like oases of green. Their appearance caused 
 me to remark that as a settler I should choose this location 
 for my hut. Gallegos, however, rephed that the pastures 
 could not be used for the cattle of the settlement during the 
 summer, as neither the Indians nor their own men could be 
 trusted ; the latter would desert, and the former would steal 
 the beasts. After a pipe we remounted, and having crossed 
 the hill we descended to the valley of a small but deep stream, 
 called the Rio Chaunco, having forded which we ascended the 
 opposite border slope, and entered on the Pampa, which 
 name is universally used in Patagonia to designate the high 
 undulating plains or plateaux, frequently intersected by 
 valleys and ravines, or rising into successive or isolated hills, 
 which generally occupy the crest of the country. The 
 Indians, indeed, who know a little Castilian, apply the word 
 Pampa indiscriminately to any tract of country hunted over 
 by them. After a successful day's sport, and the content- 
 ment consequent on a hearty meal, they will ask with great 
 satisfaction, * Muy buuna Pampa ? No ? ' really meaning
 
 IG AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 ' Is not the wild life the best ? ' But English readers, who 
 have derived their idea of a Pampa from Head's delightful 
 work, or from other experiences of the unlimited grassy or 
 thistle-covered plains which roll away for miles in the Argen- 
 tine States, and offer no obstruction to the stretching gallop 
 of the untiring gaucho, must not transfer that pleasing 
 picture to Patagonia. The Pampas, properly so called, of 
 Patagonia, occasionally indeed present a tolerably even and 
 uniform succession of rolling plains covered with coarse grass, 
 but more frequently the surface, even when unbroken by 
 hills and suddenly yawning ravines, is sterile, with a sparse 
 vegetation, consisting of stunted bushes and round thistle 
 clumps ; and even these are often wanting, and nothing 
 clothes the bare patches of clay or gravel ; elsewhere it is 
 strewn with huge round boulders, and again rugged with 
 confused heaps or ridges of bare sharp-edged rocks, many 
 of them of volcanic origin : this more particularly applying 
 to the northern part of the country. The only uniformity 
 of appearance is afforded in the winter, when the white 
 sheet of snow covers rocks, grass, and shingle ; but one 
 accompaniment is the same, whatever be the nature of the 
 soil or surface ; and the word Pampa invariably recalls to 
 one's shuddering memory the cutting blasts which sweep 
 almost without intermission from various points, but chiefly 
 from the west, over the high country, till, reaching the heated 
 atmosphere of Buenos Ayres, the cold Patagonian wind 
 becomes the Pampero, the sudden and terrific blasts of 
 which cause so many disasters among the shipping. The 
 descent from these Pampas to the valleys, or more sheltered 
 and fertile level ground bordering the banks of the streams 
 and rivers, is commonly termed ' Barranca,' or bank, from 
 the scarped slopes, varying in depth from fifty to two or 
 three feet, and in angle from an easy to an almost perpen- 
 dicular descent, but often fissured by ravines or gullies, 
 affording roads, down all of which, however, the native 
 riders gallop with equal recklessness.
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 17 
 
 The Pampa we were now traversing presented an expanse 
 of uutlulating or rolling plains covered with a uniform growth 
 of coarse grass interspersed with barberry bushes, and 
 occasional lagoons in the hollows. No li\'ing creatures 
 except ourselves appeared on the waste. To the westward 
 the snow-clad peaks of the mountains bordering the Sarmi- 
 ento Straits greeted us with an icy blast which made my 
 thoughts longingly revert to the cozy cabin and my late ship- 
 mates, who were, no doubt, threading the intricacies of its 
 channels. But the good guanaco mantle kept out the wind, 
 and our motley party pushed briskly on in good order. 
 Lieutenant Gallegos has been already introduced ; as to the 
 others, J'aria was a small man, of rough exterior, of doubtful 
 extraction, and more than doubtful antecedents, who looked 
 fit for any business except good; but he sex'ved me most 
 assiduously and with unlooked-for care. The soldier was a 
 fine-looking fellow, new to the Pampas, whose carbine, which 
 he duly carried, proved a source of great embarrassment to 
 him ; and his horse being by no means too manageable, he 
 was considerably bothered, much to the delight of the rest. 
 Two others were hybrids, between gauchos and sailors, 
 having, like our marines, been equally accustomed to service 
 per mare, per terram ; but, like the jollies, they were un- 
 mistakably useful and good men. The las of the party 
 was of the J'aria tj'pe. All were well mounted, and provided 
 with a spare horse. Wo carried for provisions biscuit, 
 charqui or dried meat, roasted wheat meal, and cofi'ee and 
 sugar, and were furnished with an unusual but welcome 
 iuxury, a small tent, underneath which we cared little for 
 the bitter frost outside. 
 
 After riding over the Pampas for three or four hours, wo 
 encamped for the night in a hollow by the side of a lagoon, 
 having selected a suitable spot for pitching the tent on the 
 sheltered slope, well out of the sweep of the wind. The 
 lagoon was covered with black-necked swans and other wild 
 fowl ; so, as soon as the horses had been unloaded and looked
 
 18 AT HOME WITir TUB PATAGONIANS. 
 
 after, a fire lit, and all arrangements made for camping, 
 two or three of us went out to try and shoot some wild fowl ; 
 but our sporting endeavours were not crowned with much 
 success, and a little before dark we returned to a supper of 
 charqui, and after a talk over the fire, turned in, and slept 
 sound and warm, though outside the fi'ost was severe. My 
 mind was much disquieted, first by the discoveiy that the box 
 of rifle ammunition which J'aria carried had been dropped by 
 that worthy at the scene of the baggage horse escapade, and 
 secondly, by the mysterious absence from my shot-belt of 
 all my coin, consisting of an onza and a few sovereigns. I 
 said nothing, however, until next morning, when I proceeded 
 quietly to search, remembering that I had taken ofi" my 
 accoutrements before the tent was pitched, and dropped in 
 the grass I found the missing coins. The story aftbrded 
 J'aria a great theme for jokes, and he often adverted to the 
 chance of inheriting my ounce, in a way that might have 
 made a timid traveller expect foul play, though nothiBg was 
 farther from my guide's thoughts. At seven o'clock, after 
 cofi'ee and a biscuit, we were again en route, and about ten 
 arrived close to the head of Peckett's Harbour. Here one of 
 the party discovered a horse, which was chased into our 
 troop, but as it appeared lame, was not pressed into our 
 service ; it had probably belonged to the Indians. As in a 
 long voyage, so in a journey of this description, the shghtest 
 novelty serves to relieve what it is needless to say becomes 
 the slightly monotonous task of trotting along behind the 
 troop of horses over barren wastes, so we were ahvays on the 
 qui vice for something to chase. One of the men had a dog 
 with him, and shortly after the excitement about the horse 
 we started some ostriches, which, however, proved too swift 
 for the cur, and escaped over some muddy plots close to the 
 ' Cabecera del Mar.' This is a large inlet or arm of the sea, 
 running up some miles from Peckett's Harboiu*, with which 
 it communicates by a very narrow channel, which can only 
 be crossed at low water ; it was our good fortune to arrive at
 
 FBOM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 19 
 
 this period, thus escaping a long detour round the inlet. 
 But our crossing was not eflected mthout trouble ; the 
 flood-tide rushing up hko a mill-race, and proving almost 
 too much for the steadiness of one of the baggage-horses. 
 After clearing the channel, in our farther progress we passed 
 several small streams with swampy ground, all of which 
 probably discharge themselves into Oazy Harbour, and 
 arrived towards evening at an old Indian encampment situ- 
 ated under a range of hills, running more or less north and 
 south, forming one barrier of abroad and well-watered valley, 
 bounded on the eastern side by the well-known ' Barrancas ' 
 of San Gregorio. 
 
 Our station was just within the opening of the valley, 
 which, being sheltered from the wind, is the favourite winter 
 quarters of the Southern Tehuelches, whose] encampment is 
 usually pitched near Oazy Harbour, called by them ' Oazy 
 Saba.' 
 
 Westward the low flats which bordered the shores of the 
 Cabecera del Mar terminated in irregular hills, beyond which 
 higher peaks rose, and they in their turn were overlooked by 
 distant snow-clad summits on the horizon. Among the blue 
 hills of the middle distance floated wreaths of light haze so 
 much resembling smoke that Gallegos, ever on the alert for 
 signs of the deserters, proposed to deviate from our route 
 to investigate, and only my strongly pronounced opinion in 
 favour of haze versus smoke induced him to give up the idea. 
 The Argentine Government formerly planned a settlement in 
 this valley, which was not carried out, and the missionaries 
 also proposed to fix a station hereabouts, with Oazy Harbour 
 as a depot, but the Chilians of Punto Arena set up their 
 claims and compelled the missionaries to desist. 
 
 After cainp was arranged, the weather, which since our 
 start had been bright with cold winds and moderate frosts 
 at night, changed to rain, and Gallegos proposed to me that, 
 "n the event of its continuing bad, we should remain under 
 the shelter of the tent. However, though the night was
 
 20 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 rougli and rainy, morning broke fair and the sun rose bright 
 and warm, so we started, following a path along the base of 
 the before-mentioned range of hills until about ten o'clock, 
 when, just after passing a beautiful little stream where I 
 noticed fish darting about in the pools, a herd of guanaco, 
 hitherto concealed by a small eminence, came into view. 
 Chase was immediately given, but most of our horses were 
 soon blown, and Gallegos, the soldier, and myself having 
 ascended the hills over which the herd had taken flight, as it 
 appeared useless to continue the chase, stopped on the crest 
 and watched the animals as they streamed up on an opposite 
 hill. One of the party was missing, and suddenly an ex- 
 clamation from the Lieutenant, ' What is it ? ' caused us to 
 turn our eyes in the direction to which he pointed, where 
 some fancied they descried a man. The idea of deserters 
 immediately occurred to theii* minds, so they started oft', 
 asking me to tell J'aria (who had remained with the horses) 
 to travel on to a given spot at the head of the valley. 
 Having descended the hill, which was tunnelled with bui-rows 
 of the Ctenomys Magellanicus,* the crowns of which, yield- 
 ing to the horses' tread, proved a series of dangerous traps, I 
 rejoined J'aria, and we pursued our way for a few miles until 
 we reached a small lagoon at the head of the valley, coveredl 
 with thousands of widgeon and duck. The sight suggested 
 the thought that no man need starve in this country, so 
 abundant seemed the supplies of animal life. Here we 
 waited, and in the course of half an hour the remainder 
 came up with their horses blown, one of the party having a 
 piece of guanaco meat hanging to his saddle. This was 
 Jose Marinero, one of the hybrids, who had succeeded in 
 lazoing a guanaco, at which he appeared intensely deUghted. 
 The * man,' as I had previously supposed, proved imaginary. 
 I regretted not being up at the death, as it turned out that 
 Jose had been close to us, but hidden from sight by a rise. 
 After a pleasant and refreshing rest and a draught of cafe 
 * Cuuningham, p. 133.
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 21 
 
 Quillota (parched corn meal and water), we resumed our 
 route north. After leaving the lagoon, a scarcely perceptible 
 slope ascended from the valley, and a more undulating course 
 was traversed until we reached a small caiion, which after a 
 gradual descent dipped down between walls a hundred feet 
 high, sloping up at either hand, and finishing in a rounded 
 summit leading to the high plain. ' Here,' said J'aria, * there 
 is no firing, and those stupid Indian women actually carry 
 loads of it from the nest stage.' But the event proved 
 that the Indians were wiser than ourselves. Following this, 
 we arrived at another canon running at right angles, east 
 and west, on one of the grass-covered sides of which we 
 observed a couple of horses feeding in a hollow which looked 
 more verdant than the rest of the ground, but the animals 
 being caught and examined proved unsound and useless. 
 In the bottom of the canon there flowed a small but deep 
 stream spreading into lagoons in places. We crossed this 
 and encamped on the northern side, and foimd J'aria's 
 words, as to no fuel to be found about this valley, verified, 
 much to our discomfort. Towards evening we went out and 
 shot some ducks, but having no fire to cook with, were con- 
 tent to turn in on meal and water. During the night the 
 tent pole, having been first soaked with rain and then frozen, 
 snapped in two, and down came the spread of wet canvas ; 
 and altogether we did not spend a very pleasant time. 
 
 Misfortunes never come single ; at daylight no horses were 
 to be seen, and we had to wait until near ten o'clock before 
 they turned up. During this interval we burnt the tent pegs 
 and some chips from the tent pole, and raised sufficient fire 
 to make coffee. J'aria informed me that this canon extends 
 from the Cordillera to the sea, but runs in a tortuous manner, 
 and we afterwards again struck either the main line or some 
 canon leading from it. Having scaled the precipitous 
 banks, we headed towards a range of peaked hills, curiously 
 resembling one another, and after passing down one or two 
 more canons, where we refreshed ourselves with the berries
 
 22 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 of a barberry (Berberis axifolia), called by the Chilians cali- 
 fate, and also saw plenty of the red and white tea-ben-ies, so 
 common in the Falklands, we entered a wide plain or valley, 
 at the farther end of which rose a peculiar pointed hill, one of 
 a range that stretched away east and west, pierced by a pass. 
 In the midst of it a huge square flat rock shone white in the 
 sunlight, forming a striking object : it looked like a megalith, 
 deposited by giants to cover the grave of some deceased hero. 
 Others of less dimensions lay strewn here and there, giving 
 somewhat of a graveyard aspect to the scene. As we ad- 
 vanced the ground was encumbered with rocks and scoria?, 
 lying in. heaps in all directions, making it very difficult 
 travelling for the horses, and on arriving at the hills them- 
 selves their appearance was decidedly volcanic. The whole 
 immediate vicinity of this range of hills presented a peculiarly 
 wild, blasted, and weird appearance ; nevertheless ostriches 
 and guanaco were observable in great quantities. My first 
 thought on passing one hill, where, among the other 
 fantastic forms into which the rocks had been tossed, was 
 a natural corral, or circle of huge fragments, built with 
 apparent regularity, but of superhuman dimensions, was, 
 ' What a hell this must have been when the volcanoes were 
 in an active state, belching out the streams of lava and 
 showers of rock, and that perhaps at no distant period ! ' 
 While at Santa Cruz, Casimiro told me of an active volcano 
 situated at a distance and in a direction which Avould fix 
 it as belonging to this range. . Formerly its neighbour- 
 hood had been frequented by the Indians, as the guanaco 
 resorted thither in great numbers dm-ing the winter ; but 
 the Indians' horses most of them had been poisoned by 
 drinking the water of a stream close to the range, and soon 
 after all the toldos were shaken down by an earthquake or 
 the vibration of an explosion, and since then they had not 
 ventured to go near the place. Casimiro and Gonzalez had, 
 however, subsequently ascended the volcano, and had killed 
 numbers of guanaco in the neighbourhood. It was also
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 23 
 
 mentioned that when they were encamped on the Cuheyli, or 
 Coy Inlet River, tremendous volumes of thick black smoke, 
 rolling from the west, enveloped the Indians and terrified 
 them exceedingly. No signs were afterwards found of burned 
 pasture, and it was conjectured that the Canoe Indians of 
 the Chonos Archipelago had fired the western forests, but it 
 was much more likely to have been due to volcanic eruption. 
 While trotting along the defile through these hills formed 
 by a chasm, with perpendicular walls of rock rising on each 
 hand, as evenly scraped as the sides of a railway cutting, 
 I observed several caves, which J'ai-ia had a tradition the 
 Indians formerly used as dwelling-places. This pass led into 
 another valley still more rugged, and strewn with sharp 
 angular fragments of rock, amongst which stunted ghi-uba 
 began to appear ; and lagoons, some of which were encrusted 
 round the edges with saltpetre, and contained brackish water, 
 might be seen at intervals. Towards evening we encamped 
 by the side of a small lagoon of circular form with wall-like 
 clifi"s rising some 200 feet from its banks, and nearly sur- 
 rounding it. I took a stroll, rifle in hand, whilst the men 
 were getting firewood ; and plenty guanaco were visible, 
 but I only succeeded in wounding one, which escaped on 
 three legs. Traces of puma, in the shape of camon, were 
 also there, but Leon himself was hidden. So I returned 
 empty-handed to the fire, where I found a cheerful supper 
 of wild duck and guanaco meat just ready. The moon 
 was beautiful, and the air just frostj'^ enough to be bracing 
 and exhilarating, so some of us staid smoking and spin- 
 ning yarns until the small hours. The stories were chiefly 
 of adventures on the Pampas. Jose narrated how, when 
 in pursuit of a party of runaways in the depth of winter, 
 when the snow lay thick on the ground, he and his com- 
 rade I'ode into a valley where countless guanaco had taken 
 refuge from the storm in the upper heights, and stood 
 huddled together, too benumbed by the cold to attempt to 
 escape, and were slaughtered like oxen in the shambles. In
 
 24 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 another hunt the party overtook the deserters, housed in 
 the toklo of an Indian, and a fight ensued, ending in the 
 death of one of the pursuers ; the deserter who shot him was 
 pistolled, and J'aria and Jose carried the dead body of their 
 comrade on horseback to the settlement, sixty miles distant, 
 proceeding without a halt all through the night, and ac- 
 complishing their ghastly journey by the next morning. 
 J'aria related how he had been drifted in a launch among the 
 ice in the Straits, and carried over to Tierra del Fuego, where 
 they found rocks so magnetic that iron nails adhered to them. 
 He further amused us by a short dissertation on his domestic 
 arrangements ; how, when his last wife died, he married a 
 Chilote to be mother for his children and wife for him, and 
 he always called her in conversation the ' Madre Muger ' — 
 wife mother. 
 
 Next morning we started early, and varying our march 
 with one or two races after foxes, which generally met their 
 death in a very short time, and an engagement with a female 
 puma, which one of the men despatched by a splendid re- 
 volver shot through the head, traversed some uneven Pampas, 
 with occasional hills, and arrived at the descent of the 
 valley of the Kio Gallegos, where the very remarkable bench 
 formation, afterwards observed on a smaller or larger scale 
 in other Patagonian rivers, first arrested my attention. To 
 the west, some miles away, a high hill, apparently of basalt, 
 the square summit of which, with seemingly regular walls 
 and towers, mimicked the distant view of an extensive 
 fortress, served as a landmark for the break in the bar- 
 ranca, which formed a natural road, by which we reached 
 the first or upper bench, a mile and a half in width ; from 
 this a drop or scarped slope of fifty feet and upwards de- 
 scended to another terrace or plain of equal extent, and 
 terminating in another fall, at the bottom of which lay 
 the bed of the river ; it is fordable in the summer months, 
 I beheve, in many places, but when we crossed the water 
 about reached where one's saddle flaps would be if riding on
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 25 
 
 an English saddle. After crossing the ford, a halt took place 
 to smoke a pipe, whilst doing which we watched the gyra- 
 tions of a huge vulture of the condor species ; he hovered 
 for some time, and at length boldly settled on a point oi 
 rock about a hundred yards distant ; so the soldier, whose 
 carbine was always ready, took a shot, but missed, much to 
 the grief of Gallogos, who asserts that the heart of the 
 vulture is a good remedy for certain diseases. We then 
 mounted, and riding about a mile halted for the night by a 
 spring, gushing out of a ravine in the slope between the upper 
 and lower benches, where the pasture M'as good, as J'aria 
 declared that water was scarce for some leagues farther on. 
 The bivouac arranged, Jose, and myself proceeded to try and 
 shoot a guanaco, but the plain was too open, so, after hght- 
 ing up a bit of dry grass to attract any neighbouring 
 Indians, we very foolishly indulged in a bathe in the river. 
 The water was intensely cold, and the ill effects of this ill- 
 timed indulgence were felt for a long time after. The soldier 
 meanwhile was away on horseback, chasing a large herd, but 
 he returned about dusk empty-handed. Next morning we 
 started about nine o'clock, having been, as usual, delayed by the 
 horses having strayed some distance. Ascending the slope, 
 we crossed the higher bench, a barren, dreary waste, for 
 about a league, until we came to a lagoon covered with 
 upland geese, and lying just below what may be termed the 
 barranca of the Upper Pampa. Halting here for a smoke 
 and warm to dispel the effects of the intensely cold wind, we 
 were about resuming our route to ascend the steep slope of 
 the upper plains, when large columns of smoke, in answer to 
 the signal tire we had left behind us, rose up to the sky in a 
 N.E. direction, AVe moved on, and arriving at the summit 
 of the ascent, looked eagerly round for signs of the fire, but 
 nothing was visible. The plains lay before us apparently 
 destitute of life, excepting a stray guanaco here and there. 
 J'aria then set light to a neighbouring bush, which gave out 
 dense clouds of black smoke, and in a few minutes this was
 
 26 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 answered in the same direction as that previously observed. 
 A horseman was at length espied galloping towards us, who 
 proved to be an Indian named Sam, son of the chief Casimiro, 
 who has been mentioned in the missionary reports. After 
 conversing for a short time with J'aria and CaUegos, he 
 turned to me, and said, in English, 'How do you do? I speak 
 little Anglishe,' which he had learned dui'ing a visit to the 
 Falklands, where also he had acquired his sobriquet of Sam 
 Slick, He tlien galloped away at full speed, and brought up his 
 companions, who had been concealed from view in a neigh- 
 bouring hollow ; the party consisted of two men and a boy, and 
 two women, all mounted, and apparently having just finished 
 hunting, as they had plenty of fresh guanacomeat with them. 
 We halted by a bush, and in a few minutes had a fire 
 kindled, and the pipe being handed round, I had an oppor- 
 tunity of observing them closely. The men were fine mus- 
 cular specimens. One, whom they caUed Henrique, was a 
 Fuegian— formerly, I believe, a captive, but now doctor, or 
 wizai-d. He travelled with this party separate from tke 
 remainder of the tribe, on account of some suspicion of his 
 having caused the death of a chief. One of the men, taller 
 than the others, was a Tehuelche. The boy was bright look- 
 ing and intelligent, and it afterwai-ds appeared that Don 
 Luiz Buena had kept him for some time, vainly endeavouring 
 to teach him Spanish. They were very cordial, and especially 
 forced on me more meat than I could cany ; but there was a 
 certain constraint visible in their manners, probably owing 
 to their being conscious of some dealings with the deserters, 
 whom J'aria counselled them to despatch whenever they might 
 meet with them. The women cai'ried bottles of water, which 
 they readily gave us, to our great refreshment and reUef, for 
 we were all parched with thirst. 
 
 Gallegos asked Sam whether he was willing to guide us to 
 Santa Cruz, J'aria not being over- certain of the route. The 
 tracks made by the guanacos are easily mistaken by almost 
 any one but an Indian for the traU of ' chinas,' or caravans
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 27 
 
 of women and laden horses ; and this, combined with the 
 want of landmarks on the Pampas and the confusing succes- 
 sion of hills closely resembhng each other, renders it only 
 too easy to lose the right direction. As examples of this, 
 out of ten deserters of whom the party were in search, six 
 were never more heard of. Oui* guide J'aria himself, when 
 travelling from Santa Cruz to the colony, lost his way, and 
 would inevitably have starved had he not fortunately been 
 fallen in with by a party of Indians. Sam having agi-eed to 
 come with our party, we bid adieu to the Indians, who, in 
 return for theii- presents of meat, were gratified with a little 
 tobacco, and rode oil". Suddenly a fox started up from a 
 neighbouring bush. The soldier gave chase, Sam shouted, 
 ' Stop, I'll show you : ' at the same time putting spurs to 
 his horse, and cutting Reynard off, he put his hand to his 
 waist-belt, drew out his bolas, gave them two turns round 
 his head, and in another minute the fox was lying dead, with 
 his ribs crushed completely in whei'e the metal ball had 
 struck him. Under the directions of our new guide, who 
 rode ahead with me, we traversed a succession of high 
 barren plains, sinking into frequent irregulai* hollows, without 
 streams, but usually containing lagoons of salt or brackish 
 water, until, about 4 p.m., we descended into the valley of 
 Rio Cuheyli, or the river, which debouches at Coy Inlet. 
 The bench formation, though noticeable, is not here so 
 decidedly marked. For some time we pursued the trail in 
 an orderly march ; but an ostrich springing nearly under our 
 horses' feet, and escaping over some marshy swamp, where 
 horses could not follow, roused Sam's hunting propensities, 
 and he proposed to myself, the soldier, and Jose to leave the 
 path — which ho said, with emphatic disdain, was good for 
 women, not for men — and ride up the barranca to see him 
 ball an ostrich ; so having regained the Pampa, we formed 
 into line, about two himdred yards apart, to drive a certain 
 area of ground down to a point where there was a gentle 
 slope to the valley, so as to meet the advancing cavalcade of
 
 28 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 the rest of our party. We saw nothing except one ostrich 
 vanishing at great speed toAvards the valley at another point, 
 and a pair of doves, which I remarked with interest ; so we 
 returned to the track, and as night was closing in, pushed 
 on, wishing to cross the ford of the river and encamp on the 
 other side. At seven o'clock, having reached a nice spring 
 flowing from the barranca, where there was fircAvood in 
 profusion, Gallegos ordered a halt, although Sam wished to 
 proceed, observing that the moon was so bright it was ' all 
 the same as day.' We accordingly encamped for the night, 
 after making a good supper off guanaco meat, which was a 
 pleasant change after our previous charqui. The valley of 
 the Cuheyli slightly indicates the bench formation, though it 
 does not present so distinctly marked terraces as those 
 which border the Gallegos River ; but the lowest or river 
 plain, which is nearly two leagues wide in the neighbour- 
 hood of the ford, is of a more fertile character, the pasture 
 being luxuriant and good. One or two of the springs — 
 notably the one the water of Avhich, contrary to our guide's 
 advice and example, we drank — had a strong taste of iron, 
 which caused all the party to suffer from internal derange- 
 ment ; and Sam stated that near our encampment there was 
 a deposit of the black earth with which the Indians paint 
 their bodies. Starting early, after a night of severe frost, 
 we soon struck the ford. Oui' guide had vanished ; but 
 while rearranging the packs, we saw a volume of black smoke 
 rising to the east, caused by Sam, who, having thus sig- 
 nalled his countrj'men, rejoined us on the march across the 
 slightly ascending plain. We then observed numerous 
 Indians galloping in our direction, and crossing the stream 
 at various parts, as J'aria remarked, quite regardless of fords. 
 We halted, and were soon sm-rounded by about forty or 
 more, most of them riding useful-looking horses barebacked. 
 As they appeared very friendly, Gallegos gave them some 
 biscuit and charqui ; their chiefs — the head cacique being a 
 nephew of Casimiro — forming them into a semicircle, in
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 29 
 
 tolerably good order, to receive the present. There were 
 undoubtedly some very tall men amongst them, but what 
 struck me particularly was their splendid developmcut of 
 chest and arms. Although the wind was veiy sharp, many 
 of them had their mantles thrown back in a cai'eless way, 
 leaving their naked chests exposed in the air, and appeared 
 not the least incommoded. They readily recognised me for 
 an EngUshman, coming and examining me closely, and asking 
 for tobacco with a broad grin on their faees, exposing a 
 wonderfully clean and regular set of teeth. My gratifjdng 
 their importunate requests for tobacco made Sam very 
 jealous, and for some time he bothered me with remarks 
 such as * Me very cold, no got poncho,' ' Me no got knife, 
 me no got " pellon" ' (saddle-cloth), until, finding it useless 
 to beg, he relapsed into sullen silence. A smoke of the pipe, 
 however, brought him back to his usual cheerful temper, and 
 as we galloped along he chanted an Indian song, which con- 
 sisted of the words 'Ah ge lay loo, Ah ge lay loo,' ex- 
 pressed in various keys. 
 
 After a ride of some leagues in a rather more open but still 
 undulating country, a break in the Pampas was reached. 
 Hills of irregular and pictm-esque outlines, with labyrinthine 
 valleys or ravines, not running in parallel order, but com- 
 municating with each other, occupied an extensive district, 
 and though travelling was considerably more difficult, yet the 
 change in the aspect of natui'e was grateful after the barren 
 monotony of the plains. 
 
 We halted in an Indian encampment, situated in a valley 
 underneath a peaked hill called ' Otiti,' where there were 
 pools of fresh and salt water in close proximity. Amongst 
 the incense and thorn bushes, which grow at intervals in 
 these regions, we passed to-day another description of shrub 
 with a thick rough bark, which is readily detached, and leaves 
 a long rattail-like sort of twig. From the Rio Gallegos the 
 soil had become generally of a yellower colour than on the 
 south side of that river, although in the valleys and hollows
 
 30 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 dark peaty earth was generally to be found, and the surface 
 of the Pampas had assumed a more desolate appearance, 
 bemg strewn with small pebbles, and studded with bushes — 
 generally of a thorny species. Kound clumps of prickly 
 thistles — which bui-n like tinder on applying a lighted match 
 — and a few stray tufts of withered grass, only made more 
 desolate the hungry barrenness of the deserts, oyer which 
 the wind blew with cutting wolence, yet they are the home 
 of large herds of guanaco, ostriches, puma, and armadillo, 
 though the latter were at this period comfortably hyber- 
 nating. 
 
 Next morning no horses were visible, and as time went 
 on till ten o'clock without any appearance we all began to 
 suspect Indian treachery. Sam volunteered the remark that 
 if they (the Indians) had played us such a trick, he would 
 go and clear all their animals out the following evening. 
 This threat there was fortunately no occasion for him to put 
 into execution, as the troop proved only to have strayed into 
 another valley. As we were now nearing Santa Cruz, which 
 the last of the Indians were just leaving, having completed 
 their trade and finished all the grog, we saw numerous 
 columns of smoke, caused by their hunting parties. After 
 passing the broken ground and reaching the high Pampa, 
 Sam and myself rode on ahead, amusing ourselves by fruit- 
 lessly chasing guanaco or ostrich, but Sam's dexterity with 
 the bolas was frustrated by his being mounted on a horse 
 belonging to the expedition and unused to this work. 
 Towards evening, after again passing numerous salt lagoons, 
 we came to a descent of 300 or 400 feet leading to a valley 
 containing a large salina, and halting, made our fire by the 
 side of a spring, near which, Sam informed me, were the 
 graves of two Indians, which he mentioned with the deepest 
 respect and in an awe-stricken undertone. 
 
 Our signal smoke, which was as much to attract Indians 
 as to give the direction of our route to Gallegos and J'aria, 
 was soon responded to from the opposite hiUs on the northern
 
 FROM THE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 31 
 
 side of the valley, and shortly a line of mounted women and 
 children descended the slope in front, making for our fire, 
 which Sam infoiTued me was their intended camping-place. We 
 advanced to meet them, and Sam conversed in theu* tongue ; 
 interpreting to me that they had left Santa Cruz two days 
 previously, and that Don Luiz P. B. had quitted his settle- 
 ment on the island to sail in his schooner to Buenos Ap-es ; 
 while the Northern Indians, encamped to the north of Santa 
 Cruz, with whom I hoped to proceed to the Rio Negro, had 
 no intention of marching until the ensuing spring. On 
 leaving those ladies, amongst whom was a young and rather 
 pretty girl, I lifted my hat in salute, which called forth a 
 burst of laughter from the whole group, and cries of ' AngUsh, 
 AngUsh ! ' amidst which we rode off to join the remainder of 
 our party, who were crossing the valley to the eastward, 
 having intentionally deviated from the straight route ; and 
 although Sam used eveiy ellbrt to induce GaUegos to stop 
 at the Indian encampment, the latter wisely determined 
 to proceed about a league farther, knowing that a halt here 
 would cause considerable inroad to be made in the stock of 
 pro\'isions, which, in view of the return journey, with perhaps 
 an increased party, it was desirable to avoid. We accordingly 
 left the sheltered valley and encamped on the plateau in an 
 exposed situation near a lagoon, the ice of which had to be 
 broken to secure a supply of water. The frost was keen, and 
 the tent aflorded but a partial protection from the biting 
 wind ; so that the economical foresight of our leader resulted 
 in all the party spending the coldest night hitherto ex- 
 perienced by us. 
 
 During the evening we were visited by several Indians, 
 bringing presents of ostrich and guanaco meat. I was pre- 
 sented by the soldier with a piece of the gizzard (the tid-bit), 
 which he had cooked on the end of his ramrod ; but I must 
 confess I did not appreciate it at the time, though later on 
 in my journey I learnt to reUsh this and other strange 
 delicacies. Amongst the Indians who gave us the benefit of
 
 32 AT no ME WIT If THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 their company this evening was 'Pedro el Platero,' mentioned 
 in Mr, Gardener's mission book ; also an old squaw rejoicing 
 in the name of 'La lleina Victoria ' (Queen Victoria), who was 
 the occasion of much chaff, my Chilian friends declaring I 
 ought to salute the sovereign of the Pampas in due form ; 
 but having obtained a charge and a light for her pipe, all 
 she required, she was soon lost sight of in the dark. We 
 gladly left the camp early the ensuing morning, the cold 
 continuing unabated ; the wind blew strong in our faces, and 
 though from the northward, was so keen that Sam and my- 
 self kept galloping on and kindUng fires at intervals. 
 
 Thus we rode on over a tract of country sui-passing in 
 desolation all the districts hitherto traversed. As far as the 
 eye could reach stretched a level waste um-elieved by even an 
 eminence or hollow ; the aspect of the low withered shrubs, 
 coarse parched grass, and occasional patches of pebble- strewn 
 ground which for thirty miles wearied the eye with di-eaiy 
 sameness, produced an extraordinary feeling of depression, 
 which was afterwards recalled when journeying through the 
 Travisia, bordering on the Eio Negi'o, which this district 
 resembles, though on a smaller scale. Occasional frozen 
 lagoons, doubtless supplied by rainfall, only added to the 
 desert aspect of this trackless wilderness. The situation 
 was not improved by Sam pulling up and remarking that he 
 was by no means sure that he had not lost himself. The 
 only variety was afforded by an unlucky fox which we chased 
 till he escaped, as he thought, on the ice of a lagoon, but 
 the treacherous surface gave way, and poor Reynard, after a 
 vigorous struggle, sank out of reach of a lazo. At last, 
 about two o'clock, the desert terminated in a cliff rising 
 from the valley at our feet, and we looked down upon the 
 winding river of the Santa Cruz. 
 
 Having waited till the rest came up, we descended by a 
 gorge to the valley, when, after refreshing oui'selves by 
 a drink of' water, we struck into a trail which followed the 
 river downwards. We were all in high spuits at the prospect
 
 FROM TUE STRAITS TO SANTA CRUZ. 33 
 
 of a speedy and felicitous conclusion to our journey ; and 
 J'aria was continually questioned as to the distance of the 
 settlement. His answer was invariably ' a league ;' and we 
 rode along vainly expecting every moment to see the place, 
 rounding innumerable promontories or points where the 
 barranca advanced into the valley. Each of these project- 
 ing cliffs, which stood like outposts of the Pampas, J'aria 
 declared in succession to be tho last, Sam all the while 
 maintaining a dignified silence, until at length, at 7.30, 
 when we had almost despaired of ever arriving, we came to 
 the ford opposite the island of the settlement, and a barking 
 of dogs saluted our ears. After Sam had hailed, an answer 
 came back, that if we were going across that night we must 
 look sharp, as the tide was flowing. We accordingly pro- 
 ceeded to cross at once, narrowly escaping having to swim 
 our horses, which on a cold frosty night would have been 
 anything but a pleasant business. 
 
 My ideas as to the size and extent of the settlement — and 
 it must be confessed my visions of 'cheercr,' and even of 
 wine, to put some warmth into my chilled frame — were sadly 
 dispelled by the reality ; the thriving, though small, town of 
 my imagination being represented by one house, and all wine 
 and liquor proving to have been exhausted. But this was 
 fully made up for by discovering in Mr. Clarke — or, as the 
 Indians called him, ' Clakalaka' — an old acquaintance, whom I 
 had known some years previously in the Falklands. His utter 
 surprise at the sudden appearance of one whom he thought 
 far away may be imagined. But, to my great delight, ho 
 thoroughly approved of the proposed excursion. His cordial 
 welcome and hot coffee soon cheered up our spirits, and when 
 warmed and rested we discussed my plans. It appeared that 
 the Indians had not reported wrong as to Don Luiz Buena's 
 movements and the intentions of tho northern party ; but 
 Mr. Clarke believed that the schooner was still detained in 
 the river mouth waiting for a fair wind, and undertook to 
 send ofi" a messenger to communicate with him : my object 
 
 3
 
 34 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 being to obtain permission to reside in the settlement until 
 the return of the schooner, so as to equip myself with stores 
 as presents for the Tehuelches. After an agreeable ' confab,' 
 I turned in on a shakedown on the floor, well satisfied with 
 baring accomplished the first stage, and deriving a good 
 omen for the remainder of the journey from this successful 
 trip to Santa Cruz.
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 
 
 Introduction to Chiefs— Orkeke— Chilian Deserters — The Settlement- 
 Island of Pabon — Natural Advantages — The Mission Station — Mr. 
 Clarke — Our Circle at Pabon — Expedition to Lake Viedma — Winter 
 Occupations — Work and Play — Casiniiro's Adventures — His character 
 — A Winter Hunting Excursion — A Pampa Snow-storm — The Santa 
 Cruz Valley — Up the River — The Northern Hills — Pumas — Devil's 
 Eye — Hunting on Foot — Intense Cold — Return of the Deserters — 
 Visit to the Indian Camp— First Night in a Toldo — Towing a Horse 
 — Adieu to Santa Cruz, 
 
 OUR first business next day was to despatch a messenger 
 to board the schooner, if she should prove to bo still in 
 the mouth of the river. My Chilian friends had found some 
 of the deserters, who had been taken into employment, and 
 subsequently detained as close prisoners by the major-domo, 
 at the instance of a sergeant sent round from Punta Arena in 
 the schooner, to solicit Don Luiz's assistance in their capture. 
 About noon Casimiro, soi-disaut chief of the Tehuelches, 
 and father of Sam Slick, rode in from a hunting excursion, 
 mounted on a tall, shapely horse, and carrying a guauaco on 
 his saddle. I was formally introduced, and my plans and 
 purpose fully explained to him ; and soon after Orkcko, the 
 cacique of the party of Northern Tehuelches, encamped on 
 the Rio Chico, arrived. His consent was necessary to enable 
 mo to accompany them in their journey, and by means of 
 Casimu'o as an interpreter, as the chief spoke but little 
 Spanish, my request was preferred. Ho confirmed the state-
 
 36 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 ment of Mr. Clarke, that bis people intended to winter in 
 their present encampment, and then proceed northwards ; 
 but did not seem at all disposed to welcome the addition of 
 an Englishman to his party, urging the difficult natui'e of the 
 road, length of time, chances of fights, &c., &c. However, 
 I hoped that during the enforced delay opportunities would 
 arise of improving our acquaintance, and obtaining his con- 
 sent. I was much struck with the grave and dignified bear- 
 ing of the old chief. Standing fully six feet, and with a 
 well-proportioned muscular frame, no one would have guessed 
 him to have passed his sixtieth year ; and whether vaulting on 
 a bare-backed steed, or leading the chase, he displayed an 
 agility and endurance equal to that of any of the younger 
 men : his thick black hair was slightly streaked with gi'ey ; 
 and the bright intelligent eyes, aquiline nose, and thin firm 
 lips were very unlike the popular idea of Patagonian features ; 
 a retreating forehead rather marred the expression of his 
 face, which was, however, grave and thoughtful, and at times 
 strikingly intellectual. Months passed in his company gave 
 me afterwards ample opportunity of studying his powers of 
 reflection, which were great, and often found expression in 
 pithy and amusing sayings. Although particularly neat in 
 his dress, and cleanly in his habits, he was troubled, like all 
 the Indians, with vermin ; and one night he roused me up to 
 have a smoke, and after sitting for some time, apparently 
 lost in deep thought, he remarked, 'Musters, lice never 
 sleep ! ' He would sometimes, but rarely, indulge in intoxi- 
 cation, but never quarrelled, and it was an understood thing 
 that either he or his brother Tankelow should on occasions 
 of a general drinking bout remain sober to protect their 
 families. He was himself childless, and had adopted a little 
 terrier named Ako, which enjoyed the place and honours of 
 an only child ; but he displayed great afiection towards his 
 nephews and nieces, some one or other of whom might often 
 be seen in his arms on a march, or after the retm-n from the 
 chase. During om* first acquaintance I was most pleased
 
 SANTA CRUZ. :"i7 
 
 when, as often happened, he joined our little cirele, and iu 
 the company of his old friend Mr. Clarke, unbent from his 
 gravity and laughed and talked in a way that seemed quite 
 foreign to the usually serious chief. It must be confessed 
 that he was jealous and suspicious, and a little stingy, pre- 
 ferring to increase rather than lessen his large stock of 
 horses, gear, and arms ; but from the time I became his 
 guest his conduct to myself was iiTcproachable. 
 
 In the evening the messenger returned ; he had of course 
 completely mistaken his instructions, and informed Don Luiz 
 that the Englishman desired to proceed in the schooner to 
 Buenos Ayres, and accordingly a boat arrived with the morn- 
 ing flood-tide to take me off. Mr. Clai-ke good-naturedly 
 undertook to go himself and explain matters ; and returned 
 with a kind message, offering me quarters and every hospi- 
 tality if I chose to remain in the settlement for the next two 
 months, at the end of which period the schooner might be 
 expected to return. Lieut. Gallegos strongly urged me to 
 accompany him back to Punta Arena, painting in strong 
 colours the tedium and discomfort of a winter at Santa Cruz. 
 But it was plain that the opportunity of cultivating the 
 acquaintance and securing the confidence of Orkeke would 
 thus be thrown away, and with it the prospect of traversing 
 the country. Gallegos believed that this plan was fraught 
 with danger, and indeed almost certain destruction ; but as 
 I was immovable, we took an affectionate farewell of each 
 other. He and all his party had treated me, an utter 
 stranger, with the greatest kindness, and I bade adieu to 
 them as true comrades. They departed on their return 
 journey, taking with them the four prisoners, who, however, 
 are destined to appear again in these pages. These men had 
 undergone much hardship to obtain the liberty of which they 
 seemed again deprived ; three of them had managed to secure 
 a horse, and walking and riding in turns had found their 
 way to the Indians. Two of them, Olate and Rosa, the latter, 
 though a mere boy, with a thoroughly evil and murderous conn-
 
 38 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 tenance, were incurably bad ; but Mena, a youth of nineteen, 
 attracted one's sympathy by his handsome frank face and 
 cleanly smart appearance ; the fourth, Ai'ica, had made his 
 way on foot from Punta Arena to Santa Cruz, without any 
 knowledge of the country, and only guided by a vague notion 
 of the existence of the settlement to the north. He had for 
 ^enty-seven days followed the line of the sea-coast, subsist- 
 ing on shell-fish and sea-birds' eggs ; the toil and hardships 
 thus undergone must have been indescribable, and his eventual 
 safe arrival was a miracle of patient endurance. He brought 
 in news of the loss of a tender to the schooner, a decked 
 Ifiunch, in which Captain Warren and three men had sailed 
 from Staten Land and been no more heard of; of their fate 
 there was now little doubt, as he had found her dingy cast up 
 on the beach, and apiece of the mainsail out of which he had 
 supplied himself with clothes. 
 
 The promising eUve of the mission, Sam Slick, also accom- 
 panied the party. Before his departure he offered to give a 
 specimen of his education by singing a hymn, with a broad 
 hint that gi'Og was a fitting accompaniment ; but as none 
 was forthcoming, we lost the chance of being edified by his 
 performance. 
 
 We watched the cavalcade till it disappeared in the dis- 
 tance on the upper plains, and then retui-ned to the station, 
 where I settled myself to pass the ensuing three months cf 
 the Patagonian winter. The settlement or trading station 
 of Santa Cruz consists of only three houses, built on an 
 island called 'Pabon,' marked as Middle Island, in Islet 
 Reach, in Fitzroy's chart. It is owned by Don Luiz P. 
 Buena, who holds by virtue of a grant from the Argentine 
 Government, which has also conferred on him the commission 
 of captain in the na\'y, with power to prevent all foreign 
 sealers from trespassing on the valuable seal fisheries on the 
 coast. The island is about a mile and a half long, and has 
 an average breadth cf some 350 yards. Access is obtained 
 from the south shore by a ford, about Miy yards across, only
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 39 
 
 passable at low water. The northern channel is wider and 
 deeper, and the swiftness of the current renders it impassable 
 save by a boat, which is moored ready to ferry over Indians 
 desirous of trading, and is also useful for bringing wood for 
 fuel, which is not obtainable on the island. About a hundred 
 yards from the ford stands the principal house, substantially 
 built of bricks, with tiled roof, containing three rooms, and 
 a sort of porch to shelter a nine-pounder, commanding the 
 entrance. It is further defended by a stockade, over which 
 floats the Argentine flag, and beyond it a fosse, which is 
 filled with water by the spring tides. The object. of these 
 fortifications is to afford protection in the case of the Indians 
 proving troublesome when under the influence of rum. 
 Though Mr. Clarke narrated some queer scenes he had wit- 
 nessed, his excellent management had hitherto obviated any 
 danger, and the fairness of his dealings with them had 
 secured theii* friendship, a regular tarifl' with equitable prices 
 having been fixed, and scrupulously adhered to, by which 
 their barter of ostrich feathers and peltries was regulated ; 
 and although they are keen bargainers, often spending two 
 or three hours in debating the price to be given, they appre- 
 ciated the fairness with which they were treated. A second 
 house was situated about fifty yards ofi", and being generally 
 used as a store, bore the name of the Almacen : at this time 
 being empty, one room served as a sleeping-place for some 
 of the men, and the other had been given up for the accom- 
 modation of Casimiro and his family. A third house, which 
 stood at the eastern end of the island, was unoccupied. 
 Near it a small plot had been tilled, and potatoes, turnips, 
 and other vegetables had been successfully raised. At the 
 time of my visit no com had been tried, but a subsequent 
 experimental sowing of one and a half fanegas* gave a field, 
 though little pains were bestowed on the crop, of twenty 
 fanegas. As the lower part of the island is liable to bo 
 overflowed at high springs, a ditch had been cut across to 
 * A fauega contains 100 lb.
 
 40 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 drain off the water, and there was consequently no lack of 
 irrigation. The ground was covered with stunted bushes, 
 and the small spike-thorn round thistle, and coarse grass. 
 The few sheep appeared to thrive well, but decreased very 
 sensibly in number during the winter, as on days when 
 game was scarce one fell a victim to the ravenous appetite 
 engendered by the keen air of Patagonia. A numerous 
 troop of horses grazed on the mainland, in a tract below 
 the Southern Barranca, called the 'Potrero,' where the 
 grass, though coarse, grew in rank luxuriance. "^Mien 
 wanted for hunting, the entire stud was brought across 
 the river in the morning and driven into the corral ; but 
 ordinarily one alone was kept on the island ready for 
 emergencies. 
 
 It should be mentioned that a small stock of cattle, and 
 also some pigs, had been imported ; these, however, being 
 necessarily left to graze on the mainland, had wandered, and 
 become wild ; the cattle probably falling victims to the 
 Indian hunters ; but the pigs wiU no doubt multiply, and 
 become the founders of a race of hogs, destined hereafter to 
 add pig-sticking to the amusements of the future settlers or 
 of the wandering Tehuelches. 
 
 Above the island of Pabon there are several smaller islets, 
 but as they are liable to be overflowed by the highest tides, 
 they cannot, without artificial drainage, be made available 
 for tillage. From one which had been occupied and tUled 
 with root-crops, we obtained a quantity of well-grown 
 tui-nips. It was a singular mistake of the Spaniards to form 
 a settlement at Port St. Julian and overlook the far superior 
 advantages presented by Santa Cruz. The plains and islands 
 of the latter present good gi-azing gi-ounds and tillage lands, 
 as well as a site for a town secure from sudden Indian sur- 
 prises ; and as regards fitness for a shipping station, there is 
 no comparison between the two localities, as ships can be 
 beached at Santa Cruz in a sheltered place with the flood- 
 tide ; while the timber, in search of which Yiedma made his
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 41 
 
 expedition, was to be had in abundance by ascending the 
 river. At the present time the knowledge of the navigation 
 of the Straits would make it much easier and cheaper to import 
 timber from Punta Arena than to send lumberers into the 
 Cordillera and raft the timber down to Santa Cruz. 
 
 Near the Potrero, on the southern shore, there is a natural 
 salt lake or salina, which must have been overlooked by the 
 Beagle expedition, as Mr. Darwin fixes the southern limits 
 of Salinas at Port St. Julian. In the summer, and until 
 the winter rains and snow set in, an inexhaustible supply of 
 excellent salt can be obtained. It is at present worked only 
 to furnish, besides the salt for home use, what is required for 
 the annual sealing fishery ; but if labour were more abundant, 
 the salt would be found to be a valuable article of export to 
 the Falkland Islands ; the salina being situated less than half 
 a mile from the beach, where there is good anchorage. 
 
 The river also yields abundant supplies of fish — a species 
 of bass and others — which when cured keep well : some 
 which had been cured over a year proved excellent. These 
 might be profitably exported to Rio Janeiro, &c., where 
 cured fish are always in demand. 
 
 Notwithstanding these natural advantages, Santa Cruz 
 could hardly at this period be considered a settlement. Sub- 
 sequently to my visit, two Frenchmen from Buenos Ayres 
 proposed to try sheep farming in the valley, but with what 
 result I have not heard. As already mentioned, the station 
 existed as a depot for sealing, and as a trading post, to which 
 the Tehuelches resorted to exchange their ostrich feathers, 
 and puma, guanaco, and ostrich skins, for tobacco, sugar, 
 ammunition, and above all, rum. Tlierc was little or no 
 trade going on during the absence of the schooner, as all the 
 stores had been exhausted ; but after the summer campaign 
 some of the Tehuelches invariably resort thither, and the 
 vicinity has always been a favourite winter quarters. The 
 missionaries, IMcssrs. Schmid and Hurt, endeavoured to avail 
 themselves of this opportunity for essaying the conversion
 
 42 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 and civilisation of the Indians. They resided for some time 
 in 18G3 at a spot near Weddell Blufl", about ten miles fi'om 
 the mouth of the river. To quote Mr. Sterling's description, 
 the station was at the mouth of the valley which ' retreats 
 towards the south-west for a considerable distance inland ; a 
 stream of pure water flows perennially through it, and a 
 broad belt of grass, oflfering fine pasture for cattle, gives a 
 cheerful, fertile aspect to the low land ; the hills on either 
 side are intersected with ravines, or lift up their bronzed 
 faces out of some intervening dale, and refresh the air with 
 the aroma of shrubs and plants growing everywhere about 
 them.' 
 
 This was written after a visit in the summer month of 
 January, and the picture drawn presents the landscape in its 
 fau-est colours ; very different from its bleak aspect as viewed 
 by myself in the winter. This valley still bears the name of 
 Los Misionarios, but this is the only existing trace of their 
 settlement. Mr. Schmid, however, during his sojourn and 
 journeys with a party of the Indians, compiled a vocabulary 
 of the Tsoneea language, as spoken by the southern Tehuel- 
 ches. Their plan for estabHshing trade at Santa Cruz, in 
 order to secure the regular visits of the Indians, was not 
 approved of by the managers of the mission, and they were 
 obliged to abandon the scene of their praiseworthy but un- 
 successful efforts — to instruct at least ' the Uttle bright-faced 
 Patagonian children,' of whom they speak in their jom'nals 
 with warm affection. 
 
 The counter attractions of rum supplied by a trader who 
 visited the river were felt by Mr. Schmid to be very de- 
 structive of his influence, but it cannot be doubted that their 
 store, if established, would have had no chance against any 
 rival that supplied rum to his customers ; for though there 
 are many exceptions, the Indians too eagerly expend the 
 spoils of their hunting and industry in liquor. Theii* wives, 
 however, when they accompany them, take cixi'e to manage 
 their business with discretion, and reserve suflicient stock
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 43 
 
 to barter for more useful and innocent luxuries as well as 
 necessaries. There is no doubt that in the event of the 
 future development of this settlement, it might serve as a 
 point iViqqmi to raise the Tehuelches to the level of a more 
 cultivated and settled mode of existence ; but speculations on 
 this point are not within my province, and it is time to 
 introduce the members of the party with whom my winter 
 was agreeably spent on the island of Pabon. "With Don 
 Luiz P. Buena and his amiable and accomplished senora I 
 subsequently made acquaintance, which ripened into friend- 
 ship ; but though his guest, I was at present personally 
 unknown to him. In his absence, his representative, Mr. 
 Clarke, who, as already mentioned, was an old acquauitance, 
 did all he could to make me feel at home. He was a hand- 
 some young fellow of twenty-five, and an excellent specimen 
 of the versatile and cosmopolitan New Englander ' raised' 
 in Salem, Massachusetts, M'here he had been brought up as a 
 builder, though he afterwards ' shipped himself on board of 
 a ship.' In his nautical life he had been mate of the Snow 
 Squall, in a homeward voyage from Shanghai, when she was 
 chased oil' the Cape of Good Hope by the Alabama, and 
 but for the pluck of the captain and crew, and the wonderful 
 sailing powers of the craft, another item would have been 
 added to Mr. Adams's ' little bill.' As it was, the beautiful 
 vessel fairly outsailed the s^vift steamer. The steadiness of 
 the crew, and their well-deserved attachment to the captain, 
 were most strongly proved on this occasion. As there was 
 no alternative between putting in for water at St. Helena — 
 where it was too prol)able the Alabama would pounce upon 
 the prize — and running home upon half a pint per diem 
 each man, the captain left it to the crew to decide, and they 
 chose the latter course. 
 
 Mr. Clarke had spent three months travelling and hunting 
 in company with the Tehuelches, which had made him a 
 most expert hand with lazo or bolas, and well acquainted 
 with the Indian character ; and it was pleasant to hear that
 
 44 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 he entertained a very high opinion of their intelligence and 
 generous dispositions. He treated them with fairness and 
 considerate kindness, and they repaid him by confidence and 
 friendship. 
 
 Five other employes made up the rest of our party. No 
 social distinctions, however, prevailed, and the inhabitants 
 of Pabon lived in pleasant equality. The charge of the dogs 
 and horses, and the duty of supplying meat, devolved on 
 two : Gonzalez, a goucha, a native of Patagones, who was 
 as much at home ia the schooner on a seahng excursion, as 
 in the saddle balling an ostrich ; and Juan Isidoro, a swarthy 
 little man whose sparkling black ej^es told of his Indian 
 blood, a native of Santiago del Estero ; he had been sent as 
 a soldier to Rio Negi'o, whence he had managed to desert, 
 and make his way with Orkeke's Indians to the settlement. 
 Next comes Juan Chileno, a bright, fresh-complexioned 
 youth of nineteen years, to look at whom was refreshing, 
 after the swarthy and weather-beaten physiognomies of the 
 others. Then Antonio, a Portuguese, by turns gaucho, 
 whaler, or sealer, always ready with a song or a merry jest, 
 and on occasion equally quick with his knife. Holstein 
 fm-nished the last, but by no means least important ; a 
 strong-bunt, good-natured, rather stupid fellow, generally 
 selected as the butt of the rest, who always styled him ' El 
 Cooke,' a sobriquet earned by his many voyages in that 
 capacity on board various ships. Curiously enough, he 
 proved to possess information on a topic to me of great 
 interest, as he had been one of a party which, about a year 
 previous to my xdsit, had ascended the river Santa Cruz to 
 its source. The expedition was organised by an American 
 well acquainted with the Californian mining, who proposed 
 to explore the mineral resources of the valley. Unfortu- 
 nately, during the ascent of the river, a quarrel broke out, 
 and the American left the others, and found his way alone 
 to the Indians, thence returning to Santa Cruz. The loss of 
 the only man capable of scientific observation rendered their
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 45 
 
 journey almost useless ; still the party proceeded, and about 
 midsummer reached the lake, near which they remamed 
 some days, but were unable to penetrate the thick forests 
 :)eyond its shores. In the valley they found meat tins and 
 other traces of Fitzroy's expedition. El Cooke described 
 the river as running from the lake in many small streams, 
 and flowing over a rocky bed. The lake, which was covered 
 with wild fowl, had floating ice upon it, and large glaciers 
 were visible in the neighbouring mountains, while the weather 
 experienced was cold, with continuous drizzling rain. His 
 account confirmed my ov^mx conjectures as to the cause of the 
 great difl"erence between the periods of the highest floods in 
 the Rio Gallegos, which is at its height in December and 
 January, and the Santa Cruz, which is then at its lowest. 
 This is owing to the lateness of the period at which the ice 
 breaks up in the lake Yiedma, situated, as it probably is, on 
 a high plateau. About the lake the explorers found traces of 
 herds of large deer, and always in close proximity those of 
 a large fox or woU, but they did not succeed in kUlhig any. 
 A specimen of the only mineral brought back appeared to be 
 iron pyrites embedded in quartz. The journey from the lake 
 to the settlement would require eleven days for baggage 
 horses, but could be performed by horsemen within four. Of 
 course the information was not too clear or reliable, but El 
 Cooke, though not brilliant, seemed to possess the Northern 
 quality of telling the truth, by the absence of which the 
 Southern and Indian natures are, to say the least of it, often 
 characterised. El Cooke was fond of hard work, and his 
 gi'eatest enjoyment was to set out in search of fuel, and lay 
 on with his axe in a way that would have done honour to a 
 Canadian lumberer, but was sadly thrown away on the in- 
 cense bushes of Santa Cruz. 
 
 All these men, who had drifted together from various 
 quarters, and, if truth be told, had all 'run,' for obvious 
 reasons, from their own homes, worked by turns at hunting, 
 trading, sealing, and raising salt from the Sulina. They
 
 46 ^T HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 received a fixed salary, which, however, generally proved to 
 be balanced by an account with the store for clothes, &c. In 
 sealing expeditions all went shares, Hke our own mackerel 
 and herring fishermen ; while for working at the Salina, 
 extra pay was given and well earned, especially at this time, 
 since it involved sleeping out in the open for several suc- 
 cessive nights, and that in a Patagonian May. Such were 
 the companions of my residence at Pabon, besides whom 
 more than a score of dogs of all sorts slept anyhow and 
 anywhere, and followed anybody, giving their masters the 
 preference. 
 
 A short time after our arrival, Mr. Clarke took stock of the 
 stores of provision, which could not be replenished until the 
 return of the schooner. The result was that the amount of 
 biscuits and sugar was found to be about equal to a month's 
 consumption. These articles were accordingly di\aded into 
 equal portions, and each man received his share, to husband 
 or improvidently use, according to his bent. There was 
 abundance of coflee, black beans, tobacco, and maize, which 
 accordingly were used at discretion. The next thing was to 
 accumulate a good stock of fuel before the snow should render 
 it difficult, if not impossible, to transport it. 
 
 Every Sunday all hands except one — the cook of the week 
 — left on guard, went hunting, and, as occasion required, 
 dui'ing the week, the gauchos would proceed to supply the 
 larder with gaunaco or ostrich, the latter being, however, 
 rare. Idleness was unknown ; when not hunting, wood- 
 cutting, or salt-raising, manufactures were the order of the 
 day. We picked stones and worked them round for bolas, 
 and covered them with the hide stripped from the hock of 
 the guanaco, the soga or thong connecting the balls being 
 made from the skin of the neck, the method of obtaining it 
 being as follows. The head having been cut off, and an 
 incision made just above the shoulder, the skin is dragged 
 off ino ne piece ; and after the wool has been picked off, is 
 softened by hand and carefully cut into strips, which are closely
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 47 
 
 plaited. Of this leather we also make serviceable bridles, 
 lazos, stirrup-leathers, and, in fact, horse-gear generally. 
 Sometimes we would have a fit of making pipes, and all 
 hands would be busy sawing out wood or hard at work boring 
 the bowls ; at others, spurs were the rage, made by the 
 simple Indian method of sticking sharpened nails into two 
 pieces of wood, secured together by thongs fastened under 
 the foot and round the leg ; or again, we would work silver, 
 and come out with our knife-sheaths glittering with studs. 
 On non-hunting days, I invariably practised the use of the 
 bolas, and caught almost every shrub on the island. 
 
 The evenings were passed in plajdng the American game 
 of brag. Cash being unknown, and no one being disposed 
 to risk the loss of his gear, the stakes were simply so many 
 black beans to a box of matches ; and as much excitement 
 prevailed as if each bean or perota had been a five-dollar 
 piece. 
 
 Both in our hunting parties and in the house which he 
 had been allowed to occupy, though he occasionally visited 
 the camp on the Chico, I sedulously cultivated the acquaint- 
 ance of Casimiro. Both the missionaries and Her Majesty's 
 surveyors have made frequent, and often by no means 
 honourable, mention of this Indian, who has always evinced 
 a wish to conciliate the friendship of the English %-isitors to 
 Patagonia. His history, as I learned it from himself, was a 
 very curious one, and aptly illustrates the conflicting claims 
 of Chilians and Ai'gcntines, and the confused politics of the 
 Indians themselves, his father having been killed in an 
 engagement with the Araucanian or Manzaneros Indians. 
 His mother was a Tehuelche ; being an inveterate drunkard, 
 whilst visiting the settlements of Rio Negro she bartered the 
 child for a cask of rum to the governor of the fort, a French- 
 man named Viba, who was connected with the slave-trade, 
 for at that period Indians seem to have been made slaves of 
 as well as blacks. Viba had Casimiro christened — whence 
 his name Casimiro Viba — and brought up at the Estancia, or
 
 48 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 sheep-farm, where he learnt to speak Spanish fluently. 
 When thu'teen years old he ran away and rejoined the 
 Tehuelches Indians, with whom he remained in obscurity for 
 some years, until being in the Southern district, near the 
 ChiHan colony of Port Famine, he gained the friendship of 
 one Santorin, a native of Patagones, who had been taken 
 captive by the Indians, but having adopted then- manners 
 and customs, and marrying one of the tribe, had risen to the 
 position of a chief. Together these two performed a voyage 
 to Chili, to negotiate with the Government in some matters 
 regarding the protection of Port Famine from Indian raids. 
 Santorin died during the voyage, but Casimiro was well 
 received at Santiago by the then President, Seiior Bulnes,* 
 loaded with honours, and given the rank, pay, and rations of 
 a captain in the army. He then returned to Port Famine, 
 where he resided, oil' and on, for some time. By his own 
 account, he was absent on a hunting excursion when the 
 emeute took place which resulted in the destruction of the 
 colony. The old wandering habits appeared to have taken 
 possession of him, for he subsequently returned to the Eio 
 Ne«ro and having entered the service of the Buenos AjTean 
 Government, again proceeded to the South. During this 
 time he resided occasionally with the missionaries, during 
 theii" journey to the South, and at their station at Santa Cruz, 
 and entrusted to them his two sons for the purpose of educa- 
 tion. The missionaries soon discovered that his objects 
 were purely selfish, and that he had no idea of allowing 
 others to participate in the advantages they could offer ; and 
 I am afraid that the labour and cost bestowed on the boys 
 were thrown away, as neither of them appeared to have pro- 
 fited much by then- chances. Sam, indeed, could still sing a 
 hymn if there were gi-og to the fore, and had a lively recol- 
 lection of material advantages, often saying, ' He was good 
 man, give me gun,' &c. But the youngest ' Graviel,' who 
 also understood a little Enghsh, was one of the laziest of the 
 * Casimii'o gave the name as ' Bourne.'
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 49 
 
 lazy, and had very undefined notions as to mcum and tuum, 
 as personal experience taught me. 
 
 In 1865 Casimii'o made a voyage to Buenos Ayres, where 
 the Government on this occasion recognised him as head 
 chief of the Tehuelches, and assigned him the rank and pay 
 of lieutenant-colonel in the Ai'gentine army. He was then 
 despatched, in company with an Argentine named Mendoza, 
 to form a settlement at Gregorio Bay. They travelled hy 
 land as far as Santa Cruz at which place Mendoza dis- 
 appeared, being supposed to have lost himself, but in reality 
 having been killed by an Indian, jealousy being, I believe, 
 the cause of the murder. With his right-hand man gone, 
 Casimiro abandoned himself, to drinking, a habit which, as 
 Mr. Cunningham mentions, he had before acquu-ed — perhaps 
 by hereditary development — and ultimately became reduced 
 to the state of poverty in which I found him, owning but 
 two horses for himself, his wife, daughter, and son, with 
 hardly any gear. Indeed, he would have been reduced to 
 great straits but for the kindness of Don Luiz and Mr. 
 Clarke, who, for old acquaintance sake, helped him as much 
 as possible ; though his habitual drunkenness made it useless 
 to give him anything valuable whilst there was liquor to be 
 had, as he would exchange anything for drink. As it was 
 my object to have a friend in camp, I made friends with 
 him, and tried to induce him to go north to the Rio Negro, 
 which he at length agreed to do, although he was in great 
 fear of getting into trouble about the loss or death of 
 Mendoza. This man when sober w-as quick and inteUigent, 
 and a shrewd politician. His extensive connections by 
 marriage with all the chiefs, including Rouke and Calficura, 
 gave him considerable influence. He was also an expert 
 worker in various Indian arts, such as making saddles, pipes, 
 spurs, lazos, and other gear. He was a powerfully built 
 man, standing fully six feet in his potro boots, with a not 
 unpleasing expression of face, although he had a scar or 
 two which did not add to his beauty. Of his personal 
 
 4
 
 50 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 bravery ample proof will afterwards be given ; but, like all 
 drunkards, he was uncertain and not to be depended on. 
 This veritable old Blue Beard informed me that he had 
 been married six times ; certainly, if all his wives were of 
 the appearance and disposition of his last venture, it is not 
 to be wondered at if he disposed of the former ones ; for an 
 uglier, dirtier, more contumacious old hag had never burdened 
 the earth with her weight, owing probably to which latter 
 quality, or quantity, she never, if she could possibly help it, 
 quitted her room. Early in June, an Indian, known in 
 Santa Cruz as El Sourdo, or the left-handed man, came 
 across the river and pitched his toldo on the island. He 
 was the husband of two wives, who lived together in perfect 
 felicity and took care of one another's children. This Indian 
 was, as most of them are, very ingenious in working wood 
 and silver, and was a good addition to our hunting parties ; 
 he also quickly learned to play at brag. Casimii-o would 
 never descend from his lofty pinnacle of self-importance so 
 far as to enter the kitchen when the general revels were 
 held, but occasionally joined Mr. Clarke and myself at supper 
 and sat telling stories for an hour or two. 
 
 The sketch of our life at Pabon would be very incomplete 
 without asking the reader to accompany us on a hunting 
 excursion ; so I will describe one which took place after 
 El Soui'do had arrived on the island. Game had become 
 very scarce in our immediate vicinity, and our only farina- 
 ceous food was black beans varied by maize, which was too 
 troublesome in the preparation to be much used. The meat 
 went wonderfully quickly, so we determined to extend the 
 sphere of the hunting a little more afield. Accordingly, one 
 fine frosty morning at daylight, the horses were brought up, 
 caught, and saddled, mantles and spurs donned, and eight of 
 us, including the two Indians, Casimiro and El Sourdo, setofi' 
 to make a circle, i.e., enclose and drive an area of land on 
 the southern shore of the river, finishing at the Missionaries'
 
 SANTA CRVZ. 51 
 
 Valley. Casimiro and Gonzalez accordingly started, and the 
 remainder followed in turn. During our drive down, one 
 guanaco was captured by El Sourdo and Isidoro, and on 
 our arrival near the valley of Los Misionarios I chased a 
 guanaco, but, being without dogs and a tyro with the bolas, 
 failed to capture him. However, on rejoining my com- 
 panions, who had now finished the circle, I found that they 
 had only killed one ostrich, which, through the carelessness 
 of some of the party, the dogs had mauled to such an extent 
 as to render the greater part of the meat unserviceable. 
 The day had been unusually warm, without any wind. 
 Though a bank of white clouds on the horizon seemed to 
 threaten snow, it was agi'eed to camp out and try our chance 
 of getting a supply of meat on the following day ; so we 
 proceeded to a sheltered place in the valley, and bivouacked 
 under the lee of a big incense bush, while the horses were 
 turned loose, and a fire was made, on which the remains of the 
 ostrich were soon cooking under the master hand of Casimiro. 
 After supper, which was rather stinted in quantity, we 
 smoked a pipe and lay down to sleep. About three I woke 
 up, feeling, as I thought, a heavy weight pressing on my 
 mantle, and found that about two inches of snow had fallen, 
 and that it was still snowing. At daylight it came on to 
 rain, but quickly changed to snow again ; so we made a fire 
 and waited for an horn- to see if the weather would clear. 
 At last, on a gleam of sickly sunshine appearing, we pro- 
 ceeded to arrange the circle, Casimiro starting first. Emerging 
 from the valley and ascending to the high pampa, we met a 
 terrific gale of wind from the south, driving before it small 
 snow in freezing blasts ; but two ostriches jumped up from 
 behind a bush, and Mr. Clarke balled one of them with great 
 dexterity. This was very cheering, as we were all very 
 hungry. But, as it was impossible to face the driving sleet 
 and wind, which prevented us from seeing ten yards before 
 us, we adjourned to the valley, leaving Casimiro, who was 
 not visible, to his own pursuits. Suddenly El Sourdo
 
 52 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 discovered smoke behind a clump of trees, and, to our 
 great deligbt, there was our friend before a good fire, nicely 
 sheltered from snow and wind, within an arbour neatly cut 
 out of a bush. We adjourned to the fire and had breakfast ; 
 invigorated by which, and encouraged by a lull in the storm, 
 we started oif to renew the chase, but soon got separated by 
 the thick snow-storm. Mr. Clarke, El Sourdo, Gonzalez, 
 and myself, who were together, came close upon a herd of 
 guanaco, making for the coast to escape the gale. The dogs 
 gave chase and killed some, others were balled ; in fact a 
 regular slaughter took place, and eight or ten carcases were 
 soon lying on the plain. Now came the tedious job of 
 cutting up. I found myself standing alone by a dead 
 guanaco, none of the others being visible, though not 
 fifty yards distant. I proceeded as best I could to 
 arrange the meat, and was about half through the task, 
 with fingers nearly frozen, when I discovered Mr. Clarke 
 and El Sourdo, and shortly after it cleared up, and the 
 remainder of our party, all loaded with meat, arrived. Thus 
 supplied, we turned our faces homewards, and arrived at 
 Santa Cruz a little before sundown, where a steaming kettle 
 of cofi"ee soon dispelled our cold and put us into good spirits. 
 
 Mr. Darwin and Admiral Fitzroy have thoroughly de- 
 scribed the configuration of the Valley of Santa Cruz and its 
 surroundings, so that a lengthened attempt to portray it is 
 not necessary. I would particularly refer the reader to the 
 accurate and picturesque description by the former of the 
 bench formation which causes the western part of the envi- 
 rons of the river to present the appearance of the shores of 
 former successive estuaries — of a vast river or fiord. 
 
 Near the settlement the ascent of the Southern Barranca 
 immediately leads to a level plain extending for the space of 
 a couple of miles ; then there is another rise of perhaps fifty 
 feet, and another plain, which extends for about the space of 
 a league to a range of successive ridges, which we called the 
 Blue Hills from their peculiar appearance on clear days.
 
 SAXTA CRfZ. 53 
 
 These, eastwards, lose their elevations, and mei-ge into the 
 undulations of the high Pampa and a rolling cheerless 
 waste of stones, coarse gi'ass, and incense bushes ; its uneven 
 surface often traversed by ravines running in various direc- 
 tions. Amongst these hills there is a large lagoon which 
 Casimiro informed me he used to visit whilst residing with 
 the missionaries for the purpose of procuring wild fowl, of 
 which there were then gi-eat numbers, but they had latterly 
 given up this resort. There are other lagoons scattered at 
 intervals in the before-mentioned plains, which, during the 
 winter, were frozen, and the beautifully smooth ice often 
 caused Mr. Clarke and myself to long for a pair of skates ; 
 indeed we tried to manufacture a pair, but without success. 
 
 Towards the sea coast from the Blue Hills the slope 
 appears gradual, until nearing the coast, when the plain is 
 intersected by gullies and deep fertile valleys, which render 
 hunting very tedious work, as it is necessary to trust 
 almost entu-ely to the dogs. Game abounds in this du-ec- 
 tion, especially during the winter. We made numerous 
 excursions up river, generally staying away from the settle- 
 ment three or four days, our favourite rendezvous being a 
 place about sixty miles distant, called ' Chickrookaik,' marked 
 by Fitzroy as an Indian Ford or Pass of the river Santa 
 Cruz, which statement both El Sourdo and Casimiro 
 confirmed. At this point the river narrows considerably, 
 and on the south side there are steep cliff's almost over- 
 hanging the water, a cave in which cliffs was always a sure 
 find for a puma. Both above and below this point are large 
 wide plains extending from the ' banks ' or cliff's to the river, 
 which may easily be encircled ; and the game being hemmed 
 in between the horsemen and the river arc readily captured. 
 Sometimes the ostriches take to the water, but in the winter 
 this saves trouble, as their legs get frozen, and on landing 
 they are unable to move. We made an cxcm'sion on one 
 occasion some miles higher up the river, and found abundance 
 of game. We had previously on our road had good luck,
 
 54 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 but, as is often the custom, left the slain animals concealed 
 in bushes, with a poncho or something over them. Dui-ing 
 the intei-val of our absence severe weather set in, and on 
 returning to examine our caches the foxes and bii'ds of prey 
 had accounted for the meat. The foxes are a great trouble 
 to the hunters, as, frequently, whilst they are encircling the 
 herds of guanaco, and taking the greatest care to keep out 
 of sight, one of these brutes will jump up, the dogs give 
 chase, and then good-bye to all chance of sport. Fitzro}- 
 remarked the number of guanaco bones found in his ascent 
 of the river Santa Cruz, which appear to have puzzled him, 
 but the cause is not far to seek. During the very severe 
 winters which occm- I believe about once in three years, 
 these animals, finding no pastui-e on the high lands, which 
 are covered with snow, are necessarily driven down to the 
 plains fringing the river, where they die from starvation. 
 There is also a disease prevalent amongst them something 
 similar to scab in sheep. On one occasion a hunting party 
 killed ten guanacos, all of which were scabby, or, as we called 
 it, ' sanoso ; ' and, consequently, unfit for food. IVIi-, Clarke 
 told me that after one severe winter he found ostriches 
 lying in heaps, dead under the bushes, and also guanacos. 
 The difficulty of getting the horses across the swift and deep 
 stream, with its banks encumbered by ice, prevented us from 
 making frequent excursions to the northern side of the 
 river. A level plain extends from the banks for about a mile, 
 bounded by a chain of ii'regular hills ; near the foot of these 
 I picked up many specimens of a spii'al sheU, apparently a 
 Tui'ritella, which appeared to have been vitrified ; and some 
 were as translucent as glass, and of difierent colours. Beyond 
 these hills rolled a succession of uneven plains diversified by 
 ridges and hills ; the general slope of the ground being 
 appai'ently from west to east, and the hills towards the Avest 
 often assumed the form of abrupt lofty cUfis. Near a 
 laguna at the foot of a cUfi' a hundred feet high I found 
 boulders incrusted with sulphate of ii'on, such as had been
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 55 
 
 pointed out to me in the Falklands, and numerous oyster 
 shells and other marine shells occured in various localities. 
 There are no streams, but frequent lagoons in the hollows, 
 and surrounded by a luxuriant growth of incense bushes. 
 The unbroken plains abound in round thistle, califate, and 
 the curious shrub called ' ratstail,' from the appearance of its 
 twigs when the thick bark is pulled oft\ ^Vhen bui'ned it 
 emits a dense black resinous smoke. To the north the hori- 
 zon is bounded by a lofty range of hills which form the 
 barrier of the valley of the llio Chico, about sixty miles 
 distant. These northern hills abound with puma, some of 
 which, killed in our hunts, were of unusual size, measuring 
 fully six feet exclusive of the tail, w-hich is generally 
 half the length of the body. They are, of coui-se, most 
 numerous where the herds of guanaco and the ostriches 
 abound ; in the southern part of Patagonia theii- colour is 
 more of a gi-eyish-brown than that of the species found in 
 the Argentine Provinces. These * Leones,' as they are 
 universally called in South America, always appeared to me 
 to be the most cat-like of all the fehdae. They are very 
 timid, always running from a man on horseback, and, by 
 day at least, from a pedestrian ; they run for a short distance 
 in a series of long bounds, at great speed, but soon tire and 
 stand at bay behind or in the midst of a bush, and sitting 
 upon their haunches, spit and swear just like a monstrous 
 tabby ; sometimes endeavouring to scratch with their formi- 
 dable claws, but rarely springing at the pui-suer. Mr. 
 Clarke on one occasion had his mantle torn off in this 
 manner. At another time, when hunting in the vicinity of 
 Santa Cruz, I observed from a distance Gonzalez hacking 
 with his knife at a big incense bush, and on reaching the sjnit 
 found him occupied in clearing away branches to allow him 
 to knock a huge puma on the head with his bolas. He was 
 dismounted and attended by his dogs, which bayed the animal. 
 Still, had the puma not been a cur, he could doubtless have 
 sprung out and killed or severely wounded the gaucho.
 
 56 AT JIOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 The Indians affirm that the puma will attack a single man 
 alone and on foot, and, indeed, subsequently, an example of 
 this came under my notice ; however, if a person should be 
 benighted or lost, he has only to take the precaution of 
 lighting a fire, which these animals will never approach. 
 They are most savage in the early part of the spring or breed- 
 ing season, when, according to my experience, they are found 
 roaming over the country in an unsettled manner ; they are 
 then also thinner than at other times, but, like the wild 
 horse, they are generally pretty fat at all times of the year. 
 The females I saw were sometimes accompanied by two cubs, 
 but never more. The meat of the puma resembles pork, and 
 is good eating, though better boiled than roasted, but one or 
 two Indians of my acquaintance would not touch the meat. 
 The hide is useful either for saddle-cloths or to make 
 mantles of ; and owing to its greasy nature it can be soft- 
 ened with less trouble than that of the guanaco. In Santa 
 Cruz one of the men had a pair of trousers made of lion's 
 skin, which worn with the hair side out was impervious to 
 wet. From the hock and lower part of the hind legs boots 
 may be constructed similar to those made from horse hide, 
 and in common use amongst the Indians and also the 
 gauchos of Plata. These, however, are only made from 
 pumas of large size, and they w^ear out very quickly. To 
 kill a puma with a gun is rather a difficult matter, as, unless 
 the ball enters his skull, or strikes near the region of the 
 heart, he has as many lives as his relation the cat. I once 
 put three revolver bullets into one, and ultimately had 
 recourse to the bolas as a more effective weapon. "VMien 
 woimded they become very savage, but they are at all times 
 bad customers for dogs, which they maul in a shocking 
 manner. The Indian dogs are trained to stand off and bay 
 them, keeping out of range of the claws ; nevertheless they not 
 unfrequently get killed. Perhaps the simplest way of taking 
 the pumas, is to throw a lazo over them, as directly they 
 feel the noose they lie down as if dead, and are easily des-
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 57 
 
 patched. I was particularly struck, as are all hunters, with 
 their eyes, large, brown, and beautifully bright, but ^vith a 
 fierce glare that does not appeal to any feelings of compas- 
 sion. I shall never forget the expression in the eyes of one 
 puma, best described by the remark made by one of the 
 Indians as he reined back his horse, expecting a spring: 
 ' Mira los ojos del diablo ! ' (' Look, what devil's eyes ! ') 
 
 One expedition on the northern shore was long remembered 
 and talked of over the fire ; and, indeed, might easily have 
 had a very disastrous conclusion. 
 
 Towards the latter end of July I proposed to 'Mr. Clarke 
 that we should proceed on foot, and investigate more closely 
 the bed of fossil shells mentioned as situated on the hills 
 about a mile from the north bank of the river. Accordingly, 
 one morning we prepared to cross the river, and the re- 
 mainder of the men, hearing of oui" intentions, volunteered, 
 together with El Sourdo, to accompany us, and, after having 
 visited the hills, to organize a hunting circle on foot : we 
 started about sunrise, and crossed the river to the north side, 
 where we secured the boat above high-water mark ; we then 
 all proceeded to the hills, investigated the beds of fossil 
 shells, and gathered many beautiful specimens. The hunt 
 was then formed, so many dogs being apportioned to each 
 person, and the chcle being directed to close on a point on 
 the bank of the river about three or four miles west of the 
 settlement. The ground was very favourable for our opera- 
 tions, as the dips, or slightly depressed valleys, hid us from 
 the view of the game. On emerging on the plain at diflerent 
 points we saw several guanacos and some ostriches ; and those 
 nearest them slipped their hounds, following on foot at their 
 topmost speed. Mr. Clarke, Isidoro, El Sourdo, and myself 
 were in the centre, and killed amongst us two guanacos and 
 an ostrich. Antonio, who was pointsman, disappeared to the 
 westward with El Cooke, following their dogs in full chase 
 of a herd of guanacos. Our party lit a fire, ate the ostrich, 
 and conveyed what meat we thought advisable to take back
 
 58 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 with us towards the boat, following the river bank, which 
 was strewn in many places with cornelians and flint-agates, 
 and occasionally with fossilised shells. On our arrival at the 
 boat we launched her down the beach, and as the wind had 
 by this time risen to a severe gale and the tide was rapidly 
 ebbing, watched anxiously for the return of the two de- 
 faulters ; for the navigation of the river is at no time very 
 easy, and when the tide is low, even in daylight, nearly 
 impracticable. At length, after dark, when the squalls of 
 bitterly-cold wind had become very violent, we saw fires in 
 the distance, and almost half an hour afterwards our missing 
 men appeared, each with a load of meat on his shoulders. 
 They arrived considerably exhausted, so we gave them a 
 rest, and then dogs and all got into the boat, and we shoved 
 ofl", Mr. Clarke steering. We proceeded all right for a few 
 yards, and then struck on a bank ; after several inefiectual 
 efforts to shove the boat off, we all jumped into the water 
 and fairly hove her over the bank until the water was up 
 nearly to our shoulders, and then got in and pulled across. 
 Owing to the violence of the wind and the strength of the 
 current, we only succeeded in landing fully three-quarters 
 of a mile from the house ; here we secured the boat, and ran 
 up as fast as we could to get our now frozen clothes off and 
 a drink of hot coffee. We all agi-eed that on another expe- 
 dition it would be advisable either to encamp on the northern 
 shore until daylight, or come back early enough to be able to 
 get across while it was possible to see the banks. But the 
 general conclusion was not to go again at all. 
 
 The weather in July w^as intensely cold, the lowest reading 
 of the thermometer, which was duly examined eveiy morn- 
 ing, being 8^. Washing oui- clothes became impossible, as 
 dui'ing the process the water froze and the garments became 
 stiff as boards. When crossing the ford, if the potro boots 
 of the rider happened, as w^as not unfi-equently the case, to 
 get filled with water, in a few minutes not only were the 
 boots coated with ice, but the inside resembled an ice-pail.
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 59 
 
 The effect of the river ice piled up on the shore hy the tides 
 was very striking. Huge floes had accumulated to the height 
 of fifteen feet and upwards, and besides rendering the passage 
 difficult, had buried the carefully-stacked wood-pile under 
 a small mountain of ice. This was in the comparatively 
 sheltered valley. On the Pampas, when the fierce south 
 wind blew, as it almost invariably did, it seemed impossible 
 to face it and live. One attempt made nearly resulted in 
 Gonzalez being overcome by the sleep which is the forerunner 
 of death, and the horses of all the party absolutely could not 
 advance. The snow lay eighteen inches deep, and we had 
 flattered ourselves that the guanaco and ostrich would prove 
 an easy prey. They could not run — but ue could not chase, 
 and were thankful to make om* way, slowly and laboriously, 
 down from the desolate and storm-swept Pampas. 
 
 The Indians from the Rio Chico occasionally visited us, 
 and Orkeke's objection to my company was gradually giving 
 way. He had probably feared that an English Sehor would 
 require a considerable amount of attention, and give constant 
 trouble ; but during om- intercoui'se he found that the stranger 
 could (and did) groom his own horse, and wait on himself 
 generally, as well as take his part in whatever was being 
 done, even to sleeping out with no shelter but the ample 
 guanaco mantle. Casimiro also, according to promise, visited 
 the camp, and argued in my favour, finally obtaining from 
 the chief a somewhat reluctant permission for me to join his 
 party. Towards the end of July some of his Indians had 
 come to the settlement to inform us that the scarcity of game 
 in theu' vicinity had compelled them to shift then- quarters 
 to a place higher up the Kio Chico. They anxiously inquired 
 if the schooner had arrived ; we were as eagerly looking for 
 her, but day after day passed, and the looked-for boat did not 
 appear. 
 
 On the 24tl;j of July everj'body had gone hunting, except 
 Juan Chileno (who was cook for the week), and myself, 
 whom a hurt received in my foot had compelled to remain
 
 60 AT HOME WITH THE PATAiiONIANS. 
 
 quiet. I was employed reading a book, 'Charles Dashwood,' 
 for perhaps the twentieth time, when Juan came in to say 
 that the hunting party had returned. As it was only ten 
 o'clock, my first idea was that the schooner had arrived with 
 Don Luiz. However, this was dispelled by Juan, who had 
 gone out to reconnoitre, rushing in with the news that ten 
 Chilians had arrived on the south side with twenty-one horses. 
 Shortly afterwards Mr, Clarke himself came in and cor- 
 roborated the intelligence. These men proved to be deserters, 
 who had escaped by night from Punta Arena, taking with 
 them nearly all the horses in the corral. They had left on 
 the 2nd of July, at two a.m. Four of the number were those 
 previously recaptured in Santa Cruz, who had been kept in 
 irons and closely confined at night ; but by a supreme efibrt 
 they had broken their chains, and together with the others, 
 who had everything arranged outside the cuartel, had effected 
 their escape. The sufferings these men must have under- 
 gone during the twenty-two days' journey over the Pampas, 
 exposed without shelter to the fierce winds, and sometimes 
 with the snow up to their horses' girths, must have been 
 something frightful, and many of them were frost-bitten. 
 It was out of the question for us to receive them, as our own 
 supplies were failing, and in truth we congratulated our- 
 selves on the horses being secured in the corral, and anxiously 
 watched the movements of the new comers. The party 
 during the afternoon succeeded in crossing the river to the 
 north side, swimming their horses ; and disappeared in the 
 direction of the Rio Chico. 
 
 By this time even the kind companionship of Mr. Clarke 
 failed to reconcile me to the tedious monotony of om* life. 
 The game also became scarcer and scarcer, and the chance of 
 the schooner's coming appeared so indefinite, that at the 
 beginning of August I began to think it would be better and 
 more amusing to migi-ate to the Indian camp, where, at any 
 rate, plenty of meat was procurable. Accordingly, when the 
 Indians came over again on a visit on the 7th of August, I
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 61 
 
 bought a horse, or rather exchanged away a revolver for one 
 (a three year old, newly broken), and started in company with 
 Orkeke, Campan, Cayuke, and Tankelow, four Indians, all of 
 whom were previous acquaintances. Casimiro followed with 
 his family, taking one of the horses from Santa Cruz to assist 
 in the transport of his household. This horse was one I had 
 been accustomed to ride in Santa Cruz, and on arriving at 
 the Indian camp was lent me as a second horse. Shortly 
 after passing the first hills on the northern side, our party 
 not being burdened ^vith women and children, started off at 
 a hand canter, which was kept up until a puma suddenly 
 sprang out of a bush, when chase was immediately given ; he, 
 however, got into a thick tangle of incense bushes, from 
 which we tried in vain to dislodge him, and although pelted 
 with stones he lay there spitting Hke a great cat. Cayuke 
 wished to fire the bush, but Orkeke would not waste time, so 
 we mounted and proceeded on oui* jom-ney. We continued 
 riding over plains and ridges until about four p.m., when we 
 reached a large laguna, close to which grew some high coarse 
 grass and shrubs ; here several ostriches were started, and 
 one killed by Orkeke. On reaching the range of hills before 
 described as the southern barrier of the valley of the Rio 
 Chico, we halted, and shortly had the ostrich cooking on a 
 good fire. We looked back for Casimiro, but could not see 
 him, so after supper and a smoke pursued our journey by the 
 soft light of a young moon. We rode on until about nine p.m., 
 when we reached the Indian encampment. We had been 
 previously puzzled by seeing fires burning a considerable dis- 
 tance up the valley, and found that our chief, Camillo, had 
 already marched in that dii-ection. One of the first persona 
 who accosted me was Ai'ica, and I shortly discovered that 
 all the Chilians were installed with the Indians in different 
 toldos, which was rather an unpleasant surprise. I was 
 ushered into Orkekc's toldo with due ceremony, and we took 
 our scats by the fire. I had brought a bag of coffee with 
 mo, so we set to work and roasted some, after which one of
 
 62 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 the Chilians was given the task of pounding it between 
 stones, and we all drank what the Indians not inappro- 
 priately term ' potwater.' Many Indians crowded in to have 
 a look at us, and amongst others that I noticed was a re- 
 markably pretty little girl of about thirteen years of age, 
 a niece of Orkeke's, who took some coffee when offered in a 
 shy and bashful manner which was delightful to contemplate. 
 In due time we all retired to rest, and a little before daylight 
 I was woke by the melodious singing of an Indian in 
 the next toldo. Shortly afterwards Orkeke went out and 
 harangued the inmates of the remaining toldos, and presently 
 the horses were brought up, and most of the men started for 
 the chase. Snow had fallen during the night, a biting cold 
 wind was blowing, and Orkeke told me there were very few 
 animals about. I took this as a hint not to ask for a horse, 
 so contented myself with sauntering round and examining 
 the encampment. Some of the men were playing cards, one 
 or two sleeping, whilst the women were almost universally 
 employed in sewing guanaco mantles. About three p.m., Casi- 
 miro arrived with his family, and proceeded to the tent of a 
 southern Indian, named Crime, and shortly afterwards the 
 hunting party returned by twos and threes, but the chase 
 had not been attended with much success. We passed the 
 evening pleasantly enough, making acquaintance with each 
 other, and Keoken, the little gu-1, instructed me in the Indian 
 names of the various objects about the place. Next morning 
 the order was suddenly given to march. As this was totally 
 unexpected, and I was not prepared for departure, I made up 
 my mind to return at once to Santa Cruz, and fetch my 
 clothes and other small articles ; also to take back a colt, 
 promised by an Indian called ' Tchang' to Mr. Clarke, After 
 some little difficulty, as the Indians did not wish me to go 
 alone for fear of getting lost, or any other mischance befalling 
 me, Graviel, the youngest son of Casimiro, started with me. 
 We had to take the colt, what a sailor would term, in tow, 
 that is, drag it for some distance with a lazo. As Graviel's
 
 SANTA CRUZ. 63 
 
 horse was shy, this work fell to my share. Shortly after the 
 start, rain, or rather sleet, came on, and the contrariness of 
 the brute at the end of the lazo claiming all my attention, I 
 could not manage to keep my mantle tight round my shoulders, 
 and getting thoroughly wet, and losing one of my knives, 
 cursed Tchang, colt and all, freely. After a short time, how- 
 ever, when well out of sight of the Indians, I cast off the 
 towing line, and we drove our ' bete noire ' before us. We 
 returned by a different route to the one travelled on the out- 
 ward journey, guided a good deal by my pocket compass. 
 Towards nightfall, deceived by the appearance of a hill, I 
 flattered myself that we were near Santa Cruz. But, alas! 
 it was still miles away, and we got into fresh difficulties with 
 our charge, which being tired, absolutely refused to go down 
 the hill, and had to be taken ' in tow ' again and dragged 
 along, and it must have been nine or ten before we reached 
 the banks of the river. Here, after unsaddling our horses, 
 we vainly attempted to kindle a fire, but everything, hke 
 ourselves, was so saturated with snow and wet that all 
 attempts were fruitless ; so, fairly tired out, and without fire 
 or supper, we laid down under a bush, and, ensconced under 
 our mantles, were soon in the land of dreams. 
 
 Next morning Graviel acted like a dutiful boy for once in 
 his life, and left in search of the horses. Meanwhile the boat 
 came over, and I was anxious to expedite matters ; so, after 
 splashing barefooted through several yards of sharp-edged 
 ice on my way to the boat, which had gi'ounded some dis- 
 tance from the shore, I got over to the island, where I was 
 not sorry to get something to eat and a fire to warm my 
 frozen limbs. I packed up my few things, ready for a start 
 later on ; but when the flood-tide made, a heavy gale of 
 wind sprang up, and it was with great difficulty that the 
 boat could bring over Graviel and the colt. The cheerful 
 news also awaited me that my horse was missing, and that 
 Graviel and El Cooke had seen a large puma on the river 
 bank, which had probably watched in close proximity to us
 
 64 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 whilst sleeping the night before. Owing to the gale, it was 
 impossible to cross that evening, so we made up our minds 
 to stop and sleep on the island. 
 
 Next day, my horse not appearing, Mr. Clarke lent me 
 one, sending Isidoro to bring the horse back, in the event of 
 our not meeting with the missing steed. About four p.m., I 
 bid adieu to my friend, whose kindness during my stay had 
 proved him a friend indeed. Having shaken hands with the 
 remainder of the boys, who one and all heartily wished me 
 luck, we started ; and after vainly searching for the missing 
 horse, rode on till about ten p.m., when we halted and 
 bivouacked by the side of a laguna. Next morning early we 
 arrived at the Rio Chico, which we crossed on the ice, and 
 about two P.M. reached the toldos. The men were away 
 hunting, the smoke of their fires being visible, rising from the 
 higher plains to the northward. As we had eaten nothing 
 since our supper the night before, which was fm-nished by a 
 small skunk (which, though very palatable, was unfortunately 
 very thin), we were in urgent need of something to eat, and 
 Arica hastened to cook some guanaco meat on the asador or 
 iron spit. 
 
 "\\Tien the hunters arrived, Orkeke gmffly asked Isidoro 
 what he had come for, and seemed, naturally enough, the 
 reverse of pleased at the information of the loss of his horse ; 
 and, altogether, the old chief's behaviour did not seem 
 auspicious ; but, -ndthout appearing to notice it, I made 
 myself at home in the toldo, and took up my quarters as one 
 of the family.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE EIO CHICO. 
 
 Breaking up of the Camp — An Idle Day — A Raah Start — A Dilemma — 
 Aloue ou the Pampa — Reimion — The Kau or Toldo — The Domestic 
 Interior — The Indian Tribes — Three Races — Order of the March — 
 The Hunt — Indian Game Law — Tehuelche Cookery — Basaltic Hills — 
 An Indian Festival — My First Tehuelche Ball — Mrs. Orkeke's Spill 
 — Fording Rio Chico — A Battle — Death of Cuastro — Dangerous 
 Times — Chilian Conspiracy — Obsidian Plain and Pass — First Ostrich 
 Eggs — Amakaken — Lifting the Boulder — The Devil's Country — God's 
 Hill — Condors and Dinner — Sunrise on the Cordillera — The Plague 
 Herald — Gelgel Aik — Escape from Matrimony — Tele — Eyes of the 
 Desert — Preparations for War — Another Fight — Water Tigers — 
 Indian Bravoes — Iron Ores — Ship Rock — Perch Fishing — Appleykaik 
 — Casimiro's Escape — Arrival at Henno. 
 
 THE morning after we had rejoined the Indian camp was 
 marked by the general breaking up of the party. Camillo 
 and some others had ah'eady left, and by this time were 
 several marches in advance ; Orkeke and Isidoro started otf 
 to Santa Cruz, in search of the lost horse, and charged %vith 
 some little commissions for me. Finally, Casimiro and all 
 the rest broke up their encampment and started, intending to 
 overtake Camillo. Before leaving, Casimiro came to me, and 
 aftecting great interest in my welfare, confidentially urged 
 me to accompany himself and live as an inmate of his (or 
 rather Crimcj's) toldo, adding that he had been informed 
 that Orkeke hail no real intention of marching northward, 
 but designed to keep me in his toldo until, by some moans or 
 other, he could possess himself of my arms and ammunition.
 
 66 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 As I saw no reason to believe this story, I declined to comply 
 with the proposal of Casimiro, who, having consoled himself 
 by begging a little cofi'ee, took his departure, and the en- 
 campment was reduced to the toldo, of which I was to 
 consider myself an inmate, and another, belonging to the 
 only Indians who remained — Tankelow, Orkeke's brother, 
 and his son, a youth of about eighteen. Besides these, there 
 were three of the Chilian deserters who as narrated had 
 escaped from Punta Arena ; one was attached to the house- 
 hold of Tankelow, and the other two to that of Orkeke. One 
 of these was Arica, already mentioned, who being a very 
 clever worker in hide, had employed himself in adorning 
 saddles and bridles for the Indians, by which he had acquired 
 a pretty good stock of gear. The condition of all three was, 
 however, not enviable. They had lowered themselves at 
 first by volunteering to discharge the drudgery of fetching 
 wood and water, and by this time were little better than 
 slaves, obliged to perform the menial offices, which before 
 had been the task of the women. These fair creatures, 
 headed by Mrs. Orkeke — a young woman almost six feet in 
 height, and displaying a corresponding breadth across the 
 shoulders — employed themselves in cutting out and sewing 
 guanaco mantles, weaving fillets for the head, and chattering. 
 Tankelow and his son presently started for a hunt ; but as I 
 was not ofi'ered a mount, and deemed it more reasonable to 
 give my only charger a good rest and feed, I could only 
 accompany them to the river, the frozen surface of which 
 they crossed, and disappeared up a canon that led up the 
 barranca, on the northern limit of the valley, to the Upper 
 Pampa. Having wistfully watched them, I reconnoitred the 
 valley of the Rio Chico. Behind me, to the south-east, the 
 river wound through plains covered with withered coarse 
 grass, some eighteen inches liigh, extending on either bank 
 for several miles till terminated by the rising barranca. 
 Snow lay here and there in patches on some of the higher 
 ground, and increased the dreariness of the prospect. About
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 67 
 
 two leagues below the river dividecl into two branches, which 
 reunited beyond an island of some extent. Looking up river 
 in a north-westerly dnection, the valley soon narrowed in, 
 the southern barranca sloping down to within a couple of 
 miles of our camp ; and the view was closed by two remark- 
 able hills resembling fortresses, which seemed to stand on 
 guard on cither side. I made a slight sketch of the outlines of 
 the view, which forms the background of the hunting scene.* 
 Ha\-ing strolled back to the toldo, I was greeted by the 
 women with the usual demand, ' Mon aniwee' — Anglice, 
 * Lend us the pipe,' which was duly charged and handed 
 round. We then sat and watched the proceedings of Keoken, 
 Tankelow's pretty little daughter, just budding into woman- 
 hood, and a small boy to whom I gave the name of Captain 
 John, who were amusing themselves by catching and riding 
 some of the horses which were tamer than the others. The 
 urchins soon grew tired of their equestrian feats ; and, 
 prompted by the spirit of mischief, which seems ever to 
 haunt children, and especially Indian boys, came and begged 
 a match of me. Not suspecting their purpose, I gave them 
 the coveted prize, with which they hm*ricd off in high delight, 
 and in a very few minutes had set fire to the rank, withered 
 herbage, some distance off the toldo, but to the windwai'd. 
 The conflagi-ation was at fii'st unnoticed by us ; but at dusk, 
 Avhen Tankelow returned from hunting, with a supply of 
 meat, it was palpably dangerous. So all hands had to set 
 to work, and by dint of tearing up the grass, with great 
 trouble we stopped its progi'ess, which if aided by a breeze 
 in the night would very probably otherwise have consumed 
 the toldo and endangered the inmates. Of the culprits no 
 notice was taken, the occurrence being apparently regarded 
 as all in the day's work. After our supper off guanaco 
 meat, and a smoke, I turned in, and slept soundly on my 
 Tehuclche bed of hides and bolsters which had been carefully 
 arranged by the tall hostess. 
 
 * Frontispiece.
 
 68 AT HOME WITH the patagonians. 
 
 The next day was got through by having a thorough 
 ' wash ' of my clothes, and cultivating a closer acquaintance 
 with the Chilian Arica, from whom I obtained a dog in 
 exchange for an old guanaco mantle. But as on the third 
 day no signs of the return of Orkeke appeared, the inaction 
 became insupportable, so after the departure on a hunting 
 excursion of Tankelow and his son, Ai-ica and myself deter- 
 mined to start in pm'suit of Casimiro and his party. As 
 Ai'ica had no horse, it would be necessary for us to ride and 
 tie ; but even thus we could make quick travelling. Accord- 
 ingly at two P.M. we started, much to the astonishment of the 
 ladies, who protested that we were certain to lose our way 
 or be killed by the pumas. One old lady, Orkeke's sister, 
 after trying in vain to dissuade us, presented me with a shce 
 of charqui, which with a few handfuls of coffee formed our- 
 stock of provisions. That day we did not get very far ; 
 but in the next march, as the track of the Indians was 
 plain, we had made thirty miles by the time we halted, at 
 nightfall, at a place where another valley from the north- 
 ward joined that of the Eio Chico. Our charqui had barely 
 sufficed for an evening meal, so this day we satisfied our 
 appetites with the supply of the tuberous roots of a plant 
 which grows in great quantities in most parts of Patagonia. 
 
 The plant, which in its growth resembles very closely the 
 balsam bog of the Falkland Islands, and might be easily 
 taken for it but for the absence of the gum, which perhaps 
 was attributable to the quality of the soil or the season of 
 the year, is easily recognisable by its mass of tiny green 
 leaflets, and presents the appearance of a small hillock of 
 earth crowned with delicate moss. By digging down into 
 the heap, one large and several small tuberous roots are 
 found, which when roasted in the ashes prove suificiently 
 palatable to hungry men. 
 
 We went to sleep in the open air, rolled up in our guanaco 
 mantles, but awoke to find that a hea\y fall of snow had 
 covered everything a foot deep, and totally hidden all trail of
 
 THE RIO CIIICO. GO 
 
 the Indians. In this dilemma, quite uncertain which of the 
 two valleys to ascend, and feeling extremely cold, we first 
 looked out for a place of shelter. This was afforded us by a 
 little dell or recess in the side of the barranca, which was 
 thickly overgrown with incense bushes. Betaking oui'selves 
 thither, we speedily had a blazing fire kindled, and while 
 warming our chilled limbs held a council. It was decided 
 that I should mount, and proceed to hunt for some food ; 
 and then, if the weather moderated, we could proceed. Arica 
 was left in charge of the fire, with a strong caution from me 
 to keep it up, and to make as much smoke as possible, by 
 way of signal to the Indians. After a good deal of difficulty, 
 my horse, which was only half broken, and had a playful 
 way of rearing up and striking with his forefeet, was curbed 
 with the leathern thong which forms the Indian bit. I then 
 proceeded to scale the barranca bordering the river valley, 
 and soon reached the desolate undulations of the higher 
 Pampa. As a necessary precaution against losing my way, 
 I was careful to take two or three bearings of conspicuous 
 hills, visible in the northern limits of the valley ; for the 
 monotonous and dreary waste of the Pampa, strewn with 
 boulders and shingle, alternated with tufts of grass, presents 
 no track or landmark to guide the wanderer. It was not 
 long before two or three herds of guanaco were sighted ; but 
 the dog, which had probably during the night foraged for 
 himself, and found some half-eaten carcase, would not run, 
 and a gallop of some twelve miles proved fruitless. Just 
 as I was about giving up in despair, I observed a herd in a 
 hollow, which I was able to approach unobserved. Knowing 
 that our chance of food for the day depended on success, I 
 warily approached, and then charged, and to my delight 
 succeeded in entangling one with the bolas. He was soon 
 despatched ; and while I was busily cutting off a supply of 
 meat, to my sudden surprise an Indian came galloping up. 
 The new comer proved to beTankelow, who was in search of 
 me. He brought word that Orkeke had found the strayed
 
 70 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 horse, aud had returned ; and that the party were marching 
 as fast as they could to overtake Casimu'o. He had been 
 detached, partly to hunt and partly to find us. In reply to 
 my inquu'ies about Arica, he assured me that he was all right, 
 and as there seemed no reason for disbelieving the statement 
 we speedily rode back to the party, and rejoined them on 
 the march, being received with shouts of laughter from the 
 ladies ; but as Arica was nowhere to be seen, I expressed 
 my determination to ride back in search of him. This, how- 
 ever, they would not allow, but despatched a mounted Indian 
 and spare horse to bring him in, and a good piece of meat 
 for his refreshment. We then proceeded at a brisk rate, and 
 by nightfall reached the camp. Orkeke at first seemed 
 rather to resent my having started off alone, as if it argued a 
 want of confidence in him ; but his delight at having re- 
 covered his horse assisted him to recover his good humour. 
 Mr. Clarke had sent me by him some powder, which he said 
 he had lost, and some articles, such as linen and tobacco, 
 and my presenting them all to him quite did away with any 
 traces of ill-feehng. 
 
 The several detachments were all now reunited, and the 
 party mustered altogether, besides the Chihans and myself, 
 eighteen able-bodied Tehuelche or Patagoniau men, "with a 
 proportionate number of women and children. The most 
 important among the Indians were Orkeke, the actual cacique, 
 and his brother Tankelow, who possessed the gi-eater number 
 of horses ; Casimu'o, whose leadership was still rather in 
 posse; Camillo, Crime, Cuastro, Cayuke, &c. One more 
 must be mentioned by name, Waki ; a perfect Hercules in 
 bodily frame, and a thoroughly good-natm-ed fellow, with 
 whom I became gi'cat friends. Of all these men, who were 
 in the camp by the Rio Chico on August 15, but eight 
 survived to reach the Rio Negro in the following May ; the 
 rest had, at one time or another, been killed or had died. 
 The secret feuds which were before long to endanger the 
 safety of us all, were as yet concealed, and all appeared
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 71 
 
 to be good friends. The whole were housed in five toldos — 
 by which Spanish name the Indian kau, or tents, strongly 
 resembling those of our own gipsies, are known. They 
 were pitched in a sheltered hollow, with then- fronts facing 
 the east, to avoid the bitter violence of the prevalent westerly 
 winds. 
 
 Fitzroy has given an excellent description of the toldo ; 
 but to those readers who are unacquainted with it a brief 
 sketch will not be unacceptable. A row of forked posts 
 about tlu'ee feet high is driven into the ground in a slightly 
 slanting position, and a ridge pole laid across them ; in front 
 of these, at a distance of about seven feet, a second row, 
 six feet high, with a ridge pole ; and at the same distance 
 from them a third row, eight feet high, each slanting a little, 
 but not at the same angle. A covermg made of from forty 
 to fifty full-grown guanaco skins, smeared with a mixture of 
 grease and red ochre, is drawn over from the rear, and the 
 great drag of the heavy covering straightens the poles ; it is 
 then secured by thongs to the front poles, while hide curtains 
 fastened between the inner poles partition oft" the sleeping- 
 places, and the baggage piled round the sides of the tent 
 excludes the cold blast which penetrates under the edge of 
 the covering. The fire is kindled in the fore part, or ' mouth 
 of the tent.' In very bad weather, or when encamped for 
 the winter, an additional covering is secured to the front 
 poles and brought down over an extra row of short posts, 
 making all snug. It is a common arrangement for relatives 
 or friends to combine their toldos, when, instead of bringing 
 down the coverings to the ground at the side, they are made 
 to overlap, and thus one tent roof will cover two or three 
 distinct domestic interiors. 
 
 The furniture of the toldos consists of one or two bolsters 
 and a horse hide or two to each sleeping compartment, one 
 to act as a curtain and the other for bedding. The bolsters 
 are made of old ponchos, or lechus, otherwise called mau- 
 dils, woven blankets obtained from the Araucanos, wbo are
 
 72 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 famous for their manufacture, stuffed with guanaco wool 
 
 and sown up with ostrich or guanaco sinews. The bolsters 
 
 do duty as pillows or as seats, and help to form the women's 
 
 saddles on the march. Besides these, the women all own 
 
 mandils for their beds. The men occasionally use the cloths 
 
 worn under the saddles for seats when the ground is damp, 
 
 but as a rule all the inmates of the toldo squat upon Nature's 
 
 carpet, which has the advantage of being easily cleaned, for 
 
 the Tehuelches are very particular about the cleanliness of 
 
 the interior of their dwellings, and a patch of sod accidentally 
 
 befouled is at once cut out and thrown outside by the women. 
 
 The cooking utensils are simple, consisting of an asador. 
 
 or iron spit, for roasting meat, and an occasional iron pot, 
 
 which serves for boiling and also for trying out ostrich 
 
 grease and marrow, which is employed both for cooking 
 
 and for mixing with the paint with which the faces of both 
 
 sexes are adorned. To these, wooden platters and armadillo 
 
 shells, to serve broth in, are sometimes added. The duty of 
 
 pitching and arranging the toldos on the halt and striking 
 
 them for the march, as well as loading the poles, covering, 
 
 and furniture on the horses, devolves entirely upon the women, 
 
 who display great strength and dexterity in the work. 
 
 About the toldos were innumerable dogs of all sizes and 
 breeds, and Mrs. Orkeke rejoiced in the possession of two 
 foAvls brought from the settlement, and the all-important 
 possession of the Indians — horses, completed the bustling 
 liveliness of the scene. There were not less than 150 
 belonging to the various members of the party, Orkeke and 
 Tankelow owning about forty, besides mares and skittish 
 colts of all ages, which ran about so that they could not be 
 counted. The reader can imagine what scene the march and 
 encampment of such a party presents, and the care with 
 which the Indians must select their route so as to be sure of 
 game for themselves and pasture for their animals. Of the 
 dogs and horses in use by the Tehuelches a fuller description 
 will be given hereafter.
 
 THE RIO CIIICO. 73 
 
 But to convey a clear understanding of the relations 
 between the tribes which will be mentioned in the ensuing 
 pages, it is as well here briefly to distinguish them. In the 
 various maps and accounts of Patagonia extant, numerous 
 tribes, with diflferent names, are marked and recorded. These 
 accounts, so far as my observations enable me to judge, have 
 arisen from the custom of parties of the tribe combining to 
 travel or fight under the leadership of a particular chief, 
 and being described by themselves, when met with, by his 
 name. I have been enabled to recognise thus the Moluches, 
 who were so called from Malcchou, a hereditary chief 
 of that name ; and the celebrated chief Lenketrou united 
 under the leadership men of several tribes, and is said to 
 have commanded 1,500 men in his great raid on the Rio 
 Negro settlements. There are now between the Rio Negro 
 and the Straits about 500 fighting men, giving at a rough 
 estimate a population of about 8,000. The Tehuelches, or 
 Patagonians proper, exclusive of the Foot Indians of Tierra 
 del Fuego — who are distinct, though they may be of the 
 same original stock — are divided into two great tribes, the 
 Northern and Southern, They speak the same language, but 
 are distinguishable by diff'erence of accent, and the Southern 
 men appear to be, on an average, taller and finer men, 
 and are more expert hunters with the bolas. The Northern 
 range chiefly over the district between the Cordillera and 
 the sea ; from the Rio Negro on the north to the Chupat, 
 occasionally descending as far as the Santa Cruz River, The 
 Southern occupy the country south of the Santa Cruz, and 
 migrate as far as Punta Arena. The two divisions, however, 
 are much intermixed and frequently intermarry ; always, not- 
 withstanding, preserving their clannish division, and taking 
 opposite sides in the frequent quarrels. Our party was com- 
 posed in almost equal parts of both Northern and Southern, 
 and one inmate of our toldo was a Southern named Hummums, 
 a brother of Mrs. Orkeke. From the Rio Negro as far as the 
 Chupat, another tribe, speaking a difl'crent language, is met
 
 74 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 with, having their head-quarters at the Salinas, north of 
 the Rio Negro. These are the Pampas, called by the 
 Tehuelches ' Penck,' whence I believe the name Pehuelche 
 has been corrupted. Several clans of this nation extend 
 over the plains north of Kio Negro, and make frequent 
 inroads into the Argentine settlements as far as the province 
 of Santa Fe, and even, I believe, to Cordova and Mendoza. 
 The Pampas of the north of Patagonia sometimes keep 
 cattle and sheep, but generally subsist by the chase. A 
 third tribe appear, by their language and physique, to be a 
 branch of the Araucanos of Chili. These are the people called 
 by the Tehuelches Chenna, and also the Warriors ; they are 
 othervnse known as Manzaneros, from their head-quarters 
 Las Manzanas, so named from the groves of apple trees ; 
 once a station of the early Jesuit missionaries, who vainly 
 endeavoured to convert and civilise these tribes. They are 
 less migratory and more civilised in their habits than the 
 Tehuelches, and are said to keep herds of cattle and sheep 
 in the sheltered valleys of the Cordillera, and sometimes 
 till a little maize. I do not know Avhether the Jesuit 
 Fathers taught their disciples the art or no, but from the 
 apples of Las Manzanas these Indians brew a very tolerable 
 cider, besides making an intoxicating liquor from the beans 
 of the algarroba. The Tehuelches altogether depend for their 
 stimulants on the chance supplies of rum procured in trade 
 at the settlements, and this and disease, small-pox especially, 
 are rapidly diminishing their nuinbers. 
 
 We remained in oui* encampment by the Rio Chico for one 
 day, dui-ing which the missing Aiica arrived. He was 
 received with very black looks by Orkeke, who from this 
 time, although still allowing him a place in his toldo, and a 
 horse to ride, seemed to have conceived a violent aversion 
 to him, which argued badly for the Chilian's future safety. 
 It appeared that during my absence he had given wa)' to the 
 desire of providing something to eat, and had left the fire to 
 burn out, while he foraged for roots. On returning he saw
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 75 
 
 a huge puma couched by the extinct ashes of the fii-e. Just, 
 however, as Arica was about to fire the revolver which I had 
 lent him, the beast bounded away into the bushes. But as 
 he was convinced that the puma was close at hand waiting 
 for an opportunity to attack, he spent several hours on the 
 watch with his revolver ready. His delight may be imagined 
 when, worn out with want of food and rest, he was relieved 
 by the arrival of the Indian with the meat and a horse for 
 him to ride. 
 
 The next day we made a short march up the river valley, 
 the caravan of women and horses, as usual, proceeding along 
 the track, while the men hunted in the adjacent plains. I 
 was fortunate enough in the hunt to kill a guanaco and an 
 ostrich, and duly shared them ■v\dth Casimiro. The order of 
 march and method of hunting which constitute the daily 
 routine are as follo^^s : the Cacique, who has the ordering of 
 the marching and hunting, comes out of his toldo at daylight, 
 sometimes indeed before, and delivers a loud oration, 
 describing the order of march, the appointed place of 
 hunting, and the general programme ; he then exhorts the 
 young men to catch and bring up the horses, and be alert 
 and active in the hunt, enforcing his admonition, by way of 
 a wind up, with a boastful relation of his own deeds of 
 prowess when he was young. Sometimes the women, while 
 thechief is haranguing, rekindle or blow up the embers of the 
 tire and prepare a slight breakfast, but not^invariably. Some 
 cold meat is also occasionally reserved from the evening 
 meal, and placed in a hide bag to be carried with them on 
 the march, to be given to the children when they are hungry. 
 But the general custom for the men is to wait until the day's 
 hunt has supplied fresh meat. When the Cacique's ' oration' 
 — which is very little attended to — is over, the young men 
 and boys lazo and bring up the horses, and the women place 
 on their backs the bolster of reeds, tied with hide thongs, 
 mantles, and coloured blankets, which form their saddles ; 
 others are strapping their belts on, or putting their babies
 
 76 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 into wickerwork cradles, or rolling up the skins that form 
 the coverings of the toldos, and placing them and the poles 
 on the baggage horses ; last of all the small breakers, which 
 are carried on the march, are filled with water. The women 
 mount by means of a sling round the horses' necks, and sit 
 astride of their bolster-saddles ; their babies — if they possess 
 any — and their pet dogs are hoisted up, the babies being 
 stowed in the cradles behind them ; then they take their 
 baggage-horses in tow and start off in single file. The men, 
 who generally wait until all are ready, then drive the spare 
 horses for a short distance, and having handed them over to 
 the charge of their wives or daughters, retire to a neigh- 
 bouring bush, where a fire is kindled, pipes are lighted, and 
 the hunt commenced in the following manner. Two men 
 start off and ride at a gallop round a certain area of country, 
 varying according to the number of the party, lighting fires 
 at intervals to mark their track. After the lapse of a few 
 minutes two others are despatched, and so on until only a 
 few are left with the cacique. These spread themselves out 
 in a crescent, closing in and narrowing the cii'cle on a point 
 where those first started have by this time arrived. The 
 crescent rests on a baseline formed by the slowlv-proceeding 
 line of women, children, and baggage-horses. The ostriches 
 and herds of guanaco run from the advancing party, but are 
 checked by the pointsmen, and when the circle is well closed 
 in are attacked with the bolas, two men frequently chasing 
 the same animal from different sides. The dogs also assist 
 in the chase, but the Indians are so quick and expert with 
 the bolas that unless their horses are tired, or they happen 
 to have gambled away their bolas, the dogs are not much 
 called into use. Puma are very frequently found in the 
 circles, and quickly despatched by a blow on the head from 
 a ball. On one occasion I saw Waki completely crush, by a 
 single blow, the skull of an unusually large one. The 
 Indian law of division of the game prevents all disputes, and 
 is as follows. The man who balls the ostrich leaves it for
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 77 
 
 the other, who has been chasing with him, to cany or take 
 charge of, and at the end of the hunt it is divided ; the 
 feathers and body from the head to the breast-bone and one 
 leg belonging to the captor, the remainder to the assistant. 
 In the case of guanaco, the fii'st takes the best half in the 
 same manner; the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, and the fat 
 and marrow bones are sometimes eaten raw. The Tehuelches 
 also cut out the fat over the eyes, and the gristly fat between 
 the thigh joints, which they eat with great gusto, as also the 
 heart and blood of the ostrich. Owing to the entire absence 
 of farinaceous food, fat becomes a necessaiy article of diet, 
 and can be consumed in much larger quantities than in more 
 civilised countries. That this is not merely owing to the 
 inclemency of the climate is proved by the appetite for fat 
 which the gauchos in the Argentine provinces acquire. 
 Wheuvthe hunt is finished, and the birds cut up and divided, 
 fires are kindled, and whilst stones are heating the ostrich is 
 plucked, the wing feathers being carefully tied together with 
 a piece of sinew. The bird is then laid on its back and 
 drawn ; the legs are carefully skinned down, and the bone 
 taken out, leaving the skin ; the carcase is then separated 
 into two halves, and the backbone having been extracted 
 from the lower half, and the meat sliced so as to admit the 
 heated stones laid in between the sections, it is tied up like 
 a bag, secured by the skin of the legs, with a small bone 
 thrust through to keep all taut ; this is placed on the live 
 embers of the fire, a light blaze being kindled when it is 
 nearly done to perfectly roast the outside meat. During the 
 process of cooking it has to be turned frequently to ensure 
 all parts being thoroughly cooked. When ready it is taken 
 oti' the fire, and the top part being cut off and the stones 
 extracted, the broth and meat are found deliciously cooked. 
 The party, generally consisting of twos or fours, sit round 
 the dish and cat the meat, sopping it in the broth. The back 
 part, which consists nearly altogether of fat (when the ostrich 
 is in good condition), is then divided, pieces being given to
 
 78 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 each, and reserved as tid-bits for the women and children. 
 When the head and breast half are to be cooked, the bone is 
 not extracted, but the wings turned inside and the breast 
 cavity filled with heated stones, and tied up with half of the 
 skin of the legs, which have been divided, additional pieces 
 of meat from the legs having been placed in the breast cavity. 
 The fat of the breast is divided amongst the party at the 
 fireside, the owner in all cases reserving none or a very 
 small piece for himself, as the others who are cooking at the 
 same fire are sure to give him plenty. The cacique gene- 
 rally receives the largest share, or if he is not present, the 
 greatest friends of the owner. The -wing feathers are care- 
 fully taken to the toldos and stored with others for future 
 trade. The ostrich is most thoroughly eaten ; the gizzard, 
 which is large enough to fill both hands, being carefully 
 cooked by the insertion of a hot stone and roasted ; the 
 eyes, too, are sucked, and the tripe devoured ; but when the 
 birds are thin they are simply skinned, and the carcase left 
 to the pumas. After the meal, concluding the hunt, is 
 finished, a pipe is handed round, saddles are re-adjusted, 
 and the game placed on them, and the party adjourn to the 
 toldos, which by this time have been pitched and arranged 
 by the women. 
 
 Guanaco are not much killed, unless a long stay in a place 
 is intended, or an Indian feels inclined for blood, or ostriches, 
 which are always eaten in preference, are scarce. The meat 
 of the guanaco is, however, excellent ; the haunches are 
 generally what is termed in Spanish ' charqueared,' which 
 means that the meat is cut oflf in thin slices, and after a 
 little salt has been sprinkled over it, is dried in the sun. 
 When thoroughly dried it is roasted in the ashes, pounded 
 between two stones, and mixed with ostrich or other grease ; 
 this preparation, like pemmican, is very useful for a man 
 going a long journey, as it can be carried in a small compass, 
 and a mere handful satisfies the appetite. 
 
 It would be tedious to describe every day's march, and the
 
 '''*fili"lt;i'r'1i'"'iTiiM^ ,'"'^®l 
 
 i I'll 
 
 
 I'll!??';, 
 
 il:
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 79 
 
 routine of hunting, as we made our way slowly up the valley 
 of the Rio Chico, which was still frozen over. The weather 
 was cold, and occasional showers of snow accompanied the 
 strong piercing westerly wdnds which blew every day. The 
 valley sometimes opened out into wide grass-covered plains, 
 dotted with incense-bushes, then rose again in huge bare 
 ridge and furrow-like undulations. Occasionally there oc- 
 curred patches of swampy ground with frozen lagoons, and 
 here and there open springs, the resort of numerous water- 
 fowl. The hills on the northern side appeared bare and 
 rugged, rising abruptly out of irregular forms, while the 
 southern heights were lower, and presented more of the steep 
 declivities known as barrancas, interrupted at intervals by 
 high rugged hills of basalt, often assuming the appearance 
 of ruined castles, closing in at the bends of the winding 
 river. To one of these — a remarkable hill under which we 
 were encamped on August 23, about 120 miles from Santa 
 Cruz — I gave the name of Sierra Ventana, from a window- 
 like opening through its peak ; the Indians called it Mowaish. 
 (See Illustration.) In many places the bases of these hills 
 were formed entirely of a description of lava, and one of the 
 Chilians informed me that whilst passing over a ridge, he 
 had observed several large masses of pure iron : this, how- 
 ever, I was inclined to disbelieve, as although farther up the 
 country iron ore exists in large quantities, I only observed in 
 this part a species of ore similar to that common at Drobak, 
 in Norway. 
 
 On one occasion, while marching, we observed smoke in 
 our rear, which was thought to be caused either by a mes- 
 senger in search of us announcing the arrival of the schooner, 
 or else by a party of the Southern Indians who had some idea 
 of marching north. However, no scout was sent back to 
 discover the truth, so we remained in ignorance. On the 
 26th we halted, and encamped by the side of the river in a 
 broad opening of the valley ; here there was a lagoon, not 
 completely frozen, in which grew a description of flag, of
 
 80 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 which the root, or rather lower stem, is eaten by the Indians, 
 and is succulent and juicy, with a pleasant taste. The boys 
 and gu-ls soon brought a large supply into the toldos. The 
 day after our arrival in this place, the attainment of the age 
 of puberty of one of the gii'ls was celebrated according to 
 custom. Early in the morning the father of the child in- 
 formed the cacique of the event, the cacique thereupon offi- 
 cially communicated the intelligence to the acting doctor or 
 medicine-man, and a considerable shouting was set up, while 
 the doctor adorned himself with white paint and was bled in 
 the forehead and arms with a sharp bodkin. The women 
 immediately set to work to sew a number of * mandils ' 
 together. When the patchwork was finished, it was taken 
 with pomp and ceremony by a band of young men, who 
 marched round the poles — already fixed to form a temporary 
 toldo — singing, whilst the women joined in with the most 
 dismal incantations and bowlings. After marching round 
 several times, the covering was drawn over the poles, and 
 lances were stuck in front, adorned with bells, streamers, and 
 brass plates that shook and rattled in the breeze, the whole 
 thing when erected presenting a very gay appearance (its 
 Indian name literally meaning ' The pretty house '). The 
 girl was then placed in an inner part of the tent, where 
 nobody was admitted. After this everybody mounted, and 
 some were selected to bring up the horses, out of which 
 certain mares and fillies were chosen, and brought up in 
 front of the showj^ toldo, where they were knocked on the 
 head by a ball — thus saving the blood (which was secured in 
 pots) to be cooked, being considered a great delicacy. It is 
 a rule amongst the Indians that any one assisting to take ofi" 
 the hide of a slaughtered mare is entitled to a piece of meat, 
 but the flesh was on this occasion distributed pretty equally 
 all round. Whilst the meat was cooking, Casimiro, who was 
 ruler of the feast, sent a message for me to come to Crime's 
 toldo, where I found him busy working at a saddle, in the 
 construction of which he was, by the way, an adept. His
 
 THE RIO CHI CO. 81 
 
 wife had a large iron pot bubbling on the fire, containing some 
 of the blood mixed with grease. When the mess was nearly 
 cooked, we added a little pepper and salt, and commenced 
 the feast. Previous to this I had felt a sort of repugnance to 
 eating horse, as perhaps most Englishmen — except, indeed, 
 the professed hippophagists — have ; but hunger overcame 
 all scruples, and I soon acquired quite a taste for this meat. 
 On this occasion everybody ate where they liked, in their 
 own toldos. Casimiro informed me, after the meal was con- 
 cluded, that there would be a dance in the evening. I looked 
 forward with great anticipation to this ' small and early,' 
 and shortly saw some of the women proceed to collect a con- 
 siderable quantity of firewood, which was placed outside the 
 tent. Presently, towards dusk, a fire was made, first outside 
 the sacred precincts. The women all sat down on the gi-ass 
 round about, but at some distance from the men, who were 
 all seated on the grass, except four and the musicians. The 
 orchestra consisted of a drum made by stretching a piece of 
 hide over a bowl, also a sort of wind instrument formed of 
 the thigh-bone of a guanaco, with holes bored in it, which is 
 placed to the mouth and played, or with a short bow having 
 a horsehair string. When all was ready, some of the old 
 hags all the time singing in their melodious way, the band 
 struck up, and four Indians, muffled up in blankets, so that 
 their eyes only were visible, and their heads adorned with 
 ostrich plumes, marched into the ring, and commenced 
 pacing slowly round the fire, keeping time to the music. 
 After two or three promenades, the time gradually quickened, 
 until they went at a sort of trot ; and about the fifth round, 
 dancing fast to the music, they threw away their mantles, and 
 exhibited themselves adorned with white paint daubed all over 
 their bodies, each having a girdle of bells extending from 
 the shoulder to the hip, which jingled in tune to their steps. 
 The first four consisted of the chiefs Casimiro, Orkeke, Crime, 
 and Camillo, who, after dancing with great action (just 
 avoiding stopping into the fire), and bowing their plumed 
 
 G
 
 82 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 heads grotesquely on either side to the beats of the drum, 
 retired for a short time to rest themselves, after which they 
 appeared again and danced a different step. When that was 
 over, four more appeared, and so on, until every one, including 
 the boys, had had a fling. Sometimes, to give gi-eater effect, 
 the performers carried a bunch of rushes in one hand. About 
 nine p.m., everybody having had enough, Casimiro gave the 
 sign. The band stopped playing' and all retired to bed. 
 The dancing was not ungraceful, but was rendered grotesque 
 by the absurd motions of the head. It was strictly confined 
 to the men, the women being only allowed to look on. 
 
 On the second day's march from the scene of my first 
 Indian ball we crossed a rocky ridge abounding with a de- 
 scription of vesicular lava ; the ridge ran out from the 
 southern limits of the valley and terminated in precipitous 
 cliffs, round the base of which wound the river. The surface 
 of the ridge was fissured in many places with deep chasms 
 like Alpine crevasses, on the brink of one of which my horse 
 stopped just in time to escape a fall. The caravan had gone 
 a more circuitous route to take advantage of the lowest and 
 easiest crest. On the other side of the ridge the valley sud- 
 denly spread out to the extent of several miles, and on the 
 western horizon a line of snowy peaks was visible, their 
 summits capped with clouds : this was our first view of the 
 Cordillera. The low ground was cut up by streams and 
 small lakelets of water, formed by the overflow of a • small 
 fork of the river, which glistening in the afternoon sun- 
 shine presented a beautiful silvery appearance, very refi'esh- 
 ing to the eye wearied with alternate gazing on withered 
 grass and black volcanic rocks. However beautiful to look 
 at, this scene would clearly prove difiicult travelling, so a 
 halt was called, and our course debated on ; ultimately it 
 was resolved to cross the river and encamp on the northern 
 bank, where the ground was higher and free fi'om floods, so 
 loads were carefully adjusted, and children transferred to the 
 arms of the men, to give the women more freedom of action;
 
 THE RIO ClIICO. 83 
 
 baggage-horses were also taken in tow by the young men, 
 and Casimiro and another vohmteering to lead the van and 
 act as pilots, we proceeded to make our way to the river-bank, 
 which rose by a gradual elevation from the lower inundated 
 plain. After much floundering about in water-holes, and 
 various spills, which caused great merriment, especially when 
 Mrs, Orkeke and all her gear came down by the run, an iron 
 kettle of which she was very proud clattering down so as to 
 frighten several of the horses into what threatened to become 
 a general stampede, the bank was safely reached ; the river 
 was swollen high, and its rapid current running six or seven 
 miles an hour, was bringing down huge sharp -edged masses 
 of ice. It seemed almost impossible for the women and 
 baggage animals to cross. However, Orkeke, taking a long 
 pole to sound with, led the way, and by watching their 
 opportunity to dodge the floating ice, which cut the horses' 
 and riders' legs cruelly, all got safely over. A wilder 
 scene could hardly be imagined — dogs howling on the bank 
 fearing to pass, women singing out to theii* various friends 
 and relations, and here and there an adventurous Indian, 
 who scorned to go by the ford with the rest, disappearing 
 for a second in the river, horse and all, but ultimately 
 emerging some distance down the stream. The water was 
 bitterly cold, as may be imagined, and the piercing wind be- 
 numbed our dripping bodies ; so on arriving at the north bank, 
 where there were some small sandy hillocks, we kindled a large 
 fire, and had a warm and a smoke whilst the women were 
 employed pitching the toldos. It had been decided to remain 
 here some days and then proceed to the vicinity of the Cordil- 
 lera for the purpose of catching wild horses. But, as will be 
 seen shortly, ' L'homme propose et Dieu dispose.' Looking 
 up towards the Cordillera from our encampment, the valley 
 appeared to expand a few miles up into one immense plain, 
 and the Indians informed me that before reaching the moun- 
 tains there is a great drop or basin where the wild horses are 
 found. This was probably, at the period of our visit, a vast
 
 84 ^T HOME WITH the patagonians. 
 
 sheet of water from the melting snows. Lake Viedma lies 
 some miles to the southward from the head of the valley, 
 and I should he inclined to think that the course of the Rio 
 Chico, which undoubtedly flows from it, would be found to 
 come from the south to north, and bend easterly at the head 
 of the valley, where it unites the numerous streams as 
 described by Viedma in his journey in 1580. I am also in- 
 clined to think that Viedma being taken twice across the 
 Rio Chico mistook the river at the second crossing for 
 another, which he has marked as the Chalia, a name, by 
 the way, unknown to the Indians, save as applied to an un- 
 savoui-y parasite only too common among them. The follow- 
 ing morning, September 2, we were sitting quietly round 
 the fire discussing a breakfast of boiled ostrich prepared by 
 the lady of the house, when suddenly the clash of knives 
 was heard, and we saw two Indians, destitute of mantles, 
 with naked swords in their hands, run across from CamiUo's 
 to Crime's toldo. In a minute everything was in an uproar ; 
 arms were produced, guns and revolvers loaded, and some of 
 the Indians equipped themselves in coats of mail, and others, 
 with the assistance of the women, padded themselves about 
 the chest and upper part of the body with thick blankets 
 and corconiUas or saddle-cloths. Knowing what was about 
 to happen, the women, and with them all the Chilian de- 
 serters, except one, beat a retreat to a safe distance from 
 the toldos. Having assumed my arms, and feeling thoroughly 
 mystified as to the real cause of this excitement, I went to 
 Camillo's toldo, where the scene explained itself. He was 
 Ijing on his bed dead, with a frightful gash in his side, 
 having been murdered by Cuastro, one of the Indians whom 
 we had seen running to Crime's tents. On issuing from the 
 toldo Casimiro met me, and asked for a revolver, as he had 
 no firearms, and I lent him one accordingly. The Indians 
 showed by their changed countenance all the fur}' of fight ; 
 their very complexions seemed ghastly, and then- eyes glared 
 and rolled, seeming to see blood. The two opposing parties.
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 85 
 
 the Southern Indians — friends of Crime, who was a cousin 
 of Cuastro — and Orkeke's and Casimiro's people, or the 
 Northern party, were soon ranged in open line at some 
 twenty yards distance from each other. Cuastro was con- 
 spicuous by his tunic or ' buff coat ' of hide studded with 
 silver, while his only weapon was a single sword or rapier. 
 The fight commenced with an in-egular discharge of guns 
 and revolvers, which lasted a few minutes, till some of the 
 Northern or Orkeke's Indians, led by Casimiro, closed up, 
 and a hand-to-hand contest with swords and lances took 
 place, resulting in the death of Cuastro and the severe 
 wounding of two or three Southern Indians. The Northerns 
 then drew off to reload, and were about to renew the action, 
 when Tankelow proposed a truce, which was accepted on the 
 understanding that both parties were to march at once in 
 the same direction. The women and children were then 
 recalled from the bushes whither they had retired, the horses 
 brought up, and the dead buried. The Tehuelches' lance is 
 entirely diflerent to that of the Araucanos or Pampas, and is 
 only used when fighting on foot ; it consists of a heavy shaft 
 eighteen feet in length, at the extremity of which a blade 
 is fixed about eighteen inches long, constituting a most 
 formidable weapon in the hands of an expert Indian. 
 Cayuke, whom I have before mentioned, in this fight was 
 armed with the lance, and ran Cuastro through the body, 
 although protected by his mail and endeavouring to parry 
 the point with a sword. This Cuastro was a brave man ; 
 when dying, with several bullets in his body, and several 
 lance thrusts, he sprang up to his full height and called out, 
 ' I die as I have lived — no cacique orders me ; ' his wife 
 then rushed up to him crying and sobbing, but he fell do^vn 
 dead at the same moment. Casimiro had a narrow escape ; 
 he parried a blow of a sword with what may be termed the 
 slack part of his mantle, but if the blow had caught him on 
 the head, as intended, it would have ended his career then 
 and there. The casualties were a wound in Crime's leg, and
 
 86 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 a lance thrust clean through the thigh of Hummums, a young 
 Indian, who seemed to care very Uttle about it. The fight 
 originated out of a vendetta between Cuastro and Camillo, 
 the latter having some years before caused the death of a 
 member of the family of the former, who had on a previous 
 occasion endeavoured to avenge it on Camillo, and he 
 had only attached himself to our party, in company with 
 Crime, in order to obtain an opportunity of assassinating 
 Camillo. This Cuastro had been suspected on good grounds of 
 making away with Mendoza, the Argentine sent from Buenos 
 Ayres in company with Casimiro, and who mysteriously 
 disappeared ; and he had certainly, when under the influence 
 of rum, at Santa Cruz, murdered his own wife Juana, a 
 daughter of Casimiro, so that brave as he was he had richly 
 deserved the fate he met with. 
 
 After the obsequies of the dead had been humedly per- 
 formed — a description of which is reserved for another place 
 — the tents were struck, and all marched off, the men re- 
 maining armed, and each party travelling separately. Cayuke 
 was sent back some miles to ascertain if there were any signs 
 of the other Southern Indians, who were half expected to 
 overtake us ; but he returned some hours later with no intel- 
 ligence. We marched a few miles up the valley, rather 
 coasting the northern hills, and encamped by a most beautiful 
 circular spring, the water bubbling up through pure white 
 sand and forming a tiny brook, while little fishes darted 
 across in the basin. The Indians still remained with arms 
 ready to hand — were very silent and ate nothing. Several 
 of the Northerns came into our toldo towards evening, and 
 remained a long time conversing by the embers of the fire, 
 and ever and anon one of the widows of the deceased would 
 break out into a wail of lamentation, sobbing in the most 
 dismal and melancholy manner, the lament at times being 
 taken up by some of the older hags. 
 
 On the following day Crime sent for me to dress his leg, 
 imagining, of course, that I undertook surgery; so I washed
 
 THE RIO CIIICO. 87 
 
 the wound and bandaged it with cold water bandages, which 
 appeared to be successful, as in a few days it inconvenienced 
 him but little. Thence proceeding to Casimiro's toldo — the 
 smallest I ever saw — I got him to cover my saddle with a 
 guanaco skin I had obtained on the road. The children ap- 
 peared to be the only members of the party unaffected by the 
 prevailing gloom. They had found a snow-bank in a nook, and 
 amused themselves sliding down it on a bit of wood d la Russe. 
 This evening things looked very black again. A consultation 
 was held in Orkeke's toldo, and although it was carried on in 
 a low tone, and I was little conversant with the Tehuelche 
 tongue, I heard my name frequently mentioned in connection 
 with a revolver, and also the Chilians. I was much puzzled 
 at what was going on, but as Mrs. Orkeke brought me some 
 supper in the most gracious and smiling manner, did not 
 trouble myself more than to overhaul my arms quietly, and 
 see they were ready for use. I subsequently found out that 
 a plot had been set on foot amongst the Chilians to rise, rob, 
 and murder the Indians, and escape with the horses. Some, 
 however, my informant among the number, refused to join. 
 The Indians, who are naturally quick- sighted, had conceived 
 a suspicion that all was not right, and were debating whether 
 it would not be better to kill the Chilians at once, before 
 they became more troublesome ; but Casimiro prevailed on 
 them to let them remain until they did something to 
 necessitate their destruction ; and so they escaped for the 
 present. 
 
 September 5th, at an early hour, we were awoke by 
 Orkeke's marching harangue ; and after coasting the hills 
 bordering the valley for a few miles, bade adieu to the valley 
 of the Rio Chico, and struck into a gorge of the northern 
 hills, leading into an uneven valley lying between low irre- 
 gular hills of decomposed lava, which we followed, passing 
 several small lagoons in the lower hollows, around which 
 there was invariably a yellow description of clay. The hills 
 were everywhere covered with scrub, and presented a wild,
 
 88 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 bleak appearance, the grey rocks only appearing now and 
 then. After some hours" travelling through ^this dismal dis- 
 trict in a north-west course, we emerged on a large plain at 
 the western side, bounded by a range of hills 1,000 feet high, 
 forming a spur of the Cordillera. The weather was stormy, 
 and we could only catch occasional glimpses, through the 
 driving clouds and snow-storms, of the loftier peaks of the 
 more distant mountains. Our expedition in search of wild 
 horses was, of course, after the recent trouble, abandoned ; 
 and forced marches, to escape the Southern Indians, in the 
 event of their following from Santa Cruz, were the order of 
 the day. Hunting, however, was resumed by the unwounded, 
 and several ostriches were caught during the day. Towards 
 evening the encampment was fixed near a lagoon, the enwons 
 of which were barren, and destitute of anything except a 
 small low shrub which served as firewood. Although the 
 wind was northerly, it was bitterly cold ; and as I had for 
 some days past adopted the native costume — keeping my 
 ' store clothes ' stowed away under charge of Mrs. Orkeke — 
 I felt it exceedingly. The 6th, 7th, and 8th of September were 
 occupied in making forced marches northward, accompanied 
 by the usual hunting ; and although both parties continued 
 armed, and appeared to be rather suspicious of each other, 
 things went on pretty smoothly. The country traversed on 
 the 6th and 7th was a large arid plain, dotted with a few 
 stunted shrubs, enclosed by the before-mentioned spur of the 
 Cordillera on the western side, and on the east by a low 
 range of sandy-looking hills. The whole of this plain was 
 strewn with small pebbles of porphyry, quartz, silicia, and 
 obsidian ; also with small pieces of silicified wood. On the 
 8th we crossed the spur by a pass walled on either hand Avith 
 rocks of vesicular lava. Here we halted for a quarter of an 
 hour, and every one broke ofi" pieces of stone suitable for 
 making hand-balls for bolas. The descent on the western 
 side was no easy matter, the declivity being strewn with 
 large masses of rock and loose boulders, and the wind blow-
 
 THE RIO CIIICO. 89 
 
 ing bitterly cold, and with such force that some of the 
 women's horses could hardly face it. Ultimately all managed 
 to reach a spacious elevated pampa, on the western side of 
 which, some fifteen leagues oft", rose the Cordillera of the 
 Andes. In the pass I observed several large pieces of 
 obsidian, so clear and peculiarly round-shaped that I at 
 first imagined that a demijohn had been carried thither by 
 some previous party and broken. Of this the women gathered 
 some pieces, to serve as scrapers for cleaning guanaco skins. 
 We traversed the usual barren high pampa — interspersed with 
 low shrubs, coarse grass, and here and there an incense bush 
 of considerable size, which aflbrded a moment's shelter from 
 the cutting wind — for some distance, till we at length reached 
 a clifi", below which lay a grassy plain, watered by a small, 
 rapid stream. About thirty miles in the background were 
 visible the lofty mountains of the Cordillera. The inviting 
 appearance of the pasture determined us to remain for a 
 couple of days to rest the horses, after the unusually long 
 marches of the preceding days. The following day was 
 occupied chiefly in making hand-balls for bolas from the soft 
 porous stone obtained in the rocky pass. Towards noon a 
 frightful gale of wind sprang up, which blew do-\\Ti most of 
 the toldos ; but ours, thanks to the strength of arm of Mrs, 
 Orkeke, who had securely fixed the poles, remained firm, 
 only one or two of the poles being broken. The river, here 
 flowing in an eastward direction, was the first stream met 
 with since leaving the valley of the Rio Chico. In the 
 descent to it, the bench formation, although recognisable, 
 was not so much marked as in many of the other rivers. 
 After two days' rest we resumed our journey ; and having 
 traversed the grassy valley for, perhaps, a mile, ascended a 
 Blight ridge to a higher plain of the usual sterile nature, in 
 which the first ostrich eggs met with were found. Our 
 course was directed nearly north-west, to a range of hills 
 800 feet in height ; on their summit was a plateau strewn 
 with large stones and rocks.
 
 90 AT UOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 We formed another hunt, in which numerous ostriches and 
 several pumas were killed. From the western side of the 
 plateau we overlooked a large plain, extending to the imme- 
 diate vicinity of the mountains, but near the side of which 
 there appeared to be a cutting or steep descent, just like a 
 railway embankment. As it had been announced in the 
 ^acique's address that we were to encamp near a spring on 
 the eastern side, and I had killed an ostrich, which, after 
 giving a sharp run of half a mile, had been turned by the 
 cavalcade of women, I proceeded in company with Casimiro 
 and another to have some dinner. We accordingly selected 
 a bush, cooked and ate our bird, and at the conclusion of our 
 meal mounted and proceeded to where we expected to find 
 the encampment. But, arriving at the spot, we found 
 nobody, and looking over the plain we caught a glimpse of a 
 belated woman just vanishing down the cutting above men- 
 tioned. We accordingly followed, and an hour's gallop 
 brought us up with the remainder. The sun had set, but 
 the light of a young moon enabled us to make our way to the 
 second bench. I may say the formation altogether much 
 resembled that of the river Cuheyli ; but the river which 
 flowed in this valley was of small size, although, as we found, 
 the banks were boggy and almost impracticable. The moon 
 had by this time set, and after a considerable deal of con- 
 fusion in the dark, all got across, and night being far advanced 
 encamped about a mile to the northward. When dayhght 
 enabled us to examine the locality, we found om-selves in a 
 valley walled in by lofty abrupt cliffs on both sides, while a 
 stream — bordered by marshes, containing numerous snipe 
 and teal — flowed swiftly down the centre of the glen. To 
 the north the valley appeared to bend westwards, so having 
 nothing to do, I strolled up to the turn and found that the 
 high 0112*8 ceased, and were replaced by the ordinary steep 
 barrancas, covered from the top to the bottom with incense- 
 bushes. The valley nowhere exceeded a mile in width, and 
 the gloom and oppressive etiect of the prison-like walls of
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 91 
 
 clifl' rendered it by no means a desirable place of abode, but 
 the pasture skirting the marsh was green and luxuriantly 
 tender. "While I was endeavouring to secure some ducks 
 and teal with the bolas, two of the Chilians came up search- 
 ing for firewood. They bitterly bewailed their lot in having 
 to work and slave for a parcel of savages, but finally forgot 
 their grievances in a slumber under a bush. Not caring to 
 be supposed to have been in their company, I returned to the 
 camp, and examined the rocks, which were difl"erent to those 
 previously observed, showing in many places granite, with 
 schistose veins, and what appeared to be a species of grey 
 marble. A stay was made in this place of some four days, 
 and would have been longer, but that on the third day some 
 of the party, chiefly boys, who bad strolled away a short dis- 
 tance, balling small birds, came in with the news that Indians 
 were coming from the south. A scout was immediately sent 
 out, horses brought up, and arms got ready. Casimu'o came 
 to me for a supply of cartridges for the revolver, saying, 
 ' Now we shall have to fight ; for. if those Southern Indians 
 beat us, they will spare neither man, woman, nor child.' 
 This was cheering news, seeing that the odds were likely to 
 be about ten to one against oui' side. However, just as we 
 were mounting, the scout returned with the news that he had 
 found no traces of Indians ; the supposed enemy being only a 
 troop of guanaco coming down to water. Cayuke, on its 
 being ascertained that there was really no danger, had one of 
 his horses killed as a thank-ofi"ering ; the meat of course 
 being distributed for food amongst his friends. There is in 
 this place, which is called by the Indians ' Amakaken,' a 
 large spherical boulder of marble, which it is the custom of 
 the Indians to try their strength by lifting. Casimiro in- 
 formed me that this stone had been there for many years, and 
 the custom was very old. It was so large and heavy that I 
 was just able to grasp it with both arms, and raise it to the 
 level of my knees, but some of the Indians managed to lift it 
 to their shoulders. The night subsequent to the false alarm,
 
 92 AT HO ME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 snow fell heavily, notwithstanding which on the following 
 day the Indians, who did not appear to feel secure, marched 
 again in a northerly direction. Before quitting this valley, 
 I was fortunate enough to find an ostrich nest with four eggs 
 in it, which we devoured later on, cooked in the ashes by the 
 simple method of placing the egg upright, with a hole broken 
 in the upper surface, through which a piece of stick is in- 
 serted to stir round the yolk and white, a little salt being 
 thrown in, and the egg turned to ensure all sides being 
 equally done ; the result being an omelette in the shell of 
 most appetising flavour, but a novice in this cookery is apt 
 to burn his fingers in turning the egg. Towards night we 
 entered a dark and gloomy gorge, winding amongst fantastic 
 and confused clifi's and peaked hills, thrown together in 
 utterly chaotic confusion, which appeared to form a barrier 
 east and west. But it was impossible accurately to dis- 
 tinguish the line, so inextricably were the heights jumbled 
 together. My powers of description are utterly inadequate 
 to convey the idea of the formless irregularity of this region 
 of rocky hills. 
 
 At a late hour we encamped in a glen, or corrie, apparently 
 without a second outlet, and walled in by frowning clifi's, 
 down the midst of which a torrent foamed in a rocky channel. 
 All the next day our march continued through a barren 
 desert of rocks, frequently intersected by deep ravines with 
 precipitous cliff's, the faces of which in many places displayed 
 beds of red and yellow ochre, visible at a great distance. 
 From some of these the women, after a scramble, replenished 
 their supplies of paint. The whole face of this district was torn 
 and tossed, as if by tremendous explosive force ; and, except 
 in some deep-lying clay bottoms, where an occasional shallow 
 lagoon was to be met ^vith, the track was waterless ; snow lay 
 on the heights and in some places on the ground traversed by 
 our march, in the course of which a number of the large ibises, 
 called in Chili bandurria (Theristicus melanopis), were seen. 
 The nature of the country rendered hunting laborious and
 
 THE RIO CHI CO. 93 
 
 useless. Tankelow, however, found an ostricli and nest, the 
 eggs from which, about thirty in number, he, according to 
 Indian custom, divided among those who came up before 
 they were removed from the nest ; among these lucky in- 
 dividuals Avas myself ; for, seeing him make to the spot, and 
 the male bird get up, and being moreover, well mounted 
 and exceedingly hungry, I was among the first arrivals. 
 Far away to the right of our track, extending thirty or forty 
 miles eastward, lies a district called by the Indians ' The 
 Devil's Country,' which, they assured me, is never entered, 
 probably from the barren and impracticable nature of the 
 surface, which seems, from description, to be even worse than 
 the wilderness traversed by us. Bejond this district there 
 is a practicable track, sometimes followed by the Indians, 
 leading northward, probably used as a route to the Chupat ; 
 but from that line to the sea the country is so impassable 
 that the Indians say it would require two years to proceed 
 by the sea-coast from Santa Cruz to the Rio Negro. The 
 existence of such tracks as these, and the desolate Travisias 
 encountered near the coast, have probably caused Patagonia 
 to be described as an ai'id, almost waterless country ; but, in 
 reality, after passing the coast barrier most of the interior 
 abounds in lagoons, springs, and frequent streams ; and, even 
 in the Travisias, the numerous wild animals met with show 
 that water exists. 
 
 Towards evening we left the snow behind us ; and de- 
 scending a lofty hill, which had bounded our view all day, 
 came to a large swelling down, from which the prospect was 
 far more encouraging. Rolling plains extended to the north 
 and north-cast, whilst the Cordillera rose like a wall on the 
 western side. This hill is called by the Indians ' God's Hill ; ' 
 and the tradition, as communicated by Casimiro, relates that 
 from this spot the Great Spii-it dispersed the animals which 
 he had made in the caverns. But some of the animals must 
 have remained behind, as, out on the lower slope of the 
 downs, two pumas were chased and killed. An hour's ride
 
 94 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 over a sandy plain brought us to a valley with a stream 
 flowing through beautifully green pastures. This was the 
 spot chosen for our encamping, and some of the women were 
 already busy planting the poles that form the skeleton of 
 the toldos ; so, turning my horse adrift, I started down to 
 the stream, and after the luxury of a bath, lay down and 
 smoked until the toldos were thoroughly arranged. The 
 following day a short march was made, in a north-west 
 direction, to a valley containing better pasture ; here it was 
 intended to give the horses much-needed repose. Mean- 
 while, however, meat fell short, so a circle was organised ; 
 my horse was too tired ; but Orkeke, seeing me standing 
 unprepared, said, ' Ask Ako (his pet dog, and adopted child, 
 and in virtue of his office the owner of several horses) to 
 lend you a horse.' As Ako had no objection I was soon 
 mounted, and started for the chase in high spirits. On our 
 previous journey we had remarked numerous tracks of what 
 appeared to be ostrich near the ground where our present 
 circle was to be formed (viz., in the direction of the Cor- 
 dillera), and all expected to find plenty of game. The circle 
 was formed, myself going as one pointsman ; and, after 
 arriving at the point, I watched anxiously for some time, but 
 the only animal that appeared was a male guanaco, which 
 as he did not see me crouched behind an incense-bush, until 
 he came within shot, I successfully balled and killed. After 
 waiting a little longer, and the Indians being moderately 
 near at hand, I changed my position a few hundred yards, 
 to a more likely spot ; but no animals appeared, so I 
 proceeded in search of Orkeke, whom I shortly discovered 
 smoking on the top of a small eminence. After the pipe 
 had been passed in silence, I asked him what he had killed. 
 ' Nothing,' was the answer ;- ' let's wait and see ; perhaps some 
 other Indian has an ostrich.' A careful survey, however, 
 failed to discover any one so lucky, although several had 
 killed guanaco. So we retired to where my dead guanaco 
 lay uncovered : at our approach two or three condors rose
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 95 
 
 heavily up ; and shortly about twenty or thirty more spread 
 their huge wings, sailed away, and perched on a neighbour- 
 ing rock. As for the guanaco, in the short half hour of my 
 absence it had been literally torn to pieces ; so, after extract- 
 ing and eating the marrow-bones, we returned to camp, on 
 our way capturing two armadillos. During the past day or 
 two the temperature had considerably risen ; the wind, though 
 westerly, was mild and genial, and the Indians affirmed that 
 farther north it would be so warm that I should require 
 some covering for the head. We found on our return that 
 Arica during our absence had gone off somewhere on foot. 
 As he had that morning asked and obtained some tobacco 
 from me, it seemed probable that he had determined to 
 attempt to make his way alone to reach civilisation at some 
 point or other. During our stay in this valley Casimiro 
 requested me to write a letter for him to the commandante 
 at the Rio Negi'o, inquiring whether the Argentine Govern- 
 ment still allowed him his ration and pay as a lieut. -colonel 
 in their service. I also v^*ote some letters to my friends, 
 but without much hope of their being ' mailed ; ' though 
 Casimiro assured me that when we joined the Northern 
 Indians they would forward them to the Araucanos, whence 
 they miyht go on by the people who went to Rio Negro to fetch 
 the chief's allowance of cattle ; remote, however, as were 
 all these contingencies, still it was a pleasure to write. We 
 quitted the valley after three days' rest, during which Arica 
 had not appeared, and he was concluded either to have fallen 
 a prey to a puma, or to have gone off on his own account. We 
 journeyed all day over a rough hilly country, encumbered with 
 large stones and occasional patches of scrub of considerable 
 height ; ostriches abounded, and large quantities of eggs 
 were found. During a long march of about thirty miles no 
 water was seen until we reached the camp at sunset, situated 
 in a canon ; but along the route an occasional patch of snow 
 sufficed to quench our thirst. As I rode along in company 
 with an Indian named ' Tchang,' he began asking me ques-
 
 96 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIAKS. 
 
 tions : first, ' Who is cacique of the English ? ' I explained 
 to him that it was Her Gracious Majesty. 'Is she married?' 
 ' She is a -widow.' ' Has she any children, and how many? 
 Has she lots of horses and mares and silver ornaments ? ' 
 And so on until I had satisfied him ; after which he rode 
 along, repeating, ' A woman cacique ! A woman cacique ! 
 Four sons and five daughters ! Lots of horses, mares, sheep, 
 and cattle ! ' On the 22nd of September we left the encamp- 
 ment in the canon about sunrise, and, mounting the ridge 
 on the north side, halted close to the grave of an Indian ; 
 the broad and high cairn of stones erected over it denoting 
 him to have been a cacique of importance, which fact was 
 communicated to me in a low whisper by Waki. Here a 
 fire was made, and a few stones added to the pile. Whilst 
 the Indians were warming themselves the sun rose, and the 
 view of the Cordillera, seen through the clear atmosphere, 
 with the sun's first rays illuminating the snow}- mountain 
 summits with a roseate flush was magnificent. We pursued 
 our route over sandy plains, crossed at intervals by shallow 
 streams of water, and halted near some lagoons in a place 
 called by the Indians ' Kinck.' 
 
 The following day we marched again, hunting as usual on 
 the way. A fat ostrich at this time of the year was a rarity, 
 but eggs abounded, and formed the main staple of food ; and 
 the armadillos were also getting into condition, and assisted to 
 furnish a repast at the camp fire. On the 27th we arrived 
 at a place named ' Gelgel,' situated on the banks of a rapid 
 river, probably that debouching at Port Desire. This was 
 the point of divergence from the northern route to Patagones 
 for any party proceeding to hunt in the western plains. 
 During our stay in Gelgel we hunted in the surrounding 
 country, and on several occasions observed columns of smoke 
 to the south, as if made by a party approaching. These at 
 last appeared nearer, and as no distinct answer was made to 
 our signal fii'es, scouts were sent out, but retui'ned vdth no 
 information, one, however, asserting that he had found the
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 97 
 
 tracks of many horses, but his known character as an in- 
 corrigible liar made his statement valueless. Still everybody 
 became at last convinced that the Northern Indians were at 
 war with the Araucanos, and consequently preparations to 
 fight were commenced. After a watchful night, all fires out, 
 and silence strictly observed, all armed, and mounting their 
 best horses, sallied out. After a while the cause of the whole 
 disturbance turned out to be Arica, who had wandered for 
 eleven days on foot, following our track, subsisting on birds' 
 eggs, and narrowly escaping the pumas, though he had been 
 more than once attacked by them in broad daylight, and had 
 killed one with his knife, his story being vouched for by the 
 boots he had contrived to manufacture out of his deceased 
 enemy's skin. He looked worn and haggard, his feet were 
 sore, and he told me that another night would have finished 
 him. The Indians, who — owing to his desertion and subse- 
 quent pursuit of us — had been kept on the alert all night, 
 without fire, and prohibited from conversing, were naturally 
 indignant, and wanted to kill him. But Casimiro and Orkeke 
 interceded for him, and he was brought back to the toldos 
 behind another horseman. Casimiro, apropos of these signal 
 fires, related to me a curious story, as follows. * Many years 
 ago, when I was quite young, I was travelling a few leagues 
 to the northward, under my mother's charge. The party 
 encamped near a large lagoon not far from the Sengel river, 
 and were occupied in hunting in the neighbourhood. On 
 several days in succession smoke was observed in different 
 directions, which approached nearer and nearer each time. 
 Being naturally supposed to be caused by the Indians, it was 
 answered, and scouts were at last sent to ascertain the cause, 
 as no messengers appeared. They returned, however, stating 
 that they could discover nothing. At the end of four days 
 an Indian, tall, gaunt, and emaciated, mounted on a very 
 thin mule, arrived in the camp, and asked for a chief whose 
 name was unknown. The stranger was taken, as is cus- 
 tomary, to the chief's toldo, and his mule turned loose ; but, 
 
 7
 
 98 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 strange to say, it never moved from the spot where it was 
 unsaddled, and the Indian during the time he remained in 
 the toldo neither ate nor drank. At the end of three days he 
 mounted his mule, which appeared as. fresh as when he 
 arrived, and rode away to the northward. On the following 
 day, whilst hunting, a sickness struck the Indians — some 
 falling dead from their horses, while others, though able to 
 return home, only survived a short time. As is usual when 
 disease breaks out, the toldos were removed to some distance 
 from each other, to escape infection, but many men, women, 
 and children died.' Of the fact that a plague or sickness 
 did cause the death of many Indians within a few days at 
 some encampment in these plains, I received further and 
 reliable confirmation, my informant, who was in the party, 
 stating that the Pampa tribe was decimated. 
 
 In the clifi"s above the river on the eastern side of our 
 encampment I observed many balls of sandstone of various 
 sizes. On breaking one in two, a piece of what seemed to 
 be ironstone formed a nucleus, around which layers of sand 
 appeared to have been aggregated. By what process these 
 balls could have been formed was to me a mystery ; but they 
 proved very handy for bolas, only requiring to be slightly 
 reduced in- size. Hunting to the westward from the encamp- 
 ment, we came across several muddy, or rather clayey bogs, 
 into one of which, when in full pursuit of an ostrich, I rode, 
 and my horse sank deep, throwing his rider a complete 
 summersault ; and with much ado I first picked up myself, 
 and then with greater difficulty extricated my horse from the 
 tenacious morass. 
 
 After Arica's return, the Chihans manifested a restless 
 spirit, and frequently asked me the direction of the Chupat 
 settlement. I replied that it lay about 150 leagues to the 
 E.N.E. from this point, as far as I could judge ; but 
 that it would be better for them to remain with the Indians, 
 and do the women's work of providing wood and water, kc, 
 than to start off into a wild and dreary pampa, where they
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 99 
 
 would inevitably starve without a knowledge of the route or 
 guides. 
 
 During our stay here I nearly fell a \actim to a matrimonial 
 entanglement. A fair young Indian, whose hair cut across 
 the forehead denoted widowhood, moreover having several 
 mares and considerable possessions, to whom I had perhaps 
 paid some slight attention, proposed that I should set up 
 toldo with her. This was quite out of my programme of the 
 journey, but inasmuch as the alliance might prove useful, as 
 well as agreeable, and feeling lonely in the absence of any par- 
 ticular friend, I half agreed; so a go-between was despatched 
 to arrange the dowry, and it was settled that I should give a 
 revolver in exchange for two horses to be provided by the 
 fair one's friends. However, the evening before the happy 
 day on which we were to have been united, the alarm came, 
 and as she belonged to the Southern Indians, I thought 
 better of giving up my arms ; so I assigned as a reason for 
 withdrawing from my bargain, that I did not wish to leave 
 my friend Orkeke's toldo. I have no doubt that her people, 
 desiring the help of my firearms, had suggested the match to 
 secure me to support their side. The lady at first was rather 
 disgusted, but soon got over it, and we remained on our 
 former friendly terms. 
 
 In this encampment two disagreements occurred between 
 Indians and their wives, which were the only matrimonial 
 squabbles that came under my notice during my wanderings 
 in their company. One occurred between Tankelow and his 
 spouse in our toldo. It began by Tankelow's striking his 
 daughter, which his wife angrily resented ; from words they 
 came to blows, and the squaw was getting rather the best of 
 it, when Mrs. Orkeke interposed with a strong arm, and 
 forcibly put a stop to the disturbance. 
 
 The following day Tankelow drove Jiis horses off" separately, 
 but towards evening a reconciliation was eff'ected. On the 
 3rd of October we left Gelgel-aik and marched west in the 
 face of a bitterly cold wind. In the hunt not less than seven
 
 100 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 pumas were killed, which were, as usual at this time, very 
 fat, and were duly boiled in the iron pots, furnishing an 
 excellent supper, the meat closely resembling boiled pork. 
 During the day seven of the Chilians were missed, and on 
 our arrival at the toldos, it transpired that they had deter- 
 mined to try and find their own way to the Chupat settle- 
 ment ; and as they had left in an underhand manner, which 
 the Indians look upon as tantamount to a declaration of war, 
 some of the people wished to pursue and kill them, but this 
 proposition was overruled by Orkeke and Casimiro. The en- 
 campment was sheltered by a hill named ' Tele,' close to a large 
 lagoon covered with waterfowl, into which flowed a beautiful 
 spring issuing from the hill ; along the margin of the clear 
 pure water grew a profusion of a sort of green cress, and at 
 sunset flights of flamingoes (Phoenicopterus tgnipallo) and 
 rose-coloured spoonbills (Platalea ajaja) came to the lagoon 
 to feed. One day's hunting was done in the surrounding 
 plain, which to the west presents several of the remarkable 
 drops, or basin-like formations described by Darwin as existing 
 on the eastern side of the Cordillera. On October 5th we 
 broke up the camp and marched in a northerly direction, until 
 a stream of considerable size was arrived at ; this some of us 
 crossed at once, although it was deep and the banks rotten and 
 unsound. The women and remainder of the party diverged to 
 a ford, old Orkeke sending one of the Chihans to take care 
 that his little dog (on whom he lavished his paternal 
 affections) did not get wet. In half an hour's time the 
 whole party — Ako included — had crossed in safety, and 
 the camp was pitched on a peninsula between this river 
 and another which joined it lower down. The united 
 streams may or may not form a tributaiy of the Chupat, as 
 the Indians disagreed on this point, some averring it to be 
 BO, others stating that the river flowed into a lai'ge lagoon. 
 The weather had changed into drizzling rain, and the wet 
 and sloppy state of the toldos was very disagreeable. It 
 did not, however, much affect our clothing, as it is easy to
 
 THE RIO CEICO. 101 
 
 dry a guanaco mantle by the fire, but care must be taken 
 only to expose the furred side to the heat, otherwise the 
 hide will become dried and apt to tear easily. ^Miilst in 
 this encampment look-outs were posted, and one came in 
 stating that he had seen smoke in a northerly direction. 
 Consequently on October 9, ha\ing rested our jaded horses, 
 which were rapidly improving in condition, from grazing on 
 the young green grass now springing abundantly in all the 
 valleys, we crossed a barren, clayey pampa, interspersed 
 with bogs and marshes at intervals, and on the 10th arrived 
 at a small range of hills, running east and west, under one of 
 which the toldos were pitched, near to another of those beau- 
 tiful circular springs which frequently occur in Patagonia ; 
 from the centre of the smooth white sand which formed the 
 bottom, the water bubbled up like hquid crystal, and silvery 
 fishes could be seen darting about in the circular basin. The 
 Indians delight in laving their hands and feet in the springs, 
 and will sit there for a long time admiring the beauty of 
 these ' eyes of the desert.' As, on our arrival, the women 
 had not yet completed the domestic arrangements, after 
 throwing the spoils of the chase oflf our saddles, a party of us 
 ascended an adjacent hill to have a look round. The day 
 was magnificent, and the sun, just setting, bathed the whole 
 counti-y in a flood of red tints. To the N.E, we observed 
 three distinct columns of smoke which the Indians averred to 
 be caused by the Chilian deserters, and were very bitter 
 against them, as they were supposed to have lost their way, 
 and to be desirous of returning again to the toldos. In this 
 place I found my compass would not act, owing, as I sup- 
 posed, to having been disabled ; but as it subsequently behaved 
 properly, its temporary derangement must have been due to 
 some local attraction. To the northward, as well as I could 
 guess the bearings, ran a long range of hills, terminating in 
 a peculiarly peaked mountain, below which the Indians 
 pointed out the trees which fringed a river — according to 
 their statements, a tributary of the Chupat. To the west
 
 102 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 extended rolling plains, which appeared to stretch away 
 into the distance, interrupting the chain of the Cordillera, 
 as though there were a depression or break in the mountains, 
 no hills of large size being visible on the horizon. Whilst 
 lying down smoking on this hill, I picked up several pieces 
 of opal and cacholong combined, and as I was idly forming 
 them into different patterns on the ground, and had ar- 
 ranged a circle resembUng a miniature Indian grave, one of 
 my companions observing what I was doing, grew very 
 angry, and said, ' That will bring ill luck,' evidently believing 
 that I was mentally compassing the death of some one by 
 witchcraft. As I had no wish to be killed, by way of pre- 
 vention of any imaginary spells, I quickly gathered up the 
 specimens, many of which were afterwards lost in the ensuing 
 journey. The Indian name for this place is Yaiken-Kaimak, 
 signifying that it is the hill whence they espy the signal 
 smoke denoting the approach of the Indians from the north. 
 We remained five days in this encampment, a general 
 uneasiness prevailing, and arms being kept ready to hand. 
 In addition to the usual hunting, under the orders of the 
 cacique, we were engaged in performing exercises on horse- 
 back ; this mounted drill being intended as a preparation in 
 case we should find the northern Tehuelches at war with the 
 Araucanos or Manzaneros Indians. The plains to the west- 
 ward abounded with guanaco, some thousands being enclosed 
 in the circle at one time. One day that I had not accompanied 
 the hunting party, I was strolling across the camp, having 
 volunteered to occupy the post of the vidette on an adjacent 
 hill, when I observed a guanaco, very tired, coming towards 
 me ; so, hiding behind a bush, I waited till he unsuspiciously 
 approached, and then rushing out, balled him with a pair of 
 ostrich bolas. As he was so close to me, his forelegs were 
 perfectly tied up, and I had not much difficulty in despatching 
 him with a blow on the head from another set of bolas. By 
 this time I had attained a tolerable dexterity in the use of the 
 bolas, and it was my invariable custom when not otherwise
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 103 
 
 employed to stroll about and practise. Besides their use, 
 my practical training had enabled me soon to acquire the 
 art of manufacturing them, and our mauy idle hours were em- 
 ployed in plaiting ostrich sinews, so that I contrived to fit up 
 an" extensive assortment, some of which I used to barter for 
 tobacco. The weather during our stay here became worse, 
 rain, sleet, and gales of wind prevailing; and the toldos, from 
 the continuous rain and the marshy nature of the gi'ound, 
 became so wet and wretched as to be almost uninhabitable, 
 so that we marched on the 16th over a level pampa — smoke 
 to the eastward being observed and duly answered during 
 the journey. We encamped at night on the north side of a 
 small rapid stream, in a place called ' Pelwecken,' situated 
 a league from the wooded river, the trees of which were 
 visible from the encampment. I here saw a new game played 
 by the Indians which resembled that known amongst school- 
 boys as ' knucklebones,' being played with small stones in 
 lieu of the bones, and heavy stakes were lost and won on 
 the chances. On Sunday, the 17th, the Indians started to 
 hunt in the vicinity of the wooded river, and Casimiro pro- 
 posed that I should accompany him to the woods to cut poles 
 for the toldos, and timber for working saddles. Orkeke, 
 however, for some reason or another, recommended me to 
 stay quietly in the toldos ; and as advice is sometimes almost 
 the same as a command, I acquiesced, although longing to 
 enjoy a close view of a tree again after so much wandering over 
 the treeless pampas. As the day was warm and fine, I strolled 
 down the river in search of the eggs of the upland goose 
 (Chloephaga magellanica), yellow-billed goose (Cyguus cos- 
 coroba), and other water fowl, and returned about two p.m. 
 with plenty of spoil. The women were superintending the 
 cooking of some of these, when one of them rushed into the 
 toldo and cried out that the Indians were returning and a 
 fight had taken place. A glance at the coming horsemen was 
 at once sufficient to convince us that she was right. Thoy 
 came galloping back by twos and threes, swords drawn,
 
 104 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 mantles hanging oflf their shoulders, and their faces glowing 
 with fury. They at once proceeded to get their guns and 
 revolvers to renew the fight. Orkeke, however, arrived and 
 made a long speech, and ultimately quiet was restored. One 
 man — a brother of Camillo — had been killed and left on the 
 pampa. The sister of the deceased was frantic at his death, 
 and, arming herself with a knife, attempted to avenge him ; 
 but she was soon stopped, disarmed and quieted. The de- 
 ceased was armed with a six-shooter, and his assailant had 
 only a sword ; one shot missed him and the next barrel missed 
 fire, whereupon he closed and ran his adversary through the 
 body. Casimiro returned shortly after the remainder, and 
 when he heard of the fight and the result, was for some time 
 eager to renew it and avenge the slain man, who was a rela- 
 tion of his own, but at last yielded to Orkeke's arguments. 
 The following day the smoke to the east appeared pretty 
 close, and, when we had marched on a little, two j'oung men 
 were despatched in its direction with private instructions 
 from Orkeke, and we proceeded to the wooded river, where 
 we luxuriated for a short time under the shade of a descrip- 
 tion of birch tree, and then forded the stream, which is of 
 considerable width and very rapid. The Indians declared 
 that it was impossible for any man to swim across the river 
 in the deeper portion below the ford, on account of some 
 ferocious beasts which they termed water tigers — ' Tigres de 
 Tagua ' — which would certainly attack and devom* any one 
 in the water. They described them as yellow quadrupeds, 
 larger than puma. It is certain that two ostriches, which, 
 being too poor for use, had been left on the bank, were foimd 
 by us next day in the shallow water, torn and half- devoured, 
 and the tracks of an animal resembling those of a large puma 
 were plainly visible leading down to the water ; but a puma 
 invariably drags its prey to a bush ; and, though jaguar 
 will take the water readily, I have never known one devour 
 its prey except on land, nor, as far as I know, are they 
 found so far south. The animal may be a species of the
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 105 
 
 large brown otter, with orange-coloured fur on the breast, 
 found in the Parana ; but the Indians' account is curious as 
 bearing on the name of the lake — 'Nahuel Huapi,' or Tigers' 
 Island. It is possible that the aguarra found in the valley of 
 the Rio Negro may also haunt these districts. They further 
 told me that stags had been seen on the banks of the river, 
 but none were heard of during our stay in the neighbour- 
 hood. A few miles below the ford the belt of trees ceases, 
 and on the southern side there is a peculiar group of what 
 seem to be square-shaped rocks, which at a distance have 
 very much the appearance of a small town regularly built and 
 walled. This is called by the Indians ' Sengel,' and was the 
 scene of a great fight between the Tehuelches and Araucanos 
 many years ago, relics of which in the shape of bones and 
 skulls still whiten the plain. After crossing the river, the 
 young men who had been sent back returned, bringing with 
 them thi'ee horses belonging to the Chilians and one man 
 of their party, who, incredible as it seems, had assisted the 
 Indians to dismount and disable his companions. The par- 
 ticulars of the fate of the others were not divulged, though 
 a story was current that some of them had managed to reach 
 the Chupat. I asked no questions, but the blood-stained 
 knife of one of the young men told its own story. This day 
 all the Indians rode on in silence, the last two days' events 
 having roused all their bad passions. I rode alone, feeling 
 that there was danger in the air, and near our halting-place 
 joined Orkeke and two others at a fireside for the purpose of 
 cooking some ostrich eggs, which we were busily discussing 
 when a messenger came to say that Casimiro was waiting to 
 see me at a spot which he indicated. I mounted and rode 
 ofi" accordingly, but had not gone far before the two bravos 
 who had been commissioned to do for the Chihans galloped 
 up, one from either side, one brandishing his sword and the 
 other swinging his bolas. I at once put spurs to my horse, 
 and my mantle flying back discovered two revolvers belted 
 round my waist underneath it. They checked their career
 
 106 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 and sang out, ' Stop ! Where are you going ? ' But, without 
 making any reply, I galloped on, being not further interfered 
 with, and soon joined my old friend. He then informed me 
 that, being utterly disgusted with the late proceedings and 
 general anarchy, he had determined to push forward by himself 
 to meet the Northern Indians, leaving his wife and children 
 under the charge of Cayuke. He therefore wanted the 
 letters which I had written for him, and my own, which he 
 undertook to forward at the same time. So I rode back to 
 the toldos for the letters, which I carried to Casimiro without 
 any one attempting to stop my way. 
 
 Having returned to the fire under the bush, I dismounted, 
 and whilst cooking another egg, gave Orkeke a piece of my 
 mind ; quietly hinting that I carried ten lives about me. 
 He assured me it was all a mistake, and had happened with- 
 out any orders from him, the young fellows only wishing to 
 try my mettle by way of joke. I replied that jokes of that 
 sort were sometimes dangerous, and the subject was mutually 
 dropped. 
 
 We encamped by the side of a stream, into which many of 
 us soon plunged to take a refreshing bath, always a favourite 
 enjoyment with the Tehuelches, who are powerful swimmers, 
 and dive well. While resting here and sporting in the water 
 a better state of feeling arose, and the mutual suspicion and 
 discord which had so long prevailed was gradually forgotten. 
 Casimiro had left, taking one of the Chilians ; and his spouse 
 told me, amid a torrent of abuse of her better-half, that he 
 had gone through fear, the other Indians having determined 
 to kill him ; and she added that he had the heart of a skunk, 
 a vulture, and an armadillo. These combined would make a 
 very nice mixture. That he was right in making his escape 
 at this particular juncture was very evident, for the next day 
 two young men were sent out, ostensibly as chasquis or 
 messengers, to look for the Northern Indians, but in reality 
 to try and overtake Casimii'o and dispose of him ; however, 
 they retui'ned without any tidings of the wily old chief.
 
 THE RIO CHICO. 107 
 
 In the range of hills described as visible from Kaimak, 
 there is a mine or vein of iron ore, about a mile due west 
 from the brook, and mai"ked by a large mass of white quartz. 
 This is used by the Indians in the manufacture of bolas, and 
 an excursion was made to it. We brought back numerous 
 pieces, some of which, now in my possession, have been 
 examined, and pronounced to be brown and magnetic ii'on 
 ore. The Indians also told me that some leagues to the east 
 of this spot a mass of iron, having, as well as could be 
 gathered from their account, the shape of a bar-shot, lies in 
 the middle of a barren plain, and is regarded by them with 
 superstitious awe. "Whether this be an aerolite, or has any 
 connection with the ore on the hill side, it was not in my 
 power to determine, for in the critical state of feeling then 
 prevalent a visit of inspection was impracticable. 
 
 On the 22ud of October we marched a few miles, always 
 following the Une of hills, and in a northerly course. Ostrich 
 eggs still formed the main staple of food, and furnished a 
 diet sufficiently nutritious, but producing all the effects of a 
 course of ' Banting.' Fortunately this day two of us killed 
 fat pumas, some steaks off which broiled, by way of variety, 
 were an acceptable addition to the evening meal ; but from 
 experience I should advise all travellers to boil their puma. 
 We encamped in a small gorge in the hills, directly under a 
 peculiarly pointed rock, which is called Yowlel, or Ship 
 Rock, from its resemblance to a ship under sail, and is 
 regarded with superstition by the Indians, who believe that 
 all who endeavour to ascend it in the calmest weather will, 
 on arriving at the summit, have their mantles blown to pieces 
 by furious gusts of wind. 
 
 The next day — a glorious morning, after a night's rain — 
 we proceeded in the same direction ; and while waiting for 
 the heavy baggage, in the shape of the women and children, 
 several of us repaired to a regular racecourse — a beaten track 
 six feet wide, extending for almost three miles, level and free 
 from stones, though rather sandy. Here we had trials of the
 
 108 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 speed of our horses to while away the interval ; and when 
 the women appeared, proceeded to the chase, over a pampa 
 formed by a bend in the range of hills. During the hunt 
 we found the carcase of a guanaco, which had been killed by 
 a puma, carefully covered up in grass and scrub. It was a 
 fat animal, such as the puma always singles out, although I 
 have read in some accounts that he follows the herds and 
 picks up the weakly ones. That this is not the case was 
 proved on various occasions, by finding the carcases left by 
 these cats, which were always those of animals in good con- 
 dition. Early in the afternoon we arrived at the encampment, 
 by the side of a small river, flowing in an easterly direction 
 from the hills. The women, with the exception of one or 
 two, were not present, and might be seen about two miles off, 
 grubbing up a description of potato which gi'ew in the neigh- 
 bouring hill side. The day was warm, and Orkeke invited 
 me to go to the top of one of the hills to see if any smoke or 
 signs of Indians were visible. We accordingly crossed the 
 stream, and while riding along the northern bank I observed 
 fish swimming lazily on the top of the water. After crossing 
 a marshy patch of ground, we ascended the hills, and dis- 
 mounting near a bank of blue earth, cHmbed on foot to the 
 summit, which was composed of a description of quartz, with 
 crystalline veins running through it. Scrambling up this 
 formation, we arrived at the top, whence we had a beautiful 
 view of the encampment and the gi'een pasture bordering the 
 stream. To the northward the view was rather shut in by 
 hills rising to a considerable elevation. Just below us 
 lay a valley, in which several guanaco and ostriches were 
 taking their evening meal. We remained here for some 
 time smoking and enjoying the face of nature generally, but 
 could discern no smoke or signs of Indians. Orkeke remai'ked 
 that the pasture had a fresher appearance lower down the 
 course of the stream, and proposed that we should inspect 
 it. We accordingly descended from our elevated position, 
 mounted, and proceeded to the valley below ; in our descent
 
 THE RIO CHI CO. 109 
 
 being lucky enough to kill a fat male ostrich, which was sit- 
 ting on a nest of twenty-four eggs. We investigated the grass, 
 which was of good quality ; and after an al jreaco meal, in 
 which we were joined by Tchang, returned to the toldos, 
 where the women had just arrived with a considerable supply 
 of potatoes. I again, on our way back, observed fish in the 
 stream, so, turning my horse adrift, proceeded to extract my 
 hooks and line from the baggage under the charge of Mrs. 
 Orkeke. After a little delay all was ready ; a piece of meat 
 supplied the place of fly as bait ; and dropping it gently into 
 the pool, I soon had a bite, and pulled out a fish about two 
 pounds weight, of the perch class, similar to that called 
 dorado in the River Plate. After half an hour's fishing I 
 landed several others as large, and as it was nearly dark, 
 returned to supper off fried fish and boiled potatoes. 
 
 I had no opportunity of seeing the plants which produced 
 these tubers, but they exactly resembled those I afterwards 
 obtained in the northern country from a plant, the feathery 
 fern-like leaf of which springs from a long slender stem. 
 The following day we shifted camp down river, to the neigh- 
 bourhood of the green pasture, and found large quantities of 
 the eggs of the upland geese, ducks, &c. In the neigh- 
 bourhood one lonely tree grew by the side of the stream, 
 although the banks were lined with driftwood, probably car- 
 ried down by the wooded slopes of the Cordillera, ten miles 
 farther west, during floods. This day, smoke having been dis- 
 tinctly seen to the northward, Hummums was despatched to 
 ascertain whether it were a signal from the much-looked-for 
 Northern Indians. Three days subsequently, about nine in 
 the evening, whilst I was lying dreaming of home, and had 
 just — in dreamland — taken a glass of sherry, Orkeke woke 
 me up with the intelligence that fires were to be seen to the 
 north, which were no doubt caused bj^ the ' chasqui ' or mes- 
 senger previously despatched. In about three hours' time 
 — somewhere about midnight — Casimiro, Hummums, and 
 another Indian rode into the camp, and our toldo was soon
 
 110 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 crowded to hear the news from our chasqui, who stated that 
 the Northern Indians were in the wild cattle district, where 
 they had killed several animals ; they were also well pro- 
 vided with tobacco and other necessaries from the Rio Negro, 
 where they had been for trading purposes in August, and 
 they would welcome oui' party, provided that they came in a 
 friendly spirit. The following morning we had a great con- 
 sultation in Crime's toldo, at which it was determined that 
 all quarrels should be forgotten, and that we should march 
 at once to effect a junction with the other Indians. This 
 having been resolved on, all marched in an easterly direction 
 to an encampment situated on the borders of the same 
 stream, and under a range of hills called ' Appleykaik.' Hexe 
 we remained three days ; and smoke not previously accounted 
 for having been observed to the east, two scouts were sent 
 out to ascertain the cause, but returned without intelUgence. 
 We spent our time, as usual, in hunting, or bathing in the 
 river ; and on October 31 marched again, and had not gone 
 very far, in a north-east direction, before Tankelow — who 
 had started earlier than the rest, and constituted himself a 
 corps cC observation — appeared, with a strange Indian of the 
 Pampa tribe, who stated that his companions were on their 
 way to join the Northern Indians. They had come from the 
 neighbourhood of the Chupat colony, and were, as far as I 
 could make out, mixed Pampas and Tehuelches, It was 
 agreed that they should join us and the others at a placfr 
 called ' Henno,' to which we were at present marching. 
 We continued our route after this slight interruption, and 
 encamped for the night near the banks of a small stream. 
 The weather had entirely changed, the wind blowing bitterly 
 from the south-west, with squalls of sleet, hail, and snow ; 
 and but few of the party found it agreeable to take the evening 
 bath. Casimiro was in high spirits, as many of the Northern 
 Indians were relations of his, and he Avas to be invested with 
 the supreme command — in prospect of which he had already 
 received presents of horses, and was looking forward to the
 
 THE RIO CHI CO. Ill 
 
 consultation of the chief, which, he assured me, would have 
 to be conducted with great pomp. During our talk, Casimiro 
 narrated all his adventures after quitting the toldos. He 
 had travelled so fast, knowing that he would probably be 
 pursued, that on the fifth day his horse broke down, as for 
 two days previous he had seen smoke from some encampment 
 to which he was by this time close, though he was uncertain 
 whether it was that of his friends or not. He left his Chilian 
 companion, and proceeded to an eminence to reconnoitre. 
 During his absense the Chilian fell asleep ; the grass caught 
 tire and surrounded the sleeping man. The Indians — Hin- 
 chel's people — attracted by the smoke, came down and res- 
 cued him, all his clothes having been burned off and his body 
 severely scorched. Having heard his story, Hinchel at once 
 sent a party to search for Casimiro. When the latter saw 
 the five mounted Indians approaching, wrapped in their 
 ponchos, he was uncertain if they were Araucanos or Tehuel- 
 ches, and drew his revolver, prepared to pick them off in 
 detail ; but soon, to his great relief, he recognised in the 
 leader a relation of his own. He also told me that when 
 Hummums, our chasqui, arrived, he was entertained by some 
 friend of his own, to whom, in the evening, he boasted 
 that he and his friends had killed all the Christians in 
 their camp. This story was at once carried to Hinchel 
 and Casimiro, who inquired if ' Muster ' had also been 
 killed ; to which the tale-bearer unhesitatingly replied that 
 he had. Hinchel, who had previously heard all about 
 the English \-isitor from Casimiro, was furious at what he 
 considered a grave breach of hospitality, and issued orders 
 forthwith to apprehend the chasqui, and to mount and make 
 ready to avenge my supposed death by killing Orkeke and 
 all his party. Hummums, however, when interrogated as a 
 prisoner, in great terror declared that ' Muster ' was safe, 
 and that no one had any idea of killing him, and then the 
 storm blew over. But this account, which was confirmed by 
 the report of the chasqui, accidently overheard by myseli",
 
 112 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 prepared me to meet Hinchel with feelings of friendliness 
 towards a chief who had evinced so keen a sense of the care 
 to be taken of a stranger who had confided himself to Indian 
 hospitality ; and the impression of this chief's character 
 then formed, was fully confirmed on further acquaintance 
 Avith him. 
 
 The two following days our route lay through a succession 
 of rather barren valleys, bordered by ranges of high hills, 
 everywhere strewn with rocks and boulders, and having a 
 very gaunt and weird appearance. The valleys generally 
 contained good pasture on either the northern or southern 
 side of the streams which flowed down eveiy one ; but away 
 from the vicinity of the water the soil was sandy, with low 
 bushes scattered here and there. 
 
 On November 2, about two "p.m., we arrived at a pass 
 or gorge above the rendezvous at Henno. The view of 
 the valley below was very refreshing ; green grassy plains 
 stretched for some miles, "odth a beautiful silvery stream run- 
 ning down the centre. But, much to our disappointment, 
 no signs of Indians were visible ; so we descended, and after 
 bathing in a pool, and waiting until the toldos were pitched, 
 lighted a big signal fire, which was shortly answered to the 
 westward, and a messenger was immediately despatched who 
 returned towards nightfall with the intelligence that the ex- 
 pected people would arrive next day ; and we had to recon- 
 cile ourselves to another night of anxiety, being not at all 
 certain as to the reception to be expected from the new 
 comers.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HENNOKAIK TO TECKEL. 
 
 Ceremonial of Welcome — Hinchel's Indians — Tehuelches and Araucanos 
 — Jackechan and the Chupat Tribe — My Examination — Encampment 
 at Heuno — Peaceful Occupations — The Oldest Inhabitant — Chiriq — 
 The Hidden Cities — Modern Legends — Mysteries of the Cordillera — 
 Los Cesares — La Ciudad Encantada — Its WTiereabouts — The Indian 
 Cesares — The Guanaco — The Patagonian Ostrich — Neighbourhood of 
 Chiriq — Horseracing — Indian Horses — Indian Dogs — Dog and Lover 
 — Plaiting Sinews — Windy Hill — Surrounded by Fire — Young Gua- 
 naco — Arrival of Grog — News from Santa Cniz — Gisk — Romantic 
 Scenery — A Pleasant Neighbourhood — Fairy Glen — Breaking a Hoi-se 
 —Female Curiosity— The Wild Cattle Country— The Forests of the 
 Cordillera — The Watershed — Among the Mountains — Wild Flowers 
 —A Bull Fight— The Bull Victorious— No Christmas Beef— Teckel 
 — Change of Quarters. 
 
 AS we were whiling away the next forenoon in fishing and 
 disporting ourselves generally in the water, smoke was 
 described at various points to the westward, and about two 
 P.M., the head of the heavy column of women, children, and 
 innumerable horses came into view on the northern side of the 
 valley. All instantly repaired to the toldos, accoutred our- 
 selves, and got up the horses in preparation for the arrival of 
 the visitors ; the meeting of any number of Indians after a 
 separation being recognised as an affair of considerable im- 
 portance. Shortly after our horses were caught and saddled, 
 and, indeed, before some of our party were ready, the men 
 who had been hunting en route appeared, and the ceremonial 
 of welcome was duly observed. 
 
 8
 
 114 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 Both parties, fully armed, dressed in their best, and 
 mounted on their best horses, formed into opposite lines. 
 
 The Northern Indiana presented the gayest appearance, 
 displaying flannel shirts, ponchos, and a great show of silver 
 spurs and ornamental bridles. The chiefs then rode up and 
 down, dressing the ranks and haranguing their men, who 
 kept up a continual shouting of ' Wap, Wap, "Wap." I fell in 
 as a private, though Casimiro had vainly endeavoured to 
 induce me to act as ' Capitanejo ' or officer of a party. 
 The Buenos Ayrean colours were proudly displayed on our 
 side, while the Northerns carried a white weft, their ranks 
 presenting a much better drilled aspect than our ill- 
 disciplined forces. Messengers or hostages were then ex- 
 changed, each side deputing a son or brother of the chief for 
 that pm-pose ; and the new comers advanced, formed into 
 columns of threes, and rode round our ranks, firing their 
 guns and revolvers, shouting and brandishing their swords 
 and bolas. After galloping round at full speed two or three 
 times, they opened ranks, and charged out as if attacking an 
 enemy, shouting ' Koue ' at every blow or thrust. The object 
 of attack was supposed to be the ' Gualichu ' or demon, and 
 certainly the demon of discord had need to be exorcised. 
 Hinchel's party then halted and reformed their line, while 
 we, in our turn, executed the same manoeuvres. Afterwards 
 the caciques advanced and formally shook hands, making, 
 each in turn, long and complimentary speeches. This was 
 repeated several times, the etiquette being to answer only 
 ' Ahon,' or Yes, until the third repetition, Avhen all begin to 
 talk, and formality is gradually laid aside. It was rather a 
 surprise to find etiquette so rigorously insisted on, but these 
 so-called savages are as punctilious in observing the proper 
 forms as if they were Spanish corn-tiers. 
 
 These northern Tehuelches, under the command of Hinchel, 
 usually frequent the country lying between the Rio Negro 
 and the River Sengel, and once a year, about July, visit the 
 settlement of Patagones, where their stay is generally short,
 
 HENNOKAIK TO TEC K EL. 115 
 
 only sufficient for them to barter their furs and feathers, and 
 for the chiefs at the same time to receive their rations of 
 mares, cattle, ponchos, yerba, tobacco, &c., allowed by tlie 
 Government of Buenos Ayres. By the time we met them in 
 November they had little to show of the gains of their 
 August visit to Rio Negro except a few mares and gay- 
 coloured ponchos. Hinchel, however, owned two or three 
 head of cattle which were said to have been caught at the 
 head of the Chupat valley, being supposed to be stray cattle 
 belonging to the Welsh settlers. Some of the Indians had still 
 also a little yerba left, and tobacco in plenty ; and on the occa- 
 Bion of the welcome many were dressed in coloured ponchos, 
 chiripas, and some in leathern boots. With arms they were 
 passably Avell provided, guns and revolvers being in propor- 
 tion of about one to four men. During the time that we 
 were occupied in the ceremony the women of the newly- 
 arrived party busied themselves in pitching their toldos ; and 
 shortly after we had returned to our camp, which was a 
 little apart from that of the new comers, and appeared very 
 small and insignificant when contrasted with theirs, the 
 cacique came over, and presented mares, horses, and other 
 gifts to the chiefs of our party ; and a grand feast was 
 celebrated in our toldos. Many of the new comers rode 
 over, two or sometimes three mounted on one horse, and 
 would, if not acquainted with the inmates, stop in front of a 
 toldo and look in for a few minutes, then ride on to another, 
 and so on. As these were mostly young men, their real 
 object was probably to reconnoitre the young ladies. One, 
 however, who, though undistinguishablo from the Indians in 
 appearance, and who looked like an Araucano, but was 
 really by birth a Spaniard, having been carried off" in his 
 childhood from a settlement, brought over a pack of cards, 
 and some of our party were soon deep in a game of sietc, at 
 which the stranger being a proficient, soon cleared them out 
 completely. 
 
 Ne:xt day I paid a visit to Hinchcl. He spoke no Spanish,
 
 116 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 but he managed to converse, and he asked me if the Southern 
 Tehuelches were not a queer lot, for he had heard that they 
 killed men as readily as they would guanaco. From what 
 casimiro had reported, I was already inclined to respect this 
 cacique, who had expressed such readiness to protect or 
 avenge a guest of the Indians, and closer acquaintance only 
 strengthened my regard for him. He was a fine-looking 
 man, with a pleasant, intelligent countenance, which was not 
 belied by his disposition. He never, to my knowledge, ex- 
 ceeded sobriety, and was good-humoured and self-possessed ; 
 though if once roused to fight, his resolute and determined 
 courage was well known. He was skilled at all sorts of 
 handicraft, and was always busily employed. He was 
 generous to a fault — ready to give away everything if asked 
 for it, and often without the asking. His great weakness 
 was an inveterate fondness for gambling, which, together 
 with his lavish good-nature, eventually impoverished him 
 greatly. At his request, I informed Casimu'o and Orkeke 
 that he desu-ed to hold a parlemento. Accordingly, the 
 chiefs all proceeded to a place agreed upon between the two 
 camps, where they took their seats in a circle on the grass. 
 After various harangues from Hinehel and others, it was 
 resolved that Casimu'o should be elected chief in command 
 of the Tehuelches ; and that after the expu'ation of the young 
 guanaco season, all present, together with those expected 
 from the neighbourhood of the Chupat, should proceed to a 
 place called Teckel, and thence march to Las Manzanas, to 
 unite there with the Ai-aueauian Indians, some of whom had 
 already communicated with us, and had promised to fom-ard 
 my letters, vid Las Manzanas, to Rio Negro. 
 
 The relations between the Tehuelches or Tsonecas of Pata- 
 gonia and the Ai"aucaniau Indians of Las Manzanas had been 
 previously by no means of a pacific nature. It has been 
 already mentioned that near the Sengel we passed the scene 
 of a fierce battle between them. Tankelow bore still the 
 scars of seven lance wounds received in a battle when he was
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 117 
 
 left for dead on the field. On the same occasion Orkeke was 
 taken prisoner, but, although mutilated, succeeded eventually 
 in effecting his escape. Casimiro's father also became a pri- 
 soner in an unsuccessful assault on an Araucanian strong- 
 hold. After two or three years' captivity he succeeded, with 
 two of his comrades, in escaping, and while hurrying to re- 
 join the Tehuelches in the vicinity of Geylum, met with a 
 solitary Araucanian. He seeing a fire, approached unsuspi- 
 cious of danger, and was welcomed and invited to smoke; 
 they then seized him, stripped and bound him hand and foot, 
 and left him lying on the pampa, a helpless prey to the con- 
 dors and pumas. The two fugitives, having thus gratified 
 their desue for vengeance, succeeded in rejoining their own 
 people, and organised an attack on the Araucanos, in which 
 Casimiro's father was killed. Some wonderful feats of 
 valour were described to me as having been achieved by the 
 Tehuelches ; but in fact the Manzaneros proved themselves 
 the superior warriors, and even at the time of our visit to 
 them had Tehuelche slaves. The powerful cacique Lenque- 
 trou succeeded in healing the old feuds, and united all 
 the Indians under his leadership. He was treacherously 
 killed by an Argentine officer at Bahia Blanca during the 
 peace between the Indians and the Christians, and after his 
 death the old quarrels broke out afresh. Casimiro's diplo- 
 macy, however, succeeded during the time of my visit in con- 
 ciliating all parties, and the result appeared in the amicable 
 arrangements concluded at the parlemento, and afterwards 
 successfully carried out. Had it not been for this, my journey 
 to Las Manzanas, and thence to the Rio Negro, would have 
 been dangerous, if not altogether impossible. 
 
 Two days after the arrival of the Northern party the 
 Indians from the Chupat came in, and were duly welcomed 
 by our united forces, the ceremonial on this occasion pre- 
 senting a very animated scene. They number between 
 seventy and eighty men, with women and children, occupying 
 about twenty toldos. Most of them were young men of
 
 118 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 Parnpa, or mixed Pampa and Tehuelche blood, but there 
 were a few pure Tehuelches in their ranks, the chief being 
 a Pampa named ' Jackechan,' or Juan. As I watched them 
 drawn up, or careering round us during the welcome, they 
 appeared to present a different type from that of my first 
 friends, being generally shorter, though as muscular, and 
 even apparently more broadly built, with complexions lighter, 
 and their dress and persons smarter and cleaner. They were 
 all well armed with lances and firearms, and were evidently 
 kept well in hand by the chief. Their range of country lay 
 between the same limits as that of Hinchel's people, but 
 they habitually seemed to have kept more to the sea-coast, 
 where many of them had been accustomed to visit the Welsh 
 colony at the Chupat for trade, and in their opinion, as after- 
 wards expressed to me, the honest Welsh colonists were 
 much pleasanter and safer to deal with than ' the Christians ' 
 of the Rio Negro. They seemed to have been especially 
 impressed with the size and excellence of the home-made 
 loaves, one of which would be given in return for half a 
 guanaco, and Jackechan often expatiated on the liberahty of 
 the colonist and the goodness of their bread. These men 
 also felt strongly the kindness with which an Indian, if over- 
 taken with rum, would be covered up or carried into an out- 
 house by the Chupat people ; whereas at the Rio Negro the 
 only attention paid to him would be to strip and plunder him 
 completely. During the afternoon the chief, Jackechan, sent 
 a request to the ' Englishman ' to pay him a visit, so I re- 
 paired to his toldo, and was courteously received by him. 
 He wore a beautifully-wrought silver chain, with a medallion 
 of the Madonna suspended to it, of which he seemed par- 
 donably proud. Having been invited to take a seat, and the 
 pipe having been duly passed round, it became evident that 
 I was to be tested as to my real claims to the character of an 
 Englishman. Jackechan, during his \-isit to the Chupat, 
 had become acquainted with Mr. Lewis Jones, the Director of 
 the colony, and so had learned the name of the Queen of
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 110 
 
 England, &c., and he proceeded to interrogate me accord- 
 ingly. I found him to be a most intelligent Indian, speaking 
 Spanish, Pampa, and Tehuelchc fluently ; and our acquaint- 
 ance thus commenced ripened into a strong mutual friend- 
 ship. My answers proving quite satisfactory, he was 
 evidently much pleased, and ordered his wife to produce 
 cofi'ee, a little of which he had still remaining fi'om his store 
 procured at Chupat. While discussing this luxury, we had 
 a long conversation on various topics, and he produced a 
 photograph of Mr. Jones and some letters, one being an 
 order for a ration of animals, mares and cattle, from the 
 Argentine Government. He stated that he had not visited 
 Patagones for some years, on account of a fight that had 
 taken place, but would perhaps now accompany our party. 
 Whilst conversing, his son, a boy of some twelve years of 
 age, came in and startled me by his unlikeness to the other 
 Indian boys, for his brown hair and eyes and fair complexion 
 might easily have caused one to take him for an English 
 boy. His mother was not present, as, for domestic reasons, 
 Jackechan had parted with her ; but I subsequently saw her, 
 and she, although a handsome woman, had no European traits 
 about her except that of having quarrelled with her husband. 
 The following day was spent in a second parlemento — or, as 
 the Indians call it, ' aix ' — and all agi'eed to place themselves 
 under the orders of Casimiro, for the purpose of protecting 
 Patagones in the possible event of an invasion by the Indians 
 of Rouke, or ' Calficura,' from the country north of Rio 
 Negro. All present saw the importance of protecting Pata- 
 gones, as, if that town should be destroyed, there would be 
 no market for their furs, &c. 
 
 Our encampment was situated in a large grassy valley 
 watered by a stream flowing to the eastward, which was 
 finally lost in a large marsh. The valley, which may have 
 been about twelve miles in length and perhaps four in width 
 at its broadest part, was confined by hills which, closing, 
 narrowed it in at the eastern and western extremities. To
 
 120 AT HOME WITH THE PATaGONIANS. 
 
 the N.W. and N. the hills — which almost merited the name 
 of mountains — were peculiarly rugged, more especially to- 
 wards their summits. About N.N.E. by compass from our 
 camp, there was a pass formed by a dip or break in the 
 range leading north, and through the mouth of the pass we 
 could see the smoke of the hunting parties of the Araucanian 
 Indians, who were, however, many leagues distant. Through- 
 out Patagonia smoke is always visible at a great distance, 
 and the practised eyes of the Indians can distinguish it from 
 the clouds, when ordinary persons would be unable to dis- 
 cern it unless pointed out to them. On the southern and 
 eastern sides of the valley lay a range of hills, the rugged 
 summits of which rose from lower slopes of more regular 
 swell, and presenting more even and down-like surfaces than 
 those on the western and northern sides. Immediately above 
 our encampment the hill of Henno, from which the valley is 
 named, rose from the plain. Near the summit of this hill 
 Orkeke and myself, who for amusement had ridden up to it, 
 one day came across the bleached skeleton of a man, perhaps 
 one of two young Argentines who, as I was subsequently in- 
 formed, had travelled thus far in company with the Indians, 
 and had been for some — or no — reason killed by them near 
 this spot. In the surrounding hills red porphyry frequently 
 cropped out, and also veins of a red agate, unlike the flint 
 agate so common in all the plains of Patagonia. The rocks 
 near the summit of the hills were generally of igneous 
 formation, and on the slopes of these hills frequent springs 
 gushed out, easily discoverable from a distance by the vi\'id 
 green of the grass growing round them. As we gazed down 
 from the height of Henno, the valley lay before us like a 
 picture ; our few toldos were situated in a group to the 
 east, on the south side of the stream ; about a quarter of a 
 mile to the north the thii-ty or forty toldos of the Northern 
 Indians were pitched, and opposite to them, on the north 
 side of the stream, those of the party commanded by Jackechan 
 or Juan. The scene was animated but peaceful : here might
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 121 
 
 be seen a party of young men playing at ball, in another a 
 man breaking a colt, and down by the side of the stream 
 groups of girls bathing, or wandering in the swamps picking 
 the wild spinach, which grew all along the margin of the 
 water in great quantities. One day I went on an excursion 
 with the children to pluck spinach and plunder the nests of 
 wild ducks and upland geese, from which we returned laden 
 with spoil, and in the evening a stew, d la Tehuelche, was 
 made with ostrich grease, spinach, and eggs, which combma- 
 tion was universally approved of. Another day we went 
 fishing, and after catching several with a hook and line, 
 voted it slow work, so contrived a net by sewing two ponchos 
 together, and waded into the stream dragged the shallow 
 parts, and, notwithstanding the duck-weed, which rather 
 impeded us, made several good hauls, the take consisting- 
 of the perch-like fish and a black species of cat-fish : the 
 Indians, however, except Casimiro, would not eat the fish, 
 and evidently regarded my enjoyment of them much as an 
 Englishman would at first view their appreciation of blood. 
 Another day we went on an expedition to dig up a species 
 of root somewhat resembling a parsnip, but although we 
 grubbed about for an hour our eflforts were only scantily 
 rewarded by a few small roots, which were given to the 
 children. One roasted in the ashes, at Mrs. Orkcke's invita- 
 tion I tasted, and found it rather tasteless and insipid. 
 
 During our stay in this pleasant resting-place the weather 
 was bright and sunny, and on calm days warm, and the 
 absence of rain almost made it appear like summer ; but 
 whenever the west wind blew, the piercing cold dispelled the 
 passing illusion. The long delay which was necessarj- to 
 recruit our horses, in anticipation of a campaign against 
 the young guanaco and the wild cattle, was most acceptable 
 to all the members of our party ; and after the two preceding 
 months of quarrels, real and suspected dangers, and forced 
 marches, our present peaceable existence, though devoid of 
 adventure, was thoroughly enjoyable. An occasional hunting
 
 122 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 party, interchange of visits and card parties with the recent 
 arrivals, fishing, foraging for birds' eggs, spinach, &c., with 
 some flirting, and, by way of business, a parlemento or two, 
 made our time pass merrily enough at Henno. 
 
 Our hunting parties were under the direction of * the 
 oldest inhabitant,' an aged cacique called Guenalto, with 
 venerable white hair, and who had been crippled by a lance- 
 thrust, received to his honour be it said, while endeavour- 
 ing to mediate between two of his friends. His great age 
 and amiable character commanded universal respect ; and 
 on a hunting morning he would sit under a bush and speechify 
 for half an hour, recounting old deeds of prowess, and ex- 
 horting us to do our best. The old man was a frequent and 
 welcome visitor at our toldo, where he was encouraged to 
 indulge to his heart's content in long-winded stories. My 
 compass greatly excited his curiosity, and he took it into his 
 head that it possessed a magical power which could effect 
 the restoration of the use of his arm. He accordingly begged 
 to be allow^ed to hold it in his hand ; and sat patiently, with 
 an air of awe and faith combined, for an hour, afterwards 
 declaring that the operation had done him much good. We 
 greatly pleased him by repairing his coat of mail, a complete 
 tunic of heavy iron chains, of unknown antiquity, bound 
 together by strips of hide, and weighing over a hundred- 
 weight. This he informed me he only put on to defend him- 
 self from ' foolish Indians.' 
 
 His use of my compass w^as rivalled by the custom of 
 other friends, who were wont to borrow it when engaged in 
 a game of cards ; their belief being that the magic instru- 
 ment gave luck to the happy possessor for the time being ; 
 and I often thought that it was fortunate I had brought no 
 other instrument, as ' shooting the sun' would have been 
 certainly regarded as a piece of sorcery, and any death or 
 accident happening afterwards would have been visited on 
 the head of the magician. As it was, my taking notes was 
 often regarded with suspicious curiosity, and inquiries made
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 123 
 
 as to what there could possiblj- be iu that place to write 
 about, as although the Tehuelche mmd can comprehend 
 writing letters to friends or officials, it by no means under- 
 stands keeping a journal ; and ' some untutored Indian' 
 might probably, if suspicious that ' i'faith he'll prent it,' 
 instead of waiting to cut up the book, anticipate all re- 
 viewers by cutting up the intended author himself. 
 
 On the 18th of November the camp at Heuno was broken 
 up, and all marched a few leagues to the west, crossing suc- 
 cessive rocky ridges running parallel to the Cordillera, and 
 divided by well-watered valleys, and encamped near a valley 
 Watered by the same river, which between this place and 
 Henno makes a considerable bend. This station was named 
 ' Chiriq,' from a description of bush, with a leaf somewhat 
 resembling that of the sloe, which grows abundantly on the 
 banks of the stream. The wood of this shrub is soft and of 
 little value, but burns well when dry. At this time neither 
 flower nor fruit was visible, but it was described to me as 
 bearing a berry resembling the currant. Since our departure 
 from the wooded river Sengel, a description of cactus, or, as 
 the Spaniards call it, tuna, bearing a tasteless fruit some- 
 thing like the ordinary prickly pear, had been met with 
 occasionally, and found very troublesome, for as it grows close 
 to the ground its spines are verj' apt to lame the horses if not 
 carefully avoided in the chase. From Chiriq a large plain 
 appeared to extend for some leagues to the westward, bounded 
 north and south by a wooded range of hills, and extending 
 apparently to the bases of the lofty snow-covered peaks of 
 the Cordillera, which appeared to form a complete barrier. 
 
 During our stay here an incident occurred which led to 
 the collection and comparison of the traditions concerning 
 the hidden or enchanted city which still are current and 
 believed among the Indians and Chilotes. 
 
 One day while hunting we were startled by a loud report, 
 as of the discharge of a cannon, and looking to the west saw 
 a black cloud of smoke hanging above the peaks of the Cor-
 
 124 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 clillera. My companion Jackechan told me that on several 
 previous visits to this station the Indians had observed 
 similar columns of smoke in the same direction. On one 
 occasion so convinced were they that it was caused by human 
 agency, that a party set out to endeavour to penetrate the 
 forests and reach the dwellings of the unknown residents, 
 which the smoke was believed to point out. They proceeded 
 some distance into the recesses of the mountain forests, but 
 the extreme difficulties of travelling compelled them at last 
 to abandon their purpose and retrace then- steps. It is of 
 course most probable that both the explosion and the smoke 
 proceeded from some unknown active volcano in the range ; 
 but the Indians firmly believe in the existence either of an 
 unknown tribe, or of an enchanted or hidden city. The 
 Araucanians when met with farther north had a story current 
 amongst them of having discovered a settlement of white 
 j)eople, who spoke an unknown tongue, in the recesses of the 
 mountains in the same vicinity. The Chilotes and Chilians 
 from the western side fondly cherish the belief in the exist- 
 ence of La Ciudad Encantada, and the mythical people Los 
 Cesares, to the discovery of which, according to De Angehs — 
 to whose research is due the collection of all the records on 
 the subject — the attention of Buenos Ayres, Lima, and Chili 
 was so long directed. A Chilote or Yaldivian, name Juan 
 Antonio, narrated to me that he knew a man who was ac- 
 quainted with another who had heard from a third that the 
 last-named deponent was one of a party who visited the coast 
 opposite to Chiloe for the purpose of wood cutting. They as- 
 cended in their boat a river, which as described was probably 
 the upper course of that which we afterwards struck in the 
 Cordillera. Having reached the woods, they separated to cut 
 timber. One of the number was missing at the evening 
 camp-fire ; his comrades, however, waited for him, but gave 
 him up at last, and were already preparing to retm-n, when 
 he rejoined them, and recounted a strange adventure. Deep 
 in the forest he had come upon a path, which he followed
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 12-3 
 
 for some distance, till he heard the sound of a bell, and saw 
 clearings, by which he knew himself to be near a town or 
 settlement. He soon met some white men, who made him 
 prisoner, and after questioning him as to the cause of his 
 being there, blindfolded him, and led him away to an exceed- 
 ingly rich city, where he was detained prisoner for several 
 days. At last he was brought back, still blindfolded, and 
 when the bandage was removed found himself near the place 
 of his capture, whence he made his way back to his comrades. 
 Juan Antonio, the narrator, and Mena, one of the Chilian 
 deserters who was present, fully believed this story, which, 
 however, bears a suspicious resemblance to one told a hun- 
 dred years before ; and both declared that it was all caused 
 by witchcraft or enchantment. 
 
 Another cm'ious story was related to me, the hero of which 
 was a mischievous imp of twelve years old, who was after- 
 wards attached to my service as page, and for impudence 
 and uselessness might have been a page of the court of Louis 
 Quatorze. He had been in company with Fayel's tribe of 
 Indians and Valdivians in the neighbourhood of the Cor- 
 dillera. One day the hopeful boy was missed, and although 
 careful search was made, no ti'aces of him were discoverable. 
 Three months afterwards he turned up again, dressed in the 
 same clothes and in remarkably good condition, his spirits 
 and impudence undiminished. My friend Ventura Dclgado, 
 a white Valdivian, who was in the camp at the time of his 
 absence and return, vouched from personal observation for 
 so much of the story. When questioned as to his where- 
 abouts and with whom had he been, he answered with con- 
 fidence, ' With the man on the island in the lake.' There 
 was no known lake nearer than Nahuel-huapi, thirty miles 
 distant, though a chain of lakes must from old accounts 
 exist within the Cordillera ; and it certainly was strange how, 
 if he had wandered in the forest for so long a period, sub- 
 sisting on roots, strawberries, and the plant named talka, he 
 should have preserved his well-fed condition ; it was equally
 
 12G AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 puzzling to imagine why if made a captive by strangers he 
 should have been allowed to return. 
 
 Another cui-ious fable was told by my guide J'aria, when 
 we were travelling from Punta Arena, apropos of the wild 
 animals in Patagonia, on which Lieut. Gallegos was enlarging. 
 J'aria asked if I had ever heard of the Tranco, or Trauco, 
 which the Chilotes aver inhabits the western forests of the 
 Cordillera. Gallegos declared that there was no doubt of 
 its existence, and described it as possessing the form of a 
 wild man, covered ysAih. a fell of coarse shaggj' hair. This 
 nondescript — a specimen of which would no doubt be in- 
 valuable to, though not met with on those coasts by Mr. 
 Darwin — is said to descend from the impenetrable forests 
 and attack the cattle on which it preys. This is possibly a 
 pure invention, emanating from the aguardiente muddled 
 brain of a Chilian, but it seems to have a certain relation to 
 the vague stories of unknown wild tribes dwelling ld the 
 unexplored and wooded mountain regions. It is hard to 
 convey the sense of mysterious space and undiscoverable 
 dwelling-places impressed on the spectator by the vast soli- 
 tudes of the mountains and forests of the Cordillera. The 
 inexplicable sounds of crashing rocks, or explosions from un- 
 known volcanoes, and the stUl stranger tones which resemble 
 bells and voices, all suggest to the ignorant and superstitious 
 natives confirmation of the strange circumstantial stories 
 handed down for several generations ; and it is hard for any 
 one, even with the assistance of educated reason, to resist 
 the powerful spell of the legends told in sight of these 
 mysterious mountains. My readers will perhaps laugh at the 
 narration of these vagaries of imagination, or will inquire 
 what is the legend of the Cesares, and of the enchanted 
 city. If they have read the delightful pages of ' Westward 
 Ho,' they will not be unacquainted with the shifting mirage 
 of that rich city ; which, from Mexico to the Magdalena, 
 mocked the search of so many eager adventurers. The Gran 
 Quivira of New Mexico, the fabled Iximaya, the El Dorado
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 127 
 
 of Guayana, and El Gran Paytiti of Brazil, the baseless 
 fabrics of many a golden vision, are found repeated with 
 change of place and circumstances in this city of Los Cesares. 
 There is a curious combination of three distinct strands of 
 legends in the chain which connects the marvellous stories 
 of the Northern Indians and Chilotes with the accounts so 
 circumstantially deposed to, and firmly believed by, the 
 Spaniards of the last century. The first is the conquest of 
 Los Cesares in 1539. Sebastian Cabot, from his settlement 
 of Carcaraual on the Parana, sent his pilot Cesai- with 120 
 soldiers to explore the river, 60 being left to garrison the 
 fort ;* this expedition proceeded as far as the junction of the 
 Parana and Paraguay, which latter river they ascended to 
 the Laguna Sta. Anna, on the way defeating the hostile 
 Indians. They reached the boundaries of the Guaranis, 
 with whom they made friendship and returned. They next 
 set out to proceed overland to Peru, and crossed the Cor- 
 dillera. After making their way against incredible difficul- 
 ties, they reached a province, the inhabitants of which were 
 rich in cattle, vicunas, and gold and silver. The ruler of the 
 province, ' a great lord,' at whose capital they at last arrived, 
 received his Spanish visitors kindly, and entertained them 
 with all honour, until at their own choice they were allowed 
 to return enriched with presents of gold and precious stufls. 
 The Spaniards regained their fort on the Parana only to find 
 it a deserted ruin ; the Indians having surprised and mas- 
 sacred the garrison. Cesar thereupon led his party to the 
 settlements, and thence started on another expedition, in 
 which he again crossed the Cordillera, and from a height 
 beheld, as he imagined, the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic 
 on either hand, probably mistaking some large lagoon for the 
 distant Atlantic. He then made his way up the coast to 
 Atacama, and thence to Cuzco, at which city he joined the 
 conquerors just at the period of the capture of the ill-fated 
 Inca Atahuallpa. 
 
 • Fte. S. Espiritu.
 
 128 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS, 
 
 This marvellous traverse of all the country was spoken of 
 ever after as the conquest of Los Cesares, and the whole 
 account was set forth by Ruy Diaz Guzman in 1G12, whose 
 authority was one of the Conquistadores of Peru, named 
 Arzon, who had learned all the particulars from Don Cesar 
 himself in Cuzco. It does not seem, however, that more 
 than this name, and perhaps the tradition of the rich Indian 
 city, were preserved in the romantic rumours that began to 
 obtain currency in the seventeenth century, and continued 
 to gain credit till 1781, when the Fiscal of Chili, having 
 been charged to make inquiry, summed up in an elaborate 
 state paper all the evidence in favour of the existence of a 
 rich and strong city, situated somewhere between 45"^ and 
 56^ south, and urged the Spanish Government to authorise 
 an expedition to discover and take possession of it. The 
 city was described by various veracious (?) authorities as 
 ' defended by walls, ditches, and ravelins, the only entrance 
 being protected by a drawbridge, besides which cautious 
 sentries were always stationed on an adjoining hill to detect 
 intrusive strangers. The buildings were sumptuously con- 
 structed, the houses being of wrought stone with azotea 
 roofs ; and the churches were covered with glittering roofs of 
 silver, and gorgeously furnished within. Of silver, too, were 
 all utensils, knives, and even ploughshares made ; and the 
 inhabitants used golden stools and seats. They were light- 
 complexioned, with blue eyes and thick beards, and spoke a 
 language unintelligible to both Spaniards and Indians. They 
 wore jackets of blue cloth, yellow capes, and blue wadmal 
 drawers and loose silk trousers, vdth large boots and small 
 three-cornered hats ! They possessed numerous cattle, 
 marked with brands similar to those of the Spanish colonists ; 
 but their principal article of cultivation was pepper, in which 
 they traded with their neighbom-s, maintaining withal a 
 complete system of exclusive isolation.' By one account the 
 population was composed of the descendants of the crews 
 of several ships which had been wrecked in the Straits of
 
 EENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 12!j 
 
 Magellan from 1523 to 1539, the survivors of which had 
 made their way overland and founded a settlement. A 
 wandering padre was said to have received the news of its 
 existence from some Indians, accompanied hy a knife as a 
 token, which was recognised as having belonged to the captain 
 of a stranded vessel. The padre set out to discover his 
 countrymen, but lost his life on the road. Another more 
 pi'ecise tradition declared that the surviving inhabitants of 
 Osorno, after having maintained a heroic defence against the 
 Araucanians, under the victorious chief Caupolican, in 1539, 
 made good then- escape with their families and cattle to a 
 peninsula in a great lagoon thirty miles long and seven or 
 eight wide, situate near Reloncavi, or the volcano called 
 Osorno, where they built a city strongly defended on the 
 landward side by a fosse and drawbridge raised every night. 
 This lagoon was by others said to be that of Payeque, near a 
 rapid stream named Llanqueco. An explorer named Roxas, 
 in 171-1, who started from Buenos Ayres, and whose route 
 lay south-west from Tandil and the Volcan, gives most pre- 
 cise distances and landmarks to define the position of the 
 Cesares. He mentions especially a river with a ford only 
 passable during one period of the year, and a hill on which 
 is found much magnetic iron ore. These landmarks, and 
 the rest of his description, point to the locale of that remark- 
 able rock formation mentioned in page 105, which, seen from 
 a distance, might well cheat a traveller into the belief that 
 he beheld a fortified town. Waki pointed it out to me, and 
 said, jokingly, ' Perhaps Christians live there.' The 'Indians 
 of veracity,' so frequently quoted in these accounts, who 
 were, however, all bound to keep secret the access to the city, 
 doubtless confused their recollections of difl'erent settlements 
 visited in their migrations ; and the Spaniards, prepared to 
 I'eceive any new wonder, wove into the marvellous tale all 
 the stories told them, and regarded the joint fiction as un- 
 doubted fact. But two more remarkable phases of this legend, 
 and then we return to practical Indian life. A military 
 
 9
 
 130 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 party, who set out in 1777 from Rio Bueno, and marched to 
 Lake Llanquechue, crossed the passes of the Cordillera, under 
 Osorno, and passed the night near the snow line. They 
 heard distant artillery, and beheld the head of a great 
 Laguna on the eastern side ; they brought back the astound- 
 ing intelligence that two distinct towns existed, one peopled 
 by a race of Spanish origin, the Auca-Huincas, at war with 
 the Tehuelches ; and the other by Englishmen, or Moro- 
 Huincas, who lived in amity with the Indians. And the 
 Fiscal of Chili, in his report, insisted strongly on the neces- 
 sity of rooting out these audacious islanders who had dared 
 to plant themselves in the dominions of ' aur Lord the King.' 
 Just as the jealous fear of the encroaching English were thus 
 mixed up in the Spanish version of the mysterious Cesares, 
 so the Indians connected them with the traditionary glories 
 of the great Inca race, and spoke of the Indian Cesares ; and 
 the potency of the fable was shown by a proclamation put 
 forth by the heroic and ill-starred Tupac Amaru, who headed 
 the unsuccessful rebellion against the tyrant Ckristians in 
 1781, styling himself 'Inca, Senor de los Cesares y Ama- 
 zonas, con dominio en el Gran Paytiti.' But success mocked 
 his grasp, and he perished by the hand of the executioner, 
 just as the rich and coveted city whose lordship he claimed 
 has eluded many an explorer who has sacrificed his life in 
 the hopeless search. But the patient reader is probably 
 weary of enchanted cities, and glad to return to the daily 
 routine of our Indian life, though it was at this time 
 butcherly enough. It was the all-important season of young 
 guanaco hunting ; and though the chase aflbrded plenty of 
 riding, it could hardly be said to offer sport ; but to the 
 Indians it was a matter of business, as theii' clothing and 
 stock of skins to trade with depended on the number of 
 young guanaco killed at this time. Some notes of the habits 
 of the guanaco and rhea, or ostrich, which fui-nish the Pata- 
 gonian Indians with food and clothing, may not be out of 
 place, though all critics are warned that they are not those
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 131 
 
 of a naturalist, but simply the observations of a lover of 
 birds and beasts. 
 
 The guanaco, known to the Indians as 'Nou,' is from 
 thi-ee to four feet in height, and from four to five in length, 
 measured from the point of the nostrils to the tail. The 
 coat is woolly, but decreases in thickness of wool, or rather 
 becomes hairy, about the head and legs. Its colour is of a 
 yellowish red, intermixed with white in various parts of the 
 body ; more especially under the abdomen, down the inside 
 of the legs, and round the lips and cheeks : the white also 
 extends up the inside of the neck and throat. The shoulder 
 is slightly arched ; the tail short, and when the animal is in 
 motion slightly elevated. The guanaco abounds over a vast 
 range of country, extending from Peru all do^^m the regions 
 east of the range of the Cordillera of the Andes, over the 
 vast plains from Mendoza to the Straits of Magellan, and 
 even to Tierra del Fuego. As a rule, one male guanaco herds 
 with a troop of about a hundred females, and in the event of 
 their being disturbed he will take up his position on some 
 neighbouring pinnacle of rock, and commence neighing 
 something after the fashion of a horse, keeping himself 
 between the danger and his wives. At the breeding season , 
 however, the males go in flocks by themselves, as do the 
 females. Although it is stated in Monsieur Gay's admirable 
 book on the Zoology of Chili, that the females sometimes 
 bear three fawns, yet this must be a rare case : while we 
 were hunting and killing the young guanaco, the mothers 
 invariably became separated, the young ones lagging behind 
 60 as to prevent any appropriation of them to their dams. 
 However, during the time employed in kilUng the mothers, 
 for the purpose of extracting the unborn young from the 
 womb, I never saw or heard of more than one fa}tus being 
 found. The guanacos are excessively swift of foot, indeed 
 almost unapproachable by horse or dog, as a few buck leaps 
 take them away far beyond the speed of a horse. They 
 frequently wait to allow a pursuer to approach close, and
 
 132 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 then bound off, and speedily distance him. Their means of 
 defence consist chiefly in the savate, or use of the feet, more 
 especially the fore ones, although they also bite at times, and 
 with their two peculiar canine teeth could inflict a severe 
 wound.* I have seen places where a puma and a guanaco 
 have evidently had a severe struggle, always, however, 
 resulting in the victory of the puma, as, on seeing these 
 marks, we invariably searched for and found the body near, 
 carefully covered over by the ' leon.' The flesh of the 
 guanaco is excellent, something resembling mutton ; the 
 young guanaco being more like very tender veal. That then- 
 wool might be tui'ned to account for mercantile purposes is 
 undoubted, as it is of very fine texture, and is at the present 
 time of value in Chili, where it is woven into ponchos which 
 are highly prized. Up to the present time few have been 
 domesticated, but they become very tame, and might at a 
 futui'e date be found useful as beasts of bui-den, as they are 
 similar in most respects to the lama. There is one very 
 remarkable point about the guanaco ; at certain times of the 
 year a sort of secretion^ condensed into a hai'd substance 
 like stone, is found in round pieces, varjdng from a quarter 
 to half an inch in diameter, in the stomach. To these stones 
 some of the Indians attribute medicinal virtues. The 
 guanaco is of use to the Indians in every way. The skin 
 of the adult is used to make the coverings of the toldos, and 
 that of the unborn or young ones to make mantles for 
 clothes ; the sinews of the back fm-nish them with thread ; 
 the skin of the neck, which is particularly tough and durable, 
 with lazos or thongs for bolas, bridles, &c., &c. The skin of 
 the hock supplies them with shoes or coverings for the bolas ; 
 from the thigh bone they also cut out dice, or make a musical 
 instrument. On attaining the age of about two months, the 
 coat of the young guanaco begins to become woolly, and the 
 skin is then useless for mantles, but makes sufficiently good 
 
 * Tlie skull of a guauaco is well figured m Mr. Cunningham's work.
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 133 
 
 saddle-cloths. The animal at this early age is very swift of 
 foot, and will give a good chase. They attain their full size 
 the second or third year after birth, and the adult male 
 cannot be better described than as apostrophised by Lieut. 
 Gallegos. As we watched a solitary guanaco standing on a 
 hill above us, and every now and then uttering its shrill 
 warning neigh, ' Ah,' said Gallegos, ' you are a queer animal; 
 you have the neigh of a horse, the wool of a sheep, the 
 neck of a camel, the feet of a deer, and the swiftness of the 
 devil.' The Rhea Darwinii, called by the Indians 'Mekyush,' 
 and by the Spaniards Avestrus or Ostrich, which name is 
 universally applied to it, is peculiar to Patagonia, few being 
 met with north of Rio Negro, and none being found that I 
 am aware of in any other part of the globe ; with the excep- 
 tion, perhaps, of the more northern and plain-like parts of 
 Tierra del Fuego, opposite the country extending from Cape 
 Virgin to Oazy Harbour. It is a variety of the Rhea 
 Americana, common in the Argentine provinces of Entre 
 Rios and Santa Fe, also scattered over the Republic of the 
 Banda Oriental, and extending, I believe, as far north as 
 Rio Grande do Sul and the southern Brazilian province. 
 They exist also in Chili, on the plains at the foot of the 
 Cordillera of the Andes. The chief diflference between these 
 two species is that the Patagonian Rhea Darwinii is smaller 
 and of lighter colour than the American Rhea. The Pata- 
 gonian ostriches are very swift of foot, and run with their 
 wings closed, while the other species invariably spread theirs. 
 The former birds also always run in a straight line, except 
 when leaving the nest, when probably, to avoid being 
 tracked, they run in a circuitous manner. Their plumage, 
 that is to say the wing feathers, are an object of commerce, 
 and fetch at present about a dollar a pound in Buenos Ayres. 
 The marrow from the leg bones is also, I believe, of use for 
 making pomade, and was formerly, if not at present, highly 
 prized in Buenos Ayres. To the Indian this bird is invalu- 
 able in many ways. Besides furnishing their most favourite
 
 134 AT HOME WITir THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 food, from the sinews of the leg thongs for bolas are con- 
 structed ; the neck is used as a pouch for salt or tobacco ; 
 the feathers are exchanged for tobacco and other necessaries ; 
 the grease from the breast and back is tried out and secured 
 in bags formed of the skin (taken off during the spring 
 season, when the females, like all the Patagonian animals 
 except the puma, are thin) ; the meat is more nourishing 
 and more relished by the Indians than that of any other 
 animal in the country, and the eggs fonn a staple commodity 
 of food during the months of September, October, and 
 November. The male bird stands about two feet and a 
 half high, and is to be distinguished from the female by 
 its being of a slightly darker colour, and of gi'eater size and 
 strength ; nevertheless, it requires a practised eye to detect 
 the difference at any distance. The male bird is also swifter. 
 Their usual food consists of short grass and the seeds of 
 various shrubs, but more especially of tender grass, which I 
 have on several occasions watched them plucking, from a 
 convenient rock which hid me from their sight. On being 
 alarmed they immediately set off at a great speed ; they 
 possess gi'eat powers of eyesight. If met or obstructed by 
 horsemen in their line of flight, they not unfrequently squat 
 so closely that they can scarcely be distinguished from the 
 surrounding rocks, as the greyish colour of their plumage so 
 closely resembles the almost universal aspect of the Pampas 
 of Patagonia. These birds, though not web-footed, can 
 swim sufficiently well to pass a river. In the winter season 
 it is not unfrequent for the Indians to drive them into the 
 water, where, theu- legs getting numbed with cold, they are 
 drifted to the shore by the current, and easily captured, 
 being unable to move. In sno"\\'y weather they are also 
 easily taken, as their eyes appear to be affected by the glare 
 of the white snow, and their saturated plumage doubtless 
 becomes heavier. They are polygamous, one male bird con- 
 sorting with five or six hens, which lay their eggs in the 
 same nest — a hole about two feet six inches in diameter,
 
 HENNOKAIK TO TEC K EL. 135 
 
 scooped out of the earth. They begin to lay in the early 
 part of September, the number of eggs in each nest varying 
 from twenty to as many as forty, or more. In the early part 
 of the laying season extraneous eggs were found scattered in 
 different parts of the plain, some of which were of diminutive 
 size. Contrary to the usual rule amongst birds, the male 
 sits on the eggs, and when the chickens are hatched assumes 
 the charge of the brood. The young run immediately, or 
 shortly after emerging fi'om the shell, and are covered with 
 a down of greyish black colour on the back, and whitish on 
 the breast and neck. Their cry resembles the syllables 
 pi, pi, pi, uttered in a sharp quick manner. The old male, 
 when any dangers appear, feigns to be hurt, like other birds 
 endeavouring to distract the attention of the hunter, in order 
 that his brood may escape by hiding in the grass. After the 
 male has sat for some time on the nest (I should place the 
 period of incubation at about three weeks), he gets thin, ami 
 the grass closely surrounding the nest is found eaten quite 
 bare. The females by this time are beginning to pick up 
 flesh, which is a fortunate provision of natui-e for the Indians, 
 who cannot subsist on lean meat. Whilst the females are 
 thin they are killed and skinned, the meat being left, and 
 the skins sewn into mantles for sale at the settlements. 
 These birds at that period are much afflicted with vermin, 
 which invade the toldos and guanaco mantles of the In- 
 dians, and cause them infinite annoyance. (A useful hint 
 occurs to me for future travellers amongst the Patago- 
 nians — never allow the squaw of the establishment to place 
 ostrich mantles under your sleeping hides.) The young Rhea 
 does not attain its full plumage or size until the second year 
 after its birth, and is never pursued by the Indians unless 
 food is really scarce. The eggs are eaten in all stages, fresh 
 or stale ; the Indians not recognising much dilference be- 
 tween the unhatched chicken and the unborn guanaco. The 
 inveterate destroyers of these birds are, besides their human 
 enemies, the puma and foxes, the former of which will sur-
 
 136 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 prise and kill the sitting bird, which he carefully hides, and 
 then proceed to eat the eggs with great gusto. We not 
 unfrequently found the eggs broken and scattered by these 
 animals, whilst the bird was generally discovered hard by. 
 The foxes, I think, content themselves with sucking the 
 eggs ; but I was assured that near Geylum, where \\\\(i cats 
 are common, these latter will kill the bird on the nest, like 
 their relatives the puma. Besides these there are the con- 
 dors, eagles, and hawks, which no doubt commit extensive 
 ravages on the young broods. With all these difficulties to 
 contend with, the Ehea Darwinii exists in great numbers, 
 and if not kept down to a certain extent by the Indians and 
 other enemies would overrun the whole country. We were, 
 while at Chiriq, busily engaged in the destruction of both 
 guanaco and ostrich, the high rugged range of hills that 
 bounded Chiriq on the eastern side literally swarming with 
 guanaco ; and as the females, heavy with young, could not 
 keep up their speed for a long distance, one man not unfre- 
 quently captured and killed five and six, or even eight ; 
 extracting the young and taking its skin for mantles and the 
 carcase for food, while the hide of the mother served, if 
 needed, to repair the toldo. The marrow bones also were 
 taken as a dainty, but the meat was left for the condors, 
 puma, and foxes. We hunted almost every day, and traversed 
 nearly all the surrounding country. The plains lying to the 
 west afforded beautiful ground to ride over, covered with 
 soft grass, but a few leagues from the Cordillera a sudden 
 dip occurs, which forms a huge basin, lying about fifty feet 
 below the level of the plain, like the bed of a lake, and 
 extending to the mountains ; the surface of this was chiefly 
 covered with grass, but in some parts the yellow clay and 
 beds of stone were visible. On the higher ground, before 
 reaching this basin, numerous lagoons occurred, round one 
 of which there was a large gull-rookery, and the inhabitants 
 made themselves audible at a long distance. Here also I 
 noticed many of the teru-tero, a spur-winged lapwing, com-
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 137 
 
 mon near Buenos Ayres. I had encountered tbem even as 
 low as Santa Cruz, but never in such large numbers. Our 
 hunts on the plain were not so successful as those on the 
 hilly range, although in the previous year the Indians asserted 
 that the reverse had been the case. Perhaps the guanaco 
 had gained in experience, and felt themselves safer in the 
 rocky heights where riders were likely to get bad falls. The 
 Northern Indians rode most recklessly, going at full speed 
 down the most precipitous places, and, strange to say, 
 although one or two accidents did occur resulting in broken 
 limbs, they were not numerous. This speaks volumes for the 
 sure-footedncss of their horses. It is their custom, when 
 hunting in rocky places, to place hide shoes on the horses 
 fore feet as a safeguard against sharp stones. After hunt- 
 ing, it was the rule every evening for those owning spare 
 horses (and indeed for those who did not) to repair to the 
 racecourse a little before sunset, and train or run their 
 horses, or look on at the others, and if there was a race, 
 make bets. The manner of racing is something similar to 
 that in vogue amongst the Gauchos in the provinces of 
 Rio de la Plata, except that it is generally conducted on 
 principles of fair play. The stakes are always deposited 
 before the race comes off : if horses, they are tied out handy ; 
 if ornaments, bolas, &c., &c., they ax'e placed in a heap, the 
 winners removing them directly the race is decided. The 
 horses are run bare-backed, the two riders starting them- 
 selves after cantering side by side for a few yards. Owing 
 to the great care taken in training the horses, very few 
 false starts ever occur. The races are very often for long dis- 
 tances, four miles or a league being the average, although, 
 of course, with young horses the distance is shorter. The 
 Indian manner of breaking colts is similar to that of the 
 Gauchos ; they are, however, more gentle with their horses, 
 and consequently break tbem better. One rarely sees a 
 horse amongst the Indians that is not perfectly quiet ; indeed, 
 the smallest children are nearly always mounted c)n the
 
 138 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 racers and best horses, although if a white man approaches 
 or attempts to catch them they show signs of fear and 
 temper. Indeed, there appears to be a sort of instinctive 
 mutual bond between the Indians and their horses. For 
 lameness the cui-e most prevalent is bleeding in the fetlock 
 with an awl ; sometimes the incision is made higher up the 
 leg, and the awl forced nearly through the horse's leg ; he 
 is then tied up for a short time, and then let go, and the cure 
 is generally certain. Of course before the bleeding he is tied 
 up several hours without water. The cure for sore backs, 
 which, though rare, sometimes occur owing to an ill-made 
 saddle, is a species of aluminous earth, applied to the wound 
 after it has been cleansed with a knife. This earth is only 
 found in the southern parts of the country, and it is 
 very difficult to obtain any of this much-prized medicine 
 from the Indians. One deposit of it is found in a clitf 
 near Lake Yiedma, so high that it can only be got at by 
 throwing stones at the face of the cliff, and so dislodging the 
 earth. 
 
 A few lines will suffice to gratify any ' horsey-doggy ' friends 
 who may be curious as to the horse-flesh and dog-shows of the 
 Indians. The horses in use amongst the Southern Indians 
 are, as a rule, of a hardier race than those found amongst the 
 Northern, Araucanian, and Pampas Indians. Their general 
 size is about fifteen hands, or indeed perhaps less, but never- 
 theless they are of great speed and endurance ; when one 
 takes into consideration that the weight of their riders is 
 frequently over fourteen stone, it appears extraordinary that 
 they should be enabled to carry them in the way they do. 
 The horses are, of course, all of Spanish origin, but time, 
 climate, and the different nature of the countiy have altered 
 them to a considerable degree from the original race. The 
 horses found amongst the Northern Tehuelches are, as a rule, 
 larger than those previously mentioned, vAih. finer heads and 
 smaller legs ; they are also extremely swift, and being bred 
 frequently from captured wild mares, are admhably adapted
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 139 
 
 for hunting purposes. The horse, however, most valued is 
 the wild horse captured and tamed ; these differ from the 
 others in being, as a rule, of larger size and superior speed. 
 This, I think, only applies to Northern Patagonia, as I have 
 in other parts seen wild horses which in no way equalled 
 those in captivity. The horses vary in colour, those cap- 
 tured from the wild herds generally being a dark bay, black, 
 or brown. Near Port San Julian, I am informed that there 
 are numbers of wild ponies, about the size and make of a 
 shelty, which the children play with. The horses are entirely 
 grass fed, and in consequence of the dry nature of the pasture 
 in the winter season, and the subsequent hard treatment, 
 they generally get very thin in the spring time of the year, 
 but soon pick up condition when given a few days' rest, and 
 allowed to feed on the fresh pasture. The dogs generally in 
 use amongst the Patagonian Indians vary considerably both 
 in size and species. First of all comes a sort of lurcher 
 (smooth-haired), bred by the Indians from some obtained in 
 the Rio Negro, the mothers being a description of mastiff, 
 with a muzzle, however, much sharper than that of a mas- 
 tiff proper ; they are also very swift, and have longer and 
 lower bodies. Our chief, Orkeke, kept his breed of this dog, 
 which probably had been derived from the earlier Spanish 
 settlements, pure ; and they were, for hunting purposes, the 
 best I saw, running both by scent and view. 
 
 Another description of dog observed had long woolly hair, 
 and indeed much resembled an ordinary sheep dog. These 
 were passably common amongst the Indians, but most of the 
 dogs used in the chase — which are nearly all castrated — are 
 so mixed in race as to defy specification. I heard of a dog 
 captured from some Fuegians, which was very swift, and 
 answered perfectly to our description of harrier. These 
 Fuegians arc probably those known as the ' Foot ' Indians, 
 who, by those who have descended on theii* coasts, have been 
 observed to use dogs for hunting purposes. 
 
 Casimu'o informed me that Quintuhual's people formerly
 
 140 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 hunted on foot, with a large isort of clog, which, from his 
 description, must have resembled a deer hound. The dogs 
 are rarely fed, being allowed generally to satiate themselves 
 in the chase. The hounds belonging to Orkeke, and one or 
 two others, were exceptions to this rule, being fed with 
 cooked meat when it was plentiful. The women keep pet 
 lap-dogs of various descriptions, generally a sort of terrier, 
 some of them much resembling the Scotch terrier. ' Ako,' 
 for instance, was to all appearance a thoroughbred dog of 
 that breed. These little lap-dogs are the torment of one's 
 life in camp ; at the least sound they rush out yelping, and 
 set all the big dogs off; and in an Indian encampment at 
 night, when there is. anything stirring, a continual concert of 
 bow-wows is kept up. The dogs are fierce towards strangers, 
 but generally content themselves with surrounding them, 
 showing their teeth and barking, unless set on. That they 
 are ugly customers at night an amusing instance will prove. 
 One morning a dog was found dead near its owner's toldo, 
 which had evidently been knocked on the head with a bola, 
 and finished with a knife ; the owner made a gi'eat outciy, 
 but no explanatian could be had. It subsequently became 
 known to me that a young gallant had sought admission to 
 the toldo of his inamorata by the accustomed method of 
 cautiously lifting the back tent cover from the ground, and 
 dexterously crawling underneath ; when half through, he felt 
 his leg seized in a pair of powerful jaws. The lady was 
 highly amused at the predicament of her lover, who, how- 
 ever, extricated himself by a mighty and well-directed kick 
 with his foot in the muzzle of his assailant. When retui-n- 
 ing from his * rendezvous ' he met his active enemy, and 
 vindictively knocked him on the head, and, to make sure 
 work, cut his throat ; but his leg carried after all a deeper 
 scar than his heart as a token of the love-adventure, and 
 when the story was told, and, as may be supposed, excited 
 roars of laughter, it recalled forcibly to my mind, 
 ' He jests at scars who never felt a wound.'
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 141 
 
 Our camp at Cliiriq presented quite the appearance of a 
 town of toldos, and fresh arrivals -were still expected from 
 the S.W. ; but the Indians of the latter party, with whom we 
 had not yet made acquaintance, sent a chasqui with an invi- 
 tation to Crime to join their party, and a message that they 
 would ultimately meet us at Teckel. Accordingly, Crime, 
 who was now rich in horses and gear, having received many 
 presents, bid us adieu, and set off with an imposing caval- 
 cade. Poor fellow ! he had better have remained with us, 
 as the sequel will show. 
 
 The weather during the first weeks of our stay in Chiriq 
 was warm and fine, but latterly the wind veered round to the 
 west, and it changed to sleet and cold rain, and the normal 
 Patagonian climate. The humour of the Indians seemed as 
 variable, for old Orkeke grew exceedingly jealous. Jackechan 
 often used to lend me a horse on the hunting excursions, and 
 Orkeke one day asked me in a sullen manner whether I 
 wished to change my toldo, and go with my friend. My 
 reply that I had no wish to do so at present quieted him for 
 the time, and he immediately offered me one of his best 
 horses for the next day, which was a real treat. I am afraid 
 I rather abused his generosity, as we had a great day chasing 
 large herds of guanaco, and with a racer for a mount, one 
 was induced to ride furiously. On the 20th of November it 
 was decided to break up the camp and divide into two parties 
 to hunt, it being considered that our united numbers were 
 too great for successful hunting in one place. When all 
 were packing up and preparing to start, a row nearly broke 
 out between two of our old party : indeed it was with the 
 greatest difficulty, and only through the intervention of 
 Casimiro, Hinchel, and two or three more, that blood was 
 not spilt. Of course, if the fight had commenced between 
 these two, such is the excitability of the Indians that it 
 would soon have become a general battle. This, and a hea\y 
 shower of rain coming, prevented our march, so the women un- 
 packed, and the horses were let go again. Some few Indians
 
 142 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 started to hunt, but came back shoi-tly almost empty-handed, 
 fau-ly beaten by the driving sleet and snow. During our stay 
 most of us had refitted all our gear, and were well provided 
 with bolas ; many were the necks of guanaco stripped to 
 obtain the hide for them, and for making ' maneos ' (straps 
 for securing horses' legs), whips, cinctas (girths), lazos, 
 &c., &c. The work that I preferred was plaiting ostrich 
 sinews for thongs for the ostrich bolas. The ostrich sinews 
 are abstracted by dislocating the lower joint of the leg, the 
 first sinew is then pulled out by hand, and the other drawn 
 out by main force, using the leg bone as a handle. This 
 bone is then separated from the foot, and the sinews left 
 adhering to the foot ; they are slightly dried in the sun, 
 after which the extracted bone is used to separate the fibres 
 by drawing it sharply up the sinews. When sufficiently 
 separated, they are cut ofi" from the foot, split into equal 
 sizes and lengths, and laid in a moist place to soften ; when 
 sufficiently soft, they are made into thongs, cooked brains 
 being used to make them more pliable, and lie better in the 
 plaits. These thongs are plaited in four plaits (round sinnet) 
 well known to every sailor, but the ends are doubled in a 
 peculiar manner, which requires practice to manage well. 
 Before leaving Chiriq another disturbance was nearly taking 
 place, caused by one of the Chilians quitting Tchang's toldo 
 and joining that of a man commonly called Santa Cruz, an 
 Indian well known at Patagones, and allowed a ration of 
 mares from the Government. Tchang, immediately on hear- 
 ing of his departure, put on his revolver and collared the 
 Chihan's horse. To this Santa Cruz objected, but Tchang 
 kept the horse, and, revolver in hand, defied anybody's claim 
 to it. After this little incident the camp was broken up, and 
 the two parties divided — Hinchel marching S.W. and our 
 party to the N.W. 
 
 After a very cold and hungry march in the face of a 
 bitterly piercing wind, we encamped on the shores of a lagoon 
 of some extent, called 'Hoshelkaik,' which signifies 'Windy-
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 143 
 
 hill," and certainly is worthy of its name ; for during our stay 
 a succession of S.W. winds blew with great violence. After 
 our arrival a small boy cut his finger, and, according to 
 custom, a mare was killed. Some of the meat sent to our 
 toldo was thankfully received, as we were all half starved. 
 Having strolled through the camp and visited Cayuke's toldo, 
 I found that Casimiro had not arrived, having started, to my 
 great disgust, with the party travelling to the S.W., and 
 taken with him a specially good horse, which he had given 
 me in exchange for a revolver. I was, however, glad to find 
 that Jackechan, the Pampa chief, was there, and we had a 
 confabulation and smoke together. On the 23rd, the pre- 
 vious day having been too rough, the Indians started to 
 hunt the enclosing grassy basin before mentioned as existing 
 at the foot of the mountains. Immense herds of guanaco 
 were driven down, and being encircled by men and fires the 
 sport soon commenced. The Tehuelches had for some reasons 
 set light to the grass in every available part, and the Avind 
 rising to a furious gale, the fires soon spread and joined in an 
 advancing line. Jackechan, myself, and several other Indians 
 Avere in the centre of the circle, each employed in skinning 
 the guanaco we had already killed, when suddenly we found 
 that we were encircled in flame and smoke, and that if we did 
 not want to be well scorched we had better look out for means 
 of exit. Leaving our game, we galloped at the spot where 
 the smoke appeared thinnest, but after riding three or four 
 minutes with om- faces covered up, found an impassable 
 barrier of flame ; so, half maddened with the hot sand dashed 
 in our eyes by the gale, and nearly suffocated with smoke, we 
 galloped down the line of flame to a spot where, the grass 
 being stunted, we managed to get through without injury, 
 although our horses' legs were singed a little. AVe were very 
 thankful to breathe pure air, though the atmosphere was still 
 thick with smoke, and nothing could bo distinguished of 
 valley or anything else. Jackechan, with unerring Indian 
 instinct, led the way to a stream of water, where we were
 
 144 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 able to drink and wash some of the hot sand out of our eyes. 
 After a quarter of an hour's rest and a smoke, as the flames had 
 passed on, we determined to ride back over the still smoking 
 ground, and endeavour to discover the bodies of our guanaco. 
 We accordingly emerged from the hollow where we had 
 sheltered ourselves, and once more plunged into the thick of 
 the driving smoke and heated sand : holding our mantles 
 over our eyes, we penetrated the murky atmosphere till 
 Jackechan discovered two of his animals ; but as they were 
 both roasted, or rather burned, and oui'selves and horses were 
 nearly sutibcated, we beat a hasty retreat. I was very thank- 
 ful when at length, ascending a steep declivity, we emerged 
 at the top into the pure air. ' Ah ! ' said Jackechan, looking 
 down on the plains still full of smoke, ' it has been a rough 
 time, but " we are men, not women," though we were fools 
 to remain to the last.' I fully agreed with him in this, as 
 my eyes still smarted very painfully. How he found his way 
 through the smoke was perfectly inexplicable to me : if I had 
 been alone, my travels would have been concluded then and 
 there. Towards the evening of this eventful day the wind 
 abated in violence, and during the night snow fell, and all 
 the ensuing day there were passing squalls of white water or 
 snow, and furious blasts of wind. About this time I came to 
 the conclusion that summer was unknown in these regions, 
 and that the Patagonian year consisted of two seasons — a 
 hard winter and a bad spring. The Indians, however, de- 
 clared that the climate had grown colder during the last 
 two 5'ears. On the 28th of November we broke up camp and 
 marched to a valley situated under one spur- of the wooded 
 hills, previously mentioned as bounding the northern side of 
 the vallej' — killing some young guanaco by the way. I was 
 astonished on galloping up to two, to find they did not run 
 away at first, although their mothers had akeady gone, and 
 taken up a position on a rockj' eminence some distance oC 
 Whilst watching them, however, and meditating on the 
 necessity and cruelty of killing them, the two Uttle things
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 145 
 
 started off; so, as my mantle was fast losing its beautiful 
 appearance, I put compunction on one side, and shortly 
 killed them with a blow on the head. On arriving at the lire 
 where some of the Indians were collected eating ostriches, 
 I was proceeding to take the skins off, when Tankelow, who 
 presided, stopped me, saying that we would skin them in the 
 toldos, where the blood would be a treat to the women and 
 children. We accordingly reserved the luxury, and after a 
 feed crossed a small stream and piece of marsh, beyond 
 which lay the encampment, where the women soon verified 
 Tankelow's words. Though the flesh of the young guanaco 
 is rather tasteless and soft, the blood has a sweeter taste than 
 that of the adult. The rennet, or milk, which is found 
 curdled into a sort of cheese in the intestines, is also eaten 
 with gusto. The most laborious part of young guanaco 
 hunting consists in taking off the skin, which, after the 
 necessary incisions have been made with a knife, has to be 
 taken off by hand, the thumb being used to separate the hide 
 from the body. The calves, when three days old, run at 
 about the speed of a horse's hand-gallop, but sometimes give 
 longer chases. The Indian plan is to kill them with a blow 
 on the head from a ball, and then pass on to another, and so 
 on, afterwards returning to collect them in a heap and skin 
 them. After the hide is taken ofl' it is necessary to expose it 
 to the air for a few minutes before folding it up, otherwise it 
 is liable to get heated, and will tear easily in the subsequent 
 processes. We hunted in the neighbourhood of Jeroshaik, 
 or ' Bad Hill,' several times, with varying success, sometimes 
 proceeding up into the wooded hills, where the timber in 
 some places grew in clumps, as if planted by the hand of 
 man ; in others filled up the rocky dells, until the main 
 forests were reached, which appeared to extend far into the 
 Cordillera. Most of the trees were of a species of beech, on 
 which were many small edible fungi, some of which we 
 gathered for use ; and traces of red deer were frequently seen, 
 and a few were chased by the Indians, but owing to the 
 
 10
 
 146 AT SOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 thickness of the wood they escaped. Some of the Indians 
 took the opportunity to cut fresh poles for the toldos. The 
 sight of woods and trees was so refreshing that I spent 
 several days consecutively among them, very often alone, 
 or with one companion. Nobody, except a sailor after 
 months on the sea, can imagine the pleasure of wandering 
 under trees to one who had passed so long a time in the 
 barren and monotonous plains. The weather, however, still 
 continued wet and inclement. On the 5th of December, 
 some of us wandering on. the heights above, made out smoke 
 to the N.E., and Campan went off at speed on horseback to 
 reconnoitre. He returned towards nightfall very drunk, and 
 riding straight to our toldo, proclaimed that El Sourdo, 
 the Indian left behind in Santa Cruz, had arrived at a place 
 close to us, bringing grog in two small barrels, and letters for 
 me : when he had delivered his news, he, with some difficulty, 
 dismounted without coming on his head ; then produced a 
 bottle half full of rum from under his mantle, which he 
 dispensed to the attendant company. 
 
 Our toldo was soon crowded, and it was proposed that on 
 the following day we should march and meet the \dsitor, all 
 being eager for a drink. Accordingly, on the morrow we 
 started, in a storm of sleet and rain, and prepared to hunt 
 en route. While hunting, just after Jackechan and myself 
 had killed an ostrich, the former perceived a single toldo, 
 which he knew must be El Sourdo's, so we galloped 
 towards it, accompanied by two other Indians, and were 
 received with open arms by El Sourdo and his two wives, 
 Jackechan being a very old friend. We were made to sit 
 down, and the oUa, or boiling-pot, was brought out by the 
 two wives, who acted as Hebes by producing the rum, with 
 which our host filled the pot, and dispensed the liquor in 
 a pannikin. One of the wives then produced my letters, 
 which proved to be from Mr. Clarke and Don Luiz P. B., the 
 schooner having arrived on October 5, all safe. El Sourdo 
 then gave me all the news verbatim — how a fight had taken
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 147 
 
 place at the settlement between Gonzalez and Antonio, in 
 which the latter had been killed or mortally wounded, and 
 the former had escaped to the Pampas, but had subsequently 
 been captured and taken as a prisoner in the schooner 
 to Buenos Ayres ; and other news of trivial importance. 
 Meanwhile the grog was fast disappearing, and the pot had 
 to be replenished. This in turn was about half-emptied by 
 the time the other Indians and women arrived, and Jacke- 
 chan, very inebriated, was vowing eternal friendship to me, 
 while Tchang was howling in my other ear a lovely Tehuelche 
 ditty. As I had drunk in moderation, I thought it about 
 time to clear, so, on the plea of looking after my horse, 
 retired and re-read my letters, which any one may imagine, 
 although not coming from my relations, were of great 
 interest. After my departure no more liquor was given 
 away. El Som-do selling two bottles for a young horse or a 
 silver-sheathed knife, so that he soon found himself a rich 
 man. By midnight all the liquor was exhausted and many 
 drunk, but no disturbances occurred worthy of mention, all 
 arms having previously been stowed away safely. I was 
 roused from my first sleep by a lady from a neighbouring 
 toldo, who wished to embrace me, and, ^vith feminine curio- 
 sity wanted to know the contents of my letters. She was, 
 I am sorry to say, in an advanced stage of intoxication, so 
 after giving her a smoke, Orkeke, who had roused up and 
 was dying of laughter, politely showed her the door. Most 
 of the party went out hunting in the morning, the ride no 
 doubt proving beneficial to those suffering from headache, 
 though little game was killed ; but the Sourdo, whom I hftd 
 joined in a morning bowl of coffee, remained at home, as his 
 horses were very much used up, one of his boys going on a 
 friend's mount to procui'C meat. For four days after tliis 
 drinking bout we did nothing but slaughter and eat mares, 
 Bomebody's child having been slightly hurt in some manner. 
 Although I have read in various books that the Indians have 
 a religious festival at which mares are slaughtered as a
 
 148 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 sacrifice to the Deity at a certain time of the year, I never 
 saw anything of it. Whenever this sort of sacrificial feast 
 took place, there was always a special occasion for it — either 
 a death, or a child hurt, or some escape from danger, 
 when the animals are killed as a thankoffering. Rather 
 tired of remaining so long in one place, on the 12th we 
 marched due north across the plain, which was called ' Gisk,' 
 and encamped under a hill covered with trees, and the sides 
 furrowed with small gullies, densely filled with vegetation 
 and shruhs of two or three species. Here there were plants 
 of the description of potatoes before mentioned, but gi-owing 
 very deep in such unfavourable ground that few were ex- 
 tracted. On the hill sides a plant bearing a yellow flower 
 grew in abundance, the leaf of which, the Chihans informed 
 me, was an excellent remedy for wounds and bruises, and 
 much used in Chili. Four days' huntmg took place here, at 
 the end of which Orkeke, who had heard some story that the 
 Pampas had been steaHng a march by hunting at night, and 
 was rather disgusted at his continual ill-success, proposed 
 that we should separate, and, in company with the toldos of 
 Tchang, go westward to a plain below the higher mountains, 
 which he stated to be abounding in guanaco. He also pro- 
 posed a trip into the Cordillera in search of wild cattle. This 
 plan was eagerly approved, as I anticipated persuading him, 
 if possible, to penetrate to the Chilian shores of the Pacific. 
 We accordingly set out on our travels, but had not gone far 
 before a frightful storm of wind, sleet, and rain set in, which 
 wetted us all completely. We huddled for shelter under a 
 bush for some time, but as it continued there was nothing 
 for it but to push on, and about thi-ee p.m. the weather cleared 
 up ; we then entered a glen with a wooded stream running 
 dovna it, expanding higher up into an open plain. A short 
 distance up the valley the intended camping-ground lay, so 
 a small circle was made, in which some ostriches and gua- 
 naco were killed. We then adjourned across the river under 
 the trees, and soon had a roaring fii-e blazing, by the side of
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 149 
 
 which we dried ourselves and cooked our dinner. A more 
 romantic-looking spot than this I was never in. On the 
 other side of the stream was a mass of grey rocks, half hid 
 by shrubs, from amongst which here and thei-e a dead tree 
 stood up. On one side the grass was beautifully gi-een, and 
 the trees were growing in scattered round clumps a few 
 yards apart ; doves were cooing in their branches, and young 
 ostriches were running about. These, I am sorry to say, 
 were caught by the horsemen, who jumped down and secured 
 them : hunger had no scruples, and two furnished a good 
 meal for each wet and starving traveller. Despite our 
 ducking, we were soon all in high spirits, and some of us, 
 before going back to the toldos, proceeded to search for wild 
 potatoes, a few of which we brought back. The following 
 morning the sun rose bright, with a clear sky, so we con- 
 tinued our march in a westerly direction, arriving about 
 midday at a gorge amongst the wooded hills, where I hoped 
 that we were going to encamp ; the women, however, di- 
 verged to the northward, and proceeded up a ravine or 
 canon in the barranca of the high pampa, pitched the toldos 
 in a gloomy prison-like spot. Melancholy as it seemed to 
 me, it atibrded abundant pasture for the horses, which 
 between the hills was scarce, so that they were inclined to 
 wander into the woods and be hard to find when wanted, 
 which undoubtedly was the reason of our taking the caiion in 
 preference to the wooded valley. This canon, a little beyond 
 our camp, divided into two, in one of which was a laguna 
 frequented by avocets. The stream, which in spring poured 
 down the glen, presented only an occasional pool and a dry 
 bed, in which were numbers of rounded white stones of 
 chalky substance, supplying capital materials forbolas, easily 
 reduced to the suitable form : it also occurred to me that the 
 chips pounded to powder might have the curative effects of 
 chalk mixture, as diarrhoea had affected some of the party, 
 and the result of the medicinal experiment was satisfactory, 
 though it was impossible to prevail on the Indians to try the
 
 150 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 remedy. Whilst the women were pitching toldos, the men, 
 eight in number, started to hunt again. Riding to the west, 
 where the plain was still open, we came upon another of the 
 huge basins previously described, on the western side of 
 which, beyond a lagoon stocked with waterfowl, flowed a 
 broad winding stream fringed with trees. At a short dis- 
 tance from the other side of the stream open glades extended 
 for the space of perhaps a mile to the verge of the inter- 
 minable forests, rising high up on the lofty sides of moun- 
 tains, some of whose summits were still partially snow-clad. 
 To the south were two or three round detached hummocks, 
 hardly deserving the name of hills, crowned with trees. In 
 the foreground were immense herds of guanaco, and on the 
 northern side frowned a high range of arid-looking hills, 
 forming a great contrast to the deliciously-refreshing gi-een 
 aspect of the other points of view. Whilst waiting concealed 
 behind a bush for the coming herd, which had been cun- 
 ningly encircled by Tchang and another Indian, and w-ere to 
 be driven in our direction, we gazed long at the beautiful 
 view before us, and Orkeke pointed out a mountain some dis- 
 tance to the north, underneath which, he said, was the 
 entrance to the scene of ouj: future campaign against the 
 wild cattle. Towards evening we returned to the toldos, 
 pretty well loaded with skins. On another occasion, when 
 hunting, we made a circle, finishing ofl" in the wooded dis- 
 trict near the banks of the river. On our return we hunted 
 over a park-like country, with alternate open glades and 
 woods. Here we killed a doe red deer and a large descrip- 
 tion of fox, apparently identical with the Falkland Island 
 species (Lupus antarcticus). In the \-icinity of the woods, the 
 velvety sward was carpeted with the wild strawberry plants, 
 which, however, were only in bloom. On this occasion our 
 enjoyment was marred by one of the party getting a severe 
 fall, which laid him up for a day or two. Before we reached 
 the toldos rain set in heavily, which during the night turned 
 to snow, and the morning sun shone on a white landscape.
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 151 
 
 During our stay the women went to the woods to cut fresh 
 poles for the toldos, and the men brought back from the 
 wooded country a description of fungus, which, when dried, 
 forms an excellent tinder, of considerable value amongst the 
 Indians, as there are only a few spots where it is to be 
 obtained. After some days spent in this pleasant neighbour- 
 hood, as the supply of guanaco was failing, we marched over 
 the barren range of hills, and passing a lagoon of consider- 
 able extent below the hills, encamped on the other side of 
 them, by the side of a smaller one, in a place called ' Gogo- 
 menykaik.' 
 
 Dm-ing the hunt I had singled out a guanaco, and was in 
 full chase across the upper pampa, which was covei'ed with 
 stunted bushes and tufts of grass, when the quarry suddenly 
 disappeared, as if the earth had swallowed him. The next 
 moment my horse halted in mid-gallop, with its fore feet 
 on the edge of a precipitous descent which shelved aAvay 
 without any warning. Below was a long beautiful glen, with 
 a pool of water glistening among the trees which filled it, 
 but did not rear theu* topmost boughs above the level of the 
 pampa. Here the guanaco had taken refuge, and as the 
 descent was impracticable for a horse, I could only gaze 
 longingly down into the fairy-like scene, and turn away to 
 join the circle, remembering that it was only too easy to lose 
 oneself by delay. Of this an instance occurred the same day, 
 for one of the Chilians did not appear at the fireside when the 
 hunting was completed. At first no heed was bestowed on 
 him, as it was natural to suppose that he had chased a herd 
 of guanaco to some distance, and was detained taking ofl' the 
 skins ; but when at sunset he was still missing, some dry grass 
 was fired, for the purpose of directing him to our camp. 
 The following morning he had not appeared when we started 
 to hunt, myself going as pointsman with Orkeke. We gal- 
 loped for some distance over the plain, and halted in a 
 hollow, where we came on six young skunks outside their 
 pai-ental buiTow, into which they quickly vanished on our
 
 152 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 dismounting ; but as their burrows do not penetrate far, 
 Orkeke 80on grubbed out a couple. As they were too small 
 to kill for the value of their skins, and too much trouble to 
 carry home as pets for the children, we set them free again, 
 and I proceeded, leaving Orkeke to pui'sue his way slowly. 
 A slight rise brought me in front of a rocky hill, on the other 
 side of which was a river with wooded banks, across the 
 valley of which river lay my route. I at first considered it 
 to be the same as that seen in the previous encampment, 
 but on reflection it was plainly another, this flowing north- 
 east, whilst the other took a south-west course. Our hunt 
 progressed very fairly. On closing the circle, one of the 
 Chilians, who was running a guanaco with me, and not ex- 
 pert in the use of the bolas, entangled his horse and himself 
 instead of the chase, which lost him his spoils, and caused 
 much merriment amongst the remainder of the party ; 
 although I may as well state here that when a horse gets a 
 ball round his legs or under his tail, it is not much of a joking 
 matter for the rider. On our way back to camp, halting by a 
 spring, we found large quantities of wild celery ; nettles were 
 also common — the real old English white-flowering one being 
 prevalent. Although my bare legs got considerably stung, I 
 forgot to swear in Tehuelche, and forgave the plant for old 
 acquaintance sake. At the toldos we found the Chilian, who 
 had arrived recently, having run a herd some distance and 
 lost his way, but had been safely directed by our signal 
 fires. In the afternoon some of the party were occupied in 
 breaking their horses, while others were sitting at home 
 lazily watching the performance. Conde's step-father, gene- 
 rally known as ' Paliki,' had a three-year-old iron-grey, with 
 a white star, and a very fine animal, tied up ready to be 
 mounted for the first time. Paliki entered our toldo to 
 borrow my cincta, or girth, and chafled me, asking if I 
 would venture to ' domar ' him. Orkeke seconded the pro- 
 posal, and accordingly, having stripped ofi" mantle and boots, 
 I proceeded to take the lazo and reins and mount. The in-
 
 HENNOKAIK TO TECKEL. 153 
 
 stant he felt tbje unwonted incumbrance he buck-jumped for 
 several yards, finally jumping into the middle of the brook 
 and nearly losing his footing. I spurred him out, and once 
 on the bank he commenced to whirl round and round like a 
 teetotum. At last I got his head straight, and after a few 
 more buck-jumps he went off at a racing speed, urged by whip 
 and spur. After a stretching gallop of three miles, I rode 
 him quietly back, now and again turning him to accustom 
 him to the bridle-thong, but not venturing to feel his mouth, 
 and then brought him up to the toldo amidst the shouts of 
 the spectators. Orkeke expressed great surprise, and wanted 
 to know where I had learned to ' domar ' ; and the gratified 
 owner insisted on presenting me with a piece of tobacco. 
 This was most welcome, as my store was almost exhausted, 
 though it had been replenished occasionally by the posses- 
 sors of guns and revolvers in return for my services in 
 putting the locks to rights ; and the fear of being left 
 tobaccoless — the agony of which all smokers will appreciate 
 — was becoming unpleasantly strong. The following day 
 we bade adieu to the lagoon, which, as usual, was covered 
 with swans and other wild-fowl, which we never molested, 
 husbanding our powder in the event of future disturbances 
 with other Indians. We marched a few miles, and en- 
 camped near the river — indeed, on its very banks, under the 
 shadows of the trees. Here we passed our time away 
 hunting, bathing in the stream, smoking, and lying in the 
 shade for three days. One of my horses being lame, I could 
 not hunt every day, so frequently passed hours under the 
 trees by the river, scrubbing my one remaining shirt for 
 future use, and working hide, &c. As writing in the toldo 
 was made almost impossible by the curiosity of the children, 
 crowding round me and asking questions, I generally used 
 to take my note-book to my retreat ; here, however, I was 
 often interrupted by the girls, who came on the pretence of 
 bathing, and evinced great playful curiosity as to the con- 
 tents of my book — for here, too, I used to peruse and re-
 
 154 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 peruse my library, namely, half of the dtlightful ' Elsie 
 Vernier,' which Crime had picked up on board some ship to 
 serve as wadding for his guns, and sold to me for a little 
 powder. To enable the reader to follow our somewhat 
 devious course and the intricacies of these hills and frequent 
 rivers, the sketch map at page 164 will be found useful ; it 
 does not pretend to be exact, but gives a very fair idea of 
 the line of country traversed, and of our migrations between 
 Henno and Teckel. 
 
 On the 23rd, Lidians having been seen to the north and 
 guanaco hunting proving a failure, Orkeke, to my great 
 delight, proposed a visit to the wild-cattle country. The 
 camp was accordingly struck, and following more or less the 
 valley of the river, which flowed after one turn nearly due 
 east, we shortly came out into an open plain running up 
 between the mountains, at the head of which we encamped 
 by some tall beeches on the banks of the stream. The whole 
 of the latter part of the plain traversed was literally carpeted 
 with strawberry plants all in blossom, the soil being of a 
 dark peaty nature. Young ostriches were now numerous, 
 and every hunt some were captured, and formed a welcome 
 addition to our dinner. The children had several alive as 
 pets, which they used to let loose and then catch with 
 miniature bolas, generally ending in killing them. Om* pro- 
 gi-amme was to leave all the women, toldos, and other 
 encumbrances in this spot, named ' Weekel,' or Chaykash — 
 a regular station, and which Hinchel's party had occupied a 
 few weeks previously — and proceed ourselves into the in- 
 terior in search of cattle. The following morning at daylight 
 horses were caught and saddled, and, after receiving the 
 good wishes ■ of the women, who adjured us to bring back 
 plenty of fat beef, we started ofl' just as the sun was rising 
 behind the hills to the eastward. The air was most in- 
 vigorating, and we trotted along for some distance up a 
 slightly irregular and sandy slope, halting after an hour or 
 two by the side of a deliciously clear brook, flowing east,
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 155 
 
 where we smoked. We had previously passed guanaco and 
 ostrich, but no notice was taken of them, the Indians having 
 larger game in view. After passing this brook, the head- 
 water of the river near which we had left the toldos, we 
 skirted a large basin-like plain of beautiful green pastui'e, 
 and after galloping for some time entered the forest, travelling 
 along a path which only permitted us to proceed in Indian- 
 file. The trees were in many places dead, not blackened by 
 fire, but standing up like ghostly bleached and bare skeletons. 
 It is a remarkable fact that all the forests on the eastern 
 side are skirted by a belt of dead trees. At length, however, 
 just as we came in sight of a curiously pointed rock which 
 in the distance resembled the spu'e of a church, we entered 
 the forest of live trees ; the undergrowth was composed of 
 currant, bay, and other bushes, whilst here and there were 
 beds of yellow violets, and the inevitable strawberry plants 
 everpvhcre. After crossing a stream, which, flowing from 
 the north, afterwards took a westerly course, thus proving 
 that we had passed the watershed, we proceeded, under cover 
 of a huge rock, to reconnoitre the hunting ground. The 
 scenery was beautiful : a valley, about a mile wide, stretched 
 directly under us ; on the southern verge a silver line marked 
 the easterly river, and another on the northern the one 
 debouching in the Pacific ; whilst above, on both sides, rose 
 high mountains covered with vegetation and almost im- 
 penetrable forests. On the western side of the valley a 
 solitary bull was leisurely taking his breakfast, and above 
 our look-out rock a huge condor lazily flapped his wings. 
 These were the only specimens of animal life in view. 
 Pursuing our way in perfect silence, as from the first entrance 
 into the forests spcaJving had been prohibited, we followed 
 the leader along the narrow cattle path, passing here and 
 there the remains of a dead bull or cow that had met their 
 fate by the Indian's lazo, and at length descended to the 
 plain. It was about midday, and the day was warm, so we 
 halted, changed horses, looked to our girths, got lazos ready
 
 lo6 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 for use, and then started on. As we were proceeding we 
 observed two or three animals amongst the woods on the 
 opposite side, but knowing that it would be useless to follow, 
 pursued our course up the valley. Having crossed the 
 western stream, we at once entered a thicket where the path 
 was scarcely distinguishable from the cover, but our leader 
 never faltered, and led the way through open glades alter- 
 nating with thick woods, on every side of which were cattle 
 marks, many being holes stamped out by the bulls, or wallow- 
 ing places. The glades soon terminated in forests, which 
 seemed to stretch unbroken on either side. We had ex- 
 pected before reaching this point to have found cattle in 
 considerable numbers, but the warmth of the day had pro- 
 bably driven them into the thickets to seek shelter. AVe 
 now commenced to ascend over a dangerous path, encumbered 
 here and there with loose boulders and entangled in dense 
 thickets, whilst we could hear and catch occasional glimpses 
 of the river foaming down a ravine on our left, and presently 
 arrived at the top of a ridge where the forests became more 
 uniformly dense, and we could with great difficulty pursue 
 our way. It was a mystery to me how Orkeke, who acted as 
 guide, knew where we were, as on one occasion the slightly- 
 marked paths diverged in different du'ections, and on another 
 we literally found ourselves amongst fallen trees in a forest 
 so dense that the light of day scarcely penetrated its shades. 
 Our leader, however, never hesitated, but led us onwards in 
 all confidence. Whilst brushing along, if I may be allowed 
 the term, trying to keep the leader in sight, I heard some- 
 thing tapping on a tree, and looking up, saw close above 
 me a most beautifully marked red-crested woodpecker. We 
 at length commenced to descend, and, after passing many 
 channels of rivulets issuing from springs, where a slip of 
 the horse's foot on the wet and mossy stones would have 
 occasioned something worse than broken bones, as they were 
 situated on the edge of a deep ravine, finally emerged from 
 the woods and found ourselves on a hill of some three himdred
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 157 
 
 feet in height, whence we looked down on a broad plain 
 in the form of a triangle, bounded by the river flowing 
 through the ravine on the north side, and on the southern 
 by another coming from the south, which two streams united 
 in one large river at the western apex, at a distance of about 
 perhaps a league. Above and around, on all sides excepting 
 to the west and the ra\anes through which the rivers flowed, 
 rose the unbroken wall of the lofty mountains of the 
 Cordillera, many of their peaks snow-clad. No sound was to 
 be heard except the rushing of the river in the ravine, and 
 no animal life to bo seen except a condor or two floating 
 high above us in the clear sky. The scene was sublime, and 
 I viewed it in silence for some minutes, till the pipe, being 
 handed to me, dispelled all nascent poetic tendencies. The 
 Indians remained silent and looked disgusted, as a herd of 
 cattle had been expected to be viewed on the plain below. 
 We descended to the flats, and crossed the river, on the 
 banks of which * Paja ' or Pampa-grass grew in abundance, 
 as well as the bamboo-like canes from which Araucanian 
 Indians make their lance shafts, and a plant called by the 
 Chilians ' Talka,' the stalk of which, resembling rhubarb, is 
 refreshing and juicy. On the northern edges and slope of the 
 ravine l)chind us towered graceful pines sixty feet high, which, 
 though an impassable barrier of rock prevented close inspec- 
 tion, appeared to bo a species of Araucaria ; the bark was 
 imbricated and the stems rose bare of branches for two-thirds 
 of their height, like those figured by M. Gay. Many had been 
 carried down by landslips, and lay tossed and entangled on 
 the sides of the ravine. The increase of temperature after 
 passing the watershed was sensibly great, amounting to from 
 seven to ten degi-eos, and the vegetation far more luxuriant, 
 the plants presenting many new forms unknown at the 
 eastern side. After leaving the plain and crossing the 
 shallow stream, wo left our mantles, and girthed up near a 
 tree in a thicket festooned with a beautiful creeper, having 
 a bell- shaped flower of violet radiated with brown. The
 
 158 AT nOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 variety of flowers made an Eden of this lovely spot : climbing 
 clusters of sweet-peas, vetches, and rich golden flowers re- 
 sembling gorgeous marigolds, and many another blossom, 
 filled the air with perfume and delighted the eye with their 
 beauty. Proceeding still westward we entered a valley with 
 alternate clumps of trees and green pastures, and after 
 riding about a mile I espied from a ridge on one side of the 
 valley two bulls on the other side, just clear of the thick 
 woods bordering the ascent of the mountains. The word 
 was passed in whispers to the cacique, and a halt being 
 called under cover of some bushes, a plan of attack was 
 arranged in the following manner. Two men were sent round 
 to endeavour to drive the animals to a clearing where it 
 would be possible to use the lazo, the remainder of the 
 party proceeding down towards the open ground with lazos, 
 ready to chase if the bulls should come that way. For a 
 few minutes we remained stationary, picking the strawberries, 
 which in this spot were ripe, although the plants previously 
 met with were only in flower. At the end of five minutes 
 spent in anxiously hoping that our plan would prove success- 
 ful, a yell from the other side put us on the alert, and we 
 had the gratification to see one of the animals coming 
 straight towards our cover. Alas ! just as we were preparing 
 to dash out, he turned on the edge of the plain, and after 
 charging furiously at his pursuers dashed into a thicket, where 
 he stood at bay. We immediately closed round him, and 
 dismounting, I advanced on foot to try and bring him down 
 with the revolver ; just as I had got within half a dozen 
 paces of him, and behind a bush was quietly taking aim at 
 his shoulder, the Indians, eager for beef, and safe on their 
 horses at a considerable distance ofi", shouted, ' Nearer ! 
 nearer ! ' I accordingly stepped from my cover, but had 
 hardly moved a pace forward when my spur caught in a 
 root : at the same moment ' El Toro ' charged. Entangled 
 with the root, I could not jump on one side as he came on ; 
 so when within a yard I fired a shot in his face, hoping to
 
 HENNOKAIK TO TECKEL. 159 
 
 turn him, and wheeled my body at the same instant to 
 prevent his horns from catching me, as the sailors say, 
 ' broadside on.' The shot did not stop him, so I was 
 knocked down, and, galloping over me, he passed on with my 
 handkerchief, which fell from my head, triumphantly borne 
 on his horns, and stopped a few yards off under another 
 bush. Having picked myself up and found my arms and 
 legs all right, I gave him another shot, which, as my hand 
 was rather unsteady, only took effect in the flank. My car- 
 tridges being exhausted, I returned to my horse, and found 
 that, besides being considerably shaken, two of my ribs had 
 been broken by the encounter. 
 
 The Indians closed round me, and evinced gi'eat anxiety 
 to know whether I was much hurt. One more courageous 
 than the rest, despite the warnings of the cacique, swore that 
 he would try and lazo the brute, and accordingly approached 
 the infuriated animal, who for a moment or two showed no 
 signs of stirring : just, however, as the Indian was about to 
 throw his lazo, it caught in a branch, and before he could 
 extricate it the bull was on him. We saw the horse give 
 two or three vicious kicks, as the bull gored him : at length 
 he was lifted clean up, the fore legs alone remaining on the 
 ground, and overthrown, the rider alighting on his head in a 
 bush. Wo closed up and attracted the bull in another 
 direction, then went to look for the corpse of our comrade, 
 who, however, to oiu: surprise, issued safe from the bush where 
 he had lain quiet and unhurt, though the horse was killed. 
 This little incident cast a gloom over our day's pleasure, and 
 lost us our Christmas dinner, as Orkokc ordered a retreat to 
 the spot whore we had left our mantles, although we tried to 
 persuade him to attack the beast again, or, at any rate, 
 remain and eat some of the dead horse, and try our luck 
 next day, but he was inflexible. So having regained our 
 spare horses we prepared to return home, hoping to be able 
 to pass through the forest before nightfall. On our way 
 across the plain previously described, wild cattle were seen
 
 IGO AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 and one chased ; but he, although balled by Orkeke, con- 
 trived to slip the bolas, and escaping to cover stood to bay, 
 where he was left master of the field. This bull would 
 have been taken had the other Indians showed any degree of 
 alacrity when Orkeke balled him ; but they were dispirited 
 by the previous failure. As evening was coming on I noticed 
 a cormorant on the river : this and the increase of tempera- 
 ture led me to believe that had we penetrated a few miles 
 farther west we should have reached the shores of the 
 Pacific. Pursuing our track homewards, after the second 
 unsuccessful engagement, we managed to pass the thick 
 forest before dark, and decending to the eastern valley saw 
 numerous cows and bulls at intervals. A short time after 
 dark we encamped for the night under the shelter of some 
 trees near to the head-waters of the western river, and after 
 a pipe — by way of supper — wrapping ourselves in our 
 mantles were soon fast asleep. At daylight we mounted and 
 continued our journey, arriving about two p.m. pretty con- 
 siderably hungry, having eaten nothing barring strawberries 
 and talka, and a few unripe currants, since our last evening 
 in the toldos. The women were naturally disappointed at 
 our ill-luck, but uttered no complaints or reproaches, and 
 hastened to pound some charqui for our refreshment. Next 
 day, all except myself and my companion in the overthrow, 
 who complained of headache, went out hunting and returned 
 at night with young guanaco, and an ostrich or two. Some 
 of the women had seen cattle near the encampment, and 
 Orkeke informed me that in former years they used to occupj' 
 the plains below us in large herds, but that the Indians had 
 driven them into the interior by excessive hunting : he also 
 stated that on one occasion he spent some months in this 
 spot, and caught and tamed a considerable number. His 
 accurate knowledge of the country made his statement 
 credible, and he also showed me a sort of corral that had 
 been made to enclose the wild animals. For my own 
 part, the name of the Cordillera recalls the most hungiy
 
 HENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. IGl 
 
 Chiistmas time of my life : to parody the ' Ancient Mariner,' 
 it was ' Cattle, cattle everywhere, and never a bit of beef.' 
 The following day was spent in the toldos, and some of the 
 Indians were desirous, or pretended to be, of going once 
 more in search of cattle. Orkeke would not hear of it, so 
 on the 28th we marched, following the course of the river 
 in a more or less north-east direction. The weather was 
 beautiful, and after leaving the plain we rode along the 
 winding valley, now and then starting a herd of guanaco 
 or a solitary osti'ich. Towards evening we encamped on 
 the banks of the river, and the women, after pitching the 
 toldos, employed themselves in grubbing up potatoes. This 
 day we saw smoke to the north, caused by the hunting- 
 parties of the other Indians, and also some at a greater 
 distance, which Orkeke said was that of the Ai'aucanian 
 Indians, whom it was expected that we should shortly meet 
 with. 
 
 On the 29th we were preparing to march, and while the 
 women were engaged in lading the horses some of us were 
 picking the berries of the ' Califata,' or barberry (Berberis 
 buccifoHa), or looking for strawberries, when a boy, from a 
 party of other Indians occupying the toldos near at hand, 
 rode up as if despatched as a chasqui, and stated that his 
 party had communicated with the Araucanians, amongst 
 whom there had been a row in a drinking bout, resulting in 
 the death of the cacique. This story was fully believed, and 
 Orkeke was rather perplexed, as perhaps the new cacique 
 might not be friendly disposed towards the Tehuelches. 
 Without hunting, we rode quietly down to the next encamp- 
 ment, where the two strange toldos had already arrived. On 
 our near approach one of the Indians came to meet us, and 
 whilst discussing a pipe, after the observance of the usual 
 ceremonial prescribed by etiquette (as we had not seen the 
 man before), we asked him about the row amongst the Arau- 
 canos, which turned out to bo all a hoax on the part of the 
 promising youth who had visited us. After a while wo 
 
 11
 
 1G2 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 adjourned to the toldos, situated on the bend of the river near 
 a ford or pass. We had now arriyed at the camp agreed on 
 as a general rendezvous at Hcnno, previous to the dispersion 
 of the Indians. This valley is called Teckel, and is a favourite 
 resting-place after the young guanaco season, both for the 
 purpose of refreshing the horses and manufacturing the 
 young guanaco skins into mantles, previous to proceeding to 
 trade either at the Rio Negro or with the Indians of Las 
 Manzanas. The encampment is usually situated on the ground 
 occupied at this time, viz., on the west side of the river, 
 about a mile from a large barren hill which shuts out the 
 view of the Cordillera. On the east side the valley extends 
 some three miles, and continues open to the north for per- 
 haps six miles. It is all fertile, but the best grazing gi-ound 
 is at the north-east end. • The banks of the river, which are 
 destitute of trees, are in many places high, and formed under 
 the surface earth of various stratified clays — blue, white, and 
 red. In the bottom of the stream, which is singularly free 
 from stones, thick beds of clay are of frequent occurrence, 
 almost approaching to the tufa found in the Parana and other 
 confluents of La Plata, and in some spots there are beds of 
 black sand, probably auriferous ; fish are procurable in any 
 eddy or pool, and crayfish abound and form the most tempt- 
 ing bait for the others. Out of some of the finest clay I was 
 enabled to manufacttu'e a pipe by the simple process of 
 shaping it in the hand and then baking it in the ashes, but 
 it did not last long. Shortly after our arrival one of the 
 small children, whilst playing with bolas formed out of the 
 foot and sinews of an ostrich, hurt himself, and in conse- 
 quence a slaughter of mares took place, which opportunely 
 enabled us to dispense with hunting and rest oui- horses, 
 which by this time stood in sore need of some bye days, 
 though, as there was a good racecom'se, we frequently in- 
 dulged in a race just to keep the horses in exercise. After 
 we had been about a week settled here, the women being all 
 hard at work making up mantles — which will be described in
 
 UENNOKAIK TO T ECKEL. 163 
 
 the next chapter — the Indians began to arrive, and the hunt- 
 ing was resumed ; only, however, when absolutely necessary. 
 Some of the new aiTivals proceeded to the wild cattle dis- 
 trict, and managed to kill a bull, although — as before — an 
 accident occurred. As my lazo was used to capture thebuU, 
 I came in for a share of the meat, which was divided amongst 
 the people in our toldo ; but it proved very tough, and 
 rather nasty. Perhaps the palate, having been so long 
 accustomed to guanaco, ostrich, or horse, could not reUsh 
 meat of a coarser description ; but the hide was invalu- 
 able for making maneos and other horse-gear. On the 7th 
 of January a messenger arrived from Casimiro requesting me 
 to send him some information, and stating that he was dis- 
 tant some three marches, and wished to wait some time to 
 refresh his horses, &c. After consulting with Orkeke and 
 Jackechan, we sent back a messenger to say that, ' As game 
 was scarce now in the vicinity of Teckel, and all were more or 
 less desirous of pushing forward, he had better make haste 
 and join us, otherwise we should continue our march towards 
 Las Manzanas.' This message had the desired effect, as on 
 the 11th he made his appearance, with several other toldos, 
 a few only remaining in the rear with Crime, who was 
 reported to be unwell. 
 
 On Casimiro's arrival, as he now possessed a good toldo, I 
 changed my quarters to his residence, as agreed on at the 
 outset of the journey. I was sorry to leave Orkeke, and the 
 old man was very much grieved, a present of a revolver only 
 troubling him the more, as ho informed me that he had 
 nothing to offer in exchange ; however, my assurance that I 
 did not give him a present expecting an exchange, as is cus- 
 tomary with Indians, appeared to console him. The usual 
 consultation of the chiefs took place, in which all the pre- 
 ceding arrangements were agreed to, and we remained sta- 
 tionary in Teckel until January 20. As I had by this time 
 become well acquainted with the mode of life and usages of 
 the Tehuelches, and was looked upon as one of them-
 
 164 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 selves — and in fact had acquired a position and influence 
 among them — it may be as well to call a halt, and devote 
 a chapter to a description of the manners and customs 
 of the Tsonecas or Tehuelches, as Patagonians call them- 
 selves.
 
 fagr lf«-IS7.0\ap IV.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCHES. 
 
 Patagonian Giants — A Long Walk — Strength and Good Humour — 
 Heads of Hair — Tehuelche Coquettes — Dress of Men and Women — 
 Ornaments and Cosmetics — Toilette and Bath — Arms and Implements 
 — Ancient Bolas and Arrows — Saddles and Bridles — Silversmiths — 
 Manufacture of Mantles — Women's Work — Diet and Cookery — 
 Smoking — Card Playing — Game of Ball — Ceremonies at Birth — 
 Childhood — Marriage — Fimeral Rites — Religion — Demons and Doc- 
 tors — Witchcraft and Omens — Medical Skill — Population and Poli- 
 tics — Etiquette — Tehuelche Character — Natural Affection — Advice 
 to Travellers. 
 
 THE first question asked about the Patagonians by curious 
 English friends has invariably had reference to their 
 traditionary stature. Are they giants or not ? "Whether the 
 ancestors of the Tehuelches — to Avhom alone, by the way, 
 the name Patagonians properly applies — were taller than 
 the present race is uncertain ; though tales of gigantic 
 skeletons found in Tehuelche graves are current in Punta 
 Arenas and Santa Cruz. The average height of the Tehuelche 
 male members of the party with which I travelled was 
 rather over than under five feet ten inches.* Of course no 
 other means of measurement besides comparing my own 
 height were available ; but this result, noted at the time, coin- 
 cides with that independently arrived at by Mr. Cunningham. 
 Two others, who were measured carefully by Mr. Clarke, 
 stood six feet four inches each. After joining the Northern 
 
 * Vide Appendix B.
 
 166 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 Tehuelches, although the Southerners proved generally to be 
 the tallest, I found no reason to alter this average, as any 
 smaller men that were met with in their company were not 
 pure Tehuelches, but half-bred Pampas. The extraordinary 
 muscular development of the arms and chest is in all par- 
 ticularly striking, and as a rule they are well-proportioned 
 throughout. This fact calls for especial mention, as others 
 have stated that the development and strength of the legs is 
 inferior to that of the arms. Even Mr. Cunningham alleges 
 this to be the case, but I cannot at all agree with him. 
 Besides the fi'equent opportunities afforded me of scrutinising 
 the young men engaged in the game of ball, in which great 
 strength and activity are displayed, or when enjoying the 
 almost daily bath and swimming or diving, I judged of the 
 muscular size of their legs by trying on their boots, which, 
 in nearly all cases, were far too large for me, although the 
 feet, on the other hand, were frequently smaller than mine. 
 The height of their insteps is also worthy of remark, one 
 example of which may suffice. Having negotiated an ex- 
 change of an excellent paii* of high boots, manufactured by 
 Messrs. Thomas, for some necessary article, with a Tehuelche, 
 the bargain fell through because he was unable to get his 
 foot into the boot, the high arched instep proving an in- 
 superable obstacle to further progi'ess. 
 
 An instance of the walking powers of the Tehuelches 
 came under my particular notice. On my first arrival at 
 Santa Cruz, it will be remembered that the schooner was 
 lying in the mouth of the river waiting for a fair wind. 
 Two Tehuelches, named Tchang and Getchkook, had em- 
 barked in order to proceed to the Kio Negro, but their 
 patience becoming exhausted by the delay, they asked to be 
 put ashore, and walked back to the settlement — a distance 
 of over forty miles — in about twelve hours, without food. I 
 saw them on theii- arrival, and they did not appear in any way 
 distressed, merely remarking that it had been ' a long walk.' 
 
 Their powers of abstaining from food are also very re-
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OP THE TEHUELCHES. 167 
 
 markable. When the disturbances and fighting were going 
 on they rarely ate anything : also when travelling as * chas- 
 quis,' or messengers, they will not unfrequently go for two 
 and even three days without tasting food. In our expedition 
 into the Cordillera we remained over forty-eight hours without 
 food except wild fruit, and, although I at first suff"ered from 
 hunger, my companions did not appear to be in any way incon- 
 venienced. As a Chilian deserter remarked on one occasion, 
 it was all very well for them to go on without eating ; ' but 
 we can't — we've not so much fat.' Their strength of arm is 
 very great, and the distance to which they can throw the 
 ostrich bola is truly astonishing : thus I have seen Crime 
 and some others ball an ostrich over seventy yards distant. 
 When cutting wood in the Cordillera with Hinchel, a 
 Chilian deserter and myself had cut a tree through, and, 
 having fastened a lazo to the top branch, were endeavour- 
 ing to drag it down, but its branches became entangled in 
 another tree, and we could not stir it. Hinchel, seeing our 
 difficulty, came up, and with one well-directed, vigorous tug 
 cleared it from the branches and brought it to the ground. 
 
 Mr. Clarke also informed me that when he was ill with 
 fever, and had to be removed from the Almacen to the 
 lower house on the island, on account of the noise made 
 by the drunken Indians, Waki mounted, and, taking him 
 in his arms, rode down seemingly unencumbered by the 
 burden. Their faces, of course, vary in expression, but are 
 ordinarily bright and good-humoured, though when in the 
 settlement they assume a sober, and even sullen, demeanour. 
 Waki and Cayuke, two friends of mine, are particularly 
 present to my recollection as having always had a smile on 
 their faces. Their ever-ready laughter displays universally 
 good teeth, which they keep white and clean by chewing 
 * maki,' a gum which exudes from the incense bush, and is 
 carefully gathered by the women and children. It has a 
 rather pleasant taste, and is a most excellent dentifrice, 
 worthy to rival Odonto or Floriline, and it is used simply as
 
 168 AT HOME WITH THE TATAGONIANS. 
 
 such, and not, as Monsieur Guinnard* says, because their 
 greediness is so great that they must chew something. Their 
 eyes are bright and intelligent, and their noses — though, of 
 course, presenting different types — are as a rule aquiline 
 and well-formed, and devoid of the breadth of nostril proper 
 to the ordinary ideal of savage tribes. The peculiar pro- 
 minence over the eyebrows has been noticed by all observers, 
 and retreating foreheads, though observable, are exceptional. 
 The thick masses of hair, and the obvious risk, which would 
 deter the most zealous craniologist from endeavouring to 
 measure their heads, must be deemed sufficient excuse for 
 my not being able to state whether they are dolichokephalic 
 or brachykephalic ; a point, however, which I confess did 
 not particularly attract my observation ; but, for the partial 
 comfort of anthropologists, be it noted that both Chilians 
 and myself interchanged hats with some Tehuelches, es- 
 pecially Orkeke and Hinchel, without finding misfits. The 
 complexion of the men is reddish brown, that is to say when 
 cleansed from paint, and, like an old picture, restored to 
 their pristine tint, which is not quite "so deep as to warrant 
 Fitzroy's comparison of it to the colour of a Devon cow. 
 
 The scanty natural growth of beard, moustaches, and even 
 eyebrows, is carefully eradicated by means of a pair of silver 
 tweezers, and I was often urged to part with my beard, and 
 undergo this painful operation, but I naturally objected to 
 comply with the request. The men's heads are covered 
 with thick, flowing masses of long hair, of which they take 
 great care, making their wives, or other female relatives, 
 brush it out carefully at least once a day. Yerj^ few appeared 
 to have grey hair ; though there were a few exceptions, one very 
 old man's hair being of a snowy whiteness, which contrasted 
 strangely with his tawny face. The women have, as far as 
 I could judge, an average height of about five feet six inches : 
 they are very strong in the arms, but seldom walk beyond 
 fetching the supplies of wood and water, all theii" journeys 
 
 * 'Three Years' Slavery,' p. 233.
 
 MANNEBS AND CUSTOMS OF TEE TEHUELCIIES. 169 
 
 being performed on horseback. Their hair, which is of no 
 great length, scarcely indeed equalling that of the men, and 
 very coarse, is worn in two plaited tails, which on gala days 
 are artificially lengthened, probably with horse-hair inter- 
 woven with blue beads, the ends being garnished with silver 
 pendants. This practice, however, is confined, I think, to 
 the unmarried ladies. 
 
 Being an admirer of long hair, on my first joining the 
 Indians I greatly admired Tchang's daughter for her ' head 
 of hair,' two immensely long tails beautifully embellished, 
 which I naturally thought was all her own. But, meeting 
 her by chance on the following morning returning to the toldo 
 with water, to my great disappointment I found that she 
 had taken her spare hair ofi", and her natural locks were the 
 reverse of long. The young women are frequently good- 
 looking, displaying healthy, ruddy cheeks when not disguised 
 with paint. They are modest in behaviour, though very 
 coquettish, and as skilled in flirtation as if they had been 
 taught in more civilised society. The fail- widow who so 
 nearly hooked the Englishman could on occasions appeal as 
 prettily for help as a young lady in imagmary difficulties 
 over a country stile. Thus, when at Orkeke's request I led the 
 way through a river — half way across the channel suddenly 
 deepened, with muddy bottom, and an abrupt bank to land 
 on — I heard a plaintive appeal, ' Muster, help me ! my horse 
 is too small.' Exposure and work do not age them as 
 soon as might be expected, but when old they become most 
 hideous beldames, and the most weird-like witches imagined 
 by Doro would be surpassed by a trio of Tehuelche 
 grandames. The dress of the men consists of a chiripa, 
 or under garment round the loins, made of a poncho, a piece 
 of cloth, or even of a guanaco mantle ; but, whatever the ma- 
 terial, this article of dress is indispensable and scrupulously 
 worn, their sense of decency being very strong. All other 
 garments are supplied by the capacious and warm skin 
 mantle, which, worn with the fur inside and the painted side
 
 170 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 out, will keep the wearer dry for a considerable time in the 
 wettest weather. This is often dispensed with in the chase, 
 but, if worn when riding, is secured at the waist by a belt of 
 hide or leather if it can be obtained. When in camp the 
 belt is not used, and the garment is worn loose, something 
 after the fashion of the ' melodramatic assassin's ' cloak. 
 When sitting by the fireside, or even when walking about, 
 the furred part of the mantle is generally kept over the 
 mouth — as the Tehuelches aver that the cold wind causes 
 sore gums — a habit which assists in rendering their guttural 
 and at all times rather unintelligible language more difficult 
 of comprehension to the novice. 
 
 Their potro boots (fig. 5) or buskins are made from the skin 
 of horse's hock, and occasionally from the leg of a large puma, 
 drawn on up to the knee and fastened round the foot. It is 
 thus worn for a day or two until the boot has taken the 
 shape of the foot, when the leather is cut at the toes and 
 sewn up to fit. When the sole is worn, or in very wet or 
 snowy weather, hide overshoes are worn besides, and the 
 footprints thus made are really large enough to convey the 
 idea of giant's feet, and partly explain the term ' Patagon,' 
 or large feet, applied to these Indians by the Spanish dis- 
 coverers. The boots are rarely put on in camp, for economical 
 reasons, though turning out barefoot in the frozen grass at 
 daylight is unpleasant even to aTehuelche. But the material 
 of the boot would soon wear out if used for walking. In 
 riding they are secured by garters, either gay coloured 
 woven bands, or, which is de ri(jueur for chiefs, of hide, with 
 massive silver buckles. Although the usual head-dress of 
 the men is simply a colom-ed fillet to confine the hair, yet 
 sometimes, and especially on state occasions, hats, if pro- 
 curable, are indulged in. Old Orkeke frequently wore a felt 
 wideawake, which was, on returning from hunting, carefully 
 put up by his thoughtful spouse. 
 
 The women's dress consists of a mantle similar to that 
 worn by the men, but secured at the throat by a large silver
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCHES. 171 
 
 pin with a broad disc, or a nail, or thorn, according to the 
 wealth or poverty of the wearer ; and under this is a loose 
 calico or stuft' sacque, extending from the shoulders to the 
 ankle. When travelling the mantle is secured at the waist 
 by a broad belt ornamented with blue beads, and silver or 
 brass studs. The boots worn by the women are similar to 
 those described, with the exception that in theii" preparation 
 the hau- is left on the hide, while it is carefully removed 
 from those of the men. The children are dressed in small 
 mantles, but are more frequently allowed to run about naked 
 up to the age of six or eight ; their little boots are made 
 from the skin taken from the fore-legs of the guanaco, soft- 
 ened in the hand. The small children generally remon- 
 strated strongly and eflfectually against wearing this article of 
 clothing ; and whatever the severity of the weather, preferred 
 running about barefoot. The cradles for the babies are 
 formed of strips of wicker-work interlaced with hide thongs, 
 fitted with a cover to keep sun and rain ofi", and made of a 
 convenient shape to rest on the saddle gear of the mother 
 when on the march. They are ornamented, if the parents 
 are wealthy, with httle bells, brass or even silver plates. 
 The women are fond of ornaments, wearing huge earrings 
 of square shape, suspended to small rings passing through 
 the lobe of the ear ; also silver or blue bead necklaces. The 
 men also wear these necklaces, and adorn their belts, pipes, 
 knives, sheaths, and horse-gear with silver. Those who can 
 atiord it also indulge in silver spurs and stirrups ; most of 
 their ornaments, except the beads, are home made, being 
 beaten out of dollars obtained by commerce in the settle- 
 ments. Both sexes smear their faces, and occasionally 
 their bodies, with paint, the Indians alleging as the reason 
 for using this cosmetic, that it is a protection against the 
 eH'oct of the winds ; and I found from personal experience 
 that it proved a complete preservative from excoriation or 
 chapped skin. It proved equally efiective against the sun, 
 which in Henno peeled my face completely until I resumed
 
 172 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 the paint — which I had left off — not wishing to appear as a 
 noble savage to the new comers. The paint for the face is 
 composed of either red ochre or black earth mixed with 
 grease obtained from the marrow bones of the game killed 
 in the chase, all of which are carefully husbanded by the 
 women, and when opportunity offers pounded and boiled in 
 the large pots ; the grease and gelatine being carefully 
 skimmed off and secured. On state occasions, such as a 
 birth feast, and for a dance, the men further adorn them- 
 selves with white paint, or powdered gypsum, which they 
 moisten and rub on their hands, and make five white finger- 
 marks over their chests, arms, and legs. The usual morning 
 toilette is simple ; after the plunge in the river, which 
 is almost always the first thing, except of course when cir- 
 cumstances prevent it, indulged in by both sexes, who 
 bathe scrupulously apart, and generally before daylight. 
 The men's hail" is dressedby their wives, daughters, or sweet- 
 hearts, who take the greatest care to burn any hairs that 
 may be brushed out, as they fully believe that spells may be 
 wrought by evil-intentioned persons who can obtain a piece 
 of their hair. From the same idea, after cutting their 
 nails, the parings are carefully committed to the flames. 
 After the hair-brushing, which is performed by means of a rude 
 hand-brush, the women adorn the men's faces with paint ; if in 
 mourning they put on black paint, and if going to fight, some- 
 times put a little white paint under the eyes, which assists in 
 contrast to the other in giving a savage expression. The 
 women paint each other's faces, or if possessed, as sometimes 
 occurs, of a fragment of looking-glass, paint their own. 
 Both sexes tattoo on the forearm, by the simple process of 
 puncturing the skin with a bodkin, and inserting a mixture 
 of blue earth with a piece of dry glass : the usual patterns 
 consist of a series of parallel lines, and sometimes a single 
 triangle, or a double triangle, the upper one resting on the 
 apex of the lower. I myself had one Une tattooed by a fair 
 enslaver, and confess that the process was rather painful.
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCHES. 173 
 
 Indians have a good deal of regard for personal cleanli- 
 ness, and besides the morning ablutions enjoy bathing when 
 encamped near a river, swimming and di\-ing for hours 
 together. They also are scrupulously careful as to the clean- 
 liness of theu' toldos and utensils, and will, if they can 
 obtain soap, wash up everything they may be possessed of. 
 Notwithstanding these precautions, they are very much 
 afflicted by vennin, which effect a firm lodgment in the wool 
 of their mantles. This may be attributed to their mode 
 of life, and their food, as well as to the materials of their 
 clothing ; and any traveller who wishes to sojourn with the 
 Indians must make up his mind to subject himself to these 
 inflictions, to which, however [experto crede), he will soon 
 become inured. Their method of hunting and of cooking 
 the meat obtained by the chase has been fully described in 
 a previous chapter. Among the arms and implements figured 
 in the illustration will be found (figs. 9 and 10) the weapons 
 chiefly employed in the pursuit of game, namely, the 
 bolas fitted with two balls called ' chume,' for capturing 
 the ostrich, and those with three called ' yachiko,' for 
 guanaco hunting, w^hich are similar to those used by the 
 Gauchos in the Ai'gentine Provinces. The balls are gene- 
 rally of stone, but sometimes white metal or copper balls are 
 employed, procured in the settlements, which require no 
 covering, and arc more and more coming into fashion of late 
 years ; iron balls also, or iron ore, obtained and hammered 
 into the requisite shape by the Tehuelches themselves, are 
 common ; these are for the round striking ball or balls : but 
 the oval-shaped hand-ball, which is grasped in the hand, and 
 is necessarily lighter by at least one-third than the other, is 
 generally made of the soft vesicular lava which abounds in 
 so many districts. The tough light thong for swinging 
 balls round the head is generally made, as previously de- 
 scribed, of ostrich or guanaco sinews plaited in four plaits, 
 the length of which should be between seven and eight feet. 
 It is always best to ball a quan*y when galloping in an exact
 
 174 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 line, as the necks of guanaco and ostrich are always aimed 
 at ; entangling the hind legs of the quadruped being use- 
 less, though cattle and horses are always balled round the 
 hind legs. A shot at a bird or beast bounding or running 
 across is almost sure to miss ; of course misses are frequent, 
 as fifty to seventy yards is often the distance of a shot de- 
 livered from a horse's back at full gallop and the balls 
 whirr through the air with their peculiar sound, only per- 
 haps to fall into a tangled bush. Then it is that the advan- 
 tage of the bright material becomes evident, for the horse- 
 man does not stop, but gallops on and throws another pair, 
 returning afterwards to pick up the dropped weapons, fre- 
 quently very hard to find on the pebble-strewn, grass-grown, 
 or shrub-covered surface. I generally threw do^wn a hand- 
 kerchief or some such thing, easily seen, to mark the spot ; 
 but the metal bolas are so much preferred on account of 
 being easily seen, that a pair are worth a horse. In addition 
 to the bolas, a lazo is used when hunting cattle or horses, 
 and sometimes for the pumas, although the ordinary method 
 is to kill them by first stunning them with a blow on the 
 head. The arms of the Tehuelches consist of gun or re- 
 volver, sword or dagger, a long heavy lance, used only by 
 dismounted Indians, and altogether difi'erent to the light 
 lance of Araucanian and Pampa horsemen, and the bola per- 
 dida or single ball, so called because once thrown it is not 
 picked up again : this weapon is quickly constructed ; a 
 sharp-pointed stone is taken, covered with hide except the 
 point, which is left out, and thong of raw hide about a 
 yard long is attached, with a knot made in the end to pre- 
 vent it slipping from the hand whilst whirling it round 
 previous to throwing it at an enemy. Before the introduc- 
 tion of fii'earms, the bola perdida was the original weapon 
 of the Tehuelches, and is even at the present day a most 
 deadly missile in their hands. (See fig. 11.) 
 
 I am aware that Pigafetta, the historian of Magellan's 
 voyage, describes the ancestors of these Indians as using
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEBUELCHES. 175 
 
 bows and arrows, but I am inclined to think that this must 
 have applied either to a tribe of Fuegians or a party of 
 Pampas living in the valley of the Rio Xegro. It is certain 
 that no ancient flint arrow-heads are met with south of the 
 Rio Negro, where they abound ; also that there is but little, 
 if any, wood nearer than the Cordillera suitable for bows, 
 and it is reasonable to suppose that previous to the intro- 
 duction of horses the Indian migrations were confined to a 
 smaller area ; besides, although no arrow-heads are found 
 in the interior of Patagonia proper, ancient bolas are not 
 unfrequently met with. These are highly valued by the 
 Indians, and differ from those in present use by having 
 grooves cut round them, and by their larger size and greater 
 weight. The introduction and diffusion of firearms has 
 almost superseded the use of defensive armour ; but chain 
 suits, and hide surcoats studded thickly with silver, are still 
 — as instances before given show — possessed and employed : 
 and before going into battle the warriors are often padded 
 like cricketers, corconillas or saddle-cloths, and ponchos 
 being employed to form a covering, the folds of which will 
 tura a sword cut or lance thrust. 
 
 During our long sojourn at Teckel, as hunting was avoided 
 as much as possible, in order to rest the horses, the men 
 occupied themselves in Indian arts and manufacture, some 
 account of which may be deemed interesting. 
 
 As the horse is the mainstay of the Indian, let the saddle- 
 gear take precedence. (See figs, 1, 2, 3, 4.) 
 
 The saddles are constructed in the following manner. A 
 piece of timber is split in two, and reduced, by means of a 
 small hand-adze, to the requisite size and thickness to form 
 the side boards or Haps, skilfully adapted to the shape of the 
 horses back; in these boards holes are bored at each end, 
 and the saddle-trees, which are chosen from angular limbs of 
 trees, like knees for boat-building, and reduced to the requi- 
 site size, are lashed on by hide. Over this fresh gnanaco 
 hide, divested of its woolly coat and carefully cut to the
 
 176 AT NOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 proper shape, is sewn with sinew, serving, as it dries, to bind 
 the whole securely together. Casimiro was the most skilful 
 workman of the party, and made a saddle for me which, 
 although through having to start in a hurry it was not 
 smoothed down or covered with hide, I used for about five 
 weeks without any chafing of the horse's back. Underneath 
 the saddle a thick mandil, or poncho, is placed; and over the 
 saddle a corconilla, or housing, of puma or yearling guanaco 
 skin, or, which is always preferred if obtainable, a black 
 sheepskin. The Ai'aucanians weave corconillas of most 
 beautiful textui-e and brilliant blue colour, w^hich are sold 
 for as much as £5 in the settlements. The girths are 
 made of thirteen or fourteen ties of twisted hide from the 
 neck of the guanaco, and fitted with two rings connected by 
 a leather thong. The stirrups are suspended by strips of 
 hide from the holes bored in the foremost saddle-trees. They 
 are generally made of a piece of hard wood fixed into a raw 
 hide thong, or sometimes of wood bent into a triangular 
 shape. The swells, of course, sport silver stirrups, but they 
 are frequently not used at all. The saddle is also taken off 
 when the hunting cu'cle is being closed and the horses 
 ridden bare-backed, but it is replaced to carry the meat back 
 to the toldos. Sometimes it occurs that an Indian loses his 
 saddle at play, when he is perforce obliged to ride bare- 
 backed, and it never appears to inconvenience them. The 
 bridles are made of either plaited or twisted hide. The bits 
 used vary, but the more general is a simple bar of either 
 wood or iron, covered at either end with two flaps of stout 
 hide, from which two thongs extend under the horse's ja^v, 
 forming an effectual curb, the reins being also secured to the 
 hide-flaps. The bar is frequently omitted, and a simple 
 thong is placed in the horse's mouth and rove through the 
 piece of hide, which is secured to the bridle and tied under 
 the jaw. I used this simple bit the whole of the journey, 
 and never had reason to find fault with it. The spurs are 
 made of two pieces of hard wood, with nails filed to a sharp
 
 1. Saddle. 2. Bridle. 3. Girth. 4. Spurs. 5. Boot. 6. Adze. 7 Scraper 
 S. Musical inatrumeDt. 9. Ostrich bola. 10. Guanaco bola. U. Bola i)onlida. 19. Piixj. 
 
 12
 
 178 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 point fixed in the ends, for which I once tried to substitute 
 bone spikes, but they required constant sharpening and broke 
 quickly. The spurs are secured to the feet by thongs. Head- 
 stalls for breaking horses are made either of plain or plaited 
 hide, with a ring underneath for the Maneador. 
 
 Lazos are made either of twisted or plaited hide, similar 
 to those in use among the Gauchos. The only other articles 
 of horse-gear worthy of mention are the ' maneos,' called by 
 the Indians ' caligi,' or straps for secui'ing the horse's legs, 
 in order to teach him to stand when the rider has dis- 
 mounted ; but the horses soon learn to await the return of 
 the rider. Since my return a hunting friend, hearing the 
 «hase described, eagerly inquired, * But who held your 
 horse ? ' The well-trained Tehuelche hunters hold them- 
 selves, and no boy or man is available to render this service 
 to any one unlucky enough to be mounted on an uneducated 
 steed. Our breakers might take a useful lesson from the 
 ' savages.' 
 
 Another branch of general industry is the manufacture of 
 pipe-bowls, which are peculiar in shape, as may be seen 
 in the plate (fig. 12). They are made of either wood or 
 stone, fitted with a silver or metal tube, and frequently orna- 
 mented with silver. The greatest pains is taken to keep 
 them free from tobacco juice by constant cleaning with an 
 ostrich feather. 
 
 Wooden platters are sometimes made, for containing meat 
 or grease ; and I have seen wooden or horn spoons con- 
 structed, but these articles are rare. Casimiro's toldo 
 rejoiced in one of the latter, and it rather resembled a shoe- 
 horn. The men are many of them skilful workers in silver, 
 made from dollars obtained in the settlements, and tempered 
 until they become sufficiently malleable to be beaten out 
 into the requisite shapes, either for buckles, garters, plates, 
 beads, or studs for embossing belts or armour with. These 
 ' cups,' or studs, are generally hollowed out in a suitable 
 cavity, worked in a stone ; they are then pierced at the edges
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCHES. 179 
 
 with a bodkin, and sewn to the hide with sinew. The 
 anvils and hammers for working silver are generally stone 
 implements ; flints, however, are only used by the men for 
 procuring fire. The Tehuelches are also very handy workers 
 in iron, and will fashion a knife, or even an adze, out of any 
 piece of metal procured by theft, commerce in the colonies, 
 or from wrecks on the coast. One of the knives frequently 
 used in the latter part of my journey was formed out of one 
 blade of an old pair of scissors forged for me by Hinchel. 
 
 Their tools for working silver, iron, wood, &c., consist of 
 files, known by the expressive name of 'Khikerikikh,' or per- 
 haps a rasp, an occasional saw, an axe, the inevitable small 
 adze'(fig. 6), a pair of scissors, or an old chisel. Many of these 
 have been obtained from shipwrecks on the coast, others by 
 barter in the settlements. 
 
 The women's most important occupation in camp was the 
 making lap of skin mantles, which merits a full description. 
 
 The skins are first dried in the sun, being pegged down 
 with thorns of the algarroba tree. When dry they are taken 
 up, and scraped with pieces of flint, agate, obsidian, or some- 
 times glass, fixed into a branch naturally bent so as to form a 
 handle (fig. 7). They are then smeared over-s\^th grease and 
 liver kneaded into pulp, after which they are softened in the 
 hand until quite pliable, when they arc placed on the ground 
 and cut with a small, very sharp knife into pieces, dovetailed 
 so as to fit one into the other, in order to secure strength of 
 seam, and parcelled out amongst a party of four or six 
 women, with a corresponding quantity of needles and thread, 
 consisting of bodkins formed out of sharpened nails, and 
 dried sinews from the back of the adult guanaco. A whole 
 mantle is never sewn together at once, but when one half is 
 finished it is pegged out and the paint applied to it thus. 
 The surface is slightly damped, and each woman takos a cake 
 or piece of red ochre, if the ground is to be red, and, keeping 
 it damp, lays the paint on with great care. When the 
 ground is finished, the pattern of small black spots and blue
 
 180 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 and yellow lines is painted with the greatest exactness, the 
 women working all day with the most assiduous industry. 
 When completed it is left for a night to dry, and the other 
 half and wings, which serve in lieu of sleeves, are duly com- 
 pleted, and subsequently all are joined together, presenting, 
 when finished, an unbroken surface of fur. The most 
 favourite pattern (except when the wearer is in mourning) is 
 a red ground with small black crosses -and blue and yellow 
 longitudinal lines for borders, or with a zigzag of white, blue, 
 and red. The untiring energy with which the women work, 
 and the rapidity with which they sew, are astonishing. "When 
 a man is married, his wife, or wives, of course manufacture his 
 mantles, assisted by their friends, whom they help in their 
 turn ; but should he be a bachelor, as in my unfortunate case, 
 he gives out his skins to a fair lady, who works like other 
 people I have heard of — on half-profits, and the hunter gene- 
 rally loses by the bargain ; at least such was my experience, 
 some thirty or forty skins only producing a mantle contain- 
 ing about one-third theii' number. Besides the guanaco 
 mantles which are most generally worn, others are made 
 from the skins of the fox, puma, wild cat, cavy, and skunk ; 
 the fur of the latter and of the wild cat are the most valuable, 
 but, like the others, are generally intended only for barter. 
 The women, besides making mantles, weave the fillets for the 
 head previously mentioned, from threads of unravelled stufi" 
 obtained in barter at the settlements, or from theii* Ai'au- 
 canian neighbours. They work on the same principle as 
 that on which a sailor constructs a sword mat. Besides 
 these fillets, they occasionally weave scarves for the waist, and 
 garters. Many of them also work in the minor details of 
 silver ornaments, such as hollowing out or bending the studs, 
 boring the holes, and stitching them on to the belts or 
 armour, as the case may be. They also sew the skins 
 together for the coverings of the toldos, which is very 
 laborious work. They scrape and dress horse-hides for the 
 furniture of the bed-places, painting them in various pat-
 
 MA^NEJiS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCIIES. 181 
 
 terns ; make the bolsters of reeds (often also ornamented 
 with silver) to place as a protection for their high saddles, 
 cook the food, smash the marrow-bones and extract the 
 grease ; take care of the children, and fetch wood, water and 
 do all the ' chores,' as the Americans say. As may'be seen, 
 they are pretty nearly always occupied ; nevertheless, they 
 occasionally find time to play cards, and sometimes to 
 squabble and talk scandal. 
 
 The children generally employ themselves in imitating 
 their elders. The boys play with miniature bolas, and catch 
 the dogs with small lazos, and the girls construct miniature 
 toldos and sit in them ; for this purpose they carry ofl' un- 
 checked anything that may seem suitable. Frequently when 
 about to join the chase I had to interfere with these latter 
 games, and recover my saddle-gear, which had been appro- 
 priated by the juveniles. 
 
 The musical instruments of the Tehuelches have been pre- 
 viously described. In Teckel, besides the native orchestra 
 (fig. 8) and harmonies, to which one had become accustomed, 
 wc furthermore rejoiced in a cornet, with music from which 
 Jackechan's brother frequently enlivened our evenings. 
 Many amongst the Tehuelches could blow the ordinary bugle 
 calls which they had been accustomed to hear when in the 
 liio Negro or at Punta Ai-enas ; and most of them appeared 
 to possess a good ear for music. Their songs, however, are 
 not melodious, and are mere repetitions of words devoid of 
 all sense or meaning. Casimiro informed me that formerly 
 the old men were in the habit of singing the traditions of 
 the tribe and also some sort of prayer. It is much to be 
 regretted that these customs have fallen into disuse. I tried 
 on various occasions to obtain information about their an- 
 cestors, but all my efl'orts were fruitless. When I asked 
 them how their people travelled before horses came into the 
 countrj', they could not realise the fact that such was ever 
 the case. 
 
 There is little to add to the details already given of the
 
 182 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 cookery and diet of the Telauelclies, which is necessarily 
 almost confined to meat, which, however, they do not devour 
 raw, as so constantly asserted. Fat is largely consumed, 
 both fresh and preserved ; the need of this being, as before 
 said, attributable to the want of farinaceous food. Still they 
 are very fond of all sorts of wild fruits and vegetables, when 
 procurable ; and besides the indigenous tuberous roots, and 
 the ever-present dandelion plants, which the girls gather for 
 their friends and relations, and which are eaten in a crude 
 state, they will when in the settlements barter their wares 
 for potatoes, turnips, and other vegetables. They are also 
 extremely fond of biscuit and flour, which they mix with 
 water into dampers, and bake them in the ashes. Previous 
 to my sojourn amongst them, pepper was, I believe, unknoAvn, 
 but having a small store in my possession, I induced old 
 Orkeke and his dame to try it, and they and others soon 
 acquu-ed a taste for it. Sugar, or anything sweet, they are 
 especially fond of. Salt is a very necessary commodity 
 with them, and when passing one of the numerous salinas 
 that occur in the country the stores are replenished. It 
 sometimes happens, however, if making a long stay in one 
 place, or travelling in parts where salinas are scarce, they 
 have to go without it ; and this is probably the cause of a 
 skin disease that at times occurs amongst them. Salt is 
 carried as a rule by the men when hunting, both to mix with 
 the blood, which is seldom eaten without it, and to season 
 the guanaco or ostrich meat. 
 
 I think that as a rule the Indians, far from being glutton- 
 ous gormandisers, eat less than civilised people. They never 
 eat at stated) times, but when their appetite warns them ; 
 and on this point an Indian once made the remark to me : 
 ' The Chilians eat at regular hours, which is foohsh ; we 
 don't eat unless we are hungry.' I believe that I, as a single 
 individual, generally consumed more victuals than any Indian, 
 with the exception of my friend Cayuke, who was certainly 
 a great gourmand. He was also a great smoker ; and when-
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCHES. 183 
 
 ever I met him invariably said the few English words I had 
 taught him, ' Load and hght the pipe — smoke.' The general 
 manner of smoking is as follows. The smoker lights his 
 pipe, and then lies prone on the ground, and after puffing a 
 portion of smoke to each cardinal point and muttering a 
 prayer, he swallows several mouthfuls of tobacco smoke, 
 which produces intoxication and partial insensibility, lasting 
 perhaps for the space of two minutes. During this time his 
 companions carefully avoid disturbing him in any way 
 When it has passed ofi\ he gets up, takes a diink of water 
 and resumes his conversation or occupation. I have some 
 times observed this intoxication accompanied by convulsions 
 but only in rare cases. The tobacco used for smoking (for 
 they never chew) is generally obtained from the settlements 
 but failing this a herb substitute is procured from the Arau 
 canians. This is never smoked pure, being invariably mixed 
 with either wood chopped up small or ' yerba ' (Paraguay 
 tea) stalks, if obtainable. The mixtm-e with dung mentioned 
 by M. Guinnard is unknown among the Tehuelches. 
 
 The women sometimes are smokers, but the custom is not 
 universal, being generally confined to the old ladies. Most 
 of the men smoke, but there are exceptions. I was very 
 much astonished, however, by seeing El Sourdo on more 
 than one occasion give his pipe to his boy — a precocious 
 three-year-old — who whiffed his ' bacca ' with apparently 
 great satisfaction to himself and his fond father. 
 
 The chief amusements amongst the Indians (for hunting 
 is a matter of business and not pleasure) consist in horse- 
 racing, card-playing, gambling with dice, made by them- 
 selves with mathematical exactness from bones, and thrown 
 from the hand, or with small stones, and playing a game of 
 ball. The horse-racing has been already described. The 
 cards used are sometimes the Spanish pack, obtained in the 
 settlements, but very frequently constructed by the Indians 
 themselves of hide. These, like the ordinary Spanish cards, 
 are marked with the Spanish numerals up to seven ; but the
 
 184 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 court cards are entirely different, having, instead of figures 
 or pictures, monograms of native origin, the original signi- 
 ficance of which, if any, was undiscoverable. The ace, 
 however, is marked somewhat similarly to our own. The 
 usual games played are 'Panturga,' 'Primero,' ' Siete,' and 
 ' Yaik,' or fire, a sort of ' beggar my neighbour.' The players 
 sit down in a circle, with a poncho or saddle-cloth to repre- 
 sent the board of green cloth ; their markers consist of pieces 
 of sticks or grass, and their system of marking is compli- 
 cated. I generally — if I did indulge in the luxury of a 
 gamble — played in partnership with another who took charge 
 of the marking, but my invariable good luck rendered me 
 unwilling to respond to the invitation to take a hand. When 
 stakes are lost, whether a horse, .troop of mares, saddle, 
 lazo, or what not, the winner simply sends a friend for them, 
 or goes himself and takes them ; all debts of honour being 
 scrupulously paid at once. Frequently large stakes are lost 
 and won. On one occasion I had negotiated the purchase 
 of a horse from an Indian possessed of a goodly troop, and 
 having given earnest, had started hunting on the animal to 
 test his staying powers. My friend the owner, who re- 
 mained in camp playing, came to me on my return, and 
 implored me to consider the bargain as nil, as during my 
 absence he had lost nearly all his horses, and some of the 
 articles of his wife's dowry. I of course gave up the bar- 
 gain, duly receiving back the earnest, and he subsequently 
 won back his horses and riches. The game plaj^ed with 
 small stones is similar to that in vogue among schoolboys, 
 and known by the name of ' knucklebones.' It is generally 
 played by the boys, but their elders will not unfrequently 
 join. The women play at cards, and also at this game, 
 amongst themselves, staking their mandils, hides, and saddle- 
 gear on the results. Mrs. Orkeke was very fond of play, 
 and on one occasion I have reason to beheve that she lost 
 some of her husband's tobacco, and laid the blame on one 
 of the ChiUans, who she averred had stolen it. The man
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHVELCUES. 185 
 
 nearly lost bis life in consequence, and bis tears find abject 
 supplications sbowed tbc terror be was in, but bappily be 
 on this occasion escaped. Strange to say, I was in no way 
 suspected, altbougb I knew wberc tbe tobacco was kept, 
 which I doubt if tbe deserter did. 
 
 Tbe game of ball is confined to the young men, and is 
 plaj^ed as follows. A lazo is laid on tbe ground so as to form 
 a ring about four yards in diameter ; tbe players, generally 
 eight in number, step into the circle naked, with the excep- 
 tion of tbe waistclotb. A ball composed of bide stutted with 
 feathers, about the size of or larger than a tennis-ball, is used 
 by each party, who throw it up from under the thigh, and 
 strike it with the hand at the adversaries', each bit counting 
 a point. Great dexterity and activity are shown by the 
 young men, and although I never joined in any of their 
 regular matches, I frequently watched the parties occupied 
 in the game, in which their splendid muscular development 
 was brought out conspicuously. Besides these amusements, 
 the Indians, when ammunition is plentiful, occasionally fire 
 at a mark ; but as their bullets are frequently hammered 
 round with stones, tbe practice is at times erratic, and the 
 guns arc also sometimes more dangerous to tbe marksman 
 than the mark. 
 
 The daily routine of occupations and amusements is varied 
 sometimes by a fight, and more pleasantly by some one or 
 other of tbe ceremonials which mark — as in all nations — the 
 principal epochs of Tsoneca life, from the cradle to the 
 grave. On the birth of a child, if the parents are rich, i.e., 
 own plenty of mares and horses, and silver ornaments, notice 
 is immediately given to tbe doctor or wizard of tbe tribe, 
 and to tbc cacique and relations. The doctor, after bleeding 
 himself with bodkins in the temple, fore-arm, or leg, gives 
 the order for the erection of a mandil tent, or pretty house 
 as the Indians call it, and marcs are slaughtered, and a feast 
 and dance follow, such as described in Chapter III., page 80, 
 as having taken place in the valley of the Rio Cbico. The
 
 186 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 child, shortly after birth, is smeared over with damp gypsum. 
 The mothers are able to travel on horseback the same or 
 certainly the subsequent day, Avith the infant carried in a 
 wicker cradle, and most tenderly cared for by both parents. 
 
 To every child in its infancy horses and gear are allotted, 
 which are considered thenceforth as the personal property 
 of the boy or girl, and cannot be resumed or disposed of by 
 the parents. No ceremonial attends the naming a child, 
 nor, as far as I could see, is there any fixed time for doing 
 so. The names most commonly used are taken, I think, 
 from places — from the place of birth. Patronymics or here- 
 ditary names — except in rare instances, which appeared to 
 be imitations of Spanish usage — are unknown, but nick- 
 names are universal, and parents are frequently known by 
 the name of a child, which usurps the place of their own. 
 
 The boys soon learn the use of the weapons, and both 
 boys and girls ride almost before they can walk : the sons 
 rarely accompany the father to the chase before ten or twelve 
 years of age, and do not join in fights till they are about 
 sixteen years old, but there is no fixed period and no cere- 
 monial to mark their admission to the state of manhood. 
 The attainment of puberty by the gii'ls is celebrated as 
 described in page 80. From the age of nine or ten they are 
 accustomed to help in household duties and manufactures, 
 and about sixteen are eligible for the married life, though 
 they often remain for several years spinsters. Marriages 
 are always those of inclination, and if the damsel does not 
 like the suitor for her hand, her parents never force her to 
 comply with their wishes, although the match may be an 
 advantageous one. 
 
 The usual custom is for the bridegroom, after he has 
 secured the consent of his damsel, to send either a brother 
 or an intimate friend to the parents, offering so many mares, 
 horses, or silver ornaments for the bride. If the parents 
 consider the match desirable, as soon after as cu'cumstances 
 will permit, the bridegi'oom, dressed in his best, and mounted
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCHES. 187 
 
 on his best horse, decorated with silver oruamcnts — if he 
 possesses any — proceeds to the toldo of his intended, and 
 hands over the gifts. The parents of the bride then return 
 gifts of an equal value, which, however, in the event of a 
 separation (a rare event), become the property of the bride. 
 After this the bride is escorted by the bridegroom to his 
 toldo, amidst the cheers of his friends and the singing of the 
 women. Mares are usually then slaughtered and eaten on 
 the spot, great care being taken that the dogs do not 
 touch any of the meat or offal, as it is considered unlucky. 
 The head, backbone, tail, together with the heart and liver, 
 are taken up to the top of a neighbouring hill, as an offering 
 to the Gualichu, or evil spirit. An Indian is allowed to have 
 as many wives as he can support, but it is rare to find a man 
 with more than two, and they generally only have one. 
 
 On the death of a Tehuelche all his horses, dogs, and other 
 animals are killed, his ponchos, ornaments, bolas, and all 
 other personal belongings are placed in a heap and burned, 
 the widow and other womankind keeping up a dismal wailing, 
 and crying out loud in the most melancholy manner. The 
 meat of the horses is distributed amongst the relations on 
 both sides ; and the widow, who cuts her hair short in front 
 and assumes black paint, repairs, bag and baggage, to the 
 toldo of her relations, or if she has none in the party, to the 
 toldo of the chief. 
 
 The body is sewn up in a mantle, poncho, or coat of mail, 
 if the deceased possessed one, and is taken away by some of 
 the relations and buried in a sitting posture, its face to the 
 east, a cairn of stones being erected over the place, varying 
 in size according to the wealth and influence of the deceased. 
 I have never seen any of the graves described in Mr. Wood's 
 work, but as my travels as a rule were confined to the in- 
 terior, thoy may exist in some part of the sea-coast ; nor did 
 the exhumation and removal of the body ever como under my 
 notice, and I should be inclined to doubt its being ever 
 practised by the Tohuclehes, inasmuch as it is a rule amongst
 
 188 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 them never to mention the name of, and to avoid all allusion 
 to, the deceased, their idea being that the dead should be 
 utterly forgotten, though they will add a stone in passing to 
 the cairn of a distinguished chief or hero. The death of a 
 child is marked by a display of sincere grief on the part of 
 the parents. The horse it has been accustomed to travel on 
 during the march is brought up, the gear placed on it, even 
 to the cradle, and the horse, thus fully caparisoned, is 
 strangled by means of lazos, whereas in all other ceremonies 
 where horses are killed they are knocked on the head with 
 bolas. The saddle-gear, cradle, and all belonging to the 
 child are burned, the women crying and singing. The 
 parents moreover throw their own valuables into the fire to 
 express their grief. These things some of the women who 
 cry are allowed to snatch out, as a recompense for their 
 services, but they seldom benefit much. On the occasion of 
 the death of an only child of rich parents, fourteen horses 
 and mares were slaughtered, in addition to the one it had 
 been accustomed to travel on. Towards evening of the day 
 of the event, previous to the burial of the corpse, a select 
 party of old women marched in procession round and round 
 the camp, crying and wailing. Gifts were also sent to the 
 bereaved parents by the chiefs and relations, as a well-meant 
 efibrt to divert their minds from dwelling on their loss. 
 
 The religion of the Tehuelches is distinguished from that 
 of the Pampas and Araucanians by an absence of any trace 
 of sun-worship, although the new moon is saluted, the 
 respectful gesture being accompanied by some low muttered 
 words which I never could manage to hear. They believe in 
 a good and great Spirit, who according to the tradition 
 related by Casimiro at the place, created the Indians and 
 animals, and dispersed them from ' God's-hill," as he ex- 
 plained the Indian name of the down (page 93). I am not at 
 all certain that this was not a confused combination of the 
 story of the Creation, as told by the missionaries, with his 
 own ideas. There is a great tendency in the Indian mind
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OP THE TEHUELCUES. 189 
 
 thus to combine the marvels told them, or even to cap what 
 they consider one legend with another ; but there is no 
 doubt that they do believe in a good Spirit, though they 
 think he lives ' careless of mankind.' They have no idols or 
 objects of worship, nor — if a year's experience can enable one 
 to judge — do they observe any periodical religious festival, 
 on which either the good or evil Spirit is adored. The men- 
 tion of this by other travellers can only be explained by 
 confused accounts which have attributed Araucanian customs 
 to the totally distinct Patagonians. The belief which prompts 
 all their religious acts is that in the existence of many active 
 and malicious evil spirits or demons, of whom the principal 
 one is always on the watch to cause mischief. To propitiate or 
 drive away this spirit is the function of the wizard, or doctor, 
 or medicine man, who combines the medical and magical 
 arts, though not possessed of an exclusive faculty for either. 
 All sacrifices of mares and horses, not at stated times, but 
 as occasion requires, such as a birth, death, &c., are intended 
 to propitiate the Gualichu. When a child hurts itself, the 
 slaughter of mares seems to partake at once of the nature of 
 a thank- ofl'ering that the hurt was no worse, and a propitia- 
 tion to avert further harm. 
 
 In camp the Gualichu takes up his position outside the 
 back of the toldo, watching for an opportunity to molest the 
 inmates, and is supposed to be kept quiet by the spells of the 
 doctor, who is not only gifted with the power of laying the 
 devil, but can even detect him by sight. I inquired of one 
 of the doctors what he was like, but received an evasive 
 answer ; on which I informed him that my devil took all 
 sorts of shapes — sometimes appearing as a guanaco, ostrich, 
 puma, skunk, or vulture, at which the medical man was 
 intensely amused. This household devil is, as far as I could 
 ascertain, supposed to enter into the different parts of the 
 bodies of people, and cause sickness which the doctor is 
 appealed to to cure. The treatment in the case of headache, 
 for instance, is very simple : the doctor takes the patient's head
 
 190 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 between his knees, and performing a short ceremony of incan- 
 tation, shouts in his ear, exhorting the devil to come out. 
 Mr. Clarke, when travelling with the Indians south of Santa 
 Cruz, was treated in this fashion when suffering from feverish 
 headache, and said that at the time it relieved him. 
 
 Beside this Gualichu, there are many others which 
 are supposed to inhabit subterranean dwellings, underneath 
 certain woods and rivers and peculiarly-shaped rocks. I 
 was very much surprised at seeing the Indians salute these 
 objects by placing the hand to the head and muttering an 
 incantation ; and for a long time held to the belief that they 
 were only expressing admiration for the Creator's handi- 
 work ; but subsequently I learned that they sought thus 
 to conciliate the spirits of these places, reputed to be the 
 spirits of deceased members of the faculty. These devils' 
 powers, however, are confined to the districts contiguous to 
 their habitations. 
 
 On one occasion, a horse about to run a match was taken 
 up to a neighbouring hill before daylight by the owner, and 
 some secret ceremony was performed by the wizard. Previous 
 to the race the owner (Waki) came to me and advised me to 
 put my stakes on his horse, as he had been made safe to win 
 by mysterious incantations which had secured the favour of 
 the local Gualichu; and, strange to say, the horse, which by 
 his appearance was much inferior to the other, did win, 
 thereby establishing a reputation for the wizard and the 
 Gualichu. 
 
 I remember on one occasion when riding with Hinchel we 
 came in sight of a peculiarly-pointed rock, which he saluted. 
 I did the same, at which he appeared much pleased ; and on 
 our subsequently arriving at a salina, where we found good 
 salt, much needed at the time, he explained to me that the 
 spirit of the place had led us in that direction. In the 
 meeting of Indians the devils are supposed to be driven away 
 by the horsemen chasing at full speed round and round, and 
 firing ofi" their guns.
 
 ^fANNEBS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCBES. 191 
 
 The office of wizard is not hereditary ; indeed those I met 
 with were unmarried. A boy or a girl, if what we should 
 call odd, as in the case of Cayuke's daughter, an old-fashioned 
 and eccentric gu"l of thirteen, is considered to be marked 
 out as a wizard ; but the functions, so far as directing cere- 
 monies, are sometimes performed by an ordinary member of 
 the party. The stock in trade of the regular ■\\azard consists 
 of a few fetishes, or charms, carried in a bag, carefully con- 
 cealed from public gaze, and exhibited to his colleagues 
 alone. In addition to these, they seem to possess a real 
 knowledge of simples, although this is not confined to them. 
 Their professional operations are never accompanied by 
 epileptic seizures and real or simulated convulsions. They, 
 of course, are expected to prognosticate the success or failure 
 of undertakings, and the issue of sickness, and foretell the 
 future generally ; and their position in this respect is a dan- 
 gerous one, as a failure of their predictions is frequently 
 punished with death ; but, to make up for this risk, they are 
 universally received with honour and hospitably entertained, 
 and are usually enriched by the accumulation of presents. 
 The power of witchcraft is by no means beUeved to be con- 
 fined to them ; any person may be suspected of this crime, 
 and it is not an uncommon occurrence for people when 
 dying to lay their death to the charge of some person by 
 name. All the missionaries' instructions did not prevent 
 Casimiro, after the death of either his mother or one of his 
 wives, from sending an agent to kill a woman who, as the 
 deceased averred, had bewitched her. Certain signs and 
 omens are superstitiously regarded ; one particularly dreaded 
 is the cry of the nightjar, common on the slopes of the Cor- 
 dillera, which, if uttered over a camp or toldo, betokens 
 sickness or death to some of the inmates. They hold this 
 bird in great veneration, and object to its being injured in 
 any manner. Another animal supposed to be possessed of 
 magical powers is a flat toad-like lizard, which is believed 
 to lame horses by mysterious agency, and is killed whenever
 
 192 AT HOME WIT// T//E PATAGONIANS. 
 
 met with. Another superstition is that a two-headed guanaco 
 exists in the south, the appearance of which is a forerunner 
 of sickness. According to my informant, after its last ap- 
 pearance measles, or a similar disease, decimated the Southern 
 tribe, the disease having been propagated by communica- 
 tion with Punta Arenas, where it was at that time rife. 
 Any unfamiliar object that they do not comprehend, as, for 
 instance, a compass or a watch, is regarded with suspicion 
 as being tenanted by an evil spirit. Sometimes these objects 
 are supposed to bring luck at play, and are eagerly sought 
 for. One of my companions was possessed of a watch, ob- 
 tained in Punta Arenas, and, before playing cards, he would 
 often ask me to set it going, the ticking being regarded as 
 the voice of the hidden Gualichu. My compass was also in 
 constant demand, but the privilege of temporary possession 
 was necessarily restricted to a few favoured friends. I ex- 
 plained, to the best of my power, the use of this instrument, 
 which was comprehended by many of them ; and they became 
 very fond of asking me to point out the precise direction of 
 various points known to them, and were greatly delighted 
 at the correctness with which their inquiries were generally 
 satisfied. A locket, worn by me round my neck, was also 
 regarded as a talisman, securing the wearer from death. 
 
 With all this superstition, regard for omens, and belief in 
 demons, they by no means accord implicit faith and respect 
 to the wizards. Nor do they trust to their spells alone in 
 case of disease ; many possess an acquaintance with me- 
 dicinal herbs, and apply them with good eftect. Besides 
 being good farriers, they practise blood-letting, not only on 
 the sick, but, like our grandfathers, at regular seasons have 
 themselves blooded, believing it to be beneficial. Casimii'o 
 declared that the superior health of the Tehuelches, com- 
 pared with that of the colonists or Christians, was attri- 
 butable to this practice. They also understand and some- 
 times employ poisons, not to envenom their weapons, but 
 for secretly taking off an enemy. Such cases are rare, but
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEBUELCIIES. 193 
 
 in one, which came under my own observation, beyond all 
 doubt, death was caused by poisoning the inside of a potro 
 boot, the wearer of which had a slight wound on the leg. 
 
 Inquirers into the Tsoneca language are referred to the 
 vocabulary in the Appendix ; but it is needful to state most 
 distinctly that it is altogether different from either Pampa 
 or Ai-aucanian. Though able to converse in Tehuelche, I 
 could not at all understand the Pampas ; and this is noted 
 with reference to statements made in M. Guinnard's work, 
 which, coupled with other internal evidences already alluded 
 to, compel me to doubt that the author was ever in the 
 hands of the real Patagonians, his captors and masters being 
 Pampas or Araucanos, whose customs are well described by 
 him. 
 
 As distinguished from these Indians, the number of the 
 pure Tehuelches, both northern and southern, in Patagonia 
 does not exceed 1,500 men, women, and children, according 
 to the returns of effective warriors given at the time when 
 the union of all the various parties, combined during my 
 journey for political purposes, enabled me to compute them 
 with exactness. Beyond the two gi-eat divisions into northern 
 and southern, the subdivisions of tribes, so frequently given, 
 are imaginary, or arise out of names of temporary leaders. 
 Nor is the term clan very appropriate to the nomad parties, 
 combined by custom or often by chance. The population is 
 steadily and rapidly decreasing, and the inroads of disease 
 and ill effects of liquor are, as usual, doing the work of ex- 
 tirpation of this race. 
 
 As to their organization, it must be distinctly understood 
 that these Indians owe no manner of allegiance to any head 
 cacique, such as Calficura, or any other, though they may 
 agree to obey one chief, as for instance, Casimiro ; nor are 
 they, except by intermarriage or voluntaiy association, politi- 
 cally united with either Pampas or Araucauians. Their 
 natural bias is to independence, and rather insubordinate ideas 
 of ' one man being as good as another.' Cuastro's dying 
 
 13
 
 194 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 words, ' I die as I have lived — no cacique orders me,' aptly 
 express the prevalent feeling on this subject. Nevertheless, 
 all 'parties,' however small, are, when travelling, under the 
 command of a cacique or ' gownok,' who is sometimes also 
 designated by the more endearing epithet of ' yank,' or 
 father ; but his influence is very frequently confined to 
 ordering the march and chase. Some of the chiefs are 
 hereditary, but it is not invariably the rule ; and amongst 
 the northern Indians there are many petty chiefs, who are 
 men that, having become possessed of a few mares and 
 horses, assume the title of cacique. Great etiquette is ob- 
 served between them ; one chief being prohibited by custom 
 from entering the toldo of another unless presents have 
 previously been interchanged. Another cui-ious point of 
 etiquette is that a man is not allowed to look towards his 
 father-in-law when in conversation with him; this is, how- 
 ever, not confined to the aristocracy, but also applies to the 
 common herd. When two parties of Indians are approaching 
 one another, and sufficiently near to distinguish the smoke 
 of the hunting-fires, a signal-fire is lighted, and a chasqui — 
 called by the Tehuelches coeto — generally some relative of 
 the chiefs, is despatched from either side. On meeting they 
 repair to the camp of the most powerful, and, on arriving 
 near, more horsemen sally out and escort them to the toldo 
 of the chief. On arrival the new comer dismounts, his horses 
 and gear are taken charge of, and he is shown, with great 
 formality, to a seat, were he patiently remains, sometimes for 
 an hour, answering, with gi-ave face, all questions ; and then 
 delivers any message he may be entrusted with. Although 
 he may be wearied, tired, and hungry, he never moves until 
 the formalities ai-e concluded ; he is then provided with the 
 best food and accommodation his host is possessed of. 
 
 It is to be hoped that the narrated actual life in the 
 toldos will have enabled the reader to form an idea of 
 the character of the Tehuelches more favourable than that 
 which — except by the missionaries, Messrs. Hunziker and
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCBES. 195 
 
 Schmid — has usually been assigned to them. They certainly 
 do not deserve the epithets of ferocious savages, brigands of 
 the desert, &c. They are kindly, good-tempered, impulsive 
 children of nature, taking great likes or dislikes, becoming 
 firm friends or equally confirmed enemies. They are very 
 naturally suspicious of strangers, but especially those of 
 Spanish origin, or, as they term them, Cristianos. Nor, 
 considering the treatment — treacherous cruelty and knavish 
 robbery — experienced by them at the hands of the invaders 
 and colonists alternately, is this to be wondered at. 
 
 In the southern part of the country, their frequent inter- 
 course with sealers on the coast has rendered them favourably 
 disposed towards Englishmen. This remark, of course, does 
 not extend to the northern Tehuclchcs, who have not the 
 same opportunities. 
 
 In my dealings with them I always treated with fair- 
 ness and consideration, and my few belongings — although 
 borrowed at times, according to their mutual way of acting 
 towards one another — were taken the greatest care of ; thus 
 an Indian would frequently ask to look at my arms, and, 
 after examining them, would carefully, return them to me. 
 During my whole stay amongst them I only lost two articles : 
 the first, a flint and steel, was, I have reason to believe, stolen 
 by one of the Chilians ; the second was a pair of ostrich balls, 
 which were abstracted from the toldo. The Indians, .although 
 honest enough as regards each other, will, nevertheless, not 
 scruple to steal from any one not belonging to their party. 
 Thus, when they enter the colonies for trade, they will pick 
 up a stray horse in the most natural manner ; and in Santa 
 Cruz, Graviel and others constantly pilfered iron nails and 
 small articles. With regard to their truthfulness, my expe- 
 rience was as follows. In minor aflaii's they nearly always 
 lie, and will invent stories for sheer amusement ; thus, 
 Mrs. Orkeke came to me whilst in Teckol with the news that 
 Casimiro's wife was dead. My remark was, ' And a good 
 riddance too !' which was received with a burst of laughter.
 
 196 AT HOME WITH TUB PATAGONIANS. 
 
 and the information that she was as alive as ever, only her 
 eyes were bad. I could cite many other similar instances of 
 romancing on the part of the Indians. Old Orkeke I never 
 caught out in a direct lie, and he always, when informing 
 me about any subject, added, ' I do not He.' In anything of 
 importance, however, such as guaranteeing the safety of a 
 person, they were very truthful, as long as faith was kept 
 with them. After a time, when they ascertained that I in- 
 vairably avoided deviating in any way from the truth, they 
 left off lying to me even in minor matters. This will serve 
 to show that they are not of the treacherous nature assigned 
 to them by some ignorant writers. Nor are they habitually 
 cruel, even to slaves or captives. The Chilian deserters were 
 always well housed and fed, and lent horses to ride ; and 
 nothing but their incurably bad dispositions and constant 
 plots brought on them a fate which, in truth, could hardly 
 be thought ill-deserved, whereas the few good ones of the 
 party rose into high favour. 
 
 For my own part, I felt far safer among the Tehuelches, 
 as long as they had no drink or no fights, than I subsequently 
 did in the Rio Negro. Of course when they are drunk their 
 passions become unbridled ; they remember old feuds, and at 
 times will fight for mere fighting's sake. It is not necessary, 
 however, to go so far as Patagonia to observe this. The 
 finest trait, perhaps, in their character is their love for their 
 wives and children ; matrimonial disputes are rare, and wife- 
 beating unknown ; and the intense grief with which the loss 
 of a wife is mourned is certainly not ' civilised,' for the widower 
 will destroy all his stock and burn all his possessions : thus 
 Paliki, before the death of his wife, was a wealthy Indian ; but 
 when I knew him he was poor and reckless, ha\ang destroyed 
 all his property, and taken to gambling and drinking in 
 despair at his loss. Casimiro even declared that his son Sam 
 — whom I certainly should not have suspected of disinterested 
 affection for any human being — had ruined himself, and be- 
 come careless of his life, after his wife's death.
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TEHUELCEES. ] 97 
 
 The children are indulged in every way, ride the best 
 horses, and are not corrected for any misbehaviour. I was 
 always astonished that the youths and young men did not 
 grow up more headstrong and wilful, as a result of want of 
 training. People who have no children of their own some- 
 times adopt a little dog, on which they lavish their aflections, 
 and bestow horses and other valuables, which are destroyed 
 in case of the owner's death. 
 
 It has always been a matter of surprise to me that the 
 missionaries should have been so unsuccessful in their efforts 
 to teach these children of nature to read and write, for they 
 are naturally very intelligent (though of course there are ex- 
 ceptions). As a proof of their quickness in imitations, ^vith 
 very little trouble I taught Hinchel's son to write his father's 
 name and those of two other Indians in a very short time. I 
 also used to draw ships on a board with a piece of charcoal 
 for the children's amusement, and they readily copied them. 
 Hinchel himself, wishing to explain a part of the course of 
 the Rio Negro, drew out a rough chart on the board, showing 
 the bends of the river, which I afterwards found to be per- 
 fectly correct. 
 
 "Whilst in their native wilds, I observed little immorality 
 amongst the Indians ; in the settlements, however, when 
 debased by intoxication, they are, no doubt, depraved and 
 loose in their ideas. But it must be recorded that, on the 
 entry of the Indians into the settlements of the Kio Negro, 
 at a subsequent period, most of the young women and girls 
 were left with the toldos in Yalchita, outside the Travesia, 
 to be out of the way of temptations. There are many Tchuol- 
 che youths now growing up who have the greatest abhorrence 
 of liquor ; and I hope that in time this abstinence will spread 
 further among them, for they possess no intoxicants of their 
 own, and the rum is an import from the Christians, the ill 
 effects of which they are well able to discern. 
 
 One word of advice to the future traveller may conclude 
 this imperfect sketch. Never show distrust of the Indians ;
 
 198 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 be as free with your goods and chattels as they are to each 
 other. Don't ever want anything done for you ; always 
 catch and saddle your own horse. Don't give yourself airs 
 of superiority, as they do not understand it — unless you can 
 prove yourself better in some distinct way. Always be first, 
 as you are not Ukely to be encumbered by a wife or gear, in 
 crossing rivers, or any other difiiculties ; they will learn by 
 degrees to respect you ; in a word, as you treat them so they 
 will treat you.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 
 
 Casimiro's Household — Carge-kaik — Quintuhual's Son — Woolkein — 
 Partridges — Meeting with the Araucanians — The Cacique Quintuhual 
 — Esgel-kaik — Ai-aucanian Belles — Communication with Chupat 
 Colony — Diplaik — Calficura's Declaration of War — Tehuelches learn 
 Fishing — My Indian Relatives — Woodland Rambles — An Indian 
 Paradise — The Upper Chupat — Cushamon — Losing Horses — Official 
 Functions — Message from Las Manzanas — Blessing the Liquor — 
 Casimiro Intoxicated — Foyel's Encampment — Great Parlemento — 
 Foyel's Ideas — Gatchen-kaik — Arrival at Geylum. 
 
 ON January 21 the word was given to march, and all the 
 united forces of the Tehuelches, numbering 200 men, 
 with the usual allowance of women and children, prepared to 
 advance to join the Araucanos. Ten toldos, forming Crime's 
 party, lingered behind, in consequence of the continued sick- 
 ness of this caciquillo, who, however, sent word that he would 
 follow in our rear. 
 
 All the horses were in excellent condition, and it was with 
 great delight that I saw the immense cavalcade set out. 
 Our family party in Casimiro's toldo included, besides the 
 chief and his wife, sons, and little daughter Chingook, an 
 old brother-iu-law, Kai, nicknamed Chileno, and his wife 
 and son Macho ; and an old deaf and dumb woman of most 
 repulsive aspect. The only good feature in Casimiro's cha- 
 racter was his charity. He was always ready to afford an 
 asylum to any destitute or infirm people, and his toldo was 
 never without some such object of his pity. My honourable
 
 200 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONlANS. 
 
 position as secretary and general referee next in rank to the 
 cacique, scarcely reconciled me to the exchange of the orderly 
 comfort of Mrs. Orkekc's household for the dignified discom- 
 fort of my present quarters. They were also shared by 
 Mena, whose good qualities had raised him above his fellow- 
 Chilians. Their number had been reduced to four, Ai-ica 
 having disappeared whilst hunting near Teckel : without 
 doubt his quarrelsome disposition had occasioned his death 
 at the hands of some one whom he had insulted or offended. 
 The route followed led northwards through a valley on both 
 sides of which we hunted, and arrived in the afternoon at an 
 encampment called Carge-kaik, or Four Hills. There was 
 nothing remarkable in the scenery : the hill-sides on either 
 hand were covered with scrub, and the summits presented 
 masses of rocks, and in some places loose boulders, amongst 
 which numerous armadilloes were basking in the sun. They 
 are easily captured, as they are very slow ; but if they once 
 get into their burrow it is difficult to extract them, owing to 
 the tenacity with which they hold fast to the soil. They are 
 very good eating, and are usually cooked in the shell on the 
 fire, the entrails, &c., being taken out, and the cavity filled 
 with heated stones. When they are in their best condition, 
 one leg is sufficient for a man, as there is about an inch of 
 yellow fat on them. Of the shells the women make work- 
 baskets, to contain their bodkins, sinews, &c., when sewing, 
 or to serve as colour-boxes for the different colours when 
 painting. 
 
 The day following our arrival, T^nkelow and another- 
 Indian were despatched as messengers to the party of Ai-au- 
 canian Indians, or Manzaneros, supposed to be encamped a 
 few marches distant. During that night a child was born, 
 the parents of which were rich, and accordingly a great 
 slaughter of mares took place, the mandU tent was erected, 
 and a feast and dance announced. 
 
 Meanwhile, about four p.m., the chasquis returned, bring- 
 ing with them an Araucanian Indian, who was escorted to
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 201 
 
 our toldo in due form amidst a curious crowd, all eager to 
 look at him, while he preserved a grave and stoHd demeanour. 
 After the usual ceremonious formalities, he sat down, and by 
 means of an interpreter stated himself to be a son of Quin- 
 tuhual, a chief residing at present about four marches to 
 the north. His father had with much pleasure received the 
 courteous message sent by Casimiro, and it would give him 
 equal gratification to welcome the Tehuelches ; but he signi- 
 fied a desire first to meet Casimiro alone. This the latter 
 monarch did not appear to see in the same light — if I may 
 be allowed the expression — as it seemed to forbode no good 
 intentions ; but he replied evasively, and thus the colloquy 
 terminated. 
 
 This Indian was about the middle height, dressed in 
 coloured ponchos, Avitli a silk handkerchief round his head. 
 His features were regular, with restless sparkUng black eyes, 
 and complexion about the same as that of the Gauchos of 
 the Rio de la Plata. He wore his hair cut short, and his 
 general cleanly appearance afi'orded a strong contrast to the 
 flowing locks and paint-bedaubed bodies of the Tehuelches. 
 
 Giving up my sleeping-place to him, we soon made him at 
 home, and, after he had had some dinner, we proceeded in 
 company to watch the dancers, who were vigorously stepping 
 out round the fire in front of the mandil tent. Here we were 
 joined by Jackechan, whose knowledge of the Araucanian 
 language enabled us to maintain a conversation. Presently, 
 by particular request, I joined Golwin (White) and two 
 others in the dance, coming out in full costume of ostrich 
 feathers and girdle of bolls, and properly painted, to the 
 great delight of the Indians. My performance elicited 
 general applause ; and at last all retired for the night, my- 
 self taking my saddle-gear and sleeping under a bush near 
 the toldo. 
 
 After a delicious breakfast of fried fish, cooked most 
 skilfully by Mena, we prepared to march again, the chasqui 
 bidding us farewell for the present, and by nine a.m. the
 
 202 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 whole cavalcade of women and children were in motion, and 
 the circle formed for the hunt. 
 
 Several shallow streams, fringed with dwarf beeches, were 
 crossed, flowing into lagoons or into the Teckel River, the 
 course of which lay north-east of our lino, and the cavalcade 
 of women struck the valley occasionally in the march. Of 
 the hills dividing these streams, the southei'n side consisted 
 of gradual slopes covered with coarse grass, while the 
 northern counterslopes were precipitous, and covered with 
 loose rocks and stones. Orkeke, in the previous marches, 
 had often informed me that the Araucanos' country was very 
 stony, and that there were a great many armadiUoes, but 
 little other game ; and this day guanaco were rarely seen, 
 but ostriches were numerous and armadillo abounded. 
 
 After crossing several ridges and glens, we at length tra- 
 versed a hillocky plain, of the usual scrub-covered aspect, 
 and strewn with flint, agate, and other pebbles, and en- 
 camped for the night in a place called ' Woolkein,' situated 
 by the side of a water-course which was now nearly dry, the 
 water only remaining in the deep holes. We had left the 
 canon or valley of the river Teckel a few miles east, from 
 which point it appeared to give a sharp turn in an easterly 
 direction. 
 
 To the west the mountains of the Cordillera were visible 
 about twenty miles distant, whUe on the south were the 
 rocky abrupt hills already passed over, and on the north a 
 range of rather peaked hills running west, and appearing to 
 slope at theu" western extremity towards the plains beneath 
 the Cordillera. Next morning, before the rime was off the 
 pasture, we were again en route, and after a rocky descent of 
 perhaps fifty feet reached a second plain, everj-where strewn 
 with stones, which rendered galloping very difficult ; never- 
 theless a large herd of guanaco were enclosed, and numbers 
 killed, while ostrich, on the contrary, appeared to be very 
 scarce. To my great sm-prise, whilst running some guanaco, 
 two large partridges got up from close to my horse's feet,
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLUM. 203 
 
 and flyiug a short distance settled again. Partridges had 
 been described to me in the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz, 
 but I had never seen one, and these were the first met with 
 in the country. Towards three in the afternoon we emerged 
 from the stony district to a plain covered ^vith sand and 
 scrub, and after refreshing ourselves at a rivulet, travelled 
 westward, A\ath the Cordillera in full front, till we turned a 
 high cliff which jutted out from the gi'assy slopes in which 
 the hills fell gradually down to the plains, and beyond it, 
 turning again northward, entered a level plain, at the far 
 extremity of which we observed with great contentment the 
 answering smoke from the toldos of the Ai'aucanian Indians. 
 On the south-west edge of this valley the high beetling cliff 
 obscured the view of the wooded mountains, which, however, 
 showed out between the hills shutting in the valley we had 
 traversed up to this point. On the eastern side rose a range 
 of hills, baiTen and desolate, with here and there a single 
 guanaco in solitary majesty, cropping the stunted gi-ass. In 
 front of us, directly to the north, lay a large lagoon, in which 
 numerous swans and flamingoes were wading and swimming 
 about. Beyond it were visible the toldos of the Ai-aucauians, 
 ten in number. 
 
 We halted near the head of the lagoon, under shelter of 
 some thick bushes, to collect our forces, don our best ponchos 
 and silver ornaments, and change our horses, and then pro- 
 ceeded slowly to within about a quarter of a mile of the 
 toldos. To our great surprise nobody appeared to receive 
 us ; but at length a woman arrived with the intelligence that 
 all the men were away hunting, but had been sent for, and 
 would arrive shortly. 
 
 Our women meanwhile erected the toldos on a green 
 sward, carpeted with strawberry plants, near to a small 
 stream which divided om* camp from that of the Araucanos. 
 All dismounted and rested after the long journey of fully 
 forty miles from the previous station ; and in about half an 
 hour the Araucanos appeared, galloping like demons. Theii-
 
 20 -i AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 women baring previously brought up tbeir fresh horses, they 
 were in almost less time than it takes to write it in the 
 saddle, and formed into excellent line, lances in hand, wait- 
 ing for us to go through the ceremony of welcome. In about 
 five minutes our ranks were dressed, and the usual galloping, 
 shouting, and ceremonious greetings gone through. I was 
 particularly struck with the bold, honest bearing of the 
 young men of this party, who, dressed in gay-coloured 
 ponchos, with clean linen drawers and white flannel vests 
 underneath, presented a most civilised appearance. More 
 noticeable than the remainder, who numbered but twenty- 
 seven in all, were four brothers, particularly handsome, 
 robust men, with florid complexions, who at a distance, 
 where the colour of their eyes could not be distinguished, 
 looked almost like Europeans ; which remark made to El 
 Sourdo, who was my right-hand man during the performance, 
 called forth the reply in a low voice, ' Very much devil these 
 Indians ; perhaps fight.' That he could have entertained the 
 idea when we were at least ten times their number, speaks 
 volumes for the Araucanian character for bravery. 
 
 However, all passed off" quietly, and a council was fixed 
 for the following day. As we were returning to the toldos 
 we observed some of the Araucanians bringing up a flock of 
 sheep, and others a herd of cattle, from some woods border- 
 ing the stream, which flowed to the northward. On the 
 eastern side of the valley some four or five hundred horses 
 and mares were grazing on the green pasture ; and Hinchel 
 pointed out to me with great glee the horses and mares — 
 about a hundred head — owned by his eldest son, who had 
 married an Araucanian woman, and resided with them ; 
 and the proud father declared that we should not want for 
 food, as he likewise owned cattle and sheep. 
 
 Casimiro informed me that many years ago, whilst travel- 
 ling northwards, he met these same Indians on foot. Their 
 custom was to hunt with large dogs that they kept expressly 
 for the chase, and dividing the meat equally, carry it back
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLUM. 205 
 
 on their shoulders to the toldos. They also when on the 
 march loaded themselves with their household gear, leaving 
 bags of grease hung up in the trees for future use. He left 
 them a couple of mares, from which part of their present 
 stock is sprung. This story, however, should be taken with 
 reservation, although it is perfectly possible that in some 
 fight their horses were taken from them, and that subse- 
 quently, when all the Indians were joined together under the 
 Cacique Lenketrou to invade the settlements, they received 
 a share of the spoils, and have since added to their stock by 
 trade. 
 
 The day following our arrival a council was held, and an 
 interchange of presents took place. Here I made the 
 acquaintance of the old chief Quintuhual, and presented 
 him with a dagger. He was a short, heavily-built man, with 
 a grave and indeed solemn expression ; but he had a bad 
 name for getting intoxicated and using knife or revolver 
 freely — in fact, running a-muck. He was of course a rela- 
 tion — nephew, it was said — of Casimiro ; but notwithstand- 
 ing, he at first received me with great suspicion, and when, 
 in answer to his inquiries as to what I was and why I came, 
 he was informed that I was in the service of the Cacique 
 of England, who wished the Indians well, but that I had 
 visited these parts for my own pleasure, he replied that he 
 was not a boy to be humbugged easily ; but having instituted 
 private inquiries, he soon changed his tone, showing me the 
 greatest civility, and was never tired of asking questions 
 about England and Englishmen. 
 
 Here the letters forwarded some time previously, which 
 we had thought were by this time arrived at Patagones, were 
 handed back to us. They had been forwarded to Foyel's* 
 people, but owing to those sent by me for England being 
 written on pink noto-papcr, they were returned, the Indians 
 considering the colour of the paper to denote war. 
 
 Quintuhual had witii him a Valdivian or Chilote named 
 • AUo called Poyel.
 
 206 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 Juan Antonio, who acted as interpreter. This little man, who 
 had originally come from what he called his ' Pago,' some- 
 where in the vicinity of Porto Montt, bringing liquor to trade 
 with the Indians, had concluded to remain with them, esteem- 
 ing himself to be better off as a poor man in the Pampas in 
 company with Indians, than in the like station in the settle- 
 ments. He of course spoke the Araucanian language, which 
 is generally used in Valdivia, but was conversant with the 
 Spanish tongue. Off his horse he was a miserable little 
 specimen of a man, and though tolerated by Quintuhual, was 
 looked upon as what Spaniards term 'Infeliz,' or unfortunate 
 one. 
 
 After a while the council broke up, but Crime arriving 
 with the ten expected toldos, was resumed the follo^\^ng 
 day ; Quintuhual finally agreeing to unite his party with 
 the Tehuelches, and proceed under Casimu'o's banner to Las 
 Manzanas. 
 
 The Chilote Juan Antonio paid us a visit in the evening, 
 and informed us that the toldos had been several months in 
 this place, which was named Esgel-kaik ; the men having 
 been absent hunting, first the young guanaco, and afterwards 
 catching and taming cattle in the Cordillera. 
 
 By his account these Indians were great adepts with the 
 lazo, and would gallop through the forests in chase of 
 animals in the most wonderful manner ; one man only being 
 required to catch and secure an animal, and then proceeding 
 to capture another. How difi'erent from our dreadful failure, 
 where seven men could not lazo one animal ! 
 
 He further stated that with Foyel's Indians, who were 
 distant a few marches to the north, eight Valdi^dans had for 
 the last two years been employed catching cattle, and having 
 now succeeded in getting together a herd of about eighty 
 head, intended shortly to return to Yaldivia. 
 
 The third day after our arrival I visited the toldos of our 
 new allies; and while talking to one of the principal Indians, 
 named Malakou, who could speak a little Spanish, was asked
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 207 
 
 if I could repair firearms, and one or two very antique speci- 
 mens of flint pistols and blunderbusses were produced, the 
 locks of which were wood-bound. Half an hour served to 
 set these to rights, at which the owners were much delighted, 
 and oflfered me tobacco, &c., which however I refused, taking 
 instead a hide to make a small lazo. 
 
 After bidding, not adieu, but au revoir, to my new friends, 
 whilst strolling back I was called into a toldo where four 
 women were sitting sewing mantles. One, who appeared to 
 be of the Pampa tribe, old and ugly, spoke Spanish, and 
 stated that she was formerly in the Rio Negro with the 
 cacique Chingoli. She acted as spokeswoman for the 
 others, three tall, buxom lasses, daughters of a brother of 
 Quintuhual, who was Capitanejo of the party. They were 
 gaily dressed in variegated ponchos, with silk handkerchiefs 
 bound round their fine glossy hair, which was plaited into 
 two long tails, and set off their clear, fresh complexions 
 charmingly. The first question they asked me was where I 
 came from. On answering, ' From the direction in which the 
 sun rises,' they asked if it wasn't very hot there. They then 
 asked if I had ever been above the sky ; if I had not been 
 dead one time and come to life again ; whether Casimiro 
 had not been dead and come back again, and various other 
 questions of the same description. 
 
 After satisfying their curiosity to the best of my ability, 
 and smoking a pipe, I received a message by Juan Antonio 
 that Quintuhual wanted to see me in his toldo. Proceeding 
 thither, I was shown to a seat on a poncho, and discoursed 
 with the old chief for half an hour ; at the end of which he 
 made me a present of a ' jurga,' or, as the Tehuelches term 
 it, ' lechu,' a sort of blanket made by their women, similai- to 
 the poncho, except, instead of two parts with an opening for 
 the head to pass through, it consists of an entire piece. It 
 was perfectly new, having been just completed by his 
 daughters. 
 
 After a good dinner we adjourned to see the races, a great
 
 208 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 match being on between the two tribes. The course was 
 about four miles ; and the race resulted in a victory for the 
 Tehuelches. Both sides had backed their favourites heavily ; 
 and as on this occasion the ladies took a prominent share in 
 the betting, the Tehuelches were in gi-eat glee, having won 
 from the fair Araucanians many valuable mandils and lechus. 
 In the evening a grand feast took place, with a mandil tent 
 and dance. 
 
 Near this place grew a quantity of the wild potatoes, and 
 the women used to start early in the morning and come back 
 towards evening with their horses loaded. The tubers were 
 the largest I had seen, and closely resembled the sweet 
 potato in flavour. The usual way of cooking them was 
 boiling in a pot, a sod of earth being placed over all to keep 
 the steam in. 
 
 We made a stay of eight days in Esgel-kaik, amusing our- 
 selves by racing, visiting the Araucanos, and passing a very 
 pleasant time, the only drawback being the illness of Crime, 
 VFho grew gradually worse. 
 
 The day before our departure, Jackechan and El Soui'do 
 intimated that, as they feared a disturbance, and vT-ished to 
 keep clear of any fight, they would not accompany us to Las 
 Manzanas, but pui'posed to proceed in the direction of 
 Chupat, and send in a messenger to the Welsh colony. So I 
 at once took the opportunity of forwarding a letter to Mr. 
 Lewis Jones, requesting certain supplies of yerba, tobacco, 
 and sugar. 
 
 On February .5th the whole camp broke up, Jackechan and 
 two toldos marching to the north-east, and the remainder, 
 who now formed an extensive train, marching almost due 
 north. Before leaving, Jackechan sent one of his -wives and 
 his youngest sou, who was remarkably attached to me, to 
 our toldo, to be under the charge of her father, Kai Chileno. 
 El Soui'do had pressed me to go ^\■ith their small party, and 
 for some time I wavered, but thought it best to stick to Ca- 
 simiro, and pay a visit to Cheoeque, and the much-praised
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLUM. 209 
 
 Manzanas, where the Indians anticipated finding plenty of 
 fruit and plenty of drink. After leaving Esgel, the character 
 of the country changed. We were no longer traversing 
 pampas, with their dreary monoton)', but journeyed through 
 level valleys of two or three miles in extent, watered by rivu- 
 lets fringed with stunted trees, and abounding with game. 
 The general line of the dividing hills — which were round 
 downs and occasionally broken and waterworn cliffs — was 
 from east to west, seeming as if they were thro^vn off as 
 spurs from the Cordillera, from which, however, their 
 western bases were divided by a valley often narrowing to a 
 glen, down which flowed a stream in a northward course. 
 Towards evening a halt was made at the side of a stream 
 where there was sufficient pasture for the horses, and it was 
 an amusing sight to watch the long line of women winding 
 down the hills in the distance, like a flock of ants ; the 
 Araucanians driving their cattle and mares separate from 
 our party, and their sheep bringing up the rear by slow 
 marches under charge of some lads. 
 
 Early the following morning the camp was struck, and 
 after crossing a hill directly above the encampment, which was 
 covered with rank high grass, we descended the northward 
 slope to a wild, barren-looking plain, at the northern side of 
 which, near to a low range of hills, some trees and a silver 
 line marked the course of a river flowing from the Cordillera, 
 the mountains of which rose to a height of 2,000 or 3,000 
 feet, wooded nearly to the summits, and their crest glitter- 
 ing with occasional patches of snow that had defied the 
 power of the summer sun. Traversing this plain, which was 
 dotted with barberry and other bushes, and varied here and 
 there by small hummocky ridges, we closed the huutin'' 
 circle by the banks of the stream, a few miles distant from 
 the Cordillera. Here, in difl'oront parties, the usual fires 
 were lit, and the hunting meal discussed, after which we 
 proceeded to the toldos. Tlio Araucanians had pitched 
 theirs on the southern bank of the river, amongst some 
 
 U
 
 210 AT HOME WITH THE PATAQONIANS. 
 
 clumps of trees ; whilst those of the Tehuelches were situated 
 on the northern bank, the river dividing the two villages. 
 Westward from our encampment the barren plain was suc- 
 ceeded by a wide level of grass, reaching to the base of the 
 mountains, some two miles distant ; but higher up the 
 course of the river, which trended to the north, the plain 
 appeared to resume its barren and stony aspect, with here 
 and there a dry lagoon, until the slope of the mountains was 
 reached, and detached belts of trees formed the commence- 
 ment of the forest. On the southern side of the river the 
 pasture was not very abundant ; nevertheless there was 
 sufficient for the horses, cattle, and sheep of oui* allies to 
 graze upon. 
 
 After the usual stable drill most of us bathed in the 
 stream, which, although nowhere of great depth, had pools 
 at intervals suited for bathing ; but the water was icy cold. 
 The day following our arrival at this camp, which was named 
 Diplaik, a birthday feast took place in the Araucanian 
 toldos, to which most of us were invited, the usual tent being 
 erected and a dance held in the evening, and the feast and 
 dance were kept up for two days and nights, at the end of 
 which a messenger arrived from Foyel to say that Calfi- 
 cura, the chief of the Indians encamped at the Salinas 
 north of the Rio Negro, near Bahia Blanca, was going to 
 make war on Buenos Ayres, the reason assigned being the 
 murder of one of his relations by the Christians ; he there- 
 fore desired the Araucanians and Tehuelches to join with 
 him in the inroad. His literal message was as follows : 
 * My horse is ready, my foot is in the stirrup, my lance is in 
 my hand, and I go to make war against these Christians, 
 who tire me out with their falseness.' 
 
 A parlemento was called, and the chiefs deliberated for 
 some time, but in the end determined to have nothing to do 
 with the aflau* ; so a message was sent to the eflect that he 
 might do as he pleased, but that they wished to maintain 
 peace.
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 211 
 
 We remained some days in Diplaik, during which several 
 races were run, resulting on this occasion in favour of the 
 horses of the Araucanians, who won many horses and mares 
 from their neighbours. 
 
 The international sports were diversified by a cock fight 
 between Orkeke's bird, and one belonging to an Ai-aucanian. 
 My assistance was requested to sharpen the spurs, and my 
 friends were much astonished at my indignant refusal to 
 have anything to do with such a proceeding. The Araucanian 
 owner of the cock had also a hen which, during the march, 
 sat upon a clutch of eggs and successfully reared her brood 
 of six chickens, the hen, nest, and all being carefully trans- 
 ported on horseback, and Dame Partlet seeming quite as 
 much at home in the saddle as any Indian mother with her 
 nursling carried in the cradle behind her. 
 
 In the dry lagoons on the western side of the valley the 
 women, and indeed sometimes the men, were frequently en- 
 gaged in grubbing up an edible root which grew in large quan- 
 tities. The leaf of the plant is very minute, and the root, 
 which is found about a foot below the surface, varies in length 
 from one to three inches : it is quite white, and about a quarter 
 of an inch in diameter ; when raw its taste resembles that of 
 a chestnut, but is rather sweeter. The Indians boil it and 
 drink the water, which is very sweet. During the last two 
 days of our stay we subsisted entirely on this food and fish 
 caught in the stream, as meat was not obtainable. Some of 
 the Tchuelches were here induced for the first time to taste 
 the fish on which Casimiro, Mcfia, and myself were regaling, 
 and some of them took a great liking to it, and borrowing 
 my lines and hooks were soon sitting on the bank waiting 
 patiently for a bite. They caught several, and towards 
 evening returned with my linos and a share of the fish for us, 
 which we did not require. As I had plenty of hooks, these 
 ingenious savages soon made lines for themselves out of 
 twisted ostrich sinews, and may, for all I know, at the present 
 time be occupied in fishing. The fact that none of these
 
 212 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 Tehuelches would before this touch the fish caught by me, 
 and even expressed gi-eat disgust at the idea, is worthy of 
 note, as it has been stated that on the coast they catch and 
 eat sea fish, which could only be alleged by persons ignorant 
 of theii- real habits of life.* 
 
 On the 12th we marched ; the cause of our detention for 
 the two extra days being the continued sickness of Crime, 
 who, however, at length determined to make an efi'ort and 
 proceed, although barely able to sit on his horse. The 
 women followed, more or less, the valley of the river, whilst 
 the hunters ranged over the hills, which on the western side 
 were in most parts free from rock and stones and abounded 
 vnth ostriches. During the joui-ney I came suddenly on two 
 wild cats, one of which my dog attacked and killed, and the 
 other fell a victim to my bolas. These were of the species 
 common in the provinces of La Plata, and especially in the 
 islands of the Parana. Towards evening we came on another 
 small stream flowing into the main river, into the plain of 
 which we subsequently descended and found the toldos 
 already pitched, literally ' sub tegmine fagi.' During this 
 day's ride, happening to be in the same part of the circle as 
 the Ai'aucanians, we cooked our dinners in company and 
 rode home together. On the way Quintuhual's eldest son, 
 mth whom I had always had very friendly relations, said 
 that he desired to recognise me as his brother. So we 
 accordingly joined hands, and riding together formally de- 
 clared that we were as brothers, and would always remember 
 the duties of our relationship and assist each other, if needs 
 be, in whatever part of the world we might be placed. All 
 this was very satisfactory, and it may be interesting to the 
 reader to know that my sisters and cousins were the good- 
 looking girls who had asked such curious questions at Esgel, 
 and with whom, though we could not understand each other's 
 language, I had always kept up a laughing acquaintance, 
 thereby arousing considerable jealousy in the bosoms of my 
 * Cf. Guiunard, ' Three Yeai-s' Slavery,' p. 73.
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLUM. 213 
 
 Tehuelche friends. The gloriously warm weather, which, for 
 a wonder, continued during our stay at Lilly-haik, as this 
 station was named, rendered our residence there most en- 
 joyable, and we revelled in the simple pleasures of the 
 woods; sometimes three or four of us would go across the 
 brook, and traversing a plain occupied by the horses and 
 cattle, search for strawberries amongst the ravines of the 
 neighbouring mountains, or climb the tall trees and gather 
 the yellow insipid fungus adhering to the branches, or lie 
 down amongst the wild violets and enjoy the dolcefar niente. 
 These Indian children of nature showed themselves as 
 thoroughly able to appreciate the idleness of gathering fruit 
 and flowers and roaming in the woods as school children on 
 a holiday ramble. On one occasion Casimiro and several 
 others proceeded in search of wood wherewith to construct 
 saddles, and we felled several fine trees, selecting and cutting 
 oflf suitable pieces of timber. It was hard work with blunt 
 axes, but Indians are indefatigable when they once com- 
 mence a task. After my spell at the axe I wandered off with 
 a companion into the thicker forest in search of fungus to 
 make tinder. Of this we found little, but thu-st soon made us 
 seek for water, and discover a delicious ice-cold rivulet, em- 
 bowered Avith currant bushes bearing ripe fruit. Here we 
 remained a short time smoking and picking currants, recum- 
 bent en the mossy turf, till a shout in the distance warned us 
 that our companions were returning. On our way home we 
 killed one of the flat toad-like lizards which the Indians regard 
 as devilish ; we also caught a young skunk, which Casimiro 
 wished to keep as a pet for the children, but at my instance 
 let it go and enjoy the delights of freedom. * Fancy a tame 
 skunk ! ' some may exclaim ; but in Hinchel's toldo there were 
 two skunks which, perfectly tame and as playful as kittens, 
 ran about everywhere, never using their offensive powers, and 
 sometimes getting lost for an hour or two caused a dreadful 
 outcry to be raised by the children until they were found. 
 The hill slopes were a garden of calceolarias, alyssum, tiny
 
 214 _ AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 wild geraniums, and other flowers unknown to me. Amongst 
 tliem were two magnificent creepers, one resembling a vine, 
 with rich violet trumpet-shaped flowers, and another dis- 
 playing gorgeous circular orange blossoms, with black lines 
 radiating, like the spokes of a wheel, from the centre. I 
 looked in vain for seeds, but there were none mature, so 
 contented myself with plucking a flower, which was sub- 
 sequently lost with other specimens. 
 
 A disagreeable incident here gave me an opportunity of 
 observing the disposition of the Araucanians to enslave and 
 illtreat any unhappy ' Cristiano ' that they can either kidnap 
 or purchase. One of the ChiUans, after more than once 
 removing from one Tehuelche toldo to another, listened to 
 the delusive promises of an Araucanian, and deserted his old 
 protectors rather than masters. He soon found that he had 
 exchanged an easy berth for real slavery. One day he 
 besought me to interfere to protect him from the cruelty of 
 his master, who was urging him with his whip to continue 
 his labour of wood-felling. He complained that he was 
 worked all day, and scantily fed, and obliged to sleep outside 
 the toldo ; very different from his life amongst the Pata- 
 gonians, when food, shelter, and a horse to ride were 
 always his lot. At my intercession Quintuhual took him 
 into his service to protect him, for no Tehuelche would re- 
 ceive him ; but he was afterwards reported to have been 
 killed by his quondam master, as a punishment for his 
 desertion. 
 
 During our stay great gambling with cards was carried on 
 amongst some of the party ; and Casimiro and Hinchel 
 worked most assiduously constructing saddles, which when 
 finished they were in as great haste to gamble away. A 
 wedding also varied the proceedings in this place ; and 
 another httle incident, in the shape of a separation by mutual 
 consent of an Araucanian husband and Tehuelche M-ife, gave 
 the old ladies subject for gossip ; but a reconciliation was 
 soon after efi'ected.
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLUM. 215 
 
 On the IGth of February we left Lilly-haik, and bid 
 adieu to the pleasant river and the sylvan delights of this 
 Paradise, as it seemed to us, with its flower)^ shades. As we 
 ascended the northern declivity of the high ground bounding 
 the valley, I halted to take a farewell look ; and nowhere 
 has a more beautiful scene presented itself to my gaze. The 
 valley narrowed as it curved to the west, and at its head, 
 through a gigantic cleft, the perpendicular walls of which 
 rose several hundred feet, the waters of the riverissued from 
 their mountain cradle. So deep was the gloom of this gorge, 
 that it was impenetrable to even Indian eyes, and the river 
 seemed to flow into the sunlight out of unkno■«^l darkness. 
 Above, on either hand, the precipitous cliffs sloped upwards 
 into high mountains clothed with a rich mantle of the dark 
 green, cedar-like foliage of the beech forests ; and between 
 their summits might be discerned the dazzling peaks of far- 
 distant loftier mountains crowned with perpetual snow. 
 
 Turning our backs upon this lovely scene, we crossed a 
 remarkable succession of barren and stony terraces or 
 benches of curiously irregular formation, the terraces run- 
 ning in different directions, and presenting no parallel lines 
 to indicate any uniform action of water ; the irregular slopes 
 and level surfaces resembling a complication of gigantic 
 steps. We at length descended to a plain bordering a river, 
 which all the Indians agreed in declaring to be the main 
 branch of the Chupat. The banks on the southern side were 
 remarkable for being fringed with a species of pampas grass, 
 while on the northern side grew a few trees, near which the 
 toldos were pitched. 
 
 The river was about forty yards in width, and easily 
 fordable in most places, although there were deep roaches 
 where a horse had to swim. The foremost party of the 
 hunters crossed first, and some, either not knowing or care- 
 less of the fords, enjoyed a bathe, swimming alongside their 
 horses. By eventide all our party, women and baggage, had 
 arrived. A few days' halt was occasioned iu this place,
 
 216 AT HOME WJTIJ THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 named Chiipatcush, by the continued illness of the cacique 
 Crime. We hunted in all the surrounding country, which 
 presented no very remarkable features. Down river, or to 
 speak more correctly to the eastward, after passing a range 
 of hills of the usual description, covered wuth short tufty 
 grass, interspersed with shrubs, through which the river 
 forces its way in a succession of narrow gorges, a large 
 plain opened out, which extended for perhaps nine miles on 
 each side, scantily covered with grass, excepting towards the 
 banks of the river, where the pastm-e was luxuriant. 
 
 A subsequent comparison of the observations made by 
 Welsh settlers as to its lower course w4th my own, aided by 
 Indian accounts, enables me to state that the Chupat river 
 is characterised throughout its course by the narrow gorge- 
 like cuttings alternating with similar wide plains, all of which 
 are suitable for cultivation. Besides the Sengel, which is 
 doubtless one of its main feeders, other streams occurring in 
 our journey had also been described as tributaries of the 
 Chupat, and by their direction of course it would appear 
 that their waters, if they reach the sea, must flow into this 
 river ; but it seems to me difficult to understand how, if the 
 Chupat receives the drainage of so large an area of country, 
 its stream near the mouth, as described both by Indians and 
 settlers, can be of such small dimensions. It is, therefore, 
 probable that some, if not most, of the lesser rivers lose 
 themselves in lagoons or swamps in the central districts, and 
 the reader must be pleased to remember that the courses of 
 these rivers, as indicated on the map, are not in all cases 
 laid down from my own observation, but partly from Indian 
 description and partly from an already existing map, probably 
 compiled from similar data. 
 
 To the westward plains occur at intervals apparently until 
 the river debouches from the ravines of the high mountains 
 of the Andes, about twelve miles from the encampment. At 
 this point the stream flows from the northward, and the 
 Indians informed me has its source in a large lake, most
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLUM. 217 
 
 probably Nahuel-huapi. The pasture in the immediate 
 vicinity of the camp was scanty, having apparently been 
 recently burned, but the soil was of a rich alluvial description. 
 In the chase the most remarkable thing observed was the 
 abundance of armadilloes, one hunter frequently bringing in 
 two or three. Fish also were abundant in the river, and 
 averaged a larger size than those previously caught. 
 
 On February 18th smoke was observed to the northward, 
 not far distant, and towards evening a chasqui arrived, 
 bringing with him a couple of bottles of Uquor for Quintuhual, 
 as well as news that things were going on well amongst 
 Foyel's people ; and on the 21st we again marched over a 
 high plateau broken by numerous irregular ravines which 
 appeared to have been swept by an inundation. High 
 isolated clifl's stood up as though the waters had washed 
 round them and swept away the intervening soil, leaving 
 their water-worn faces marked with the indelible record of 
 the floods, as plainly as the torn and blasted rocks in the 
 southern districts bore the traces of volcanic fires. At last 
 a more unbroken plain terminated suddenly in a shelving 
 descent of 300 to 400 feet, the wall of a chasm covered with 
 grass and shrubs interspersed with scattered boulders, down 
 which we made our way, encamping near the base, where 
 a beautiful spring gushed from the side. The bottom of the 
 canon, which was nearly half a mile in width, contained 
 a watercourse, the bed of Avhich was dry at this season, 
 except a few pools of stagnant water unsuitable for drinking. 
 
 It was intended to despatch messengers from this place, 
 which was called Cushamon, to Foyel, and also Cheoeque, 
 the chief of Las Manzanas, warning him of our near ap- 
 proach ; and accordingly, after our arrival in camp, I wrote 
 a letter to the said chieftain at the dictation of Casimiro, 
 which in well-rounded periods and with much compHmentary 
 verbiage explained the fact and reasons of our having united 
 all the Indians and inviting their co-operation. 
 
 The following morning, after the letter had been read and
 
 218 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA i\S. 
 
 explained to the assembled caciques, the two messengers 
 (sons of caciques) appeared with two horses each, and after 
 receiving some verbal injunctions, started on their journey, 
 amidst the bowlings of a few old women and a blast from the 
 cornet. The remainder of us, who had mounted, to add to 
 the pomp and ceremony of the occasion, went out hunting, 
 some following the ravine in an easterly direction, which, 
 penetrating high pampas, opened into a plain containing a 
 lagoon fed by the waters of the brook, whilst others encircled 
 the high pampas above. Hinchel, whom I accompanied on 
 this occasion, pointed out to me several small holes with 
 little mounds of earth and rubbish at the mouth, which he 
 asserted to be the abodes of snakes, but no occupants were 
 visible outside. He described the snakes as dark in colom', 
 about two feet six inches long, and perfectly harmless, 
 adding that they would be good to eat, which facts were 
 subsequently corroborated by Casimiro. 
 
 One of the troubles of pampa life is occasionally losing 
 one's horses, as was my case in this place, and I spent one 
 entire day in search before I recovered them, as they had 
 strayed in company with a troop of mares far up the valley, 
 which here divided into two branches, opening into watered 
 grassy plains extending to the Cordillera. As there were 
 horse tracks up both valleys, according to the usual law of 
 contrariety I took the wrong one at fii-st and had a long 
 gallop for nothing. At any time it is troublesome to have to 
 look through about two thousand horses all unmarked, and 
 many of the same colour, and perhaps resembhng those 
 belonging to the perplexed searcher. An Indian, however, 
 with his natural quickness of sight, -will distinguish his own 
 horses at a great distance amongst a hundred others. It has 
 been already said that in this roving life all must look after 
 their own horses, for Indians do not understand another 
 person doing it for them, unless he be a son or relation, and 
 in all cases when preparing for the march every one is 
 expected to find and bring up his own.
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 219 
 
 During our stay (until the 28th) in this encampment, the 
 cold winds again set in, and snow fell on one occasion, but 
 not in great quantity, and we were all very glad at length to 
 get the order to march, and proceeded in joyous expectation 
 of shortly meeting the chasquis with news from the other 
 Indians. By this time the young guanaco had grown to 
 considerable size and aftbrded a lengthened chase, but their 
 skins were useless for mantles, the fur having acquired more 
 of the thick woolly nature of that of the fuU-gi'own animal. 
 The next halt was made in a place called Telck, a valley of 
 considerable width, on one edge of which the burrow of a 
 Patagonian hare or cavy was pointed out to me, but the 
 owner was not visible. Here a messenger arrived with an 
 answer to our letter from Foyel, indited by a Valdivian 
 Indian named Antonio Guaitu, educated by the missionaries, 
 who filled the post of secretary to the chief. The caciques 
 having formed a circle, in which my place was next the 
 president, Casimiro, the chasquis were introduced, and 
 ceremoniously handed me the letter, written in most pecuhar 
 Spanish, which, after some private study, I was able to 
 decipher and expound to the attentive assembly. It con- 
 tained many expressions of goodwill, and hopes of a 
 speedy meeting, winding up with an apology that, owing 
 to having left his country north of the Rio Limay, and 
 come down into these parts in order to hunt the young 
 guanaco, he regretted having so few warriors in his train 
 wherewith to welcome 'the great chief of the south,' viz., 
 Casimiro. After this function, with my deportment in 
 which, be it modestly said, all the chiefs were much pleased, 
 as well as gratified by the amicable contents of the despatch, 
 one of the Araucanian caciques assui'ing me with many 
 compliments that his horses were always at my disposal 
 for a mount, all adjourned to a shooting match, or rather 
 pistol practice, at which the performances were decidedly 
 moderate, and the mark seemed to be the safest place. 
 Starting thence on March 3, and travelling always north-
 
 220 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 wards over the barren upper pampas with scarcely a ehrub" 
 on them, the wall-like Cordillera rising on the west, and 
 ranges of hills bounding the view to the east, about two p.m. 
 we arrived at a marshy plain : there, as we were halting to 
 make a fire, a cloud of smoke rose suddenly from the opposite 
 side, indicating the near approach of the chasqui sent to 
 Las Manzanas. Half a dozen of us were immediately de- 
 spatched to verify the supposition, and, leaving our dinner 
 for a future occasion, raced across the valley at full speed, 
 the Indians firmly believing that the messengers would bring 
 liquor with them, and every one being ambitions of the first 
 drink. We at length made them out, and perceiving us in 
 return they halted and dismounted by a small hillock, where 
 we shortly joined them, Casimiro following sedately, as be- 
 came so grand a personage. The Indians were disappointed 
 as to the advent of liquor, the messengers having brought 
 nothing with them except a few apples, some of which, 
 distributed to us, proved to be very juicy and refreshing, 
 equalling any European apple. The only answer to our 
 letter was a verbal message to the efi'ect that we should be 
 welcome at Las Manzanas, and that Cheoeque would collect 
 a force to meet us, all his people being at present busy in 
 the mountains gathering the harvest of apples and piriones ; 
 he also stated that he had received late news from Patagones, 
 one Mariano Linares, brother of the head chief of the tame 
 Indians in that settlement, being at present a visitor at Las 
 Manzanas. Casimiro was rather irritated at not receiving 
 a written answer, but on my pointing out that it was just 
 possible Cheoeque did not own a secretary in his suite, the 
 chief was somewhat pacified, although his dignity was rather 
 hurt, and he recurred again and again to the subject. 
 
 On our way to thetoldos, — which, during the intervale of 
 our hearing the news, roasting apples, &c., had been pitched, 
 — Casimii'o pointed out to me the scene of a former fight in 
 which a chief and several Indians had been killed. It was 
 a very desirable place for encampment, but owing to these
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 221 
 
 antecedent was carefully avoided, and instead of it our 
 party occupied a damp and even sloppy site on the borders 
 of a small stream that lost itself in a large marsh farther 
 to the east, while the Araucanians had selected a better spot 
 a little higher up the valley. The following day we hunted 
 over some hills in the vicinity of the mountains, and killed a 
 great quantity of ostriches, scarcely a man coming home 
 without a good supply of meat. 
 
 On March 5, early in the morning, whilst most of us were 
 rounding up our horses, others smoking at the fireside, some 
 men appeared in the distance with several horses, one of 
 which appeared to be loaded. In a moment many Indians 
 were away to meet the new comers, and one came back at 
 speed to inform us that they were Manzanero Indians bring- 
 ing liquor to trade with. They proceeded to Quiutuhual's 
 toldo, one of them being a connection of the chief, and there 
 dismounted, unloading their horse of two sheepskins filled 
 with rum. Great was the rejoicing amongst the Indians, and 
 large the crowd that soon collected round Quiutuhual's toldo, 
 carefully keeping at a respectable distance. Casimiro and 
 myself were shortly sent for, and on riding over were invited 
 to preside at the commencement of the festival. On our dis- 
 mounting, in company with several of the other caciques, four 
 lances were planted in the ground (one having a white weft 
 or poncho placed on it), and the chiefs, each taking a horn or 
 pannikin containing a very little rum, marched round the 
 lances muttering an incantation and sprinkling a little liquor 
 on the ground, also on the lances as they passed. This 
 ceremony was repeated twice, a select body of old women 
 attending to sing and cry, to assist in frightening away the 
 evil spirit. After this my brother, who appeared to be master 
 of the ceremonies, handed pannikins of grog round, and all 
 were soon very convivial. After taking a glass or two I 
 retired, in company with Orkeke and Hinchel, neither of 
 whom was inclined to drink much, owing to the possibility 
 of a disturbance. The rest of the party then began to buy
 
 222 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 drink, as the first free allowance was stopped, and in a short 
 time many were in an advanced stage of intoxication, amongst 
 whom was our head chief. The terms of barter were a 
 mantle or unbroken colt for two bottles of villainous Val- 
 divian rum, which was, as the Tehuelches agreed, a very 
 exorbitant price ; but inasmuch as the dealers left it free 
 for them either to go without or pay up, the liquor was soon 
 finished and the merchants possessed of some eighteen new 
 mantles and a good number of mares and colts. The artful 
 Tehuelches, however, during the ensuing night, stole back 
 a portion of the mantles, an dhumbugged the Araucanians 
 about the horses, professing not to be able to catch them. 
 Everything went on quietly until about three p.m., when a 
 fight took place, but the combatants were disarmed. From 
 this up to eight p.m., Quintuhual, Orkeke, and many of 
 the people who had kept sober, were occupied in quelling dis- 
 turbances, Casimiro being as bad as any, and sending for his 
 gun wherewith to shoot some imagined enemy, which I fortu- 
 nately intercepted, and after plugging up the nipples hid it 
 behind the toldo. There was little sleep to be obtained till 
 nearly morning, when the inebriated ones laid down anywhere 
 and everywhere to sleep off their potations. The following 
 morning Casimiro awoke with a bad headache and bad temper, 
 and commenced talking about something that had been said 
 to him the previous day, on which I informed him that he 
 must have no shame left in him to get so intoxicated, and that 
 no Indians could respect a chief who was the fii'st to set an 
 evil example by wishing to create a disturbance, while Quin- 
 tuhual had remained sober, taking care of his people as became 
 a chief, and that he (Casimiro) should have done the same. 
 This raised the ire of the ancient monarch, who answered in 
 a most impolite manner, so much so, that to avoid a row I 
 left him to his bad head and quitted the toldo till he should 
 be in a better frame of mind. Shortly after this little episode 
 we broke up the camp and marched a few miles to the north. 
 Having been detained by a missing horse, I did not start with
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 223 
 
 the hunting party, but overtook the people who had arrived 
 with the grog, returning with their remaining mantles, horses, 
 colts, &c., and loudly abusing the Tehuelches for a set of 
 thieving rascals. One of this party was a Valdivian boy who 
 spoke fluent Spanish, and invited me to accompany him to 
 Los Llanos, whither he now intended returning. He stated 
 that in seven or eight days he hoped to reach his destination, 
 and that from thence to the port of Valdivia was but a day 
 and a half's journey. On arriving at the next encampment I 
 bade adieu to these people, who continued their march far- 
 ther to the north, not liking to trust their property again in 
 the neighbourhood of our camp. 
 
 Only halting for the night, we resumed our journey shortly 
 after daylight, mounting a rather steep ascent to a high 
 plateau strewn with sharp stones and crossed by ridges of 
 rocks at intervals. 
 
 Ostriches and guanaco were numerous, and although 
 chasing them almost involved the certainty of laming ones 
 horse, many were killed. In this hunt a male guanaco came 
 racing towards me from the Indians on the western side of 
 the circle, and on my galloping to intercept him, he turned 
 and descended a ridge of rocks. I was about to throw the 
 bolas, being within distance, when he suddenly tripped, and, 
 falling on his head, lay stunned at the bottom of the cliff, 
 where I soon despatched him with my knife. 
 
 These barren pampas terminated suddenly in a line of cliffs, 
 gradually but steeply shelving in some places, and in others 
 presenting a perpendicular descent of 200 feet ; at the base 
 lay a large plain watered by a brook, and enclosed on the 
 southern, eastern, and partially on the western sides by these 
 cliffs, while the northern and north-western boundary was 
 formed by hills rising in gentle slopes. In about the centre 
 of this plain, close to the brook side, were to be distinguished 
 the toldos of Foyol, to which the women were wending their 
 way, having descended by a ravine to the east, while some dis- 
 tance to the north-east on the upper plains were to be distin-
 
 224 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 guisbed the hunting fires of the proprietors of the toldos. 
 In due course of time we arrived, but as the hunting party 
 did not return till late, we saw nothing of Foyel's people that 
 evening, though letters were exchanged between the chiefs, 
 fehcitating each other on the meeting, and appointing next 
 day for the ceremony of welcome. 
 
 The following morning, however, day broke with a furious 
 south-west gale, with passing squalls of snow and sleet, and 
 so bitterly cold and miserable that Foyel sent a note to state 
 that, ' as the day was rather frozen,' perhaps it would be 
 better to postpone the ceremony till finer weather, inasmuch 
 as after it a parlemento would have to be held to consider 
 matters in general, Casimh-o answered, through me, that 
 he was of the same opinion, but would do himself the honour 
 of paying a personal visit. Presently we sallied out in the 
 storm, taking the presents and the necessary number of 
 women to ciy, and proceeded to Foyel's toldo, where we 
 handed over the gifts, the women melodiously howling during 
 the operation. A short parley then ensued between the two 
 caciques, neither of whom, be it remembered, could under- 
 stand the language of the other. After this ceremonial was 
 concluded, which took place outside the toldo during a blind- 
 ing snowstorm, we returned to our home, and shortly after 
 the day cleared up a little, and Foyel's people were visible 
 bringing up cattle and sheep from distant parts of the valley, 
 to which they had been driven to seek shelter from the 
 storm. Some headed in our direction, and were driven close 
 to the toldo, over which the Buenos AjTean colours proudly 
 waved to designate the dwelling of the chief. Foyel then 
 arrived, and had an interview with Casimiro, presenting him 
 with cattle which were lazoed by some of the Valdi\-ian 
 Indians, and a light-haired man dressed in Christian clothes, 
 but with rather a wild appearance. My first idea was that 
 he was either Scotch or English, but as he approached me 
 whilst despatching one of the cows, I asked him in Spanish 
 where he came from, and whether he was not English ; he
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 225 
 
 answered that he was from Chili, but had lived nearly all his 
 life in Valdivia working cattle, and had for the last two years 
 been in company with the Valdivians catching cattle in the 
 Cordillera, and making his head-quarters at Foyel's camp. 
 His name was Ventura Delgado, and he had visited Patagones 
 the previous year in company with the secretary, Antonio 
 Guaitu, who took an application for rations for Foyel. As 
 we were both busy, we arranged to meet and have a talk 
 later in the day. A good deal of eating took place in the 
 forenoon, and to escape the crowd, and also the persecution 
 of having continually to write some nonsensical message 
 from Casimu'o to Foyel, who about every half hour used to 
 interchange written messages, although the toldos were not 
 above two hundred yards apart, I quitted the chiefs quarters 
 for a stroll. While roaming about the camp looking for the 
 toldo in which my now Valdivian acquaintance put up, I was 
 called into another, where Casimiro's aunt, one of our do- 
 mestic circle, and my ' companion of the pipe,' was sitting by 
 the fire drinking gi'og, in which she invited me to assist her ; 
 nothing loth, I sat down, and we had two or three cheerers 
 together, after which the owner of the toldo, a brother-in- 
 law of Foyel's, a Pampa Indian, arrived. He spoke fluent 
 Spanish, having formerly been for a considerable time near 
 the settlements, and was an intellectual, fine-looking man ; 
 he was very civil, and escorted me to Foyel's toldo, where I 
 spent the afternoon in company with Antonio Guaitu and 
 Ventura Delgado, the Valdivian. 
 
 On March 8, the day being fine and suitable for the cere- 
 mony of welcome, Casimiro gave orders at an early hour for 
 all to mount and hold themselves in readiness to go through 
 the necessary evolutions. About an hour after the orders 
 had been given, most of the Patagonians were mounted and 
 ready, so all proceeded to the part of the valley where the 
 united Araucanian Indians, under Quintuhual and Foyel, 
 were already formed in line, lances in hand, waiting for our 
 motley crowd, who gave considerable trouble to the chiefs, 
 
 15
 
 226 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONJANS. 
 
 owing to their loose ideas of formation : the caciques and 
 adjutant no sooner had got one part of the line into some- 
 thing like order, than the people at the other extremity 
 would break up into knots and converse or smoke. Foyel 
 sent several messages to Casimiro to keep his line properly 
 formed, and at length the Tehuelches were arrayed in some- 
 thing Uke order and the ceremony commenced. After it was 
 concluded, a great parlemento was held, which lasted untU 
 the afternoon ; all the previous resolutions were confirmed, 
 viz., that Casimiro should be recognised the chief of the 
 South, his jurisdiction extending over all Indians south of 
 the Rio Limay ; that with his people he should guarantee 
 the safety of Patagones, and hold in check the Pampa Indians 
 of Las Salinas, under the chief Calficura, in the improbable 
 event of his endeavouring to cross the Rio Limay for the 
 purpose of making raids into the settlements ; 2ndly, that we 
 should, all united, march to Las Manzanas to visit Cheoeque, 
 and propose to him to guarantee wdth his forces the safety of 
 the north bank of the river, which would effectually bridle 
 Calficura and secure Patagones. After the parlemento I pro- 
 ceeded to visit Foyel, and was received by him with every 
 expression of friendship and regard. During the course of 
 our interview he asked me to show him my compass, the 
 fame of which had gone before it. I at once took it off my 
 neck, where I was in the habit of carrying it, and endeavoured 
 to explain its uses to him. UnUke the other Indians, although 
 at first regarding it rather with saperstitious awe, Foyel 
 soon tmderstood its uses, though he also hinted that it might 
 not only be useful for finding the way at night, but perhaps 
 would bring luck at play as well. I accordingly begged him 
 to accept it, which, after a Uttle demur, he did with evident 
 delight, wrapping it carefully up and giving it in charge of 
 his daughter. 
 
 He then commenced a conversation on the subject of 
 Indians and their relations with white people. He stated 
 that he was in favour of friendly intercourse both with the
 
 TECKEL TO GEYLUM. 227 
 
 Valdivian people on the western side and the Argentines on 
 the eastern shores. I quote some of his exact words : ' God 
 has given to us these plains and hills wherein to dwell ; he 
 has provided us with the guanaco, from the skins of which 
 to form our toldos, and from the young of which we make 
 mantles to clothe ourselves with ; also the ostrich and arma- 
 dillo for food. Our contact with the Christians of late years 
 has given us a taste for yerba, sugar, biscuit, flour, and 
 other luxuries formerly unknown, but which now have be- 
 come almost necessary to us. If we have war with the 
 Spaniards, we shall have no market for our skins, ponchos, 
 feathers, &c., therefore it is for our own interests to be on 
 good terms with them ; besides, there is plenty of room for 
 all.' He then went on to state that he was endeavouring to 
 find a route to Valdivia, avoiding Las Manzanas and the 
 Picunche tribe of Indians, who are against all foreigners ; and 
 that if possible he would get famihes of Valdivian Indians, 
 and endeavour to cultivate some of the valleys in the neigh- 
 bourhood of the Rio Limay. 
 
 I was not at that time awai'e of Mr. Cox's descent from 
 Lake Nahuel-huapi, or could at once have informed him of 
 that means of communication with the settlements on the 
 western side ; still I doubt the practicability of that route for 
 women and children carrying with them household goods and 
 agricultural implements. After some more conversation, and 
 receiving a general invitation to visit his toldo whenever I 
 felt inclined, and a hospitable assurance that there would 
 always be food for me if I was hungry, I retired to Casimiro's, 
 whilst Foyel went away to play cards, taking ^vith him my 
 compass for luck, and curiously enough he won several horses, 
 silver stirrups, and other valuables from the Tehuelches. 
 
 The following day a race took place, the Tehuelches first 
 taking their horse up to the top of a neighbouring hill, where 
 the doctor performed some magical ceremony to ensure hie 
 winning, which he did, though apparently inferior to his 
 competitor. In this plain, called by the Indians Gatchen-
 
 228 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 kaik or Rocky Hills, Crime's illness caused us to remain en- 
 camped until March 21, during the greater part of which 
 time I and several others were suffering from neuralgia and 
 ulcerations in the mouth, caused I think, by the bad water 
 we had to drink, perhaps also by the want of salt, which had 
 become a very scarce commodity. 
 
 Friendly rivalry was kept up between the tribes in play, 
 hunting, and other sports, in which fortune varied from one 
 side to the other. Every other day I visited poor Crime, 
 whose groans might be heard at night accompanied by the 
 chant of some old hag. The sick man always asked me 
 how long he would live. I at first tried to persuade him that 
 he would get well, but after a time, as he was really fast 
 sinking, gave him to understand that he might live a month 
 if he was lucky. I ofi'ered to open his leg and endeavour to 
 cure him, but this he would not allow, stating that if he died 
 under the operation it would go hard with the doctor, which 
 was indeed true, so I gave up my intentions of performing 
 a surgical operation. 
 
 Before we broke up the camp, a Valdivian and other 
 Indians arrived from Cheoeque's, but brought little news, 
 stating that the Manzaneros were still dispersed amongst 
 the valleys of the Cordillera engaged in gathering the yearly 
 harvest of apples and pinones : of these we had already re- 
 ceived plenty from Foyel's people, who kept up a constant 
 communication with theu' relations near the Rio Limay. 
 
 On the 21st all left the valley and travelled a few leagues 
 through a diversified country. On the line of march clifi's, 
 which stood out in the glens in ii-regular, picturesque manner, 
 were of yellow and red sandstone, but to the westward black 
 basaltic heights could be seen abutting on the plains, while 
 in hunting over the higher ground masses of ironstone and 
 igneous rock were met with scattered over the surface. We 
 remained for the night in a valley called Changi, and, pro- 
 ceeding next day, arrived about noon at a large plain shut 
 in by sandstone cliffs on the eastern side, at the northern
 
 T ECKEL TO GEYLVM. 229 
 
 side of which towered a peculiar pointed rock, perhaps 
 300 feet in height, standing out alone on the sloping descent ; 
 viewed from the western side, it appeared like a natural 
 column composed of stratified yellow and red and black 
 layers of sand, and on the summit a condor had his eyry. 
 
 The plain extended for several miles to the west, where it 
 was again closed in by cliffs, differing from those to the 
 eastward in being composed of basalt. In this plain, called 
 Geylum, situated, according to Indian accounts, a few 
 leagues to the eastward of Lake Nahuel-huapi, and distant 
 sixty miles from the Rio Limay, and seventy-five miles from 
 Las Manzanas, it was determined to spend the time required 
 for sending chasquis to give notice of our near approach, 
 prior to all marching in company for Cheoeques head- 
 quarters.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 
 
 Catching a Thief — Miss Foyel — Start for Las Manzanas— First View of 
 the Apple Groves — Omens of War — Inacayal's Tolderia — Crossing the 
 Rio Limay — Mr. Cox's Shipwreck— Lenketrou's Raid — A Night of 
 Alarm — Bravery of my Cousins — The Great Cheoeque — A Mounted 
 Parlemento — Apples and Pinones — Graviel's Madness — Las Manzanas 
 — Cheoeque's Palace — The Revels — Feuds between the Chiefs — The 
 Picunches and the Passes to Valdivia — Trading and Politics — Resolu- 
 tions of Peace — A Grand Banquet — Power of Cheoeque — Araucanian 
 Customs— Farewell Presents — Invitation to Return — Orkeke's Gene- 
 rosity — Return to Geylum — Outbreak of an Epidemic — My Pretty 
 Page — Departure from Geylum. 
 
 THE day after our arrival at Geylum, Manzaneros or 
 Araucanians arrived frora the north with cider of their 
 own manufacture stored in sheep skins, apples, and pinones, 
 to trade ; and a scene of debauchery ensued, as usual. At 
 night an attempt, nearly successful, was made to rob our 
 toldo : one of the women, however, was awake, and heard 
 the thief endeavouring to get into the back of the sleeping 
 places where some newly-finished mantles were stored ; she 
 gave the alarm to two of the men, and they endeavoured to 
 catch the would-be intruder, who, hearing the alarm raised, 
 started off at speed, not without receiving a cut from a knife 
 which marked him deeply on his shoulder ; and, what was 
 worse, being recognised as he ran off. 
 
 Foyel invited me to di'ink at his expense, but I merely 
 stayed in his toldo long enough for the observance of
 
 LAS MA NZ ANAS. 231 
 
 etiquette ; then retired to keep Hinchel, who would not 
 drink, company by his fireside. Whilst chatting together he 
 related how, many years ago, this place had been the scene 
 of a great battle between the Tehuelches and Manzaneros, in 
 which he, though only a boy, was struck down by a bola 
 perdida and wounded with a lance whilst on the ground ; the 
 battle resulting in a victory to the Tehuelches. 
 
 The day following the drink, meat being scarce, I dined 
 in Foyel's toldo ofi" a little cornmeal and a dessert of apples 
 and piiiones, of which the honours were done by his daugh- 
 ter, a pretty girl of eighteen, with long black silky hair, 
 which it was the special duty of her handmaid — a captive 
 Tehuelche girl — to dress daily. This young lady never con- 
 descended to any menial labour, though she occasionally 
 busied her delicate fingers with the needle ; her dowry of 
 about eighty mares and the influence of her father made her 
 of course a most desirable match ; but she, up to the time 
 of my departure, had exercised the privilege of an heiress 
 and refused all offers. This evening she was in great trouble, 
 having lost a new mantle and some other valuables, stolen 
 no doubt by the Tehuelches. I promised to set inquiries on 
 foot through Casimiro, which resulted in the stolen property 
 being given up, and the thief proved to be the same indi\'idual 
 who had endeavoured to rob our toldo. 
 
 Shortly after this two messengers were despatched to 
 Cheoeque, who returned on March 25 with intelligence 
 that the said chief would be ready to receive us on April 2, 
 and ' that we were to bring our arms,' which latter message 
 was rather ambiguous. I had been given the option of 
 taking our chief's message to Cheoeque, but owing to one of 
 my horses being lame, and for other reasons, preferred 
 going with the mass later on. Mena, the Chilian, was 
 therefore honoured with the despatches in my place, as he 
 alone was competent to read the Spanish letters written by 
 myself as secretary, and he returned with glowing accounts 
 of the civihty shown him at Las Manzauas, and the generally
 
 232 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONJANS. 
 
 civilised appearance of those Indians. We passed several 
 very hungry and disagreeable days in Geylum previous to 
 starting ; there was little game in the surrounding country, 
 and the weather was cold and wet, with occasional snow. 
 For two whole days Casimiro, Meiia, and myself, who were 
 usually messmates, had nothing to eat but an armadillo and 
 a few fish which I caught in a pool of the stream. Near the 
 Column Eock, whilst hunting, we discovered a ' cache,' 
 belonging to Foyel's Indians, which contained something 
 wrapped and lashed up in hides : although the temptation 
 was great to overhaul its contents, the package was left 
 unopened, and a quiet warning conveyed to Foyel that others 
 were not likely to be so scrupulous. This confirmed what 
 Casimiro had said as to these Indians providently leaving 
 bags of fat and provisions in various places to which they 
 expected to return at no very distant period. 
 
 On the day fixed in the council, held subsequent to the 
 return of the chasquis, we all started, fully equipped, on 
 our journey to Las Manzanas, mustering 250 men of the 
 united Indians, without toldos or baggage, and in light 
 marching order with a few spare horses. A few horses 
 were loaded with coverings for toldos, mantles, &c., which 
 the women hoped to sell to advantage to the Araucanians, 
 and a few of the women accompanied the expedition to 
 conduct their barter, while a guard of perhaps forty men 
 remained behind to provide food for the women and children 
 who were to await our retm-n. 
 
 We crossed the gi-adually sloping irregular plains covered 
 with stunted bushes, but scarcely deserving the name of high 
 pampas, which bordered the northern side of the valley of 
 Geylum, and after passing between two parallel walls of 
 rocks, forming a sort of natui-al street, we emerged into a 
 succession of grassy plains, separated by barren rocky hills 
 covered with scrub, on attaining the summits of which the 
 wooded Cordillera on the western side rose into view some 
 few leagues distant. About eleven a.m., after we had been
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 233 
 
 some four hours on our march, we met two men, brmging 
 with them a pack-horse with a couple of skins of gi'Og for 
 Foyel's people. They were soon surrounded by Tehuelches, 
 who proposed to drink there and then, and were much inclined 
 to help themselves ; but a messenger from Foyel's people in 
 the rear arriving, they were permitted to pass unmolested on 
 their way to Geylum, and we proceeded on our journey and 
 formed a circle to hunt. The country became more im- 
 practicable for riding as we left the lower plains and mounted 
 some hills broken by deep gorges and bristUng in every part 
 with rocks sparkhng with unusually large plates of mica, 
 which glistened like glass in the sunshine ; these hills were 
 terminated by steep clifl's, over which the ostriches were 
 driven, a party having previously descended to look out for 
 them below. It was a curious sight to see the ostriches 
 dropping down heights varying from ten to fifty feet, often 
 two or three together, with outspread wings. They appeared 
 generally to be stunned for a minute or two on reaching the 
 bottom, and by the time they were on their legs found them- 
 selves hampered by a ball from the unerring hand of some 
 stalwart Tehuelche, and running a yard or two fell with 
 broken legs. 
 
 Descending from these cliffs we mounted a range of hills 
 more than 2,000 feet high, by means of a tolerably practicable 
 track for travelling, and on arriving at the summit halted 
 for the remainder of the cavalcade. From this point a most 
 magnificent view presented itself ; right below us, looking 
 quite close, but really some thirty miles distant, lay a dark 
 line as of a deep cutting, marking the valley of the Rio 
 Limay, which on the west side was terminated by high 
 wooded mountains with steep precipitous sides. Away to 
 the N.W. was a very high snowclad mountain, on which the 
 rays of the setting sun were shedding a rose-coloured light. 
 Between this and the line of the river rose wooded ranges of 
 hills, the real apple gi-oves we had heard so much about ; 
 below these again was a low peaked eminence, at the foot of
 
 234 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 which, invisible to our eyes, lay our destination, viz., the 
 toldos of Cheoeque. For weeks Las Manzanas and Cheoeque 
 had been almost the sole topic of conversation, and the general 
 excitement, which had been intense at starting, now cul- 
 minated at the sight of our distant bourne. As we halted 
 the Indians all raised their hands to their foreheads, saluting 
 the distant river, and inviting the Spirit of the locality to be 
 propitious to our undertaking, as to the issue of which there 
 was great uncertainty. The night before Casimiro had 
 pointed out the redness of the setting sun, and declared it 
 to be an omen of war ; but without pajdng attention to the 
 omen, which indeed was not perceptible to my eyes, the un- 
 precedented visit of 250 Tehuelches ostensibly for peace 
 might very possibly be otherwise understood by Cheoeque : 
 indeed, it afterwards appeared that he, in reaUty, was by no 
 means assured of our pacific intentions. 
 
 When all were collected and prepared to descend the 
 mountain, it transpii'ed that Casimiro, who had been missing 
 since the hunt commenced, had, in company with several 
 other Tehuelches and Foyel's Indians, returned to drink. 
 This was very annoying, and all present united in abusing 
 him for setting such an example when about to enter a part 
 of the country whither we were going on sufi"erance, amongst 
 a not remarkably friendly- disposed set of people. We halted 
 after nightfall in a valley at the side of a small rapid stream, 
 the banks of which, for a short distance, were covered with 
 high tussocks of broad-leaved pampa grass, amidst the shelter 
 of which we bivouacked, although the night was cold and 
 frosty. Firewood was plentiful, supplied by drift-wood brought 
 down by winter or spring floods, so with blazing fires and 
 under the lee of the pampa gi'ass we slept warmly enough. 
 It was necessary, however, to keep a sharp look-out on the 
 horses, as pasturage was scanty. Before daylight, after a 
 slight consultation, Guenalto was given chief command, 
 and we again started ; after following a winding valley for a 
 short distance and scrambling up a steep slope, we continued
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 235 
 
 to ascend a hill of considerable height, and attained a more 
 open country, the western side of which was bounded by the 
 Cordillera. In one of the valleys bordering the mountains 
 we came suddenly upon the Yaldivians, driving their cattle 
 en route to return to their own country, Cheoeque having 
 sent orders to the Picunchcs occupying the country near, 
 the only known passes through the Cordillera, to allow them 
 to traverse their district unmolested ; notwithstanding this 
 precaution, they were by no means certain that the Picunches 
 would not ease them of the trouble of taking care of their 
 animals on their arrival in the neighbourhood of the passes. 
 Clearing this open country, Ave again ascended a slight rise, at 
 the top of which gi-ew a single apple tree in solitary majesty, 
 but it had been stripped long since of its fruit. Descending 
 this one-tree ridge, we entered a canon, and after half an 
 hour's ride a sudden turn brought the valley of the Rio 
 Limay into view immediately below. Having passed through 
 the canon, we halted on a slight eminence immediately 
 underneath the barranca bordering the southern side of 
 the valley of the river. From this cliflf to the river bank, 
 varying from about a mile to half a mile in width, extended 
 a grassy plain cut up here and there by streams, and wooded 
 at intervals. About a league to the west the barranca 
 blended with the declivities of high precipitous mountains, 
 and the river appeared to force its way from the south be- 
 tween steep precipices before trending into the valley. On 
 the northern side the valley, though dotted here and there 
 with clumps of trees, was more open, and the distance to the 
 l)arranca greater than that on the southern side. Imme- 
 diately opposite our post was situated the tolderia of some of 
 Inacayal's Indians, and grazing on the surrounding pastures 
 cattle, sheep, and numerous horses were visible. The river 
 appeared to be of very considerable width, but very rapid 
 through the whole course of this open valley. A mile west 
 of the opening of the canon three small islands were described, 
 which Hinchol pointed out as the pass, or ford if it deserves
 
 236 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 the name. We accordingly proceeded in that direction, and 
 taking off all unnecessary gear, strapping our mantles close 
 up, or wearing them like plaids over our shoulders, descended 
 through the trees and soon plunged into the river. 
 
 The first part of the ford was deep, but the water then 
 shallowed on nearing the shore, and the velocity of the noisy 
 stream greatly increased. Still we arrived easily enough 
 at the first island, but to pass from that to the smaller one 
 appeared at first to rather daunt even the Tehuelches. The 
 current was running like a milkace, and the Avaters foamed 
 over the uneven bottom with a rush and roar that rendered all 
 warnings inaudible. It was e\ddent that only strong horses 
 could cross at all ; but one or two bolder spiiits dashed in, and 
 although unacquainted with the pass, reached the second island 
 some distance down the river in safety, so the remainder 
 shortly followed, the women crossing behind the men ; here and 
 there were places in the ford which necessitated s^v^amming, 
 and in others were huge boulders, over which the water 
 swirled in large waves. At last we all reached the bank in 
 safety, and were met by some of Inacayal's Indians. Being 
 among the lucky first arrivals, I came in for some apples and 
 other food that some of these people of Incayal's had 
 thoughtfully brought with them from the toldos. 
 
 When all were mustered and had resumed their clothes, 
 we started for the toldos, where we were received by Inacayal, 
 and as it was needful to await those who had remained be- 
 hind drinking, we bivouacked by the bank of the river, and 
 shortly some cattle and mares were brought up and 
 slaughtered to satisfy the cravings of our hunger. After 
 bathing in the river, I was sitting by the fireside watching 
 our dinner cooking, when I received a message to say that I 
 was required in one of the toldos. In that indicated I found 
 an old Indian, a brother of Quintuhual, who spoke fluent 
 Spanish ; he invited me to sit down, and then nan-ated that 
 an Englishman named Cox had formerly descended the river 
 from Lake Nahuel-huapi in a boat, but in trpng to descend

 
 LAS MA NZ ANAS. 237 
 
 under cover of night, had been wrecked m the rapids at the 
 bend, about a mile above the ford which we had recently 
 crossed : he then took refuge among these Indians, by whom 
 he was hospitably received, and subsequently returned to 
 Valdivia across the mountains, being unable to proceed to 
 Patagones. The old Indian entertained a most friendly feel- 
 ing for Mr. Cox, whom he had known well, as he had remained 
 several days in his toldo. 
 
 After talking some time about this, food was served, and 
 he then proceeded to ask my opinion as to the treatment the 
 Indians experienced from what he called the Spaniards, 
 stating that the Chilians were encroaching on one side and 
 the Ai-gentines on the other, by which means the Indians 
 must eventually be driven off the face of the earth, or else 
 fight for their existence. 
 
 After some more conversation I returned to our fireside, 
 accompanied by a half-bred nephew of Inacayal, who had 
 left Patagones some eight months previously, having been 
 ' wanted' by the Juez de Paz on account of his having de- 
 serted from the army, and having further, in a quarrel, either 
 killed or wounded a Frenchman. He was anxious to induce 
 me to use my influence with Casimiro to allow him to join 
 us, which I did not do for the best of reasons, viz., that he 
 appeared to be a great scoundrel, but I volunteered to take 
 a message to some of his friends in Patagones. 
 
 About midnight, bugle calls on the opposite side of the 
 river indicated the approach of the rest of the party, who 
 arrived next day, but Casimiro was in the bad temper 
 customary with him after a debauch, and steadily refused to 
 proceed and take advantage of the fine weather ; so another 
 day was spent in loitering about by the side of the river and 
 eating a great deal of beef. 
 
 My first cousins, who were also nephews of the old man 
 who had formerly been acquainted with Mr. Cox, started in 
 company with him to procui'e some apples and pinones, pro- 
 mising mc plenty when they returned. Meanwhile I made
 
 238 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 acquaintance with a Pampa Indian named Gravino, who 
 must have originally been a Christian captive ; he himself 
 stated that his mother formerly resided near the settlements, 
 and described her as a Pampa Indian ; on her death, he, 
 being about fifteen years of age, left the settlements to join 
 the Indians of her tribe, and had got but three days on his 
 journey when he met the united party of Tehuelches, 
 Pampas, and Araucanos, or, as he called them, Chilenos, 
 under the cacique Lenketrou, proceeding to make a raid on 
 the settlements ; he had nothing for it but to turn back, and 
 much against his will proceed to rob people under whose 
 protection he had formerly been. In the foray, he, with 
 another youth of about his own age, succeeded in driving off 
 a troop of mixed horses and mares, but being dreadfully 
 tired he laid down to sleep in a retired place, having secured 
 his riding horse by means of a lazo attached to his own 
 ancle. At night he was awoke by a stampede of all the 
 horses ; and his own taking fright at the same time dragged 
 him some yards, until disengaged by his companion, who 
 cut the lazo : they then tried to secure their animals, but 
 found that the Araucanians had taken off all the best, so he 
 did not make much by the invasion. He had since been 
 employed as a ' manso ' or tame Indian in the service of the 
 Argentine Government, but disliking the work had returned 
 to the Pampas and married a relation of Inacayal's. He 
 was a fine-looking young fellow, neatly dressed in ponchos 
 made, as he informed me, by his wife. 
 
 On the following day, amidst a storm of Avind and rain, 
 we started for Las Manzanas. After ascending the northern 
 barrancas of the river valley, we traversed a level plain 
 where a hunting circle was made for form sake, as the 
 ostriches were very scarce, and I only saw one killed ; and 
 passing below, or rather to the N.E. of the hill before 
 mentioned, descended into a valley watered by a smaU 
 stream ; this we followed for some distance, until we arrived 
 at a point where another valley opened into it, the two
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 239 
 
 united forming one of considerable width. Here, under the 
 shelter of some trees, we halted and lit fires to warm our- 
 selves, for the drenching rain had by this time thoroughly 
 forced its way through our mantles. Whilst conversing and 
 making as merry as possible under the circumstances, a 
 messenger dashed up, splashed with blood, and with the 
 effects of drink or furious excitement visible in his face. All 
 crowded round to hear the news, and he shortly informed 
 us that the party who had started to obtain apples on the 
 previous day had met another party of Indians with liquor. 
 A drinking bout ensued, and a quarrel occurred in which a 
 man was killed ; but the rest went on drinking, leaving the 
 body outside, where the dogs made a meal of it. This so 
 exasperated one of his comrades that he galloped off to 
 Cheoeque, to whose tribe the party belonged, and the chief 
 at once sent twenty-five horsemen to surround my cousins 
 and demand payment for the death. This they refused to 
 give, so a fight took place, in which four out of the five 
 brothers and another were left for dead, with lance thrusts 
 all over them, the youngest escaping on his own or some- 
 body else's horse, after dropping four of the enemy who 
 tried to intercept him, with a revolver brought by me from 
 Santa Cruz. This was bad news for us, as we were bound 
 to protect these people, who belonged to our united Indians. 
 A consultation took place, in the middle of which Inacayal 
 dashed up with a party all well armed with lances, in addi- 
 tion to their other arms. Foyel's people came next, eager 
 for the fray ; the Tehuelchos, however, having an eye to 
 business, in the way of bartering the mantles they had 
 brought with them for trade, overruled the warlike ideas of 
 these people, saying • it was better to wait a little.' Mean- 
 while guns were loaded and arms got ready, and a party 
 were being told off to proceed to the scene of the meUe and 
 pick up the wounded, when a messenger arrived from 
 Cheoeque with proposals of a peace. I and the rest of the 
 relations of those who had been killed, as we then supposed.
 
 240 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 were placed under a guard of Tehuelches for a short time 
 until the party started to find the wounded men. We then 
 all proceeded a short distance down the valley, and bivou- 
 acked in the pampa grass about a mile and a half from, but 
 out of sight of, the toldos of Cheoeque. Messengers passed 
 two or three times between the latter's residence and our 
 bivouac, and ultimately a very old woman came over and 
 made a long oration on the benefits of peace. This was all 
 very well, but as both parties were evidently suspicious of 
 each other, a watch was kept in the event of a surprise ; 
 and as we thought it probable that the negotiations would 
 fall through, we spent the night shivering round the fires 
 and making bolas perdidas. I assured Quintuhual and 
 Casimiro that there would be no fight, at which the latter 
 grew very ii'ate, saying he knew better, that the whole 
 business was a trap to obtain the gear and firearms of our 
 party, also stating that I did not understand these Indians, 
 in which I difi'ered from him. Later in the evening news 
 came that, although fearfully cut about, none of 'my cousins' 
 were dead; the opposite party, however, had fared worse, 
 losing three killed outright. For six men to fight against 
 twenty-five seems long odds, but I believe that Quintuhual' s 
 and Foyel's people are the bravest Indians to be met with in 
 the southern part of America, fully deserving the proud title 
 of ' the Warrior Indians.' 
 
 The following morning at daylight all mounted their best 
 horses, and forming into column of six, proceeded, with the 
 lancers of the warriors at our head, towards the toldos 
 situated in a valley running at right angles to the one we 
 had rested in on the previous night. On arriving in sight of 
 Cheoeque 's ancestral halls, we observed the Araucanians or 
 Manzaneros forming into line and manoeuvring about half a 
 mile distant ; we approached to within 300 yards, and then 
 forming into open line to display om* whole force (my 
 proposal of hiding a reserve behind an eminence ha\-ing been 
 overruled), awaited the course of events. Thus we remained
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 241 
 
 about half an hour watching the Manzancros, who presented 
 a fine appearance, dressed in bright-coloured ponchos and 
 armed with their long lances ; they manoeuvred in four 
 pquadrons, each with a leader — from whose lance fluttered a 
 small pennon — moving with disciplined pi'ccision, and foi'm- 
 ing line, wheeling, and keeping their distances in a way that 
 would not have discredited regular cavahy. 
 
 At the end of the half-hour's suspense hostages were ex- 
 changed, and we went tlu-ough the ceremony of welcome. 
 The Tchuelches were all very excited, and being in the 
 middle of the troop, when we formed column and raced down 
 towards the Manzaneros, I at first thought that we were in 
 for a general scrimmage. On arriving, however, at the line, 
 our leaders wheeled sharp round, and we went through the 
 usual routine, with the unpleasant exception that both sides 
 had their guns and revolvers loaded with ball, and every now 
 and then a bullet would whistle past one's ears or close over 
 our heads. After the usual hand-shaking between the chiefs, 
 the great Cheoeque, an intelligent-looking man of some 
 thirty-five years of age, well dressed in blue cloth ponchos, 
 a hat, and leather boots, rode down our line, shaking hands 
 with everybody and making some remark. When he arrived 
 at my number, I felt rather ashamed of my dress, a simple 
 mantle not in a very good state of repair. He, on his side, 
 having asked who I was, appeared rather astonished at hear- 
 ing I was an Englishman, and having been fm-ther informed 
 that I had written the Spanish letters previously sent to 
 him, which had been translated by a Valdivian, stopped for 
 some minutes conversing with me. After this a parlemento 
 took place, dining which all remained mounted, and the dis- 
 cussion lasted till sundown, by which time every one was very 
 hungi-y. The conclusions arrived at rcilated chiefly to etfect- 
 ing a firm and lasting peace amongst the Indians present, on 
 which point a happy unanimity prevailed. Another day was 
 appointed for ihc discussion of Casimiro's proposition for 
 guarding Patagones, and the Chilian war with the Indians 
 
 IG
 
 224 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 farther north ; also to consider Calficura's message concern- 
 ing a raid on Bahia Blanca, and the Buenos Ayrean frontier 
 generally. 
 
 One of the principal persons present at the parlemento 
 was a chief subordinate to Cheoeque, named Mafulko ; a 
 fine-looking old man, magnificently dressed in ponchos 
 which, as well as his arms, were profusely ornamented, in- 
 deed almost covered, with silver ; he was remarkable for a 
 most stentorian voice, which when raised in discussion be- 
 came an absolute roar, as of a bull of Bashan. He after- 
 wards noticed me particularly, and was very courteous, 
 pressing me to come and visit him in his o^vn countrj', 
 which lay to the northward of the Snowy Mountain. 
 
 In his train was a man who accosted me in pure Spanish, 
 stating that he had read and translated my letter, and 
 warning me that these Indians hated the name of Spaniard. 
 Before I could make any inquiries he was called away ; but, 
 when in Patagones, questions were asked as to an unfortu- 
 nate settler who was a captive and slave amongst the Arau- 
 canians, and the description tallied exactly with that of the 
 poor Spaniard. His master was, doubtless, fearful of re- 
 cognition and mediation on my part, so hastened to interrupt 
 oui- colloquy. . 
 
 We dispersed and bivouacked in the neighbourhood of 
 Cheoeque's toldos, where animals were lazoed and slain for 
 oui" immediate wants ; and Manzaneros and Picunche Indians 
 came round bartering piiiones, apples, and now and then a 
 little floui', for knives, bolas, &c. The piiiones were some 
 in husks and some ready husked, the white almond-like 
 kernels, about the size of dates, being strung on threads ; 
 and, whether roasted like chestnuts in theii' husks or boiled, 
 proved delicious. The apples also were deliciously fresh and 
 juicy, and I considered a score of them faii-ly pm-chased for 
 a pair of bolas, although my comi'ades declared I had been 
 cheated by the Picunche thieves. 
 
 Towards evening Cheoeque sent over to say that, as it
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 243 
 
 was late and disturbances might occur, he considered it 
 would be better not to allow any liquor to be sold until the 
 following day, when all arms might be stored in a safe place, 
 and anybody who felt disposed to get drunk might do so with 
 comfort. To this Casimiro agreed, further assuring me, in 
 the most positive manner, that he would keep sober. "Whilst 
 we were sitting by the fireside, a bu-d, exactly resembling 
 om- well-known nightjar, flew over our heads, uttering its 
 peculiar grating cry ; the Indians all looked startled, assert- 
 ing that it was a sign of ill luck, and that whenever this 
 bird croaked in the vicinity of an assembly of people some 
 one was sui'e to fall sick or die. Their superstitious belief 
 in the ill-omened bird received a confirmation, for in the 
 middle of the night, while asleep by the fire, I was roused 
 by Graviel, who, shaking my arm and shouting ' Let us go, 
 let us go ! ' rushed away from the firelight into the dark 
 night. His father and myself followed him, and after a long 
 chase caught and, AAith dithculty, mastered him. He was 
 raving mad, struggling violently, and vociferating incoherent 
 nonsense. When the fit had passed oft', his exhaustion and 
 prostration were so great that all thought he would die ; 
 but he recovered for the time. 
 
 At break of day we were all on the alert ; and as the 
 evening previously we had been too tired and hungry to 
 observe the scenery, I proceeded to reconnoitre the locality 
 generally. To my great surprise, the head-quarters of 
 Cheoeque consisted but of four toldos, belonging to the chief 
 and his brother-in-law, the men who had received us having 
 come from distant residences unaccompanied by theii* wives, 
 and bivouacking, like ourselves, in the open air. The scene 
 of the encampment was a valley running east and west, the 
 western end being apparently shut in by some high moun- 
 tains, spurs of the Cordillera. A good stream watered this 
 valley, which was everywhere more or less wooded : away to 
 the north-west, about four miles distant, the apple-groves 
 might be seen ; these trees had, however, already been
 
 244 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 stripped of fruit, and it was necessary to proceed much 
 farther to the north to procure any ; but an expedition to 
 visit that district and to get fruit, planned by Orkeke, 
 Hinchel, myself, and others, proved impracticable. Beyond 
 the apple-groves the place was also pointed out where the 
 araucarias grow, from which the pinones are gathered, just 
 below the snow-clad mountains we had viewed from the 
 ridge above the Kio Limay, and about thirty miles distant. 
 
 In our valley the pasture was rather scanty, although 
 there appeared to be sufficient for the three flocks of small 
 sheep, each owned by one of Cheoeque's wives, to get into 
 good condition ; but sheep will feed anywhere. Immediately 
 behind the toldos was situated a corral for enclosing cattle, 
 none of which, however, were visible, having, probably, been 
 driven off to some secluded valley near at hand, to avoid 
 giving our people a chance of helping themselves. Round 
 this corral were grouped the Indians of Cheoeque's tribe, 
 and the Picunches with fruit, &c., to barter; and between 
 the corral and the river lay the bivouac of the Tehuelches ; 
 our fireside being denoted by Casimiro's flag, the coloui's of 
 the Argentine Confederation. Up and down the valley, and 
 even about the neighbouring hills, were scattered our horses. 
 Proceeding to inspect the toldos, at which I had given but a 
 cursory glance the night before, I found that they were all 
 fixed dwellings ; that is to say, not put together so as to 
 be moved in marches, like those of the Patagonians. They 
 were, indeed, constructed in the same manner, but the poles 
 were much stouter, and the whole edifice more resembled a 
 house. 
 
 Cheoeque's toldo was quite sixteen feet high, and able to 
 accommodate forty men ; while thi-ee fires of huge billets 
 of wood burned in the front pai't. It was closed in com- 
 pletely, except a doorway in the corner with a skin curtain 
 by way of door ; and along the front ran a species of 
 verandah, composed of interwoven branches, forming a 
 pleasant canopy, under the shade of which we sat and
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 245 
 
 smoked. Inside, the bed-places were raised on timber ; and 
 altogether, what with the sheep, corral, &c., the place had 
 such an air of civilization about it that, with a small eflort of 
 imagination, one might have fancied oneself in a frontier 
 estancia of the settlements. There were other toldos hidden 
 amongst the trees on the northern side of the valley, but 
 these I did not visit. 
 
 About eight o'clock several loaded horses came in sight, 
 bringing the liquor which had been stowed away in the 
 valley in which we had encamped the night after the disturb- 
 ance. As soon as the jars and skins had been unloaded in 
 Cheoeque's toldo, an order was passed round for all arms 
 to be given up, and after some httle difficulty they were 
 nearly all collected and stowed in a safe place. The chiefs 
 were then formally invited to drink, and subsequently all 
 comers were asked, the liquor being provided in a most 
 liberal manner by Cheoeque. This chief was fully conscious 
 of his high position and power ; his round, jolly face, the 
 complexion of which, inherited from his Tehuelche mother, 
 is darker than that of his subjects, exhibited a lurking 
 cunning, and his frequent laughter was rather sardonic. He 
 possessed a regally strong head, and was disposed to despise 
 Casimu'o for his inebriety ; in fact, it was plain that he re- 
 garded himself, and not without reason, as superior to all the 
 caciques, even though they were not subject to him. 
 
 Hinchol, myself, and many of the Araucanians had re- 
 mained away; and I was proceeding to look up the horses, 
 when I was called to the corral by some of the Picunches. 
 These men presented a cast of countenance decidedly differ- 
 ing from, and much inferior to, that of the Araucanians, 
 from whom they were easily distinguished by their darker 
 complexions ; but they were very courteous, asking how I 
 
 ame to be with the Tehuelches, and what sort of a place 
 my country was ; and were pleased when I told them it 
 was hilly and well wooded, and, referring to Devonshire, 
 that apples abounded. Of course all our conversation was
 
 246 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 carried on by mecans of an interpreter (a Valdivian). After 
 a few more questions, some rum was produced, and having 
 taken a glass I mounted and proceeded on my original quest. 
 Hinchel rode a part of the way with me, as he was bound in 
 search of a former acquaintance, whose toldo was pitched 
 about four leagues distant, and who was, he said, the best 
 worker in silver amongst the Indians. I afterwards saw 
 specimens of his handiwork, in the shape of silver tubes for 
 ornamenting stirrup-leathers, and the appearance of these 
 and other silver ornaments made of solid metal in peculiar 
 patterns, evidently of their own devising, left little doubt in 
 my mind that ^ese Indians, or some of the neighbouring 
 tribes, possess the knowledge of the places whence the 
 precious ore is to be obtained, and smelt it themselves. 
 
 On returning, after having counted and driven the troop of 
 horses belonging to our party down to the best pasture, I 
 found that Cheoeque had sent several messengers in search 
 of me, so I at once proceeded to his toldo, where I found him 
 and Mariano Linares sitting on two real chairs, the latter 
 playing a guitar, Casimiro slightly inebriated and vowing 
 eternal friendship, and howling Indians, men and women, in 
 various stages of intoxication, all round. Cheoeque shook 
 hands, invited me to a seat, and provided me with a glass of 
 grog out of his own bottle, which it is needless to say was 
 not watered like the remainder. I then took advantage of a 
 slight confusion occasioned by an Indian wishing to embrace 
 Cheoeque, and retii'ed, but was intercepted, and had to drink 
 with various acquaintances before reaching the bivouac. 
 As our fireside was soon occupied by noisy, half-drunken 
 Indians, amongst others HincheFs son, who, very drunk, had 
 come to get his gun for the pui-pose of killing the master of 
 the revels, but was fortunately overthrown and bound down 
 by his father, who opportunely arrived, I retii-ed to Foyel's 
 bivouac, where Gravino and others were keeping guard, to 
 be in readiness to look after their chief. He an-ived soon 
 after midnight, much to their relief.
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 247 
 
 The jealousy existing between Foyel and Cheoeque, which 
 had broken out in the disturbance so nearly fatal to my 
 cousins, had existed ever since the migration of this chief 
 and Quintuhual to the south, and all the Araucanos of their 
 following kept themselves on this occasion as much as possible 
 aloof, and abstained from sharing in the jovialities, while the 
 Tehuelches, who were unconcerned in the matter, enjoyed 
 themselves freely. 
 
 The next day Foyel and Quintuhual marched off their 
 followers in regular array, and proceeded homewards followed 
 by many of the Tehuelches, the great races which it had 
 been settled to hold being abandoned in consequence of the 
 uneasy state of feeling and the consequent fears of a quarrel : 
 the fight in that case would have been an obstinate one, as 
 Cheoeque 's forces would not have been much too strong for 
 their opponents, although outnumbering them. We had 
 been surprised on arriving not to find more Indians ready to 
 receive us, as we only counted ninety lances, but it transpired 
 that some were concealed in the woods by the side of the 
 river, who did not appear ; besides these, seventy or a hundred 
 men had gone to Patagones to obtain their chief's ration 
 of cattle, .but 200 more, friends and relations of Foyel, who 
 were on their march to the rendezvous at Las Manzanas, had 
 turned back on hearing of the attack made by CheoeqiTe's 
 party on then- friends, my cousins. Whether they remained 
 away in order to be neutral or to come to the support of their 
 kinsmen did not appear, but Foyel had frequently boasted 
 that 200 of Cheoeque's followers would espouse his quarrel. 
 The Picunches were the original cause of the feud. This 
 tribe, asserted by Antonio Guaitu, who gave them the name 
 of ChoUo, to be a branch of the Araucanians, are under 
 Cheoeque's dominion, though governed by local caciques. 
 As already mentioned, they live near the passes of the 
 Cordillera and plunder all travellers. They had not respected 
 Foyel's messenger bringing him stores from Valdivia, and at 
 last forcibly annexed two sbaepskins of rum, on which
 
 248 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 occasion some fighting ensued. Thereupon Foyel sent 
 Cheoeque a defiant message to the efi"ect that if any more 
 robberies by his subjects took place, he should make reprisals ; 
 that the latter chief must have imagined that he (Foyel) had 
 forgotten how to ride and use his lance. All this was sub- 
 sequently amicably settled, but in the end Foyel, who was by 
 right under the rule of Cheoeque, preferred to throw ofi" his 
 allegiance and retire across the Rio Limay. The chief reason 
 alleged by him was that although Cheoeque received large 
 rations of cattle from the Buenos Ayrean Government, he 
 never thought fit to share them with his subordinate chiefs. 
 How far these stories were true I cannot say ; as to the 
 Picunches and their subjection to Cheoeque, the Yaldivians 
 had been detained over a year waiting for a safe-conduct, 
 which was obtained on the eve of our arrival, and as far 
 as could be afterwards ascertained, they passed immolested, 
 although probably sufi'ering loss of cattle from the weather, 
 as it was full late in the year to cross the passes, which 
 during the winter are obstructed by snow and swollen rivers. 
 Antonio and Ventura Delgado assured me that they would 
 have to cross one river seven times owing to its tortuous 
 windings, and on every occasion be obliged to swim theii- 
 animals. This I had first fancied to be a branch of the Rio 
 Limay, but in answer to other inquiries the Valdivians 
 stated that it flowed to the westward. Ai)ropos of this 
 route, an enterprising German had some short time pre- 
 viously crossed from Valdivia to trade with the Indians; he 
 was allowed to pass unmolested with all his merchandise, and 
 drove a profitable trade, and at last started on his return 
 journey with a goodly stock of horses and gear, but near 
 the passes he was stripped of everything and left to make his 
 way homewards on foot if possible. It was very tantalizing 
 to be so near Valdivia and not to be able to explore the 
 route thither and visit the Picunches, and indeed Casimiro 
 and myself had planned a trip from Las Manzanas, but it 
 was abandoned, owing to the lateness of the season and
 
 LAS MANZANAS. 249 
 
 other circumstances, combined with my own conviction that 
 if the cacique got into Valdivia he would not be able to tear 
 himself away from civilized pleasures for a long period. 
 
 After the drinking bout and the departure of Foyel's party, 
 a day devoted to trading intervened, political discussions 
 being postponed in consequence of the indisposition of 
 Casimiro, who required twenty-four hours to recover from 
 the efiects of Cheoeque's hospitality. Our Tehuelches, 
 thanks to the profuse generosity of Cheoeque, disposed of 
 all their wares to advantage, and became the happy pos- 
 sessors of numerous horses, silver ornaments, and mandils. 
 Had it been necessary for them to purchase liquor, they 
 would have returned empty-handed and in bad tempers. 
 The Manzaueros appeared to depend on the Tehuelches for 
 their supply of toldo coverings, just as the latter in their turn 
 must procui-e from them the woven mandils and ponchos. I 
 noticed that the horses brought up for sale by the Manza- 
 neros more resembled those used in the Argentine States 
 than the breed common amongst the Tehuelches, showing 
 finer points and greater speed for racing on flats, but being 
 inferior in the staying powers requisite for hunting. 
 
 The second parlemento or council, attended by numerous 
 chiefs, was duly held, in which Mariano Linares, brother of 
 the chief of the Indians in pay of the Government, parti- 
 cipated. He was a connection by marriage of Cheoeque's, 
 and had been despatched from Patagones to induce him to 
 keep the peace. The speeches of the Araucanos were made 
 in a peculiar chant, intoned in fact, in a manner closely re- 
 sembling that I have since heard in some churches at home. 
 Cheoeque thus intoned a harangue, setting forth how chiefs 
 had come to him from Araucania proper, soliciting his aid in 
 the war with Chili. He had at first refused to receive them, 
 but at last had heard what they had to say, and it was pro- 
 bable that he might send a small force to assist his country- 
 men. 
 
 Calficura's message relating to the foray on the settlements
 
 250 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 had been forwarded to us already. Many speeches were 
 made, and Linares and Casimiro pointed out that it was to 
 the cacique's interest not to interfere, as he would inevitably 
 lose the valuable supplies of horses and cattle given him by 
 the Buenos Ayrean Government, and that it was more pro- 
 fitable to receive the annual rations than plunder and break 
 up the Rio Negro settlements. Finally, it was unanimously 
 resolved that a message should be sent to Calficura, desiring 
 him to confine his hostilities to Bahia Blanca, and that Cheo- 
 eque should protect the north bank of the Rio Negro and 
 guard Patagones on that side, while Casimiro guaranteed the 
 southern, which arrangement was duly adhered to on both 
 sides. Accordingly Calficura revenged his real or supposed 
 injuries on the ' Cristianos ' by two destructive inroads into 
 Bahia Blanca, carrying ofi" plunder and captives. But letters 
 from the Rio Negro have informed me that peace had been 
 restored, and an exchange or ransom of prisoners effected. 
 This will be more fully dwelt upon, but it is mentioned here 
 in order to show that the Indians are fully aware of the 
 advantages of peace, though they are undoubtedly — the 
 Araucanians especially — jealous of the encroachments of 
 foreigners, and the traditions of their past history have 
 caused them to hold the very name of Spaniard or 
 ' Cristiano ' in abhorrence. It is also difficult for the 
 superior caciques in all cases to restrain the petty caciquillos 
 from small depredations ; but a fair and well-arranged 
 system of ' rations ' will prevent them from making forays, 
 and it is much to be regretted that the well-intentioned and 
 liberal plans of the Buenos AjTean Government for the 
 protection of the frontiers are too often thwarted by the un- 
 scrupulous agents who enrich themselves by appropriating 
 the supplies intended for the Indians. Some may consider 
 the method of keeping the chiefs quiet by pensions un- 
 dignified ; but it is certainly a more humane and economical 
 policy than continual wars of reprisals, which in the end 
 would lead to the extermination either of the Indians or
 
 LAS MA NZ AN AS. 251 
 
 the settlers, most probably the latter, and the certain im- 
 poverishing of the country. 
 
 After the parlemento a grand banquet was given by 
 Cheoeque to all the assembled caciques and their sons. 
 Over three huge fires in his spacious toldo, large iron pots 
 were supported on tripods, containing beef, mutton, and 
 horse-flesh. The guests sat down as they could, while 
 Cheoeque sat, as the Spaniards says, ' on horseback ' on a 
 chair in the middle of the toldo, dressed in a magnificent cat- 
 skin mantle, and holding a ' revengue ' or hide whip in his 
 hand, with which he ever and anon chastised an intrusive 
 dog, or even one of his numerous sons if they came too 
 near, or made too much noise. 
 
 The small boys were evidently used to it, and showed 
 great agility in avoiding a blow, and equal unconcern if they 
 received it. The chief's three wives presided at the fixes, 
 and wooden platters loaded ^vith large portions of meat and 
 a due allowance of fat were handed round for the first course. 
 Each guest was expected to consume all that was in the 
 platter, and when cleared it was carried off, washed, and re- 
 filled for another. The second course consisted of apples 
 and piuones, raw or cooked according to taste, and it was 
 strict etiquette to eat or pocket all the fruit supplied. 
 Water was handed round after the feed, no other drink 
 being produced save a private bottle, from which the chief 
 helped two or three of his most favoured guests. There must 
 have been at least thirty present at once, and there were 
 ample room and abundant supphcs. And subsequently a 
 succession of guests of less distinction were fed ; all the 
 Tehuelches as well as Araucanos and Picunclies being main- 
 tained during their stay by the chief. 
 
 I was very much struck with the obedience and respect 
 evinced by these people towards their cacique. His autho- 
 rity extends as far north as Mendoza, over hundreds of 
 Indians, residing in fixed tolderias, some few in the valley 
 near Manzanas, but the chief part more to the northward.
 
 252 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 near the groves of araucarias. But the power of the chief 
 is absolute, and his word is law to his most distant subjects. 
 At an order from him they leave their toldos, wives, and 
 children, and repair mounted, and ready for any service, to 
 his head-quarters. His wealth is considerable : besides the 
 numerous flocks and herds, one of the toldos was used 
 simply as a treasury, where his stores of silver ornaments, 
 ponchos, mantles, &c., were safely stowed away. 
 
 I was present in his toldo at the arrival of a messenger. 
 The Indian, who had evidently come from a long distance, 
 did not venture to enter until commanded to do so, when, 
 with the utmost respect, he took his seat at a distance from 
 the chief, communicated his message, received his orders, 
 and retired ; when again ready for the road he appeared to 
 receive final instructions, after which he mounted his horse 
 and rode off without more ado. 
 
 The subordinate caciques, whose ofiice and rank are 
 hereditary, appeared to be finer and more intelligent men 
 than the rank and file. Whether this was owing to a dif- 
 ference of race, or merely to their aristocratic descent and 
 hereditary refinement of features and bearing, I cannot say ; 
 but their superiority was very marked ; whereas among the 
 Tehuelches no such difference between the caciques and 
 their clansmen is observable. The superiority of these semi- 
 civilized Araucanos to their southern neighboui's was 
 evident in every way, save only bodily strength. Their 
 residence in a more fertile country, near the apple and 
 araucaria groves, gives them great advantages over the 
 nomad Patagonians. They cultivate wheat, small quantities 
 of which were brought to us for sale ; besides storing the 
 natural harvest of pinones and apples, from which, as before 
 stated, they brew cider of unusual strength, and also distil 
 'pulco,' an intoxicating liquor, from the aigarroba bean. My 
 intercourse with both Foyel's people and those at Manzanas 
 was not sufficiently long to enable me to become conversant 
 with their language and customs, which have been described
 
 LAS MA NZ ANAS. 253 
 
 by others. The language, of which I learnt a few words, 
 seemed softer and more melodious, as well as possessing a 
 more copious vocabulary, than the guttural Tehuelche, and 
 appeared to me closely akin to the Pampa tongue; but 
 Jackechan, who could speak both, and Gravino, strongly 
 insisted on the distinction between the two dialects. Their 
 personal habits were excessively neat and cleanly, the morn- 
 ing bath never being omitted by men, women, and children, 
 who all regularly trooped down to the water just before dawn; 
 and their dress was much more carefully attended to than 
 that of the Patagonians. I had no opportunity of witness- 
 ing their religious ceremonies, but was assured that they are 
 worshippers of the sun, and there was no vestige of idols of 
 any sort possessed by them. Their ceremonials on occasions 
 of births, &c., were very similar to those of the Tehuelches, 
 save that the ' doctor ' appeared on such occasions more 
 elaborately adorned with various colours. 
 
 When Quintuhual's niece was sick, her brother enacted 
 the part of ' wizard,' duly painted and adorned with a head- 
 dress of feathers. Instead of a mandil tent, a screen of 
 ponchos hung over posts was erected, and all the finery of 
 the family displayed. I was a guest at the feast of slaughtered 
 mares, but was not present at the previous proceedings, as 
 by this time the restraints of dignity as a caciquillo forbade 
 my wandering about as an idle spectator. 
 
 They were invariably scrupulous not to commence a meal 
 without first throwing broth or a small piece of meat on the 
 ground, at the same time muttering a charm to propitiate 
 the Gualichu, and they arc generally more superstitious 
 and more fearful of witchcraft than even the other Indians. 
 They have some knowledge of precious stones, and seem to 
 attribute certain virtues to them. Thus Foyel possessed 
 what seemed to be a magnificent rough turquoise, which he 
 was on the point of bestowing on me, when his wife and 
 brother-in-law interposed some remark, upon which he 
 apologised, saying that he did not like to part with it, as it
 
 254 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 had been long in the family. They object strongly, how- 
 ever, to any strangers picking up stones as specimens, 
 or appearing to ' prospect ' in any way, which, being fore- 
 warned by Ventura Delgado, I was especially careful to 
 avoid. Mons. Guinnard has given a description of some of 
 their games, differing from those in vogue among the 
 Tehuelches, as for instance gambling with black and white 
 beans. Casimiro is my authority for stating that this people 
 preserve the singular custom of abduction in marriage. The 
 intending bridegroom does not trouble himself to obtain the 
 consent of the bride, but having paid the fixed dowry or 
 price to her parents, he gallops up, and forcibly seizing the 
 girl carries her off before him to the bush, whence, after an 
 enforced honeymoon of two days, they return as man and 
 wife to his dwelling. This, however, is not the practice in 
 the case of the marriage of a cacique's daughters. Polygamy 
 is allowable ; thus the great Cheoeque possessed three wives, 
 the chief favourite, whose amiable good-humour deserved the 
 honour, occupying the central place in the toldo ; but all 
 three lived in perfect harmony and took care of each other's 
 children with impartial affection. 
 
 These Ai'aucanos are, as I have said, apt to kidnap or buy 
 captives, and I am inclined to suspect that there is a scarcity 
 of women amongst them, of which the exterminating cruel- 
 ties practised towards women and childi'en by the frontier 
 ' Cristianos' is a probable cause. They are certainly more 
 dangerous to strangers than the Southern Indians, and it is 
 unsafe to venture amongst them without proper safe con- 
 ducts from the cacique. 
 
 To myself Cheoeque offered permission to travel du-ectly 
 north through the interior of the country as far as the 
 Ai'gentine Provinces, guaranteeing my safety ; and the 
 temptation was only resisted by reflecting on the necessity 
 of keeping faith with my Tehuelche friends by proceeding 
 to Patagones. He also gave me a cordial invitation to 
 return, and an assurance that I should be always welcomed
 
 LAS MA NZ ANAS. 255 
 
 as a friend. All our business, both commercial and political, 
 being concluded, and the farewell banquet over, Cheoeque 
 distributed gifts of horses, &c., among the Tehuelches in 
 return for the numerous presents he had received from them. 
 As a set-off to a set of gold studs, he presented me with 
 one of the peculiar lances always used by his people, about 
 fifteen to eighteen feet long and very Hght, the shaft being 
 made of a cane, which grows in the Cordillera forests, 
 strongly resembling a bamboo, and of the thickness of the 
 butt of a stout pike rod. This present, by the way, caused 
 me to commit a breach of etiquette. I placed it leaning 
 against the toldo, and was at once requested to remove it, 
 as it was a sign of war, though whether it was regarded as 
 a challenge or an omen was not clear ; but I was instructed 
 that the lance must either be laid down on or planted upright 
 in the ground. Another lance was also bestowed on Casimiro, 
 besides numerous horses and other valuables. We took leave 
 of the powerful Cheoeque, and of Linares, with whom, as it 
 bad been settled that I should proceed as chasqui, I made an 
 agreement to meet in Patagones, and on the 11th started on 
 our return to the toldos, all in high satisfaction at the success 
 of our visit. The natural exultation of Casimiro was much 
 lessened by the continual illness of his son Graviel, on whom 
 a careful watch had to be kept to restrain him, in the event 
 of his being attacked by another paroxysm of madness. 
 
 Riding up the valley where we had slept the night pre- 
 vious to arriving at Cheoeque's, we observed some cattle in 
 the thickets on the borders of the stream ; part of the herd 
 belonging to the chief, which had been stowed away in 
 various secluded parts of the neighbourhood. We crossed 
 the barren high pampa, and descended, about one o'clock, 
 to the banks of the Rio Limay, bivouaciug in the same 
 spot as on our journey to Las Manzauas, close to Inacayal's 
 toldos. Here we found Orkeke and a good many other 
 Tehuelches ; also the four wounded men, two of whom were 
 already on the highroad to recovery.
 
 256 ^7 HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 We proceeded to Inacayal's toldo at his personal request, 
 where we remained until evening was drawing on, when 
 cattle were brought up, caught and slain, and divided 
 amongst the chiefs. Whilst busy shaving a piece of hide 
 wherewith to make some gear, I received a message from 
 Orkeke, whose fire was situated at perhaps a hundred paces 
 from ours, that he wished to see me when disengaged, and 
 after supper I strolled down, and found the veteran sitting 
 loading his pipe. After a smoke, he invited me to accom- 
 pany him to inspect his newly-acquii'ed troop of horses, and 
 show him which I considered to be the best. I picked out 
 a young white animal that had belonged to Cheoeque's own 
 stud. ' Very well,' he replied, ' take him ; he is yours ; I 
 never made you any return for the revolver you gave me in 
 Teckel.' Although I did not require the horse, it would 
 have been insulting to refuse it, so I walked off with my 
 racer in tow. This little incident is mentioned to correct 
 the notion entertained by some that the gi-eed of gain is a 
 predominant feature in the Indian character. 
 
 The following morning we bid adieu to Inacayal and his 
 people, and turned our horses' heads for the pass of the 
 river Limay, which was if possible more swollen and rapid 
 than on the previous occasion ; but we all crossed in safety, 
 although Casimiro's and my horse fell once, fortunately 
 where the water was shallow. Everybody, however, got 
 thoroughly wet, and a continual downfall of rain coming on, 
 prevented all chance of drying our mantles. We marched 
 back by a route lying to the westward of that we had before 
 followed, passing under and amongst the high wooded 
 mountains, on the heights of which every now and then we 
 could perceive a condor sitting in majestic solitude, looking 
 down on us like a priest from a pulpit. 
 
 About four P.M. the rain cleared off, and we bivouaced in 
 a grassy valley, with incense and other bushes gro-\\ing on 
 the sides. Here, owing to the sickness of Graviel and 
 another of our party, we passed a miserable time, not even
 
 LAS MA NZ ANAS. 257 
 
 being able to get dry ; and in addition to our previous dis- 
 comfort, towards evening a frost set in, and when I woke up 
 about midnight to look round for the horses my mantle was 
 like a board. 
 
 I kindled a fire, as the weather was now clear, and soon 
 all the party were huddled round it to warm their half-frozen 
 limbs before Ij'iug down again. 
 
 The next morning at daylight, thoroughly chilled and 
 hungiy, two of us started to fetch the horses, some of the 
 new ones having, as we expected, found their way back to 
 within a few miles of the Rio Limay. However, by the 
 time the sun had risen to sufficient height to give some 
 warmth, we had caught up the others of our party, and not 
 sparing our horses, by two o'clock had passed through the 
 street of rocks and come in sight of the toldos, where we 
 shortly arrived. 
 
 Before sunset all the Teheulches had returned to the 
 bosoms of their families, and all were glad to sleep under the 
 shelter of a toldo once more, after having passed twelve days 
 and nights in stormy weather without any covering save our 
 mantles. 
 
 The 14th of April, the morning after our return, a com- 
 plaint was made by Foyel's people that the Tehuelche 
 Indians left behind, thinking it useless to proceed to the 
 plains, some miles distant, to hunt for the supply of the 
 toldos whilst cattle and sheep were grazing in the immediate 
 vicinity, had helped themselves in the obscurity of the night. 
 Meua corroborated the fact ; and although he had been away 
 hunting with the greatest assiduity, he had met with but 
 little success, and complained bitterly of the hungry times 
 they had endured. 
 
 Soon after our arrival Kai Chileno was seized with illness, 
 and in a few days several of the more aged and children 
 sickened with headache and fever, showing all the symptoms 
 of severe influenza. Alarmed lest the sickness should 
 spread, on the IGth of April most of the Tehuelches struck 
 
 17
 
 258 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 toldos and took the road leading to Patagones ; but our 
 toldo and another remained behind on account of the con- 
 tinued illness of Graviel and the others. Towards evening 
 of the same day we suddenly heard shouts and cries in the 
 toldos of Foyel, and all except Casimiro, who sat quite still 
 by the fireside, rushed to seize their arms, naturally thinking 
 that a party had arrived to fight from Las Manzanas. After 
 a little suspense we observed a line of men advancing 
 towards our toldos on foot, shouting, firing, and brandishing 
 their arms. Casimiro, who was having a quiet laugh at us, 
 then explained that they were only fighting the sickness. 
 The party advanced to our toldo, beating the back of it 
 vdth their lances, to scare away the Gualichu, and then 
 retired. 
 
 We all had a good laugh over this afi'air ; and I was 
 amused to hear Mena, who was an intelligent youth, arguing 
 that the Indians were quite right, as sickness never attacked 
 an armed man. 
 
 We lived chiefly on air the last four days of our stay in 
 Geylum, as no hunting was done ; but Foyel, after learning 
 our wants, came to the rescue, presenting me with a couple 
 of sheep, which I received with gi'atitude, and divided 
 amongst the party. 
 
 It had been intended that this party should accompany the 
 Tehuelches to Patagones, but as it would be necessary to 
 leave their women and children in Geylum with only a few 
 boys to take care of the flocks and herds, and they were not 
 confident as to the pacific intentions of the Manzaneros, he 
 and Quintuhual considered it more advisable to remain for 
 the present in their camp, and afterwards, by riding in fast, 
 to overtake our party en route previous to their arrival in the 
 settlements. 
 
 I bid an affectionate adieu to Miss Foyel, who had always 
 shown me the greatest kindness, and the natural grace of 
 whose manners would have adorned a civiUsed drawing- 
 room. Her parting words were an in\-itation to return if
 
 LAS MANZAXAS. 259 
 
 possible and pay another visit to the toldo, where I had been 
 made to feel myself at home. 
 
 Her father asked me to procure him a grinding organ, as 
 Casimiro had informed him that he had seen music made by 
 turning a handle. I promised to get one if I could, and after 
 a cordial farewell returned to our toldo, as we intended going 
 away at daylight on the 17th. 
 
 Accordingly we prepared for a start ; and a boy came over 
 from the other toldos to join us. He was a Tehuelche, whose 
 father had been killed on suspicion of witchcraft, and being 
 a remote connexion of Casimiro's, had claimed his protection, 
 which of course was granted, and he (Casimiro) had agi'eed 
 to take him with us, informing him that he was to act as my 
 page, look after my horses, &c., and make himself generally 
 useful. This was a very fine idea, but one glance at the face 
 and figure of this illustrious youth was sufficient to show me 
 that I should probably spend my time in looking after him, 
 and a more mischievous imp I never saw. When told that 
 he might catch one of my horses to travel on, he immediately 
 fixed on the wrong one, and a horse that I had myself barely 
 mounted for perhaps six weeks, in order to get it into con- 
 dition for the journey into Patagones. 
 
 This horse he caught, and came down to the toldos at full 
 gallop over rocks, stones, and bushes, with a grin of delight 
 on his face. After being warned in mild terms that he was 
 not to ride that horse, which I took from him and turned loose, 
 he proceeded to catch one of Casimiro's, which he treated in 
 the same manner, but at length got the right one, and then, 
 without saying ' With your leave, or by your leave,' galloped 
 oflf, yelling at the top of his voice, to follow the road which 
 the Indians had taken the previous day. 
 
 We were about to start ourselves when, at the last moment, 
 Quintuhual sent to say that he wished to have a council. So 
 Casimiro and myself remained in the pouring rain squatting 
 on the grass listening to a repetition of what we had heard 
 the previous day.
 
 260 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 When the council was concluded a sheep was brought up 
 and killed. The poor beast was lashed to a post with its 
 head looking to the sky, and the thioat being cut, salt was 
 forced into the wound, the lip of which was compressed 
 secundum artem, in order to flavour the blood and lungs, &c., 
 which formed the repast. All the girls then crowded round, 
 each preferring a request to us to bring a little yerba, flour, 
 sugar, &c., from the settlements, till, our horses being ready, 
 mine having been additionally burdened with the dead mutton 
 by way of provisions for the road, we extricated ourselves 
 from the crowd, and amidst repeated injunctions, charges, 
 and affectionate farewells, got away, and towards four p.ji. 
 started to overtake the now distant cavalcade.
 
 CHAPTER Vm. 
 
 GEYLUM TO PATAGONES. 
 
 A Sick Camp — Oerroe Volcanic Hill — Crime's Deathbed — Graviel's Pro- 
 motion — The Burning Ground — Hot Springs — Fighting the Gualichu 
 — A Real Fight — A Soda Lake — Encampment at Telck — The Doctor 
 comes to Grief — An Obliging Ostrich — Appointed Chasqui — Miseries 
 of Pampa Life — A Bad Time — The Plains of Margensho — Casimiro's 
 Distrust— Doctor and Sick Child — Duties of a Messenger — Departure 
 of the Chasquis — TraveUing Express — The Paved Pampas — An Ideal 
 Bafidit— Letter from the Chupat Colony— Trinitji—Teneforo's Pampas 
 — Champayo's Generosity — A Morning Drink — Departure from Trinita 
 — Valchita — The Pigs' Road — Wild Horses — The Travesia — Limit 
 of the Patagonian Faima and Flora — First View of the Rio Negro — 
 Sauce Blanco — The Guardia — San Xaviel — Approach to Patagones — 
 Senor Murga— Welsh Hospitality — Among Friends at Last. 
 
 WE were now fairly started on our journey eastward to 
 the Rio Negro, on my part with contending feelings of 
 regret at quitting my recently acquired and amiable relatives, 
 and of joyful expectation of reaching Patagones and finding 
 there that which travellers, amidst all the excitement of new 
 countries and strange people, still so eagerly long for — news 
 from home ! We galloped forward casting longing looks 
 behind at the forest-clad slopes and snowy peaks of the Cor- 
 dillera, the never-to-be-forgotten beauty of which made the 
 dismal prospect of the country before us still more dreary. 
 
 My friends had been unanimous in describing the district 
 that intervened between Geylum and a place spoken of as 
 Margensho, nine marches distant, as both difficult to travel, 
 and afibrding scanty pasture for the horses and little game
 
 262 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGON/ANS. 
 
 for the people. The rain which had been falling when we left, 
 had turned to sloct driven by a strong westerly gale, and my 
 load of mutton sadly interfered with the management of the 
 sheltering mantle; Fortunately, as the direction of our route 
 was easterly, we thus escaped having to face the storm, 
 while the gale in our backs stimulated both horses and riders 
 to their utmost speed. 
 
 At the entrance of the rock-strewn gorge which formed the 
 eastern gateway of the valley of Geylum, to the south of 
 which towered the isolated column of rock, we were sud- 
 denly startled by the apparition of mounted Indians galloping 
 towards us from the direction which our advanced party had 
 taken. Conjectures as to possible calamity in the shape of a 
 fight or accident were speedily dispelled, as they proved to 
 be Tehuelches riding back in search of lost horses, which they 
 averred had been stolen and craftily concealed by the Arau- 
 canians. So we continued our march through a succession 
 of narrow rocky gorges winding amongst the hills, till, as the 
 twilight was growing dark, we arrived, wet and weary, and 
 feeling symptoms of illness, at the encampment situated in 
 one of the usual grassy valleys. The toldo, when reached, 
 proved to be in utter disorder, two of the women and a child 
 having been attacked with the epidemic ; so we set to work 
 ourselves to light a fire, secure the skin covering of the toldo, 
 and arrange the beds, and after a time the interior assumed 
 a more ship-shape aspect, although the grass (our carpet) and 
 everything else were wet. On every side one heard com- 
 plaints of some child having fallen sick, and throughout 
 the wailing cry of the women ' Ah gelay loo ! ' over theu' 
 darlings rendered sleep all but impossible. Next morning 
 broke fine and clear, so it was determined to march onwards 
 in the hope that speedy change might get rid of the epidemic, 
 but starting was almost as difficult as staying. 
 
 Of our party Meiia had returned to look for a missing 
 horse ; Crime was dying, and Casimiro was attending to 
 him ; and what with sick friends and children all were
 
 GEYLVM TO PAT AGONES. 263 
 
 occupied or distracted, and the business of catching the 
 horses devolved on myself, single-handed at first. Having 
 secured the troop, the next task was to catch my newly- 
 acquired steed ; the sight of a lazo was sufiicient to make 
 him gallop a league, and as he was very swift, three hours 
 were spent in inetlectual efforts, but at last, two or three of 
 my comrades coming up to my assistance, he was caught. 
 Giving my flibbertigibbet page charge of the remaining 
 horses, I started, in company with one of my friends, to join 
 the hunting circle, already in course of formation. 
 
 We rode up a valley in an easterly direction, on our way 
 passing the invalid Crime, who, groaning with pain, lay 
 stretched out at full length on a sort of couch composed of 
 blankets on the horse's back, his wife leading the horse and 
 wailing out loud. But as condolences were of little use, we 
 passed on in silence, and shortly emerged from the valley 
 which sloped up by gradual ascent to a wide plain of sandy 
 soil and stunted bushes, bounded on the eastern horizon by 
 a line of high jagged hills, which stretched to the southward 
 as far as the eye could reach. While sitting under a bush 
 by the fire, I was attacked with headache and sickness, 
 the premonitory symptoms of the epidemic ; however, I 
 mounted and joined the hunting part}-, and at the end of the 
 circle felt much better, although unable to eat. 
 
 The finish brought us to the entrance of a valley which 
 wound among the precipitous rocky hills of the range seen 
 from the farther verge of the plain. While watching the ca\al- 
 cade of women and baggage, I looked long in vain for my 
 own troop of four horses, but at last descried them trotting 
 without a guide in the rear of the column, their natural 
 sagacity or perhaps thirst having induced them to follow 
 their comrades. The trusty page had left them to take care 
 of themselves, and gone off' hunting on his own account, 
 which behaviour, repeated on a subsequent occasion, caused 
 the loss of the stud. Towards evening we encamped in a 
 valley enclosed by three hiUs, one of which, of decidedly
 
 264 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 volcanic aspect, was named ' Oerroe.' The side of this hill 
 was thickly scattered with fragments of the vesicular lava 
 which furnishes the favourite material for the hand bolas. 
 As most of us had exchanged our weapons of the chase for 
 apples, pinones, &c., in Las Manzanas, many were soon 
 employed picking stones and fashioning bolas. I took very 
 good care that my page should be unprovided with hunting 
 implements, but, alas ! here he fell sick, or pretended to be, 
 and was just as useless as before. The day after our arrival 
 Crime's sufferings were terminated. I received a summons 
 to his death-bed ; the cacique, though wandering, knew his 
 friends, and called all to witness that his death had been caused 
 by a Southern Tehuelche whom he named and described, 
 and then, raising his arm, pointed to a vacant space and 
 cried, * Look at him, there he stands.' He then asked me to 
 * feel his arm,' and as, to please him, I laid my finger on his 
 pulse, it beat slower and slower, till, with a sudden gasp, he 
 died. According to etiquette, we silently retii'ed, and the 
 toldo resounded with the clamorous crying of the women and 
 the wailing of his widow. The usual funeral rites were 
 hurriedly gone through, but most were too absorbed in their 
 own troubles to participate in them. During the night three 
 children died, and more were at death's door ; and, the supply 
 of horseflesh from the funeral victims being abundant, all 
 thoughts of marching were abandoned, and the camp re- 
 sounded with the lamentations of the women. In our toldo 
 all the inmates were sick, and the duty of looking after the 
 horses devolved on myself and Casimiro, who was recovering 
 from his attack. 
 
 We were joined in this place by Hinchel's son with his 
 Araucanian wife, with whom another man came to look for a 
 girl who had run away from Foyel's toldo, but his quest 
 proved fruitless, as she remained invisible, stowed away in 
 some of the toldos. This man brought fui-ther news that 
 Cheoeque's people, renewing the old feud, were arming to fight 
 now that we had gone ; also that a man had been killed in a
 
 GEYLUM TO PATAGONES. 265 
 
 drunken brawl since oiu' departure, and that a rumour vras cur- 
 rent that the Valdi\'ians had had their cattle taken from them, 
 and various other stories, most of which were declared to be 
 lies by Orkeke, who, having lost ahorse, had returned to look 
 for it in Geylum ; the budget of alarming news thus proving 
 to be a fresh illustration of the Indian's proneness to invent 
 if they have nothing of real importance wherewith to astonish 
 their hearers. Crime's widow took up her abode in our toldo ; 
 and as, by this chief's death, the post of capitanejo, with the 
 rank of lieutenant in the Buenos Ayrean army, and the right 
 of drawing rations, was vacant, Casimiro consulted me as to 
 his successor. But successive proposals of those who seemed 
 most fit, beginning with Waki, were objected to by the cacique, 
 who at last declared that he should name his almost in- 
 sane son Graviel as the chief to be placed by the Argentine 
 Government upon the list of the caciques to be conciliated 
 by annual pay ! On April 22 a start was made, but wo 
 remained to the last, as four of Casimiro's horses which I had 
 brought down to the valley the previous evening were missing, 
 so the chieftain returned to look for them, and the rest of the 
 toldo pursued theii* journey. 
 
 After taking a farewell look at the Cordillera, which was 
 presently shut out from view by the hills, the counterslope 
 of which we descended, a hurried march led us through a 
 very barren rocky country entangled in broken irregular 
 hills, with scarcely a bush to shelter under, and little or no 
 pasture. We encamped, or rather reached the camp after 
 it was pitched, in a canon containing a small spring and a 
 very little green pasture, and went to bed supperless, as, not 
 being in time for the hunt, and game being very scarce, 
 what we could beg from our neighbours was naturally given 
 to those recovering from sickness. 
 
 Jackechan's wife and child were still very unwell, and, as 
 the child was supposed to be dying, the doctor was sent for. 
 He proceeded to cure it by laying it on the ground, mutter- 
 ing a charm and patting it on the head ; after which he put
 
 2()6 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 his mouth close to its chest and shouted to bring the devil 
 out : he then turned it on its face and repeated the same 
 process. The child's health mended next day, and it was 
 shortly out of danger. 
 
 About ten o'clock at night Casimii-o returned with his 
 horses, which had strayed a considerable distance on the 
 road back to Geylum. The next day a long march of 
 twenty miles brought us to an encampment on the western 
 verge of a broad plain, watered by a brooklet. During the 
 hunt the first Patagonian hares, or cavies, were caught. 
 These little animals live in burrows, but are generally out 
 feeding or sleeping in the grass during the day. They are 
 excessively swift for perhaps a mile, but, like the foxes of 
 this countiy soon get tired. The chase of these small deer 
 afforded an agreeable relief to the monotony of the journey. 
 As soon as we entered a plain or valley where they abounded, 
 as they always were found in numbers where the pasture 
 was good, all hurried off to ' stop the earths,' i.e., close up 
 the burrows with bushes ; but the cunning little beasts often 
 evaded us by slipping into a burrow overlooked by the earth, 
 stoppers. • It required considerable skill to bring them down 
 with the bolas, as, if only caught round the legs or body, 
 they disentangled themselves quickly, but a blow on the head 
 proved at once fatal. They are good eating, though the flesh 
 is somewhat dry when roasted. Their skins are made up into 
 mantles, but are of little value, as the hau- soon comes off. 
 
 About a mile below the encampment, where the sandy 
 plain narrowed and sloped down to a low-lying grassy valley, 
 a singular phenomenon presented itself. The morning after 
 our arrival, when going out to look for the horses, a furi- 
 ous easterly gale whirled the dust aloft in dense clouds, 
 and, to my great surprise, the sand, which was driven 
 into our faces, was as hot as when the fia-e so nearly en- 
 circled us. Almost blinded in forcing our way through this 
 curtain of driving sand, we rode right into a hollow, where 
 the earth appeared to be on fire ; as the horses plunged
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 267 
 
 through the heated surface the hair was burnt off their fet- 
 locks, and they were nearly maddened with fright, so that 
 it was a difficult feat for the riders without saddles or 
 stirrups to keep their seats. Once I was somewhere near 
 my horse's ears, but, more by good luck than good manage- 
 ment, just escaped being thrown as it were into the fire. 
 After the gale had partially moderated, I proceeded to 
 inspect this place, and found that, although not, as I at first 
 thought, absolutely on fire, the ground Avas smoking as if 
 from internal combustion. The surface presented a crust of 
 baked yellow clay, which yielding to the horses' feet, dis- 
 closed a black subsoil ; there was no flame, but a thin white 
 vapour issued from the ground. When I incautiously ven- 
 tured a step on the treacherous crust, it gave way, but I 
 managed to extricate myself with no further damage than 
 burning my potro boots. The Indians stated that the fire had 
 been originally caused some years previously by their having 
 kindled the pasture higher up the valley, and that the ground 
 had been burning ever since. It was impossible to discover 
 whether there was any subjacent bed of combustible matter 
 which might thus have been ignited ; but as there are hot- 
 wells and springs in the same range not many miles distant 
 to the south-east, it seems more px-obably due to volcanic 
 agency. The principal hot spring was described as a circular 
 basin of about six feet in diameter, the water, of a tempera- 
 ture not so hot as to scald the hand, bubbling up thro'ugh 
 numerous holes in a clay bottom. In many of the surroi^id- 
 ing hills there are lava and pumice of not extremely ancient 
 formation ; some of the hills have also an appearance of 
 having been at a recent period the outlets of eruptive forces, 
 which have scattered large shattered masses of rock over the 
 sides of the extinct craters. 
 
 In this encampment I had a serious misunderstanding with 
 our chief, which all but ended in a downright quarrel ; but 
 after consideration we agreed to make it up, as although on 
 two occasions of danger he had left me to my fate, I thought
 
 268 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 it better on the whole to keep friends for the present. The 
 evening of this quarrel, as a party of three toldos were start- 
 ing off to go to the Chupat, and Casimiro was desirous of 
 extending his fame to the Welsh settlement, I wrote a letter 
 to the authorities inquiring about some saddles, part of his 
 Argentine rations sent thither by mistake, which the chief 
 declared to have been intended for him, but which had been 
 distributed amongst other Indians. The letter was forwarded 
 by one of the Indians who was supposed to be of Enghsh 
 parentage on one side, although he showed but little traces 
 of English blood in his type, with the exception perhaps of 
 his hair, which was of a lighter colour than that usually met 
 with : he was a very good-natured fellow, and I regretted his 
 departure, as he was one of my adherents, but being a man 
 of very sober habits he did not wish to be mixed up in the 
 universal orgie which would probably take place on arriving 
 in the vicinity of Patagones. With this party the young 
 widow, who had made overtures of marriage to me, also 
 departed, after an affectionate farewell, and receiving a hand- 
 kerchief as a remembrance. The following morning we also 
 started, and one of the universal loafers who had gambled 
 his property away, asking for a mount, was told to catch the 
 ' white horse ' presented by Orkeke : he accordingly boiTOwed 
 a horse to catch him, and at the end of our day's journey had 
 not succeeded in doing more than driving him in, to use a 
 nautical term, in our wake ; this was exactly what I had 
 intended, as this Indian was a great rogue, and had cheated 
 me at cards out of a set of metal bolas, equivalent to a horse. 
 
 Our march lay up the valley, and the cu'cle was formed on 
 the surrounding volcanic hills, the sides of which, besides the 
 vesicular lava, presented large masses of the ironstone noted 
 as having been observed at Santa Cruz. Shrubs were sparsely 
 scattered on these hills, and game was exceedingly scarce. 
 
 Towards evening we encamped on the borders of a stream 
 in a place called by the Indians Telck. There the sickness 
 broke out afresh in its worst form, and several children died.
 
 GEYLUM TO PATAOONES. 269 
 
 in consequence of which a quantity of marcs and horses were 
 slaughtered, and numbers of ponchos, ornaments, and other 
 property burnt by the parents in theu' grief. It was most 
 distressing to see and hear the melancholy manifestations of 
 sorrow, and the sound alone of that dreadful crying aloud, 
 and the dismal ' ullagoning,' to use the Irish expression, of 
 the old women, haunted me even in my sleep. The night of 
 our arrival a mock combat with the Gualichu took place, in 
 which everybody joined. After dark, when many were 
 sitting by the firesides conversing, and I myself was reclin- 
 ing on my bed smoking, the doctor came into the toldo, and 
 communicated with the chief, who told all to get their arms 
 ready, and loaded his gun : on a shout being set up all fires 
 were immediately extinguished, and all commenced firing ofi" 
 guns, clashing their swords, and beating the backs of the 
 toldos, and yelling ' kow-w ! ' at each blow; firebrands being, 
 at the same time, thrown into the air by the women, with 
 clamorous shouts and cries. The scene was wild and striking, 
 the darkness of the night being only illuminated by the flashes 
 of the guns or the sparks from the brands whirled high into 
 the air. At a given signal all stopped simultaneously, and 
 for two or three minutes the camp remained in perfect dark- 
 ness, after which the fires were relighted, and things resumed 
 their ordinary aspect. 
 
 The following day, strange to say, a real fight took place, 
 in which one man was wounded, and for a few minutes a 
 general ;///•/«' or free fight appeared imminent. Parties were 
 already forming to cancel old blood feuds, when further 
 mischief was checked by the return of Hinchel, myself, and 
 others. We had been absent trying new horses on the race- 
 course, which, as in almost all the camping-grounds since 
 leaving the Rio Scngel, was a regular beaten level track of 
 about a couple of miles in length, and my new horse had 
 established his fame as a racer by winning a match over a 
 distance of a mile and a half ; meanwhile the quarrel broke 
 out — such arc the uncertainties of Indian life.
 
 270 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIAXS. 
 
 We remained some days in this place, and whilst hunting 
 in the surrounding country (where hares abounded), we ob- 
 served a new description of spinous shrub with small ovate 
 leaves and yellow flowers, resembling holly, and growing to 
 about two feet in height. Casimiro and myself agreed to try 
 whether the leaves might not be medicinal, so a quantity were 
 bruised and boiled : the infusion proved exceedingly bitter, 
 reminding me of quinine, and acted as an admhable sudorific, 
 being administered to the invalids with great success. In 
 one of our excursions we had crossed the hills and descended 
 on a high elevated plain, concluding our hunt near a swell- 
 ing eminence exactly resembling a huge ' barrow ' thickly 
 overgrown with shrubs, from w^hich what appeared to be a 
 salina was espied, to our great delight. Hinchel and myself 
 being alone, and having a fat ostrich to discuss for dinner, 
 determined to enjoy our meal by its shore, first testing the 
 quality of the salt, a luxury which we had long been desti- 
 tute of. Dismounting, we proceeded to investigate it ; but 
 to our great disappointment, after walking over every part of 
 it, and digging down with knives a foot below the surface, the 
 supposed salt proved to be bitter and nauseous nitrate of soda. 
 
 After quitting the vicinity of the Cordillera the weather 
 had every day become warmer, and the frosts at night much 
 lighter : indeed %vhilst in Telck some warm days were ex- 
 perienced, although the winter season w^as fast approaching. 
 Near this encampment the small edible root pre\'iously de- 
 cribed as growing in the dried-up lagoons was found in 
 abundance, and was collected by the women and children. 
 
 Cavies were plentiful in the hollows and valleys in the 
 neighbouring hills, and even close to the encampment, but 
 the chase of other game proved difficult, the hill sides being 
 so streA\Ti with stones as to render galloping a horse a 
 certainty of laming him. In this neighbourhood Hinchel 
 pointed out a detached pinnacle of rock, much resembling 
 that noticed at Geylum, and according to custom invoked a 
 blessing from the guardian spirit ; and then he informed me
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 271 
 
 that on the thu'd next march we should pass a deposit of 
 yellow ore, lying to the south of the route, and that during 
 the hunt he would show it to me. Orkeke also corroborated 
 this statement, and I have every reason to believe that there 
 is in that locality a deposit of iron or more probably copper 
 ore. 
 
 As the meat of the slain horses was nearly consumed, we 
 marched the following day across a most stony, rocky, and 
 inhospitable country, and at length arrived at a range of 
 hills, through which ran a steep, narrow gorge. Descending 
 through its tortuous windings, we at length arrived at a 
 spring, the waters of which, joining with another small 
 rivulet, flowed out, and formed a sort of marsh at the head 
 of a large plain. From the slope of the hill bordering the 
 ravine a tine panorama extended to the east, the entire face 
 of the country appearing to be more uniformly undulating 
 than the confused ranges of hills, thi-ough the intricacies of 
 which we had been marchmg and hunting since leaving 
 Geylum. In the foregi'ound were visible distant black 
 figures, moving with swiftness across the plain in pursuit of 
 numerous ostriches ; and away to the eastward rose a column 
 of smoke, the cause of which was eagerly speculated on. 
 
 I am conscious that the description of this part of the 
 journey is not likely to give a very clear idea of the country 
 traversed ; and that the directions of the successive ranges, 
 and the general character of the ground, are left too much 
 to the reader's imagination ; but, in deprecation of criticism 
 and censure, it is pleaded that I was under the impression 
 that this district had been traversed, and accurately surveyed 
 and described, by a savant employed by the Argentine Govern- 
 ment ; and that I was deprived of the assistance of my 
 compass, which had been presented to Foyel. The notes 
 taken at the time were very scanty, and my recollections 
 were confused, inasmuch as I was labouring imder a con- 
 stantly-recurring attack of sickness, which was only kept at 
 bay by resolute endeavours not to give way ; but which ren-
 
 272 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 dered observation and record, in addition to hunting and the 
 usual toils of marching, impossible. It was the more need- 
 ful for me to endeavour to keep up, as all were more or less 
 ill, and becoming increasingly gloomy and dispirited. To 
 add to the troubles which weighed down the Indians' spirits 
 at this place, the doctor's horse fell while descending a 
 precipitous rocky hill. The unfortunate physician was 
 stunned, and very nearly crushed to death by the horse 
 falling on him ; great grief was universally expressed at this 
 catastrophe, as no one was left to cure the invalids and 
 contend with the malignant Gualichu, who, it was natural 
 for the Indians to imagine, had laid a trap for his opponent, 
 and upset the medicine man's steed in order to ha%'e the 
 field clear for himself. 
 
 We encamped in a sort of morass, by the side of the hills 
 overlooking the plain, and were woke at daylight by the 
 chattering of a flock of blue and orange paroquets ; these 
 birds, which brought back old pleasant associations of the 
 banks of the Parana, and almost seemed to be harbingers of 
 civilised life, were numerous in this locality, though they 
 were the first of the species that I had observed in the 
 country. 
 
 The distant signal smoke was concluded to indicate the 
 presence of Jackechan and the Pampa Indians under Tene- 
 foro, and all were in spirits at the prospect of obtaining 
 news, and perhaps luxui-ies in the shape of flour, yerba, ttc, 
 from Patagones. The order was accordingly given to march, 
 and a large answering signal fire kindled in some dry pas- 
 ture bordering the hill side, a messenger being at the same 
 time despatched to ascertain the news. After a rather long 
 march over a barren plain strewn with angular masses of 
 chalcedony and projecting rocks resembling alabaster, we 
 arrived at a dreary encampment, sheltered under a bank, from 
 which a spring gushed out, forming a refreshing rivulet. 
 
 The mutiny of my page had compelled me to enjoy the 
 pleasure of driving my own cattle, following the track in
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 273 
 
 advance of the other people; besides this, an attack of fever 
 rendered me indisposed, and, indeed, incapable of hunting. 
 WTiile languidly jogging on in the centre of the <!ircle which 
 was made on both sides of the tracks, and anathematizing 
 one of the horses who would every now and then endeavour 
 to join the hunt on his own account, I observed an ostrich 
 coming straight towards me : the sight was reviving, and 
 leaving my horses to themselves, I galloped to the cover of 
 a friendly bush, and when he was within a short distance 
 dashed out, and discharging the bolas, had the satisfaction 
 of seeing him turn a somersault and lie with outstretched 
 wings stunned. An Indian riding up at the time claimed the 
 customary division, and took charge of the bird, on which 
 we regaled our friends at the close of the hunt. Many of 
 the hunters came in empty-handed, or with only a skunk, of 
 which there were numbers in this vicinity, hanging to their 
 saddles. By -this time the armadilloes had taken up their 
 winter quarters under-ground, and only came out of their 
 burrows on a remarkably sunny day. 
 
 At night we encamped under a barranca or steep rising 
 to the eastward. On his arrival Hinchel informed me that 
 we had passed the vein of ore previously spoken of, and the 
 hot springs, the Indians having shortened the journey by 
 deviating from the usual line of march. 
 
 The chasqui returned late at night with intelligence that 
 the smoke had been caused by a party of Pampas Indians 
 travelling to join Quintuhual, or, at anj- rate, in that direc- 
 tion, but whatever provisions or tobacco they had they kept 
 to themselves, and had purposely avoided us. Jackechan 
 and Teneforo had started for Valchita en route for Pata- 
 gones, after waiting for our coming more than a month in 
 Margensho, the place appointed as a rendezvous. Whilst 
 there they had received liquor and other luxuries from Pata- 
 gones, but no disturbances had ensued, the only (}asualty 
 being that a woman had been severely burned by falling into 
 a fire whilst in a state of intoxication. All was reported to 
 
 18
 
 274 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 be peaceable at Patagones, and a rumour was current that 
 Commandante Murga was about to give up his governorship. 
 Casimiro, on receiving all this intelligence, immediately 
 wished a despatch to be indited, although I pointed out to 
 him that it would be better to wait until we had arrived at a 
 nearer point ; he was so urgent that on the following morning 
 I composed an elaborate letter, detailing the union of the 
 tribes, the precautions taken for protecting Patagones, and 
 requesting a hundred mares for Casimu'o and his people : 
 when finished it was carefully wrapped up and stowed away 
 in my baggage till wanted. 
 
 The talk then naturally turned on the subject of the choice 
 of messengers to be despatched to Patagones on our arrival 
 at Margensho. It had been previously arranged that I 
 should be sent fully commissioned, as being better able to 
 represent to the authorities what had been resolved on, as well 
 as to impress upon them the immediate requirements of the In- 
 dians, and several others now volunteered to accompany me, 
 and got quite merry at the thoughts of a drink. But we were 
 still three marches distant from Margensho. The following 
 day we were again en route, traversing a succession of plains 
 with rocky ridges cropping up at intervals, until we at 
 length reached a gi-assy valley enclosed by steep walls of 
 rocks sixty feet high ; gravely perched on the summits of 
 which several slate -coloured Chilian eagles were visible, 
 their occupation being to prevent the excessive multiplication 
 of little cavies. On the hill sides bordering this valley, 
 our old friend the incense bush, which had for many marches 
 back been very scarce, grew in luxuriant profusion. At this 
 season it was covered "with berries which, though uneatable, 
 are used by the Indians mixed up with water as a drink ; 
 this infusion has a very sweet taste, but I should think 
 must be very unwholesome. On arriving at the encamp- 
 ment, at the head of the valley, near some pools of standing 
 water, we were apprised, by the lugubrious sounds of the 
 women's monotonous chants, that the number of the children
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 275 
 
 had been further diminished by several deaths. One of this 
 day's victims to the epidemic being Algo, Tankelow's 
 youngest daughter, the father was in gi'eat distress and 
 anger, as he attributed the death not to the distemper, but to 
 witchcraft. 
 
 The warm and tolerably fine weather experienced since 
 our departure from Telck had been succeeded by a heavy, 
 murky, still atmosphere, and the clouded sky promised a 
 downfall of rain, which speedily came. The next day more 
 children and the old deaf and dumb woman died ; over her 
 little moan was made, but the lamentations over the chil- 
 dren were terrible to hear, and on all sides mares were 
 slaughtered. The abundance of meat, and the general con- 
 fusion, combined with the rain to defeat Casimiro's anxious 
 desire to proceed. The accumulation of miseries had ren- 
 dered all the Indians gloomy and ill-humoured ; and since 
 our departure from Geylum we had had ample experience of 
 the wretched side of Pampa life. 
 
 This district is always dreaded by the Indians, who assert 
 that they invariably are attacked by a similar sickness when 
 in it, notwithstanding that some considered it to have been 
 occasioned by poison or deleterious drugs administered by 
 our late neighbours. The marches had therefore been forced 
 and prolonged, and the increased fatigue had doubtless aided 
 the distemper in its fatal effects. Nearly half the children 
 and several of the elder people died during our progress 
 to Margensho, and the utter misery and discomfort cannot 
 be described. The rain had continually drenched us ; the 
 women, distracted with theii* endeavours to soothe the sick 
 children, and their grief over the dead, could not attend to 
 their domestic duties ; our mantles were unmended, and 
 proved but a poor shelter from the rain, no small misery in 
 this climate, and the arrangements of the toldos were utterly 
 devoid of their customary care and comfort. The usual good 
 temper and cheerfulness of all had fled, and grief, sickness, 
 and angry suspicion cast a gloom over every countenance.
 
 276 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 One misery, starvation, bad certainly been avoided by tbe 
 abundance of borse-flesb, but it can easily be imagined tbat 
 we could have borne hunger better. We had endured cold, 
 and hunger, and fatigue, as well as danger, before, but 
 nothing has left so indelible an impression of a thoroughly 
 bad time as that march from Geylum to Margensho. 
 
 At last Casimiro issued orders to march, and -with two or 
 three more of us started in advance. While waiting under 
 the shelter of a mass of rocks for the remainder to overtake 
 us, I fell asleep, and on waking up found the rain pouring 
 down in torrents, and the chief just du-ecting Meiia to 
 return and see what the women were about. Our page 
 arrived a little later to say that the Indians had refused to 
 march, the occupants of our toldo alone being on their way 
 to join us : these soon appeared, so we proceeded in the 
 storm, having agreed that to return, after having once 
 started, would be an ignominious proceeding. 
 
 We followed for some distance the valley, or rather the 
 plain, into which it had opened out, and then ascended some 
 abrupt rocky heights at its eastern extremity ; crossing these 
 hills, in the valleys or ravines of which incense bushes gi'ew 
 almost like a forest, we halted for a time by the side of a 
 rivulet flowing from a spring on the hill side. 
 
 After kindling a fire to warm our bodies, wet as we were 
 and chilled by the wdnd, which, originally west, now blew 
 from the south ^vith cutting violence, the sight of numerous 
 guanaco on the heights above determined us to encircle a 
 herd ; we accordingly mounted the heights, and having 
 completely failed in our attempt, descended to the other 
 side. A kirge lagoon lay at our feet, and away to the east 
 a succession of plains extended to the encampment called 
 Margensho. 
 
 These plains were bounded for a short distance on the 
 north side by a range of hills, which came to an abrupt 
 termination at the end of the lagoon, on the south side by 
 another range gradually sloping to the eastward, and on the
 
 GEY LI' M TO PAT AGONES. 277 
 
 western side by the rocky heights we were descending. The 
 view would have been enjoyable on a fine day, but in such 
 a Patagonian tempest of rain and -wind, landscapes were by 
 no means appreciated. Near the lagoon was another herd 
 of guanaco, some three thousand strong, who tempted us to 
 a vain endeavour to encircle them, but they descried us 
 before we could approach within a mile, and were soon lost 
 to sight on the plains leading towards Margensho. Whilst 
 riding down the edge of the hills Casimiro pointed out some 
 thyme, a little of which we gathered to flavour our soup 
 with in the evening. We then descended, and sheltered 
 under the overhanging bank of a dry watercourse leading 
 to the Lagoon. The women and remainder of the cavalcade 
 shortly arrived, and loading my page with firewood, to his 
 intense disgust and the extreme delight of every one else, 
 we proceeded a little farther to the south, where the pasture 
 was good, and established ourselves for the night. 
 
 The following morning early we all started to hunt, and 
 were more successful than on the previous day, though the 
 wind was blowing a fearful gale from the S.W., with occa- 
 sional storms of sleet. Towards the afternoon, by which 
 time, having finished our hunting, we were snug enough 
 under the toldo, it rained hard, and with the rain the Indians 
 commenced to arrive, till before dusk a town of toldos 
 occupied the borders of the hills. 
 
 Casimiro this evening sent for volunteers to go in with 
 me as messengers or chasquis to Patagones, on our arrival 
 at Margensho, now but one march distant. But of those 
 previously so desirous to go on, not one appeared, nor 
 would any one Indian consent to lend his horses for so long 
 a journey. The chieftain was sadly put out, and cursed the 
 caciquillos all round. He then tried to dissuade me from 
 going myself, saying that it was a great distance, that the 
 desert or travesia was a fearful place, that I should probably 
 lose my horses, that many people had starved, at the same 
 time wishing me to lend my horses to some other Indian.
 
 278 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 He narrated how he himself had occupied twelve days in 
 crossing it, and had been obliged to abandon a horse and the 
 saddle and gear oi his remaining steed, and with difficulty, 
 nearly starved, on foot, and driving his almost worn-out 
 horse before him, had made his way to a station. 
 
 At the same time a young Indian started to cross the 
 desert, but lost his way, and, quoth the cacique impres- 
 sively, ' His bones are there now.' 
 
 One statement, that the chaiials or white thorns grew 
 higher than the horses' heads and tore the unlucky riders' 
 mantles to pieces as they forced their way through them, my 
 own after-experience fully verified. I, however, adhered 
 firmly to my original intention of going, as agi-eed to by 
 him, and conveying with my own hand the letter I had 
 written : and it was finally settled that Meua, Nacho, and I 
 should, on arriving at Margensho, start on our journey as 
 chasquis. Casimiro's real motive for dissuading me was 
 distrust, as we had on two or thi'ee occasions disagreed, and 
 once nearly come to blows ; he was therefore afraid that I 
 should, on arriving at Patagones, work against his interests 
 and give him a bad character. Mena, who had taken a 
 great fancy to me, volunteered for the purpose of keeping 
 an eye on Nacho, who was my ' bete noire,' and not to be 
 trusted. 
 
 These arrangements having been brought to a satisfactory' 
 conclusion, we proceeded to the toldo of a friend and 
 assisted at the ceremony performed by the doctor of curing 
 a sick child, more especially concerning the part of painting 
 with red ochre, killing and eating a white mare. 
 
 On this occasion the parents formally invited the principal 
 chiefs and their relations and friends, and the ceremony 
 commenced as follows. All the men were either sitting or 
 standing in a circle, in the centre of which sat the mother 
 holding her infant in her arms. The doctor then came in, 
 and under his direction the mother plastered the infant from 
 head to foot with white clay, the wizard meanwhile mutter-
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 279 
 
 iug incantations ; when this was completed, the doctor 
 disappeared for a minute or two, returning with an orna- 
 mented hide bag in his hand ; this he opened, and produced 
 from the bottom some charms carefully enveloped in rags, 
 which he, after performing some mystic hocus-pocus, re- 
 turned to the bag. He next took the baby from the mother, 
 and patting it gently on the head, and muttering in a low 
 tone, dipped its head into the bag two or three times, and 
 then returned it to its mother. A white mare was brought 
 up, and, after being daubed all over with hand-marks of red 
 ochre, was knocked on the head, cooked, and eaten on the 
 spot, the heart, liver, and lungs being hung on a lance, to 
 the top of which was suspended the bag containing the 
 charms. Care was taken, as in other ceremonies, that 
 no dogs approached to eat the offal, which was buried, the 
 head and backbone being removed to a neighbouring hill. 
 
 On the 9th of May we started, arriving the same evening 
 at Margensho, which was, as the Indians had previously 
 described it to me, a large grassy plain lying below a step 
 or barranca, and watered by a brook running N.E. and S.W. 
 During the hunt over the previously described plains there 
 was nothing remarkable except the extreme scarcity of game, 
 skunks alone being numerous ; fortunately I killed a male 
 guanaco, and as I had the previous day corrected my page 
 he brought up the horses most carefully, so that all was in 
 readiness for an early start. Before sundo-vvn the chiefs 
 were collected, and the contents of the letter read to them ; 
 they all appeared pleased, and after adding a postscript 
 setting forth the names and number of the chiefs who re- 
 quired rations I closed the correspondence. 
 
 Hinchel came and provided me with tobacco, asking as a 
 favour that if any of his friends in the settlement should 
 inquire if he got drunk when occasion offered in the pampas, 
 I would bear witness to his sobriety ; he also entreated 
 that I would either return to the Indians or remain in 
 Patagones until he arrived, which latter I promised to do.
 
 280 AT HOME WJTJI THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 At the risk of repetition, it must be said this man was the 
 best Tehuelche, excepting perhaps Waki, I ever had any- 
 thing to do with ; he Avas frank, honest, generous, sober, 
 and in every way fit for a chief ; a ready and skilled work- 
 man in all Indian trades, from breaking a colt to constructing 
 a saddle or silver necklace ; his only vice being gambling, 
 but for which last habit he Avould have been the richest and 
 most powerful chief, as he was universally respected. 
 
 Orkeke also sent for me, and put into my hand a packet 
 of tobacco for the journey, which he assured me would be 
 long, tedious, and dangerous. I promised to ask particularly 
 for his ration, and if the Government would not gi'ant it, to 
 make him a present myself. He wished me to return, but 
 I pointed out to him that for various reasons it would be 
 better not, so we parted, agreeing to meet in Patagones. 
 
 It may be as well to mention that if the post of chasqui 
 or herald, as he may be styled, be an honourable one, for 
 which as a rule only the near relatives of chiefs are em- 
 ployed, the duties are sufficiently hard. The chasqui is 
 expected to ride like ' young Lochinvar,' as fast and as far 
 each day as the horse will cany him ; he must not turn 
 aside or halt even for the purpose of hunting, and unless an 
 ostrich or other game cross his path may have to go without 
 supper after his day's fifty or sixty miles' journey, while 
 his bed and bedding are the ground and mantle. Of course 
 endurance, sobriety, and reliable steadiness of purpose are 
 essential qualifications, especially if the distance to be 
 travelled over be great. And Nacho had always approved 
 himself an excellent chasqui, and was an unerring guide 
 even across the trackless travesia. 
 
 When the chasqui falls in with other Indians on the 
 march, or an encampment, he is ceremoniously received and 
 honourably entertained, and it is usually expected that in 
 case of need he will be supplied with fresh horses to prose- 
 cute his mission. 
 
 The following morning at dayhght another consultation
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 281 
 
 took place, and tbo letter bad to be again produced, and 
 another postscriptum added. I tben took down in my note- 
 book tbe immediate requirements of Casimiro and other 
 friends, which, according to agreement, were to be sent 
 back by Meua and Nacho, myself remaining in the settle- 
 ment until the arrival of Casimiro, when we were to proceed 
 together to Buenos Ayi-es either by land, via Bahia Blanca, 
 or by steamer. 
 
 At about eight o'clock, when the rime of the frost was 
 just cleared off the grass, we, after bidding adieu to all 
 friends, caught our horses and started. I took with me 
 only my suit of clothes in a bag, and the letters. Each of 
 the party was provided with a piece of meat from the 
 guanaco I had slain the previous day by way of provision, 
 and with two horses apiece we were at length en route, the 
 old women chanting melodiously to keep the devil out of 
 our way. My page affected great distress at my departure, 
 but as he had my remaining horses to take charge of, and a 
 legacy of a mantle I had no particular use for, having worn 
 it almost without interruption since leaving Santa Cruz, be 
 was, in all probability, delighted to see, as he thought, the 
 last of me as we disappeared over the ridge. 
 
 We travelled sloAvly for the first half hour, and had just 
 released our spare horses from the lazos, which hitherto had 
 restrained them from rejoining their fellows, when we heard 
 a shout behind us, and an Indian appeared driving a troop 
 of horses. He was from the encampment, and being a 
 Pampa was en route to join his tribe, whom he expected to 
 meet somewhere about Valchita, five days' journey on, and 
 from whom we were to get fresh horses wherewith to cross 
 the travesia to the settlements. This addition to our party 
 was unexpected, but we considered the more the merrier, and 
 three at any rate is an awkward number to travel sociably 
 together. Putting our horses to a hand canter, we now 
 regularly started, leaving care behind, and looking forward 
 to bread, coflee, and other long-untasted good things. We
 
 282 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 passed the time in talking over what we would get, how we 
 should be received, and in smoking and singing. Our route 
 lay along the barranca, which changed as we proceeded in 
 a N.E. direction, to higher rugged hills interspersed with 
 sandy valleys covered with scrub and incense bushes. 
 
 By nightfall we had arrived at a pointed hill, under the 
 brow of which we encamped. We had seen plenty of ostrich 
 and guanaco, but had not delayed to hunt, only pausing to 
 pick up an armadillo that happened to be basking in our 
 road. 
 
 On dismounting we secured all the horses with lazos or 
 maneos, as they might probably be incUned to stray away. 
 After gathering a little firewood, kindling a fire, and dis- 
 cussing the armadillo and a small piece of meat each, we 
 wrapped ourselves in our mantles and lay down to sleep, 
 every now and again during the night getting up to have a 
 look at the horses. The morning star was shining brightly 
 above the horizon when we saddled up, and crossing the 
 brow of the hill mounted to an adjoining pampa, where the 
 rocky nature of the ground obliged our unshod horses to go 
 at a foot pace. Added to this a bitter cold -wind and small 
 driving rain were not improving to the temper, until after 
 an hour or two of difficult and slow travelUng, the sun rose 
 magnificently and dispelled the mists and di'izzle, and re- 
 stored our cheerfulness. We at length descended into a 
 ravine leading to a series of small valleys, containing here 
 and there ponds covered with teal and other water bii'ds. 
 We travelled at a gallop through the same description of 
 country till five p.m., when, after passing a high barren 
 plateau, similai- to that encountered at starting, we sud- 
 denly came to an abrupt decli%'ity, at the bottom of 
 which, in a plain extending for about five miles, lay a large 
 salina. 
 
 We descended where it was feasible, and after stopping to 
 get a little salt, proceeded to encamp near a small spring of 
 fresh water. About a mile to the eastward large herds of
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 283 
 
 guanaco and several ostrich were visible in the plain, and 
 near our halting-place we found the tracks of a puma, for 
 which we searched dihgently, but without success. 
 
 After seciu-ing om- horses, as on the previous night, we 
 dined, minus armadillo, ofl" a piece of scraggy meat, and 
 turned in. The salt from the salina was of excellent quality ; 
 it was necessary to remove a little of the upper surface, 
 which had slightly deteriorated by exposure to the atmo- 
 sphere, and then we cut out cakes of salt like pieces of ice, 
 which served for plates. It is a strange fact that both into 
 this and other salinas small rivulets of fresh water flowed, 
 fed by springs in the neighbouring hills. 
 
 The next moraing (if it could be so called) at the same 
 hour we were in the saddle, and traversing the plain crossed 
 some ridges of moderate height, and continued passing 
 through a tract of country thickly wooded with incense and 
 other bushes. About two p.m. we arrived at a rivulet of 
 water, near which were marks of a recent encampment; after 
 examining these, we came to the conclusion that a week had 
 perhaps elapsed since the occupants had left. We travelled 
 forward at our utmost speed over gi'ound of much the same 
 description, diversitied now and again by ranges of low hills, 
 putting up occasionally a partridge, of which birds we observed 
 two difl'erent species, one crested, and nearly as large as a 
 hen pheasant, and the other smaller than an Enghsh bu-d, 
 and which took only short flights and then cowered — and 
 were fortunate enough to kill a couple. The sun went down 
 behind some hills, and still we found no suitable place to 
 halt in ; at last, however, we came to some ponds of water, 
 where we all, being pretty well tired, dismounted, and 
 tethering two of the horses allowed the remainder to go 
 loose. We found the water brackish, though drinkable, but 
 the animals would scarcely touch it, and wandered about, 
 necessitating a watch on them all night ; this was rather 
 weary work, especially as a sharp frost came on, and with all 
 our care, at starting-time two horses were missing. After a
 
 284 AT HOME WITJI THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 search of an hour tbcy were found, having wandered in 
 search of better water, and, wiser than ourselves, found out 
 a spring about two miles to the east. 
 
 The sun was up before we got away, after warming and 
 eating the last of our food, which we had cooked overnight : 
 it was dry and dusty, and all the washing in the world could 
 not have got the grit out of it ; however, we laughed over 
 it, saying we would soon have a bottle of wine to wash away 
 the dirt from our throats. One thing we congratulated our- 
 selves on was being well provided with tobacco, and although 
 we boasted no pipe, mine having been lost at a previous 
 encampment, Casimiro's correspondence with Foyel and 
 Cheoeque, which I had carefully kept, provided us with 
 cigarette papers. We rode on accordingly, rejoicing, and 
 passing out of this wooded country traversed a succession of 
 high pampas, set with small blocks of granite exactly re- 
 sembling paving-stones, and placed as thickly and regularly 
 as if paviors had been at work. The appearance of a 
 London street undergoing repair brought this singular 
 formation vividly to my mind. These pampas terminated in 
 waterworn cliffs thickly strewn with stones, and as our horses 
 scrambled like cats up the slopes, their hoofs sent the stones 
 clattering down, and they found it hard to keep their footing. 
 At the foot of the clifls were watered valleys, and whilst 
 descending into one of these valleys I noticed for the first 
 time the algarroba thorn, which was in fruit. There were 
 two sorts, one with black fruit, which Nacho warned me not 
 to touch, as it was poisonous, the other bearing yellow pods, 
 which though somewhat dry, as the season was so advanced, 
 we plucked and ate as we rode along, the taste proving some- 
 thing between tamarinds and peach. 
 
 Near a lagoon in one of these valleys we halted for a few 
 minutes, and on pursuing our journey espied a horseman with 
 a troop of led horses approaching from the opposite side. I 
 had halted for a moment and saw my companions rein up, and 
 racing up to know the cause, observed him. When within
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 285 
 
 200 or 300 yards, all halted ; and Naclio rode forward, and 
 ceremonious explanations ensued, followed by formal intro- 
 ductions. He was a Pampa Indian outward bound to join 
 those mentioned as having passed us eastward of Margeu- 
 sho ; he gave us news that Jackechan's, Teueforo's, and other 
 Indians were in a place called Triuita, some four hours' 
 gallop only distant. When he found that I was ' Anglish,' 
 he spoke in high praise of my countrymen whom he had met 
 in Rio Negro. 
 
 This man was a perfect picture ; he was splendidly mounted, 
 and had a troop of horses all as good as the one he bestrode. 
 He was well dressed in ponchos and white drawers, and wore 
 a silk handkerchief round his head. Over his saddle was a 
 poncho containing, as we supposed, a store of yerba, flour, 
 or other luxuries, and he had a bold, careless, good- 
 humoured face, with restless eyes ; altogether he gave one 
 an idea of the imaginary generous bandits one reads of in 
 novels, and to make the character complete it turned out 
 afterwards that he had almost certainly stolen the horses 
 from Trinita. 
 
 After five minutes' conversation, wc started in opposite 
 directions, and our party pressed on at speed. From the 
 steep hill above the valley we saw, to om* joy, the smoke of 
 hunting parties apparently not far oS". However, it was 
 four o'clock when wc arrived in the vicinity of the fires in a 
 green pastured valley. From one of the two toldos pitched 
 there, a man emerged with a matu pot in his hand and a 
 bombilia or reed used for imbibing mate, like straws for 
 sherry cobblers, in his mouth. As these people proved not to 
 be the Indians we wanted, after saluting him we galloped on, 
 and crossing the valley, whore wo had to jump our horses 
 over a brook, ascended the opposite hill. A new growth of 
 bush gi'owing sixteen feet high, with long switches like osiers, 
 forced itself unpleasantly on our attention, as, when riding 
 fast, they sprang back into one's face in the most painfully 
 annoying manner. On the hillside we overtook and passed
 
 286 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 a caravan of women travelling in the same direction as our- 
 selves, and from the summit of the range saw in the valley 
 below two different groups of thirty or forty toldos each, 
 about half a mile apart. Galloping on we arrived, about 
 five P.M., at the nearest tolderia ; but on inquiring for 
 Patricio, to whom we had been directed to go by Casimiro, 
 found that he belonged to the others, to which we proceeded, 
 and were duly received, our horses, &c., taken care of, and 
 ourselves ushered with all ceremony into the presence of 
 Patricio (a half-bred Pampa and Tehuelche). After the hour's 
 etiquette of answering questions, we were each given one 
 rib of a guanaco to eat. I was so hungry that I could have 
 eaten a dozen at least, so, on the plea of washing, started off 
 to look for Jackechan's toldo, which I shortly found, and 
 was received with open arms by my friend and El Sourdo. 
 After his * missus ' had given me some food, followed by the 
 luxury of a mate with sugar, Jackechan related his proceed- 
 ings subsequent to leaving our party. 
 
 After a few days' march in the direction of the Chupat, he 
 came across some cattle, which were caught and killed, and 
 then, whilst in the same spot, he despatched the messenger 
 to Chupat with the letter, who returned in fifteen days with 
 an answer, but without any stores. 
 
 The letter, carefully wrapped in a piece of old linen which 
 had served as the envelope to my own epistle, was cere- 
 moniously handed to me by the light of a blaze produced by 
 some grease thrown upon the fire. I read and interpreted 
 the contents to Jackechan. The writer — Mr. Hughes, if I 
 recollect rightly — expressed his pleasure at hearing of my 
 safety, but regretted his inability to forward any stores or 
 clothing, as the supply in the colony was extremely scanty, 
 owing to the non-arrival of the ship with Mr. Lewis Jones 
 on board, which had been expected for some months. It 
 need scarcely be said that I had been quite unaware of the 
 privations endured by these unfortunate colonists, which the 
 despatches of Commander Dennistoun have made known to
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 287 
 
 the public during the preparation of these pages for the press, 
 and to which reference will be made in the ensuing chapter. 
 Jackechan, after the return of his messenger, proceeded to 
 Margensho, in the vicinity of which he met the parties 
 under Teneforo, Patricio, Antonio, and other petty chiefs. 
 These all united, and, sending into Patagones, obtained 
 liquor and other stores, with which, as before mentioned 
 they had a drink for ten days, but no quarrels or fights took 
 place — a fact which redounds to the credit of the chiefs. 
 After waiting a month for our party, they, owing to the 
 scarcity of game, had come by easy stages to this place 
 (Trinita). Jackechan then explained that the first toldos 
 were those of the Pampa Indians, under Teneforo and Cham- 
 payo, the former being absent in Patagones, getting his 
 rations of animals ; his Indians are pure Pampas, and are 
 often called Kerekinches,* or armadilloes, for some reason 
 unknown to mc. Some of them are in the service of the 
 Argentine Government, and liable to be called upon by 
 Linares, chief of the tame Indians. The remaining toldos 
 were those belonging to the Indians under Antonio and 
 Patricio, who were composed of mixed Tehuelches and 
 Pampas. The two encampments were situated about half a 
 mile apart, separated by a winding stream, in some places 
 concealed by most unusually high reeds. The position was 
 entirely surrounded on the eastern, southern, and western 
 sides by high rocky eminences ; but to the north the valley 
 apparently continued for some miles ; its breadth was about 
 three miles, and everyvvhere in the vicinity of the stream, 
 which in some places had overflowed its banks and formed a 
 marsh, the most luxuriant pasture was growing. 
 
 On returning to Patricio's toldo, I formally asked for the 
 necessary horses to prosecute our journey, but was refused on 
 the grounds of his having none to spare ; so we determined, 
 as our horses showed symptoms of fatigue and one was lame, 
 to give them one day's rest before proceeding. We passed 
 * Quircjuincbo.
 
 288 AT UOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 the following day with our friends, and I made acquaintance 
 with the petty chief Champayo, for whom I wrote a letter 
 requesting a ration which was due to him. He was very 
 civil, and presented an Indian to me named Luiz Aguirre. 
 This man had been brought up in Patagones, whence he had 
 received his names, his parents, I believe, having been 
 killed. He was a very intelligent man, and had formerly 
 been in the troop of Linares, but had left disgusted with the 
 quarrelling and generally mutinous state of those Indians, 
 and taken to the Pampa, where he could live a free and 
 happy life with his wife — at least so he affirmed. 
 
 After we had taken various mates together, Champayo, on 
 my mentioning the cause of our not proceeding that day, 
 said, ' Your people shall not want for horses. I will supply 
 them, and send Luiz Aguirre in with you, and you can give 
 him the answer about my ration.' I afterwards visited, at 
 his own request, the cacique Antonio, for whom I also wTote 
 a letter requesting that his ration should be sent to him at 
 the Guardia of Sauce Blanco, as, owing to having lost his 
 troop of horses in a storm, he could scarcely reach the Upper 
 Guardia. This was true, as at the first toldos we had visited 
 in the neighbouring valley in Trinita we had been informed 
 of Antonio's loss, which was most probably a gain to oui- 
 well-dressed bandit friend ; but he had some enemies on the 
 road to Patagones, which was the real reason of his not going 
 as far as the Upper Guardia. 
 
 After dinner, having asked me all about our proceedings, 
 he commenced to give me advice as to what I should do on 
 arriving at Patagones. He assured me that I should get 
 employment readily, but especially cautioned me against 
 di'ink, as the commandante disliked drunkards, and would 
 not encourage them ! 
 
 At a late hour I retired to Patricio's toldo, and coiled up 
 in one corner. The next morning we were getting our 
 horses ready for a start, when a boy galloped into camp with 
 the news that people were coming in from Patagones.
 
 GEYLUM TO PATAOONES. 289 
 
 Everybody at once mounted and went to escort in the new 
 arrivals, who proved to be Teneforo himself and two of his 
 followers. They had brought a hundred head of horses and 
 cattle as far as Valchita, two days' journey from Trinita, 
 and had left them there, bringing on with them only some 
 liquor and yerba, which were at once unloaded. After I 
 had been presented to the newly-arrived chief, who hailed 
 me as a brother, and honoured me by a place among the 
 four caciques, who, pannikins in hand, walked round the 
 lances in due performance of the ceremony of blessing the 
 liquor, already described, the drinking commenced. 
 
 When the people arrived the sun had just risen, and by 
 ten o'clock, most of the liquor, which consisted of some gin 
 and caua, or white rum, had disappeared. Many of the 
 Indians were intoxicated, but all after a merry, good- 
 tempered fashion, which it had never been my luck to see 
 before. After imbibing freely enough with my numerous 
 friends — who, if it had been left to them, would have made 
 me as drunk as themselves — I mounted my horse, and after 
 a bathe amongst the tall reeds on the borders of the stream, 
 returned to the toldo, where I found the aged Patricio 
 singing to himself in a very maudlin state. By sundown all 
 were sober again, and Patricio imparted to me that he 
 intended himself to proceed with us, as well as some other 
 friends, his wife, and two or three other women, but that we 
 were to travel by the lower route, which, though longer, was 
 easier and safer than the shorter and upper road, where the 
 thorns grew higher and thicker : the latter is usually selected 
 in summer, when water is scarce, of which at this season 
 there was no danger. 
 
 The following morning, bidding adieu to Antonio, Cham- 
 payo, and Jackechan — whose ration I had promised to pro- 
 cure — we started, eleven men and four women, taking plenty 
 of horses, besides a troop of mares for an Indian called 
 Hernandez, settled near the Guardia Chica, the mares being 
 intended for the purpose of treading out his crop of corn. 
 
 19
 
 290 AT HOME WITH TEE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 We were soon out of sight of the encampment at Trinita, and 
 proceeding at either a gallop or a trot through an undulating 
 country, in which incense, algarroba, and other shrubs 
 abounded, arrived near sunset at a stream, on the north side 
 of which we encamped, amongst some thick bushes. A little 
 distance to the west lay a large salina, from which, several 
 miles across, the place takes its name, being called Hitchin- 
 kaik, or Salt Hill. The stream flows round one side of the 
 salina, and is, I think, the same that we subsequently crossed 
 near Valchita. This time we travelled in gi-eat style, the 
 women having brought with them stores of horse-meat and 
 yerba. 
 
 After dinner we all sat round the fire and took a mate, 
 and some of an Indian sweetmeat, a yellow paste made from 
 the algarroba bean pounded and mixed with water. Old 
 Patricio, who had turned over a new leaf, and gi'own quite 
 frisky after the drink, said that I was a fortunate man, 
 having a wife with me ; alluding to one of the wives of the 
 cacique El Ingles, who was travelUng with us to rejoin her 
 husband near Patagones. 
 
 The following morning at daylight we again started, and 
 travelUng over much the same description of countiy as on 
 the previous day, arrived about midday at the place where 
 Teneforo had left his cattle. Here we dismounted and 
 refreshed ourselves ofi" the round berries about the size of a 
 turnip -radish, the fruit of a small plant growing by the 
 mai'gin of the water, which had a very pleasant taste. The 
 river here had a fringe of tussocks of pampa gi'ass, under 
 which we reclined and smoked. 
 
 The cattle were grouped about amongst these tussocks, 
 and Golwin, Jackechan's son with the light hair, amused 
 himself by vain attempts to count them. After half an hour's 
 dawdling we proceeded, leaving behind one of Mena's horses 
 which was done up, and, following more or less the line of 
 the river, we ai'rived, about three p.m., at the encampment 
 of Valchita. As it was early in the day, some of the party
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 291 
 
 started to hunt, but returned empty-handed. We filled up 
 the skins and water-bottles, in anticipation of entering the 
 travesia the following day; and, after the usual meal and 
 mate, sought out each his own particular nest in the pampa 
 grass, and went to sleep without fear of the horses straying 
 far, the pasture and water being both of the best quality. 
 As it was in this encampment that, according to Casimii-o, 
 the defunct Mendoza had discovered gold, I prospected care- 
 fully for any signs, but only noticed that parts of the 
 adjoining pampa were strewn, amongst other pebbles, with 
 pieces of quartz. At the usual hour we started to commence 
 the ascent to the travesia, or desert, which rose above us 
 to the north, in a high plateau. On ascending a short 
 distance, we observed on our left hand (to the westward) a 
 salina of several leagues in length, which bordered the edge 
 of the travesia in about an east or west direction. I am 
 inclined to think that the river Valchita loses itself in this 
 saUna. This river is subject to great floods, evidences of 
 which were visible in the drift weeds and rubbish clinging 
 to the bushes and shrubs throughout the valley, evidently 
 left there by the spring inundation. By a gi'adual ascent 
 we at length reached the level of the plateau, and saw before 
 us an interminable dreaiy expanse strewn \di\i small shingle, 
 and covered with shrubs varying from four to twelve feet, or 
 even higher, and here and there small tufts of gi'ass. No 
 signs of Ufe were visible. The sky was bright and clear, 
 although clouds were gathering in the southern horizon, 
 and the wind (it nearly always blows in Patagonia) was 
 cutting. I remarked to Luiz Aguu-re that it would possibly 
 rain ; his reply, ' I hope it will — it will be splendid, then all 
 the lagoons will be full,' told of the danger of drought, but 
 found no assent from me, having had enough of wet weather 
 during the excursion to Las Manzanas. During the ride he 
 told me that he knew the diflerence between the Catholic 
 and Protestant religions, and of the two he preferred the 
 latter ; he also asked me if I had ever been to China, where
 
 292 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 the tea came from, and various other questions evincing a 
 considerable amount of information ; and wound up by pro- 
 posing that I should set up a trading establishment near the 
 Chupat ; Jackechan — who, if any one can claim it, is the 
 real lord of the soil — having volunteered to cede the ground 
 to me. In the event of establishing a store in that neighbour- 
 hood, this astute Indian considered that all the Indian trade 
 would be taken out of the hands of the people of Patagones, 
 who notoriously used false weights, besides charging exorbi- 
 tantly for all articles supplied to the Indians. 
 
 About two P.M., as the rough shingle had already begun 
 to tell on our horses' feet, a halting-place was found near a 
 laguna containing rain-water of the colour of cafe cm lait. 
 The horses were for the present let loose, to pick up the best 
 meal they could off the stunted grass near the borders of the 
 lagoon. Before dark most of them were tethered, and a 
 careful watch kept all night, lest they should return to 
 Valchita in search of pasture and water. After a lengthened 
 conversation by the fireside — in which I was informed that 
 the track we were travelling was called Pigs' Road, from 
 wild pigs, or perhaps peccaries, having been killed near one 
 of the lagoons in the route — we wrapped ourselves in our 
 mantles and sheltered ourselves like hedgehogs under the 
 bushes, from time to time getting up to look round for the 
 horses. Next day we rode over the same interminable 
 desert of stones, and bushes of the following descriptions : 
 chafial or whitethorn ; picayun, furnishing the best fire- 
 wood ; the osier-like switches before described ; black bush, 
 which is useless for burning, owing to the pestiferous smell 
 it emits ; algarroba, incense, wliich are, however, very scarce ; 
 and some others whose names I was unable to procure. The 
 chaiial is the only one that impedes the traveller's progress, 
 as the thorns are large and sharp. In the other road (more 
 to the west), which we had avoided, although the distance is 
 shorter across the travesia, and therefore more used by the 
 Tehuelches. who dread this crossing, especially in summer
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 293 
 
 or for small parties, the chanal grows to the height of ten 
 to fifteen feet, and, like the ' waitabit ' thorns in Albania, 
 renders fast riding impossible. 
 
 This day we were about to start hunting, when a demi- 
 john of rum was discovered in a bush. This put an end to 
 the sport, for, although it was hidden again in another place, 
 enough was taken out to render most of the party talkative, 
 a bottle or two also being reserved for discussion at the 
 camp fire. 
 
 At four P.M. we encamped by the side of a lagoon similar 
 to the previous one, and, our Valchita water being finished, 
 diluted the rum with meal and water about the consistency 
 of Spanish chocolate. I forgot to state that in the excite- 
 ment of the * find ' the horses were not looked after, and on 
 mustering to proceed, one of Nacho's had disappeared, and, 
 although carefully searched for, he was not found again. 
 
 The next day, despite tlie dissipations over night, we 
 were in the saddle at daybreak, and had hardly traversed a 
 league of this wearisome waste when we came suddenly upon 
 seven wild horses. An effort made to surround them failed, 
 owing to the difficult nature of the ground ; but the failure 
 was to me fully made up by the magnificent spectacle of 
 these splendid creatm-es careering in their untamed strength 
 and beauty across the plain. 
 
 We subsequently hunted and killed guauaco and ostrich, 
 and also saw some hares and partridges. At about ten a.ji. 
 our eyes were gladdened by the sight of the sea, and pre- 
 sently the level plain rose into more undulating country, 
 and from the crests of the elevations at times a full view 
 of the inlet called the Laco de San Antonio presented itself. 
 
 Smoke was visible ahead, and we accordingly pushed on,, 
 and made a long and rapid march, the surface being here 
 altogether free from the small stones which had previously 
 caused so much damage to the horses' feet. That night we 
 halted, as usual, by the side of a lagoon, the water of which 
 was not more than two inches deep.
 
 294 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 Patricio during this clay's journey pointed out to me a dry 
 lagoon near which efforts had been made to sink a well for 
 obtaining a permanent supply of water, but, although the 
 shaft was of some depth, none had been reached, and the 
 work had been given up in despair. It is a mystery even 
 to the Indians where the guanacos, wild horses, puma, and 
 other game that exist in this desert, find water, as these 
 lagoons, depending entirely on the rainfall for a supply of 
 water, must inevitably, in this country where little rain falls, 
 be dry for many months in the year. No doubt springs 
 exist in hitherto undiscovered places. 
 
 Before leaving the travesia, a few remarks, which cannot 
 claim to be called a description, may be interesting. 
 
 This desert consists of a plateau about three hundred feet 
 above the level of the valley of the Rio Negro, stretching to 
 the southward more than thirty leagues to Valchita. Of 
 its extent westward I have no precise information ; but it 
 narrows considerably in the interior, forming an ii-regular 
 triangle, with its base on the coast, and its apex near the 
 junction of the Rio Limay and the northern streams. 
 
 The soil is either clay or sand and gravel, "svith small 
 stones strewn thickly over the surface ; while the only vege- 
 tation met with consists of the bushes akeady mentioned, 
 and scanty tufts of coarse grass. 
 
 It is much dreaded by travellers, and, after traversing it, 
 I can well believe the stories current of people having 
 perished on the passage ; the track once lost would be very 
 difficult to regain ; while the want of water in the summer, 
 and the danger of horses strapng and leaving the traveller 
 helpless, are both probable risks. With all our watchfulness, 
 two horses strayed away and were lost. In the winter there 
 is no fear of want of water ; but the fatigue of travelling is at 
 all times great, and the horses are almost worn out by the 
 time that the desert is passed. It serves, therefore, as a 
 barrier, protecting Patagones from all dangers of attack by 
 the Indians from the south, who in their forays must descend
 
 GEYLUM TO PATAGONES. 295 
 
 the river. A large troop of horses can scarcely find pasture, 
 and after the rapid journey would not be in a condition for 
 their riders to attack with success, if opposed vigorously by 
 people able to defend themselves. 
 
 This district appeared to form a distinct and well-defined 
 limit between the habitats of various animals ; as, for instance, 
 the Rhea Darwinii, or smaller ostrich of Patagonia, and the 
 Rhea Americana. The latter, according to my experience, 
 is never found to the south of it, and I am at a loss to under- 
 stand how Mr. Cunningham could have met with any speci- 
 mens of it, as he seems to imply.* 
 
 The Tehuelches often described the larger Rhea as found 
 north of the travcsia, and as distinct from that hunted iu 
 their country. They also particularly insisted on the fact 
 that the Gama, or deer — abundant in the Rio Negro valley 
 and the country north of it — is never met with south of the 
 travesia. The same remark is true of the Viscacha and the 
 Aguarra (Lupus manatus), though the latter is probably to 
 be met with in the spurs of the Cordillera. 
 
 Patagonia may thus be properly considered as cut off by the 
 Rio Negro and the line of the Cordillera, and possessing its 
 own races and a separate Fauna and Flora. 
 
 It may be added that only one species of armadillo, the 
 Quirquincho (Dasypus minutus, Gay), occurs within these 
 limits. The algarroba and other bushes, though found in 
 and near the borders of the travesia, do not occur south of 
 its immediate vicinity. 
 
 It was a joyful hour for all when, on the fourth day, after 
 galloping from dawn till ten o'clock, we at length came in 
 sight of the valley, still three miles distant, where large 
 willows — which, by the way, arc unknown in Patagonia, save 
 a few at Chupat, probably introduced by the settlers — 
 marked the winding course of the Rio Negro. We halted 
 at the head of an abra, or lateral opening which ran up 
 into the barranca from the main valley, and saw iu the 
 * ' Natural History of the Stnxits of Magellan,' p. 134.
 
 296 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 distance a solitary rancho, the first civilised dwelling beheld 
 since my departure from Santa Cruz. 
 
 After a rest, to enable all to come up, some having lagged 
 behind perforce, their horses being hardly able to limp 
 along, we made our way down the slope, and at length 
 reached the river, in which our thirsty steeds soon drank 
 their fill. 
 
 The rancho, which belonged to Hernandez, for whom the 
 convoy of mares was intended, was then visited. The owner 
 was absent, but his Indian wife did the honours, at least as 
 far as serving us with mate, for no food was produced, 
 though all were dreadfully hungry. I wished to stop and 
 don what an American would call my citizens clothes, 
 thinking that we should immediately proceed to the Guardia 
 I had heard so much of from Luiz Aguirre ; but he told me 
 not to be in a hurry, so in my dirty mantle I remained for 
 the present. 
 
 After half an hour's delay we left the rancho and followed 
 the south bank of the river, which here was a swift stream 
 200 yards wide, passing the farm of Hernandez, where a man 
 was occupied in ploughing, and mares and cattle were grazing. 
 The river here made a bend towards the southern barranca, 
 which so nearly abutted on it as to compel us to ride close 
 along the bank. Small partridges got up frequently, and I 
 made a mental resolution to come and have a day's shooting 
 at a future period in the magnificent willows bordering the 
 river ; blue pigeons were cooing in the trees ; and through an 
 opening we caught a glimpse, on the opposite bank, of a 
 well-built, comfortable-looking estancia in the foreground 
 of a wide extent of rich flat land, with corral, galpones, and 
 the usual surroundings, which Luiz Aguirre informed me 
 belonged to Mr. liincaid. The feeling of having safely 
 emerged from the desert into the settlements put us, though 
 very hungry, into the best of spirits ; and after a cheerful 
 half-hour's ride, passing on our road a tumbledown, unused 
 rancho, we arrived at Sauce Blanco, or ' White Willow ; '
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 297 
 
 there the river, sweeping to the northern side, leaves a wide 
 rincon, or expanse of rich alhivial ground. This is con- 
 sidered as belonging to the Indians, some of whom are always 
 to be found encamped near the rancho, which belonged to 
 the cacique El Ingles, and three toldos were pitched in its 
 vicinity. 
 
 We presented to the chief his wife, whom we had brought 
 with us, and I was warmly welcomed as a relative, the 
 cacique being a nephew of Quintuhual. This chief derives 
 his name from his alleged relationship to some one or other 
 of the officers of Fitzroy's surveying expedition, so that I 
 was doubly welcome in my English and Indian character. 
 Here we camped amongst the pajas, or pampa grass, and, 
 having been presented with a mare and some pumpkins, soon 
 had a good fire blazing and meat and pumpkins cooking ; 
 these latter being dressed by cutting them in halves, taking 
 out the seeds, and filling the interior with hot ashes, and 
 then placing them on the ashes, the result being, at all 
 events as it seemed then to my taste, deUcious. I wished 
 to proceed direct to the Guardia, but as Patricio and the 
 others put it off till the morrow, in my ignorance of the road 
 and usages of the place, I was forced to ' do at Rome as 
 Rome does.' 
 
 A good wash in the river was one of the first things 
 indulged in, and the enjoyment of getting rid of several 
 days' accumulation of the dust and mud of the travesia can 
 be better imagined than described. 
 
 The following morning, before daylight, we all bathed in 
 the river, and, after taking mate ^vith the cacique El Ingles, 
 and a warm by the fireside after sleeping in the frosty night 
 air, we prepared to visit the Guardia. Casting off the Indian 
 mantle, I assumed the usual dress of an Englishman of the 
 period, shooting-coat, &c. ; and having been provided with 
 fresh horses by our friend, half an hour's gallop brought us to 
 the north bank, opposite the Guardia — not, however, without 
 misadventure, for as we made our way along the narrow,
 
 298 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 uneven horse-path, full of ruts, and hemmed in by pampa 
 grass, Luiz Aguirre's horse stumbled and threw him, roUing 
 over him and crushing his revolver into his ribs. 
 
 The mean appearance of the much-talked-of Guardia at 
 once dispelled the ideas of it derived from the imaginative 
 descriptions of the Indians, but some previous experience of 
 Sj)anish frontier tow^ns saved me from disappointment. The 
 settlement consists of a small fort mounted with one gun, 
 a cuartel or barracks, and a few houses, one or two built of 
 brick and the others of adobe, clustering round the fort. 
 Almost, if not quite all, of these are ' pulperias,' or grog- 
 shops and stores, intended for trade with the Indians, for 
 whose transport a launch is kept. The usual object first seen 
 in frontier towns — an unfinished church — is here conspicuous 
 by its absence, no provision for spiritual wants being made 
 in the Guardia. After about half an hour's delay on the 
 bank, a bustle on the other side was observed, caused by 
 getting ready a large launch, which shortly crossed to our 
 side ; and having secured our horses with lazos and maneos, 
 we jumped in, and I was greeted by a non-commissioned 
 ofiicer, who congratulated me on my arrival, stating that the 
 Commandante, Senor Murga, had been expecting me for 
 some months. We crossed over in great pomp, a soldier 
 playing the cornet in the bows of the boat ; and, landing, we 
 proceeded to a store kept by a man named Don Fermin, 
 where we were all ushered into a room behind the shop, and 
 the Indians exposed their skins and plumes for trade. My 
 friend the non-commissioned officer had left me, as I declined 
 to surrender my letters to any one but the Commandante 
 in person, and he was at the time at Patagones, distant 
 eighteen leagues from this Guardia. Meanwhile I watched 
 the trade going on between Don Fermin and the Indians. 
 
 Now and again people came and contemplated us, as if we 
 were some strange sort of wild animals ; but as I was out of 
 the trading, no one bid the stranger welcome, and I formed 
 a bad idea of the politeness of the inhabitants, though per-
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 299 
 
 haps my shaggy hair and dress, not altogether of the neatest, 
 may have been against me. 
 
 The Indians were soon in full enjoyment of some grog and 
 biscuits, which they naturally asked me to share. After a bite 
 and a sup, finding the proceedings slow, I left the room, and 
 shortly after met Mr. Alexander Fraser and Mr. Grenfell, the 
 owners of an estaneia a few miles lower down the river ; and 
 after introducing myself, was most kindly received, and 
 supplied with cash, a civilised medium of which I had not 
 a sou to enable me to gratify the desire of treating my Indian 
 friends to a bottle or two of wine and spirits and a few 
 loaves of bread. 
 
 Mr. Fraser hospitably pressed me to come on to his esta- 
 blishment at once, but being desirous of handing the letters 
 to the Commandante without delay, I returned across the 
 river with the Indians. 
 
 A foretaste of Kio Negro manners was given us at the 
 other side, as one of the horses, saddle, lazo and all, was 
 missing — stolen by some of the civilised inhabitants. The 
 horse belonged to El Ingles, and had been lent to Mefia to 
 go do\vn from the encampment to the Guardia ; the lazo 
 belonged to me. 
 
 At the camp most of the people got more or less drunk, 
 and Nacho received a richly-deserved thrashing for being 
 pugnacious, after which he was lashed down, and left to cool 
 in the frost for an hour. 
 
 In the morning I started for Patagones, accompanied by 
 El Ingles and another Indian ; but as our horses proved to 
 be too tired to proceed into Patagones, we stopped for the 
 night in a toklo at San Xaviel, the head-quarters of Linares 
 and his tame Indians. 
 
 I took up my quarters at the toldo of one Chaloupe, and 
 after supper, being desirous of communicating the political 
 arrangements to the chief, proceeded on horseback behind 
 another horseman, who proved to be a brother of Rouque 
 Pinto, to the chief's residence, a long, low house.
 
 300 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 After a little delay I was ushered into the Sala, Avhere 
 the two wives of the chief were sitting sewing. The usual 
 mate was served, and I waited long in vain for the chief, 
 who was away collecting his followers for an intended pursuit 
 of some of Calficura's Indians, who had recently driven off 
 cattle from the valley. 
 
 At last I bade good-night to my fair hostesses, and sum- 
 moning my companion, who had been taking mate in the 
 kitchen, set out to return. We had scarcely proceeded a 
 hundred yards, when the tramp of approaching horsemen 
 was heard, and my companion enjoined strict silence, for fear 
 of ' accidents,' and reined up our steeds under the shadow 
 of some trees till we heard the people pass. When their 
 voices had died away in the distance, we proceeded, and re- 
 sumed our conversation, in the course of which he informed 
 me that it was unsafe to meet people at night in this vicinity 
 unless when well armed. I rather opened my eyes at this, and 
 moralised considerably on the benefits conferred by civilisa- 
 tion on Indian races. At Chaloupe's toldo I found Antonio 
 Linares, brother of the chief, who had brought with him a 
 bottle of brandy, over a glass of which I told him my busi- 
 ness, which he promised to forward, and after a nightcap he 
 left in search of more boon-companions. This young fellow 
 was very well dressed in cloth ponchos and chiripas, leather 
 boots and clean linen, and wore a revolver in his belt. He 
 playfully informed me that he had been in search of some 
 one he had quarrelled with all the afternoon, and would have 
 shot him if he had found him. 
 
 Mrs. Chaloupe made me up a luxurious bed with ponchos 
 and my own saddle gear, and indeed all the inmates of the 
 toldo showed me the greatest civility. 
 
 At an early hour in the morning I started on my now 
 jaded horse in the hopes of seeing Linares, but on arri\-ing 
 at his house was informed that he had akeady left for 
 Carmen, to have an interview with the Commandante, Senor 
 Murga.
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 301 
 
 Refusing the proffered mate, I hastened on, and speedily 
 overtook him taking a stu-rup-cup at a fi-iend's house. After 
 introducing myself, and joining in a social glass, I was glad 
 to avail myself of his companionship, as our routes lay in the 
 same direction, and transact my business on the road. 
 
 An hom''s ride brought us in sight of Patagones, at which 
 point I diverged from my companion to the chacra or farm 
 of my expected host Don Pablo Piedra Buena, situated on 
 the river bank. Half an hour's ride brought me to the 
 house, but finding no one at home, with the exception of a 
 big bull-dog, I soon started in search, and shortly came on 
 two men occupied in ploughing. After the usual salutations, 
 I inquired for Don Pablo, and was very civilly answered that 
 he was shortly expected at the farm, but that if I went 
 straight to Patagones I should probably meet him on the 
 way. Accordingly, being very desirous of some breakfast, I 
 spurred my horse into a gallop, and rode towards the town. 
 Its aspect, as viewed fi'om a distance, although it appeared 
 rather u'regular, was tolerably imposing ; the fort and build- 
 ings on the northern bank, which are situated on a rise, 
 showing out prominently, whilst on the southern shore the 
 cathedral (unfinished of course) and English mission station 
 were the most noticeable buildings. After making a slight 
 detour through ignorance of the track, I arrived at the 
 immediate vicinity of the southern suburb, which, like 
 all Spanish settlements, new or old, failed to bear a close 
 inspection. 
 
 An extensive mud-hole, which a fall of rain would probably 
 render impassable, bordered the outskirts, which, when 
 reached, were found to be plentifully strewn with offal, heaps 
 of brick, and other debris, making it incumbent carefully to 
 pick one's way along the paths. 
 
 As I had heard that it was possible the Commandanto 
 would come over to the south side to arrange about a race, 
 I visited a pulpcria, indicated as a Hkely place to learn hia 
 whereabouts, where I found Linares and his capitancjo
 
 302 AT UOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 (adjutant) taking a glass of brandy, and was introduced by 
 them to the proprietor, Don Jose Real, who offered his ser- 
 vices, and informed me that Commandante Murga was 
 expected in about half an hour, I accordingly proceeded to 
 the mission station, where, having introduced myself to Dr. 
 Humble, I left my now tired horse in his quinta, and after a 
 short rest, retiu'ned to Jose Real's, and found the Comman- 
 dante Murga, to whom I presented the letter from Casimiro 
 and my own letter of introduction. 
 
 At first sight I was not prepossessed in favour of Senor 
 Murga ; he was about the middle height, dressed in Garibaldi 
 shirt, uniform trousers and boots, and casquette with the 
 lace bands denoting the rank of colonel. He disposed of my 
 business by saying that he would attend to it ' maiiana,' 
 to-morrow, which is the answer to everything in the pro- 
 vinces of La Plata, and evidently dismissing the subject from 
 his mind, resumed an argument with Don Jose about a race- 
 horse. 
 
 This Colonal Murga is addicted to field-sports of every 
 description, is a good rider, in fact a perfect gaucho, and 
 rarely misses a cockfight on Sunday after mass. 
 
 Somewhat disgusted with my reception, I proceeded to the 
 boatman's house with the intention of crossing the river to 
 the north side, and knocking at the door asked in Spanish 
 for Solomon. It was opened by a well-dressed woman, and 
 inside I perceived a broad-shouldered, well-built man at his 
 breakfast. I was about to retire with apologies, when he 
 recognised me for an Englishman, and guessing who I was, 
 immediately dragged me in and seated me at the table, 
 whilst the good wife cut slices of bread and butter and brewed 
 more tea. I was considerably hungry, as the Americans say, 
 and enjoyed the bread and butter and tea as I never enjoyed 
 a meal anywhere else. The kind, honest welcome of this 
 Welsh family will always remain as a pleasant remembrance 
 to me of Patagones. 
 
 Leaving the house with Solomon, we met Don Pablo, who
 
 GEYLUM TO PAT AGONES. 303 
 
 was equally hearty in his welcome, and we proceeded across 
 in his company to the northern shore, where my friend placed 
 his house at my disposal, and I took up my quarters with 
 him ; and after the necessary ablutions, and the reduction of 
 a twelvemonth's growth of hair to a decent length, got into a 
 new suit of clothes which were brought from Senor Aguirre's 
 store, and felt that I was a civilised Cristiano once more. 
 
 That afternoon I was introduced by Don Pablo to several of 
 his relations, who were all most kind and amiable, and their 
 agreeable society dispelled the thoughts which I had enter- 
 tained of returning to the Indians ; instead of which I now 
 determined to send Mena and Nacho out with the answers to 
 the letters and some stores, and wait in Patagones until the 
 arrival of the rest, employing the interval in reconnoitring the 
 place and studying its chances in the future.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE EIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 
 
 Patagones, or Carmen Old Town — The Fort and Buildings — The 
 Southern Town — The English Mission — Elements of the Population 
 — The Negroes — The Con%'icts — Lawless State of Society — The 
 Cemetery — Early History of the Colony — A Successful Stratagem — 
 VUlarino's Ascent of the River— Expedition of Rosas — The Island of 
 Choelechel— La Guardia Chica — Estancia of Messrs. Kincaid — An- 
 cient Indian Graves — Flint Weapons — The Shepherd and Pumas — 
 Estancia San Audr^ — The Indians and the Colonists — Calficura's 
 Raid — Indian Method of Attack — The Tame Indians — View of the 
 Valley — Trade of Patagones — Fertility of the Soil — Rio Negro Wine 
 — The Sportsman — Advice to Emigrants — Inter\'iew with Colonel 
 Murga — The Government Grants to Chiefs — Casimiro again — The 
 Tehuelches in Town— Farewell — The Welsh Utopia — Social Life at 
 Patagones — The Steamer at Last — Aground — The PUot — Pat Sweeny 
 — Adieu to Patagonia. 
 
 AS it did not at the time occm* to me that the rising settle- 
 ments of the Rio Negro could have escaped heing fully 
 described already, I must candidly confess that the duty of 
 keeping a diary was neglected during my stay ; and recollec- 
 tions alone have furnished the materials for what has been 
 peremptorily urged on me as a necessary supplement to my 
 travels — a description of Patagones. This name, which seems 
 intended to designate the future capital of Patagonia, has 
 completely usurped the place of the original title El Carmen, 
 conferred on this settlement in honom" of Nuestra Seuora 
 del Carmen, under whose patronage it was placed. 
 The modern town, situated on a bend of the Rio Negi-o,
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 305 
 
 about eighteen miles from the sea, consists of two parts sepa- 
 rated by the river, here about 450 yards wide : the older and 
 most important on the northern bank, where the authorities 
 and principal people reside, and a new suburb on the southern 
 bank, known as El Merced, which, though of recent growth, 
 threatens to eventually rival the northern portion. The means 
 of communication between the two is supplied by ferry-boats, 
 which are procurable at almost all houi's. 
 
 On the northern beach a wooden pier has been erected, 
 opposite his store, by Senor Aguirre, the gi-and capitalist, 
 banker, and factotum of the place, to allow the steamer to 
 unload with greater faciUty. It is probable that the north- 
 ern side will continue to preserve its importance for some 
 time to come, owing to the want of equal facilities for land- 
 ing goods on the other side, where at low tide an extensive 
 mud-bank is exposed, which has to be passed to reach the 
 shore. 
 
 The position selected for Carmen by the founder com- 
 bined security with easy access to the river. The barranca 
 at this spot advances as it were to meet the river bend, and 
 leaving but a narrow intervening space. A rather steep hill 
 rises to a plateau, which again to the north, or rear of the 
 town, falls by a step to the level of the pampa. The crest is 
 crowned by the fort, and up the declivity climbs the town, 
 laid out with scrupulous adherence to the prescribed pattern, 
 the regularity of its streets and cuadros not being, however, 
 very perceptible to a stranger, owing to the formation of the 
 ground. Next to the fort, the most prominent buildings are 
 the Commandante's house, a pretentious red brick building, 
 and the old church of Nuestra Senora del Carmen, an insig- 
 nificant edifice, both situated a little below the crest of the 
 hill, and under the wings, as it were, of the fort. 
 
 The fort itself, crowning the crest of the hill, or barranca, 
 is of imposing appearance when viewed at a distance, but a 
 closer inspection dispels the illusion, and reveals its utter 
 uselessness for defensive purposes. The walls are in wretched 
 
 20
 
 306 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 repair, and the whole edifice is so decayed that when one of 
 the American gunboats stationed in the Rio de la Plata 
 visited the place some four years ago, and duly saluted the 
 Argentine colours, the reverberation of the discharge of her 
 big gun shook down a portion of the wall fronting the river ! 
 The armament consists of a few field-pieces of small calibre 
 mounted en harhctte, and of very little use, as a single well- 
 directed shell would demolish the whole structure ; but if 
 advantage were taken of the position for the construction of 
 a substantial battery mounted with modem artillery, the 
 approaches to the town from all sides could be thoroughly 
 commanded and easily defended. 
 
 The Plaza or square lies immediately behind the fort, 
 which forms one side, and some comfortable houses are 
 situated in it, several of which, however, were only in course 
 of construction. The condition of the streets is very bad, 
 especially those descending the hill to the river-bank ; in 
 some places the pedestrian sinks ankle-deep in sand, and in 
 others stumbles over rugged masses of sandstone. The 
 pleasantest part of the town is the street running from the 
 pier and store inland round the base of the hill : here a con- 
 siderable track of lowland, stretching from the rear of the 
 houses on the eastern side to the river, is laid out in gardens, 
 or quintas, full of all kinds of fruit trees, backed by a row 
 of tall poplars fringing the waterside. 
 
 One of these houses was the hospitable abode of my 
 esteemed friend Don Pablo Piedra Buena. It was a long 
 low house, built of sun-dried bricks and whitewashed. We 
 occupied one end, consisting of three rooms, the next part 
 being occupied by Don Ramirez, captain of the steam trans- 
 port Choelechel (at anchor within hail, olf the Quinta), and 
 his wife. ' The remainder was tenanted by Don Domingo, an 
 ItaHan, as a restaurant and hotel. Besides Don Domingo's 
 hostelry, the town boasted another hotel, the property of 
 Senor Aguirre, situated close to bis store and pier, a fine 
 well-built stone house, the only one of that material I ob-
 
 THE mo NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. ' 307 
 
 served in Patagones, almost all the other edifices being of 
 brick, except in the Negro quarter of the town, where they 
 were simple adobe houses. Whatever theu' material, many 
 of the buildings in all parts of the town were, like the fort, 
 in a most tumbledown condition, and a freer use of white- 
 wash would, if the inhabitants only knew it, cover a multitude 
 of sins, both against external decency and internal cleanli- 
 ness. 
 
 On the southern shore a considerable track of lowland ex- 
 tends from the river, and is liable to be overflowed at high 
 spring tides. This is devoted to the cultivation of wheat, 
 ditches being cut to afibrd imperfect drainage ; across these 
 flats, a causeway — the construction of Avhich is chiefly due to 
 the exertions of my friend the Welsh boatman Solomon — 
 leads to the new tovra of El Merced, built on the higher 
 ground, beyond the reach of floods. This, too, is laid out 
 on the universal plan, and judging from the piles of bricks 
 and the numerous sites marked out for future houses, is 
 rapidly growing in size and importance. The roads, how- 
 ever, were at the time of my visit as execrable as on the 
 north side, and the outskirts were offensive with offal and 
 rubbish, while the pantano or mud-hole seemed to present 
 an impassable barrier to friend or foe. The most noticeable 
 buildings were — first, the new Church of Scfiora del Merced, 
 in the Plaza, which, -with its two towers, quite threw into 
 the shade its elder rival del Carmen, on the northern side ; 
 and next the English Mission Station, a considerable build- 
 ing occupying two sides of a square, one wing containing 
 the room used as a chapel, whilst the other constituted the 
 residence and dispensary of the missionary. Rev. Dr. Humble. 
 This gentleman, whose hospitality I frequently enjoyed, com- 
 bined in his own person the functions of doctor and clergy- 
 man. As regards the mission, the converts did not appear 
 to be numerous ; indeed an Indian girl, who acted as servant 
 and nurse, seemed to be the only specimen. The whole 
 establishment was scrupulously neat and clean, and aflbrded
 
 308 AT HOME WITH THE PATAOONIANS. 
 
 au agreeable contrast to the surrounding buildings. In front 
 a considerable track of ground extended to the river bank, 
 part of which constituted a pleasant garden, or quinta, the 
 remainder being used for grazing the horses of the establish- 
 ment, whilst a ditch cut at the lower end afforded a harbour 
 for the medical missionary's boat. 
 
 Dr. Humble formerly had a school for children, but it was 
 given up, I believe, on account of the opposition raised by 
 the Padre. The church was generally pretty full on Sun- 
 days, when the British flag is hoisted to denote the hour of 
 prayer ; and as half the service was conducted in Spanish, a 
 good sprinkling of the native inhabitants was generally pre- 
 sent — some perhaps with a view to obtain advice from the 
 pastor in his medical capacity, in which his skill and kind- 
 ness made him deservedly popular. 
 
 According to Sir Woodbine Parish, the population of Pata- 
 gones in 1832 amounted to no more than 800 : although no 
 statistical means of accurate information were at my dis- 
 posal, I should be inclined to estimate the present number 
 of inhabitants at not less than 2,000, and they may exceed 
 that number. 
 
 They are divided into four very distinctlj'-defined classes : 
 — 1st, The descendants of the original and early Spanish 
 settlers ; 2ndly, The more recently foreign immigrants ; 
 Srdly, The negroes ; and 4thly, The convicts sent hither 
 from the Argentine Republic. The descendants of the ori- 
 ginal settlers, who for some unknown reason are styled by 
 their townsmen ' Malagatos,' both in name and character 
 manifest their unmixed descent from the sturdy- Gallegos, 
 or settlers from GaHcia. Closely united by intermarriage, 
 they form, as it were, one family, almost every member of 
 which is either a Crespo or a Real. Although hitherto 
 jealously exclusive as regards any admixtm-e of their ' sangre 
 azul ' by alliance with the foreigners — except perhaps 
 Englishmen — the men are remarkable for theii" hospitable 
 kindness and courtesy, whilst the ladies would vie with
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 300 
 
 those of any part of Old Spain or the Argentine provinces in 
 grace of manners or beauty. One noticeable feature of their 
 character was that both men and women manifested a far 
 more punctilious respect for religion than I had ever observed 
 in other CathoHc countries. Every one made it a point of 
 being present at mass whenever it was celebratecl. I was 
 among the guests when Don Benito Ci'espo was entertaining 
 a party at dinner, given to celebrate his daughter's birthday, 
 which happened to fall during the period of the novena in 
 honour of Santa Rosa, and when the bell sounded for vespers 
 ever^'body rose from table and hurried off to the church. 
 
 The second part of the population — the foreigners — pre- 
 sent a motley group of people of all nations, but the majority 
 are Italians and Basque Spaniards. There are a few French, 
 English, Welsh, Swiss, and Germans. 
 
 The negroes are the descendants of an importation of 
 slaves, introduced when the slave trade was legal, by the 
 Governor, a Frenchman named Viba, Casimiro's patron, who 
 appears to have entertained an idea of employing them to 
 cultivate the public lands. They all live together in one 
 quarter of the town — excepting, of course, those who go out 
 as servants — and keep up many old traditions and customs. 
 They are called by the Gauchos * Blaudequis,' which may be 
 a corruption of Mandingo, and are a fine hard-working race, 
 whose industrious habits and general character differ widely 
 from the debased type of the negroes in the Brazils. Their 
 exact numbers I am ignorant of, but was informed that they 
 were once very much more numerous, their rapid decrease 
 being caused by their being drawn as soldiers, and the 
 ravages of the universal scourge of smallpox. 
 
 Lastly comes the convict element. Carmen at an early 
 period of its history, was made a ' presidio,' or frontier penal 
 settlement, in this respect resembling Punta Arenas ; but the 
 strict discipline of the Chilian colony is altogether wanting 
 in Patagones. There is a constant importation to the latter 
 place of deserters from the army, robbers, and felons of
 
 810 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 every description, sent down from Buenos Ayres. These 
 men are, on their arrival, either enlisted as soldiers, or 
 turned loose on society, and allowed to work where and how 
 they please, or otherwise obtain a livelihood. They cannot, 
 it is true, escape, as there is no chance of getting away by 
 sea, and the almost certain danger of death or captivity 
 amongst the Pampa Indians is a sufficient safeguard against 
 their betaking themselves to the interior ; but beyond this 
 there is no restraint exercised. Horse-stealing is, in the 
 event of any animal being left unwatched, a moral certainty, 
 and robberies of all kinds are frequent, and go almost un- 
 punished ; while murder, in the rare cases in which the 
 criminals are detected, simply involves being sent back to 
 Buenos Ayres for a trial, which results in a sentence of 
 transportation back to the Rio Negi'o. One man named 
 Ruiz was painted out as having been four times back- 
 ward and forward to and from Buenos Ayres for murdex's 
 2ommitted : this man openly boasted that whenever he 
 wanted a trip he had to kill a man. Another man, who had 
 robbed the Bishop of Buenos Ayres of a jewelled clock, by 
 presentation of a forged order, filled the position of billiard 
 marker at the hotel, and was looked on as rather a clever 
 fellow. The Commandante's orderly was also a man sent 
 down for homicide. The state of society when these ruffians 
 — every one of whom carries a knife, which is used on the 
 slightest occasion — are allowed thus to remain loose, may be 
 better imagined than described. 
 
 My friend Don Pablo was attacked one evening close to 
 his house, but fortunately escaped unhurt. Mui'der is of 
 weekly occurrence, and it is necessary for every one to carry 
 some weapon of self-defence, while few people think of leav- 
 ing the town without a revolver. 
 
 In the utter absence of legal protection, a project was 
 mooted among some of the foreigners to establish a vigilance 
 committee on the simple principle of mutual protection and 
 agreement to avenge any injury to one of the society. As
 
 TUE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 311 
 
 Sir Lucius consoled his friend by the remark that there is 
 ' snug lying in the abbey,' the unprotected inhabitants of 
 Patagones can pride themselves on their possessing an ex- 
 cellent new •cemeter)'', situated to the north, about half a 
 mile outside the town, which is surrounded by a brick wall, 
 with iron gates, and kept in a neat and orderly condition. A 
 little east of it, nearer the town, lies the old cemetery, 
 the neglected state of which, when I visited it, offered a 
 melancholy contrast : the mud wall was breached in many 
 places ; coffins appeared protruding from the sand, and in 
 some cases were actually uncovered ; skulls and bones lay 
 exposed to view ; and, as a climax, a cat jumped out of one 
 coffin in which she had taken up her abode. I was extremely 
 surprised at such want of respect being shown by the resi- 
 dents to the bones of their departed ancestors, and remarked 
 on it to my companion, who shrugged his shoulders and 
 muttered something which sounded like the inevitable 
 ' Manana.' 
 
 The most interesting relics of the first founders of the 
 colony are a number of caves, or dwellings, excavated in the 
 sandstone clifl', four miles below the town ; they contain 
 three or four chambers, leading into each other, and from 
 eight to ten feet square. In one I remarked a sort of trough, 
 hollowed out in the sandstone, which more resembled a 
 manger than anything else. Tradition narrates that these 
 were used as dwellings by the first settlers, or perhaps as 
 hiding-places for themselves, or for their cattle, in times of 
 war with the Indians. 
 
 Under the Spanish dominion the colony made but slow 
 progress, notwithstanding the abandonment of all other 
 attempted settlements on the Patagonian coast, which left 
 the entire advantages to be derived from the valuable whale 
 and seal fisheries in the hands of the people of Cai'men ; 
 their inertness allowed this mine of wealth to remain ut- 
 worked, and it fell into the hands of English and American 
 fishermen, who worked them till a recent period. The
 
 312 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 Argentine Government has asserted its claim, and granted 
 a lease of the fisheries to Don Luiz Buena, with authority 
 to warn off all intruders ; but the fisheries do not, I fear, 
 produce the profit deserved by his energy. The Carmen 
 settlers alternately traded with, and were plundered by, the 
 Indians, preferring the profits of this doubtful commerce 
 to the dangerous, though profitable, sealing and whaling. 
 That the Indians' hostihty had something to do with the 
 concentration of the Spanish forces at the Rio Negro appears 
 from a fact which has been studiously omitted from the 
 Spanish records. The Indians preserve an accurate tradition 
 to the efi"ect that the first colonists at Port Desire aroused 
 the anger of the natives, who made a successful attack ; the 
 colonists retreated into the church, where every soul perished 
 at the hands of the natives. The buildings and fruit-trees 
 still existing are the only monuments of the destruction of 
 this colony. 
 
 From the time that the South American colonies asserted 
 their independence, Patagones shared in the consequent 
 increase of population and development of trade, as already 
 pointed out. Since Sir W. Parish wrote, the population has 
 largely increased and the value of property risen ; and although 
 the ' old inhabitants ' complained to me of the want of progress, 
 the growing demand and price given for land and houses at 
 that time, compared with former years, proved the contrary. 
 One item of its history must not be omitted. Dm-ing the war 
 between the Brazilians and the Ai-gentine Confederation, the 
 inhabitants of Patagones distinguished themselves by defeat- 
 ing and captm-ing a Brazilian expedition sent to endeavour 
 to reduce the place. The story was told me as follows. A 
 strong force of the Brazilians landed near the sea-coast, and 
 marched overland towards Carmen, halting about a league 
 north of the town. The garrison, numbering about fifty 
 regulars and some volunteers, sallied out, equipped with a 
 large assortment of coloured ponchos. Taking up a position 
 behind a hill which concealed them from the enemy, who
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 313 
 
 were ignorant of their real strength, the cunning men of 
 Carmen then displayed themselves as if for a reconnaissance, 
 and retreated, but only to change their ponchos and reappear 
 as a fresh detachment ; the enemy was thus led by these 
 repeated feints and transformations to considerably multiply 
 the real numbers of the Argentine troops, and hesitate to 
 attack so seemingly large a force. After nightfall the 
 herbage in the neighbourhood of the bivouac of the invading 
 army was set on fire. Bewildered by the smoke, the 
 Brazilians retreated, but were encountered by other fires 
 in their rear, and, seeing themselves apparently surrounded 
 and opposed by superior numbers, their leader capitulated. 
 The story is substantiated by the existence of the wreck of a 
 Brazilian man-of-war, still visible in the river. 
 
 The fertile valley of the Kio Negro must needs be de- 
 scribed in order to convey a proper idea of the resources of 
 Patagones as a colony. By far the greater extent of this 
 valley is as uncultivated as when it was first explored by 
 Don Basilio Villarino, who, under the orders of Yiedma, 
 ascended the river in order to ascertain its source, and whose 
 diarj' is extant in the collection of De Angelis, a valuable 
 abstract of it having been given by Sir W. Parish, though 
 sufficiently long ago in our rapid age to be almost forgotten. 
 He ascended with launches first as far as the Island of 
 Choelechel, seventy leagues from Carmen, which he recom- 
 mended should be fortified as an advance post against the 
 Indians ; thence, after incredible difficulties, he succeeded in 
 reaching the foot of the Cordillera, always keeping on good 
 terms with the natives. Here he met with the Araucanians 
 (termed by me Manzaneros), and was in great hopes of 
 reaching Valdivia through their aid, as they showed them- 
 selves friendly disposed ; when, unfortunately, the Indians 
 fell out amongst themselves, one of the chiefs being killed in 
 the mcJi'c. The chief who caused this man's death came 
 with his people to the Spaniards to implore their assistance, 
 which was promised. This led to the whole of the remaining
 
 314 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 Indians forming a league and declaring war against the 
 Spaniards, whose name up to the present they detest. Being 
 obliged to abandon his intention of reaching Valdivia, 
 Vallarino reluctantly determined to return, and accordingly 
 after being supplied by his allies with a store of apples and 
 pinones, descended the river and returned to Carmen. 
 
 From the description of this jom-ney, together with the 
 mention of the supplies of apples and pinones obtained at 
 the farthest point reached, I am inclined to assume that this 
 point was near, if not identical with, the place where we 
 passed the Limay on our journey to Las Manzanas, a mile 
 or t\yo below the rapids where Mr. Cox was wi'ecked. 
 
 Villarino states that he entered in his small boat a channel 
 where the river flowed over rounded stones to the S.W. 
 Now the point where Mr. Cox's boat was lost was a rapid to 
 all appearance impassable for a boat : however, it is possible 
 that Vallarino employed Indians on horseback to track his 
 boat, and that the state of the river was more favourable for 
 navigation at the period of his visit. 
 
 The mention of the friendly Indians who accompanied him 
 on his return and settled under the protection of the 
 Spaniards, suggests the idea that these may have been the 
 ancestors of Los Mansos or the Tame Indians, at present in 
 the service of the Government. Casimu-o had a legend about 
 Indians friendly to the first Spanish settlers, who were sub- 
 sequently ill-treated by them, and I beUeve revolted. Luiz 
 Agukre also asserted that his father was one of the original 
 chiefs of the Rio Negi'o, who for a long time was friendly to 
 the Spaniards, but at length, a revolt taking place, was im- 
 prisoned and kept in Carmen as a hostage, where he died. 
 In the year 1832, when Eosas, for the protection of the 
 southern frontier, made his gi-eat attack on the Indians, and 
 driving them back to the neighbourhood of the Cordillera, 
 forced them to submit to his terms, he established a military 
 post at Choelechel, as advised by Villarino. His scheme 
 was, I believe, to extend from this point a chain of forts as
 
 THE RIO XEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 315 
 
 far as Mendoza, thus keeping the Salinas Indians quite inside 
 the chain, and driving the Araucanos up to their native 
 valleys of the Cordillera. 
 
 This plan was never carried out, and the post, to which the 
 name Isla de Rosas had been given, was abandoned. Kosas 
 was, notwithstanding his having beaten the Indians back, 
 very popular amongst them, and on his overthrow a relation 
 of his, Don Pedro Rosas, took refuge in the Salinas with 
 his artillery and battalion. Orkeke and several friends of 
 mine often inquu-ed after Rosas, saying that * he was a good 
 man,' &c. 
 
 The next expedition up the river occurred only a year 
 previous to my arrival in the Rio Negro, when the steamer 
 Choelechel ascended as far as the island, accompanied by 
 a laud force under the Commandante Murga. Indians 
 were found occupying the island, and a European was 
 reported as resident among them, and as exercising the 
 authority of chief. Although he refused to hold any com- 
 munication with the Argentine commander, it is most pro- 
 bable that this was the famous Frenchman Aurelie I., who 
 was said to have obtained a supply of arms landed in the 
 Rio Negro, and brought up to this island. The expedition 
 did not think fit to disturb the Indians, and returned with 
 little to show as the result of their journey. 
 
 It was in contemplation to despatch another expedition, 
 but I have as yet hoard no news of its progress from my 
 Patagones correspondents, and it is probably postponed till 
 * Mauana.' 
 
 The large island of Choelechel, which I know only by 
 description, never having visited it, appears to be not only 
 an important station in a military point of view, but also 
 admirably adapted for cultivation ; there are, however, some 
 reasons against its occupation for that purpose : the first is 
 the undoubted hostility of the Indians to any enterprise 
 tending to occupy what they consider their country ; 
 secondlv, its distance from Carmen or Patagones as a base
 
 31 G AT HOME WITH the patagonians. 
 
 of supply for bringing up implements and importing pro- 
 duce, supposing the first difficulties overcome. A railroad 
 or tramway might I am sure be constructed at little cost to 
 run down the whole valley of the river, or steam launches 
 of good power, fitted to burn wood, would furnish an 
 effectual means of communication. The present Govern- 
 ment steamer Choelechel both draws too much water and 
 is of too small power to render material assistance in the way 
 of opening up the river. The Capitano Major Ramirez 
 pointed out these defects to his Government previous to her 
 being brought to the Rio Negro, but his opinion was over- 
 ruled. 
 
 Foyel and a cacique named Limaron, who claims terri- 
 torial rights over the island, had a scheme for cultivating 
 Choelechel and other advantageous spots, importing for the 
 purpose Valdivian settlers used to the labour from the other 
 side of the Cordillera, and obtaining their supplies and im- 
 plements from Carmen. 
 
 The present further limit of settlement in the valley is the 
 advanced military post called La Guardia Chica, situated 
 about seven leagues above the second Guardia, and about 
 twenty-five leagues from Carmen. It has not, I believe, 
 been in existence many years, and was two years ago the 
 scene of an eweute amongst the garrison, which was graphi- 
 cally described to me at our watchfire in Las Manzanas by 
 Rouque Pinto, who had evidently assisted, if not as an actor, 
 at least as a spectator at the scene. The troops, who were 
 mostly foreigners, according to his account, suddenly rose, 
 shot or stabbed the officer in command, and then their 
 lieutenant, who was killed whilst endeavouring to escape by 
 swimming the river. The mutineers then sacked the place, 
 getting of course intoxicated on the contents of the grog- 
 shops, and remained in possession for a day or two, when 
 a party headed by a man named Bonifaccio, a Government 
 agent for treating with the Indians, rode in and took the 
 ringleaders, who were, I believe, summarily shot. I tell the
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 317 
 
 story as it was told to me, and can only vouch for the truth 
 of the fact that the officers were killed in a mutiny, which 
 was afterwards suppressed by the determination and courage 
 of Bonifaccio. 
 
 Woodcutters frequently come up the river thus far to pro- 
 cure the red willow timber. Their plan is simple : they ride 
 up bringing their axes, ropes, and provisions, and when 
 arrived at the scene of their labours turn their horses adi-ift, 
 which readily find their way home. The men form their 
 timber into a raft, and voyage on it safely down the river. 
 This, although hard work, is a profitable occupation for men 
 skilled with the axe. Perhaps at some future period their 
 operations will be extended farther west, and rafts of Arau- 
 canian pine, apple, and other trees will be floated down from 
 the forests of the Cordillera. 
 
 From the Guardia Chica or Little Guardia, still keeping 
 on the north side, a wide flat plain extends to the Guardia 
 described in the previous chapter ; in this several farms are 
 situated, most of them wheat-raising establishments. Nearly 
 all this laud is leased by Seiior Aguirre from the Govern- 
 ment, and he has at present a large number of men engaged 
 in cutting a channel or ditch for the pui-pose of irrigating 
 an extensive tract of land. The men employed in this work 
 are nearly all of them natives of Santiago del Estero, and 
 it is needless to state that it is a most expensive under- 
 taking : it is only to be hoped that Seiior Aguirre will find 
 his labour and expense repaid by fruitful crops, 
 
 A few farms are rented by Welsh settlers, refugees from 
 the Chupat, who wisely have preferred the valley of the Rio 
 Negro to that luckless settlement. 
 
 A little above the Guardia is situated the estancia of 
 Messrs. Kincaid, of which we caught a glimpse on our first 
 arrival at civilisation. I had the pleasure of staying some 
 days at this farm, Avhere a good deal of laud had been 
 brought under cultivation, and flocks of sheep might be seen 
 grazing on the rich plain.
 
 318 AT JIOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 The estancia, from its situation in what is termed a rincon 
 or corner, namely, a peninsula nearly surrounded by a bend 
 of the river, possessed great advantages, and as it is one of 
 the most convenient places for passing cattle to the south 
 side, the owner, who keeps a boat on the river, was enabled 
 to do a profitable business with the Indians when they 
 received their rations, by assisting them in ferrying their 
 animals across. 
 
 The overseer, under Mr. Kincaid, was a Scotch shepherd, 
 whose gudewife superintended the menage; the house was 
 a substantial edifice, built mainly by Messrs. Kincaid, the 
 beams being taken from willow trees felled in the rincon. 
 Up to the time of my visit these gentlemen had been working 
 against fortune, neither of the yields of grain in the two 
 previous years of their occupation having been even a good 
 average. 
 
 Close to this estancia a number of ancient Indian burial- 
 grounds exist, where, besides skulls and bones, numerous 
 flint arrowheads maybe found, some of which, in my posses- 
 sion, have been exhibited to the learned members of the 
 Anthropological Institute, and found to px'esent the peculiar 
 Indian type. Besides flint arrowheads, pestles and mor- 
 tars, fashioned out of a porous stone, are also to be found. 
 These articles probably belonged to an old race of Indians 
 who inhabited the Rio Negro previous to the advent of 
 Spaniards and horses, and the pestles and mortars were 
 probably used for pounding the algarroba bean into a paste 
 like that at present manufactured by Pampa Indians under 
 Teueforo ; indeed, Luiz Aguirre gave me to understand that 
 these Pampas were of an original stock formerly inhabiting 
 the valley of the Rio Negro, but I leave these conjectures to 
 the consideration of ethnologists more skilled than myself. 
 Near these ancient graves I renewed my acquaintance with 
 the old familiar vizcacha of the plains of Buenos A^'res, 
 which I have previously pointed out does not exist in 
 Patagonia proper, viz., to the south of the Rio Negro. Two
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 319 
 
 other species of armadillo besides the quirquincho were 
 described as being found in their neighbourhood, but I was 
 not fortunate enough to meet with either description, as 
 they were at this season hybernating. Puma have been 
 killed in the neighbourhood of one of the sheep stations. 
 The shepherd heard two outside the corral on one occasion, 
 and giving chase the puma ascended a small tree. The 
 shepherd was only lightly attired, but he stripped off his 
 shirt and fastened it to a stick planted by the tree, which 
 unknown white object so terrified the 'leones'that they 
 remained quiet while he fetched his gun and shot them both. 
 
 The skin of an aguarra killed on the premises was also 
 shown to me, but I had not the good fortune to see one 
 alive. The rarity of the animal causes the skins to be highly 
 valued, being worth .€5 each in Carmen. 
 
 From the second Guardia a short gallop past the advanced 
 barrancas, near which the river flows in another bend, 
 brings the traveller to another wide plain, which to the 
 north runs up into an abra deeply recessed in the receding 
 barranca : in this there are several farms ; one of which, 
 six miles below the Guardia, belonging to Messrs. Fraser 
 and Grenfell, is named the Estancia San Andre, and is also 
 situated {i.e., the house and parts intended for wheat grow- 
 ing) inside a rincon or corner partitioned off by a good 
 whitethorn or chafial fence, resting at each end in the river. 
 The sheep and cattle graze during the day outside, but the 
 latter and the horses are invariably brought within the 
 enclosure at night for fear of theft. This foresight of 
 enclosing the cattle had saved Mr. Fraser a considerable 
 loss. A short time previous to my visit, a party of marauding 
 Indians rode along outside the fence, and finding nothing 
 but sheep, which travel too slowly to be securely lifted, 
 proceeded to the next estancia, and drove ofl' the cattle and 
 horses, after stripping the shepherd of his clothes, but doing 
 him no bodily injury. 
 
 When the news reached Mr. Fraser, he got some men
 
 320 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIAXS. 
 
 together and started in hot pursuit ; although a stern chase is 
 a long one, the cattle grew tired, and the Indians, probably 
 some of Calficura's people, abandoned them, escaping with 
 the horses only. 
 
 I passed several days at the Estancia San Andi-e, spending 
 the greater part of my time in reading, first the papers, and 
 then all the available books, and now and then sauntering 
 about with a gun to shoot partridges or pigeons, whilst my 
 companions were busy, each with his team of oxen ploughing 
 in the seed, or carting bricks doT^Ti. to the new house in 
 course of completion. 
 
 The house we occupied was of adobe, and getting rather 
 into a tumbledown condition ; but the new house was a sub- 
 stantial brick building, the bricks bui-nt by the future occu- 
 piers, and the walls run up by some Italian masons. This new 
 house was situated on the extremity of the rincon, or corner, 
 or where its apex touched the river : in front of it was a small 
 island, rapidly undergoing conversion from its original reed- 
 covered state to a fertile garden, in which a good crop of 
 potatoes had already been grown and fruit trees were being 
 planted. 
 
 The old house was to be given up to the Capataz, or head- 
 man, who then resided with his wife in a portion of it. This 
 man was a native, named Medado ; and I have since heard 
 that, when pursuing the Indians who had invaded some 
 stations near Bahia San Bias, he swam the river unaccom- 
 panied, and rescued two captives, for which he was made an 
 officer of National Guards. His chief business consisted in 
 looking after the cattle and horses, and training the race- 
 horse, of which Mr. Fraser was justly proud. 
 
 During my stay the San Andre crack was entered against 
 a horse of Linares' over a short coui'se, and won easily, 
 lauding stakes of about eighty head of cattle. 
 
 I noticed, whilst at San Andi-e, a very beautiful descrip- 
 tion of small hawk, which appeared closely allied to our 
 merlin, and shot one specimen.
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 321 
 
 The San Andre people, like those at Rincon Barrancas, 
 had been struggling against ill- fortune for two seasons ; the 
 last season their harvest was a fair one, but unfortunately 
 they delayed thrashing- out for a long time, waiting for a 
 thrashing machine from England, which, when it did arrive, 
 would not work properly, and made it necessary for them 
 ultimately to resort to the native fashion of treading out 
 with mares ; bad weather ensued, and a considerable portion 
 of the grain was spoiled : such are the woes of Rio Negro 
 farmers, especially improving ones. During my visit the 
 daily routine of tilling, marking cattle, bringing up the 
 horses, &c., was carried on ; but we found time to visit the 
 next estancia, OAvned by a Swiss gentleman residing in 
 Buenos Ayres, and managed in his absence by a Swiss 
 countrjTnan, known by the name of Don Juan. Here, as 
 sheep at the present time hardly paid the cost of shearing, 
 an experiment was being made of curing mutton-hams for 
 exportation to Buenos Ayres, and a large number had been 
 aheady cured and were ready for shipment ; but the result of 
 the experiment is unknown to me, and the ingenious Don 
 Juan has since died. 
 
 During my stay at San Andre and Rincon Barrancas I 
 picked up a good deal of information regarding the relations 
 of the Indians with the colonists, which perhaps may not 
 be uninteresting to the reader. All the settlements and 
 guardias previously described are situated on the north bank 
 of the river, the south side being almost entirely, as far as 
 this point, in the hands of the Tame and other Indians. 
 The Indian parties who are most feared are the Araucanos, 
 under the chief Rouque, and the Pampas of Calficura, who 
 has his head-quarters at the Salinas near Bahia Blanca, while 
 the former ranges from the neighbourhood of Choclechel to 
 the Cordillera. I should be inclined to think that Rouque is 
 a subordinate chief under Cheoeque, though I am not certain 
 of the fact, as the latter chief, during my visit to Las Manzanas, 
 mentioned Rouque as being with his people in the apple and 
 
 21
 
 322 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 pine groves, gathering the autumn harvest ; but I subse- 
 quently met some of these Indians at the Guardia waiting 
 for Rouque's ration, and recognised one as having been pre- 
 sent at our council and subsequent festivities in La Man- 
 zanas. The Government agent for Indian affairs, Boni- 
 faccio, showed me a magnificent pair of stirrups sent from 
 Buenos Ayres as a present to Rouque, the policy of the 
 authorities being to keep him and Cheoeque from joining 
 Calficura in the threatened raid on the frontier. The reason 
 assigned for the declaration of war by this latter chief was 
 the death — by which he probably meant the imprisonment — 
 of one of his inferior caciques ; but the real reason probably 
 was that the Ai'gentine Government, on account of robberies 
 committed by some of his people, had refused to renew his 
 ration' of animals. The outbreak in Entre Bios, resulting 
 from the death of Urquiza, was then unforeseen, and it was 
 intended to have despatched a large force, under the com- 
 mand of Senor Mitre, to reinforce the whole frontier, and if 
 necessary crush Calficura ; but the troubles caused by Lopez 
 Jordan necessitated the despatch of all available forces at 
 once to Entre Bios, and the meditated scheme of rendering 
 the frontier secui-e was postponed. Calficura subsequently 
 took advantage of this by attacking the fi-ontier in various 
 places, carrying off captives women and children, besides 
 numerous herds of cattle, winding up by attacking and de- 
 vastating the neAv settlements in the neighbourhood of Bahia 
 Blanca, his Indians penetrating boldly, almost without re- 
 sistance, into the very heart of the town, and retm-ning with 
 abundance of booty. Patagones was not attacked, which 
 may pai'tially be due to the arrangements effected in Las 
 Manzanas, the unwillingness of the Tehuelches to join, and 
 the gaining over of Bouque. The latter chief, however, 
 most probably played a double game, and whilst receiving 
 rations and gifts with one hand, allowed his people to join 
 the raids and received plunder with the other. 
 
 One reason for the Indians not committing great raids on
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 323 
 
 the Rio Negro settlements is simply that cattle and horses 
 hardly exist in sufficient numbers to reward a foray oh a large 
 scale. Small parties sometimes come in, as in the case 
 described, when the horses were taken from the ' China 
 Muerte,' the estancia of Mr. Fraser's neighbour ; but these 
 are rather robberies than hostile invasions — indeed no im- 
 portant raids have occurred since the time of Lenquetron, 
 who united all the Indians for the purpose, and swept the 
 valley in a raid which, it may be remembered, was described 
 to me by Gravino, a participator in it, at Inacayal's toldos, 
 near the Pass of the Rio Limay. The settlers were naturally 
 anxious to know my opinion as to the probable safety of the 
 Rio Negro, and I assured them that, from what I knew, 
 there was little chance of a raid, but that, on the contrary, 
 Bahia Blanca was sure to be attacked, and I especially 
 warned one of our countrymen who was on his way to 
 Bahia Blanca not to hazard himself by settling outside the 
 town at the present juncture. Englishmen are apt to suppose 
 that because they possess good weapons, rifles and revolvers, 
 and are able and ready to use them, they can resist an 
 Indian attack ; but the whole system of theii- warfare consists 
 in sudden surprises. They secretly collect their forces, and 
 waiting at a safe distance during the night, come in at the 
 early dawn ; and perhaps the unsuspicious settler, going to 
 the corral or looking for his horses, observes in the distance 
 what appears to be a troop of horses, driven, according to 
 custom, by one or two mounted men ; these approach un- 
 challenged, but in a second every horse displays an armed 
 rider, shouting his war-cry. They then spread out, as if to 
 encircle the game, thus presenting no front to the rifles of 
 their opponents, and dash down lance in hand ; and Avhilst 
 some secure the animals, others set fire to the dwellings and 
 cai-ry off the women — if there are any — captives. In some 
 cases they kill the men, but generally onlj' when much 
 resistance is offered. 
 
 Although their chief object in warfare is to carry off cattle
 
 324 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 and captives, the Indians will at all times fight desperately, 
 regardless of odds, and show little or no fear of death ; and 
 the survivors will never leave their wounded or killed on the 
 field. The Indians in the service of the Government, mus- 
 tering about fifty lances, and residing chiefly on the south 
 side, are commanded by a man named Linares, previously 
 mentioned as living at San Xaviel ; he receives the pay and 
 rations of an officer in the army, of what rank I do not 
 know, and all his men regularly receive pay and rations. 
 These are supposed to act as gendarmerie ; but although 
 Linares and his four brothers are probably to be depended 
 on, I doubt very much if the rank and file could be trusted 
 to remain true to their colours in the event of a united raid 
 taking place, such as that organised by Lenquetrou. 
 
 They have all acquired, by their lengthened residence in 
 the neighbourhood of bad characters, a rowdy, swaggering 
 disposition not generally, according to my experience, com- 
 mon amongst uncivilised Indians ; and frequent losses of 
 cattle occur to people settled on the south side, no doubt 
 attributable to these dubious allies and defenders. 
 
 Between San Andre and Carmen the winding course of 
 the river twice approaches and recedes from the barranca, 
 forming two successive wide alluvial plains, partly settled 
 and partly in natural pasture, in one of which a mill turned 
 by water-power was at this time in course of erection, the 
 existing corn-mills being cumbrous, old-fashioned affairs 
 worked by horses. 
 
 The barranca then abuts on the river, except in one place, 
 where there is a farm and wharf used for loading salt, 
 forming a cliff close to the river bank as far as Carmen. 
 Above this farm and wharf an old fort, appai-ently un- 
 tenanted, and armed with one gun, is situated ; and away to 
 the north-east, in an indentation in the plain, lies a large 
 salina from which the salt is extracted. 
 
 From the immediate neighbourhood of this fort a fine 
 view of the valley below presented itself : right in front, or
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 325 
 
 nearly due south, on the other side of the river, lay San 
 Xaviel, partially shrouded by trees ; scattered farms occurred 
 to the west of this, and along the bank as far as the south 
 side of the town. In the river several delightful-looking 
 cultivated islands were to be seen, the most noticeable form- 
 ing the vineyard of Don Benito Crespo. Beyond the town, 
 to the south-east, the eye ranged over unbroken plains, with 
 dots here a,nd there marking sheep stations or small farms. 
 Of the south side little has been said : near the town there 
 are many small estancias ; but a great drawback, I am told, 
 to settling there is the fact that no secure titles to the pro- 
 perties are procurable, and therefore there is no security of 
 occupation in the event of acquiring a piece of land. An 
 important establishment must not be overlooked, namely, 
 the saladero of Senor Aguirre, situated about a league below 
 the town of Carmen, whence a considerable amount of hides 
 and tallow is exported to England, During my stay a 
 North-German or Dutch barque was lying off the place 
 loading a cargo. Besides these commodities, the exports of 
 Carmen include salt, wheat, ostrich feathers, and peltries 
 obtained from the Indians, and some few ponchos and saddle- 
 cloths ; while the imports may be placed under the head of 
 sundi'ies or notions, from imitation ponchos and cheap finery 
 to Paraguay tea and bad spirits. 
 
 Although to my eyes, so long accustomed to treeless wastes, 
 rocky spur-like mountains, and ^\'ild grassy valleys, the valley 
 of the Rio Negro appeared almost a garden of Eden, no 
 doubt to any new arrival from England it would not have 
 the same aspect. The valley through which the river winds 
 is destitute of any trees, beside the fringe of tall willows 
 which belt the stream, extending (except perhaps in Sauce 
 Blanco) nowhere more than a couple of hundred yards from 
 the bank. The plains stretching on cither bank to the 
 chanal and scrub-covered deserts in many places were so 
 closely eaten down by sheep and cattle as to present the 
 minimum of vegetation, at least in the winter season.
 
 326 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 However bare and unpromising the land may seem, such 
 is the fertihty of the soil that wheat may be grown, crop 
 after crop, and year after year, on the same land. Potatoes 
 attain a very large size, and are of excellent quality, but 
 these are chiefly grown in the islands of the river. 
 
 The Government have lately issued orders that all islands 
 belong inalienably to the State, and all present occupiers are 
 obliged to pay a small head rent to the authorities, which 
 seems to point at future occupation of Choelechel. 
 
 Besides potatoes, all other European vegetables and fruit- 
 trees grow well ; tobacco seems to thrive, and vines promise 
 to furnish a staple of export in the shape of Rio Negro wine. 
 In one of the islands, occupied by Don Benito Crespo, and 
 leased by him on shares to some Spaniards from the neigh- 
 bourhood of Cadiz, a great number of vines have been planted 
 and large quantities of grapes pressed out yearly. The wine, 
 which is called ' Chacoli,' has the muscatel flavour and 
 bouquet of Moselle, and is a thin pure wine, excellent to 
 drink in the warm weather, as it is by itself not at all strong 
 or heady. I should imagine that it would not bear exporta- 
 tion, but Don Benito has hopes that his Andalusians will 
 shortly be able to produce a superior quality. Besides wine, 
 I tasted at the table of this hospitable gentleman some 
 brandy, the produce of the same grape ; it was of course 
 colourless, of good taste, but any number of degi-ees over 
 proof. 
 
 A sportsman can alwaj'S find amusement either in shooting 
 ducks, partridges, geese, and other wild fowl, or mounting 
 his horse and chasing ostriches or deer in the abras or open- 
 ings running far up like inlets of grass between the scrub- 
 covered promontories of the barranca. Fish may be caught 
 in the river, chiefly, I believe, the delicious pejerey,* or large 
 smelt, and those perch-like fish described as existing in the 
 rivers of Patagonia. 
 
 For guanaco, the pampas near San Bias must be visited, 
 * Atherinichthys Argentmensis. Cunnmgham, p. 54.
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 327 
 
 but the valley and the lagoons formed by backwaters of the 
 river furnish abundance of black-necked swans, upland 
 geese, red-headed ducks, widgeon, teal, flamingoes, and 
 roseate spoonbills. 
 
 It will be evident that to any active and enterprising 
 young men, prepared to rough it a little, and possessed of a 
 small sum of ready money, who wish to invest in land and 
 cultivate, there is much to be said for and against the Rio 
 Negro as a home. The land may be had at a reasonable 
 price, and little clearing is required. Implements may be 
 brought from Buenos Ayres, either in a saihng ship or by 
 the steamer which is supposed to run monthly, though rather 
 uncertain in its movements. The climate is pleasant and 
 healthy, and one good season of harvest would almost repay 
 the outlay on a moderate establishment. 
 
 As to the drawbacks to be placed on the contra side, the 
 river is subject at times to floods, at other times droughts 
 prevail, and, unless artificial u-rigation be resorted to, 
 crops -will fail, besides which occasionally a million of 
 locusts will save the farmer the trouble of reaping his 
 harvest; the cattle, of which most people keep enough to 
 supply milk and meat for home consumption, may be run 
 ofl' by Indians ; and last, but not least, the settler may lose 
 his life by the hand of some felon. But no colony oflers a 
 certainty of making a rapid fortune. 
 
 The great mistake most English settlers make is going 
 out to a place with the idea they arc going to make a 
 ' pile " in a year or two, and then return to Europe. 
 
 In my opinion the settler should go with the intention of 
 making the place he has chosen his home : then if successful 
 he can return, but he should not look forward to it. The 
 Basque population are looked upon in the Argentine pro- 
 vinces as the best immigrants, as they generally stay in the 
 country. The Italians, on the contrary, grub away fur some 
 years, starving and pinching, until they have amassed a small 
 sum of money suflicient to enable them to live at ease in
 
 328 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 Italy, while English and all others are looked upon as people 
 to be fleeced if possible. Sheep-farming in the Rio Negro is, 
 I think, to be avoided, as in other places in the Argentine 
 provinces. Senor Aguirre told me that he had lost a large 
 sum of money in this investment, and many of my country- 
 men from the Rio de la Plata can sympathise with him. 
 
 Two sturdy Scotchmen are at present trying the experiment 
 near Carmen, and as sheep were at a low price when they 
 commenced, they may succeed. 
 
 It is a question in my mind whether larch or araucaria 
 pines would not thrive along the flats bordering the river; 
 perhaps the climate is too dry for the latter, but the experi- 
 ment is almost worth trying for any one possessed of means 
 and inclination to take up his abode for a term of years in 
 the Rio Negro. For my own part, were I a settler, I should 
 be induced to confine my eflbrts to the cultivation of the 
 vine, and perhaps tobacco, keeping of course the necessary 
 stock of animals for home consumption. 
 
 It must be clearly understood that I am not recommending 
 or interested in the Rio Negro as a place to which intending 
 emigi-ants should direct their thoughts ; it undoubtedly pos- 
 sesses great natural advantages, which are, as yet, insuffi- 
 ciently developed by most of the colonists. Their estancias, 
 with the exception of those of my Scotch and English friends, 
 are generally small, miserable -looking tenements, with olfal 
 scattered round the ill-kept corral ; and their agriculture is as 
 indifferent as the neglected appearance of the houses would 
 suggest. But for all that, there is not a really poor man — 
 except in consequence of his own laziness or drunken habits 
 — in Carmen and its vicinity, and labour is in great demand 
 at high wages, while living is cheap, which experience, since 
 my return, has taught me to be a painful contrast to the state 
 of our own population at home. 
 
 I was recalled from Rincon Barrancas and my speculations 
 on the Rio Negro as a field for emigrants by the distant view 
 of Indians, espied from the lookout on the top of my host's
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 329 
 
 house, as they descended from the travesia, and hastened back 
 to the town to receive them, according to promise. It will 
 be remembered that on my arrival as chasqui I presented to 
 Senor Murga my despatches, in which Casimiro detailed his 
 arrangements for the protection of Patagones. A Hst of the 
 chiefs to whom rations or gifts of cattle, horses, &c., were due, 
 was also enclosed, and a request that a hundred mares should 
 be sent out at once with the returning messengers. After 
 some days' delay 1 was sent for by Senor Murga, who, it 
 may be here remarked, is reputed to thoroughly understand 
 the Indians, and to display considerable address in managing 
 them. It was amusing to observe the natural suspicion and 
 perplexity aroused in the mind of the Commandante concern- 
 ing my position among the Indians ; and my reply to his 
 question as to what rank and influence I possessed among 
 them, and how I was interested for them — that I was simply 
 a guest and friend — did not seem at all sulHcient to explain 
 matters. But he discussed the question of the chiefs and their 
 requests, and assured me that all the chiefs who should be 
 found to be entitled to rations should duly receive them : he, 
 however, absolutely refused to send out any mares, declaring 
 that Casimiro should receive all his dues when he arrived. 
 
 As the grand cacique had for several years not drawn his 
 annual allowance, amounting to 200 cows, 100 mares, 500 
 sheep, and a quantity of clotbes and yerba, it can be well 
 imagined that with fair play and prudence he would, on this 
 visit, become a wealthy as well as powerful cacique, as a 
 reward for his labours. At his previous visit he had left a 
 quantity of cattle and sheep, under charge of some of the Tame 
 Indians, to increase and multiply ; but alas ! on his arrival, 
 in reply to his inquiries, only one small flock of sheep was 
 forthcoming, the rest, instead of multiplying, having been 
 gambled away by their guardians. The liberality of tlio 
 Argentines and the largeness of the gifts may appear sur- 
 prising ; and indeed the nominal value, as charged to the 
 Government for these annual gifts to the Indians, is very
 
 330 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 great. I saw myself 1,000 head of cattle pass on their way 
 to Rouque, and Cheoeque was expecting 1,200. The cattle 
 were brought down from the Tandil by purveyors, whose 
 business must be as lucrative as that of the American army 
 contractors ; for the Indians are sometimes when sober, or 
 offcener when intoxicated, induced to part with their newly- 
 acquired possessions for a mere trifle, and the cattle, revert- 
 ing to the dealer's hands, thus do duty over again as a ration 
 perhaps to the same cacique. Thus the Indians benefit but 
 little, while the Government pays a large amount, and the 
 purveyors and other agents grow rich, Indians and Govern- 
 ment being esteemed apparently as lawful and natural pigeons, 
 to be plucked by any safe means. 
 
 The Commandante's reply had been duly forwarded to 
 Casimiro, together with some liquor and presents for my 
 friends; and the morning follomng my return from the 
 country I was awoke early by a knock at the door, and on 
 opening it found five or six Tehuelches who had made their 
 way over the river to my quarters. After giving them a mate, 
 we all proceeded to the store, and I gave one or two some 
 small presents. Among these first arrivals was my friend 
 Jackechan, the cacique from the Chupat, who confided to me 
 that he had been very drunk the night before. The Tehuelches 
 had not, however, waited till they reached the settlements 
 for an opportunity of abandoning themselves to the pernicious 
 enjoyment of 'lum.' It soon came out that their delay at 
 Valchita had been necessitated by a prolonged debauch on 
 liquor procured from the Guardia. Casimii'O had of course 
 set the example, and the drink had, as usual, also led to 
 quarrelling, which resulted in a general fight ; several had been 
 killed, including Cayuke, so often mentioned as a staunch 
 friend ; and I was greatly grieved at being unable to get any 
 accurate tidings of my Herculean comrade the good-natured 
 Waki, who had, beyond doubt, been killed at the same time. 
 
 Such common occurrences were little regarded by my 
 visitors, all of whom were caciquillos, and whom I presently
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEAfEXTS. 331 
 
 dismissed rejoicing, with a promise to visit them on the south 
 side in the evening. But my troubles had only just com- 
 menced. All day long Tehuelches kept arriving, and not 
 knowing what to do with themselves, followed me about 
 wherever I went, much to the amusement of some of my 
 acquaintances. 
 
 In the evening I crossed to the other side, and remained 
 for the night with my old hosts. All were in a great state 
 of delight, as their rations were to be given them without 
 delay — the yerba, sugar, and spirits from Aguirre's stores, 
 and the cattle and mares from the Guardia in front of Sauce 
 Blanco. Old Orkeke, who had not expected to receive 
 rations, had been allowed, in consequence of my urging his 
 claims, the same as other minor chiefs, and was consequently 
 in high delight. 
 
 They were, on the other hand, very dissatisfied at the ex- 
 tremely low prices which their feathers and peltries had 
 realised, and abused the dealers very roundly as a lot of 
 rogues. False weights and other tricks of trade had been 
 freely employed to cheat the Indians ; and the storekeepers 
 also charged exorbitantly for necessaries supplied to them. 
 Their custom is to bivouac in the yards or corrals at the 
 back of the stores, where they light fires and cook as in their 
 own country, and pay in the end as dearly for their accommo- 
 dation as if in a West End hotel. I delighted the heart of 
 Mrs. Orkeke by presenting her with a long-promised iron pot 
 and a shawl ; and to Hinchel's son I gave a promised pack of 
 cards, and to the children raisins, sweets, or bread. 
 
 Jackechan's wife and daughter, who had always showed 
 me great kindness, I took into the store, and told them to 
 choose whatever they fancied most ; whereupon they both, 
 without hesitation, selected two small bottles of scent to put 
 on their hair. I must remark, en pass(U>t, that all this family 
 were exceptionally clean in their habits and persons, and I 
 promised, if I returned to Patagonia, to travel in their toldo, 
 as I had then some idea of journeying by the sea-coast to
 
 332 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 the Chupat, and perhaps to Santa Cruz. Jackechan's son — 
 the boy with light hair and complexion — volunteered to 
 come to England with me, and I consented to take him ; but 
 on hearing that there were no ostriches or guanaco where we 
 were going, he thought better of it. 
 
 Some of Quintuhual's and Foyel's people also arrived, but 
 behaved themselves in a very different manner to the Tehuel- 
 ches. Their women and children had all been left in Gey- 
 lum, and the men walked about in a very independent 
 manner, with a proud, superior bearing, not condescending to 
 admire anything, or to ask for any presents. One of them, 
 on the boatman requesting his fare for bringing him across 
 the river, refused flatly, and then drew his revolver to 
 enforce his denial. 
 
 Last, but not least, as became so great a personage, 
 Casimiro arrived, attended by Mena, who acted as secretary. 
 His costume had sufi'ered considerably from his late pursuits, 
 and his appearance was by no means improved by a gash in his 
 face received from a Manzanero in a brawl at Sauce Blanco. 
 He installed himself in the hotel, hired the fifes and drums 
 of the garrison to play whilst he was at breakfast, and for 
 two days kept open house for all comers, ending the day in 
 an advanced state of intoxication. 
 
 At the end of this debauch a bill was handed to him which, 
 I should think, took the value of nearly half his rations. This 
 sobered him, and he, taking my advice, left the hotel, and 
 crossing the river proceeded to Sauce Blanco to look after 
 his rations and Indians. On the whole, the Indians behaved 
 very well whilst in the settlement. I saw, of course, some 
 drunkenness, but not nearly so much as I had expected. One 
 and all parted from me with most cordial farewells, and 
 pressed me to return to the Pampa, as they call it, as soon 
 as possible. Jackechan was one of the last to leave. He, as 
 well as one or two of the others, had found an old acquaint- 
 ance in Mr. Humphreys, formerly of the Chupat colony, but 
 now settled in Patagones as carpenter. We all met in Mr.
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. 333 
 
 Humphreys's house one Sunday after church, and had a 
 long talk relative to this Chupat settlement, and to the answer 
 received to my letter brought by Jackechan's chasqui. The 
 statement in it that the settlers had no stores of any sort, 
 and that of the Indian messenger that they were almost 
 destitute of clothing, have been fully corroborated by the 
 despatches of Commander Dennistoun, H.M.S. Cracker, pub- 
 lished whilst these pages were being written. Mr. Ham- 
 phreys considered himself and the few companions who had 
 accompanied him to the Rio Negro fortunate in having left 
 when they did ; and all agi-eed that the colonists would do 
 better if transferred to the Rio Negro, where those who were 
 skilled in trades would be able to live in comparative ease, 
 and the mere labourers find plenty of work, and be able at 
 any rate to maintain themselves. I cannot but record my 
 astonishment that Mr. Lewis Jones — who, although I am 
 not personally acquainted with him, must, from the report 
 given me by the Indians, be a man of no ordinary under- 
 standing — should endeavour to maintain the colony in a 
 place which had formerly been tried by others and aban- 
 doned as hopeless, the distance of the harbour — thirty miles 
 off — alone being a certain obstacle to its prosperity. 
 
 The visionary scheme of a Welsh Utopia, in pursuit of 
 which these unfortunate emigrants settled themselves, ought 
 not to be encouraged, likely as it is to end in the starvation 
 of the victims to it. Had it not been for the charity of the 
 Argentine Government, this must have been their fate ere 
 now. Jackechan described to me that he had seen the set- 
 tlers ' eating grass,' and had taught some of them how to 
 hunt, and furnished them with bolas. The Blue Rook just 
 published confirms the truth of this statement, and perhaps 
 renders it needless for me to go more into the subject ; but I 
 must add that, though at that time friendly and well-dis- 
 posed, this chief considered the settlers as intruders on his 
 territory, and avowed his intention of demanding payment at 
 a future time — a refusal of rent being in such a case sure to
 
 334 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIA NS. 
 
 be followed by a very summary process of cattle driving and 
 eviction. 
 
 The Rio Negro, with all its drawbacks of Indians, locusts, 
 floods, and droughts, is certainly infinitely, superior to the 
 Chupat. If the Welsh wish to live as a separate community, 
 I am sure that Seiior Aguirre will only be too happy to let 
 them settle on his tract of land between the Upper and 
 Second Guardia, where already some of theii- countrymen — 
 Messrs. Williams and Owen — have taken land. 
 
 After the Indians had left, I gave myself over to the enjoy- 
 ments of social life in Patagones, which did not prove suffi- 
 cient to reconcile me to the delay consequent on the non- 
 arrival of the steamer. My days were spent in walking 
 about, playing billiards, and taking mate ; and a visit in the 
 evening to Don Domingo's, where a party were in the habit 
 of meeting to play ' truco' for sweetmeats. Sometimes we 
 varied this by calling on some of the fair senoritas, or spend- 
 ing the evening at the house of Mr. Davis, the engineer of 
 the Choelechel, in the company of his amiable seiiora. All the 
 young ladies agreed that Patagones was very triste, espe- 
 cially those who had been to Buenos Ayres, and had enjoyed 
 the delights of the opera and bands of music in the Plaza. 
 
 On Sundays, after mass and service in the mission station, 
 attended by all the English, a race would sometimes take 
 place, or, in default, there would be sure to be a cock-fight 
 held on the south side ; at either of which Commandante 
 Murga invariably attended. There was also a fives court, 
 where some Basques or natives were generally to be found 
 playing. Once or twice I accompanied Dr. Humble — not, 
 however, on Sunday — in a pull on the river. Every day we 
 looked out anxiously for the steamer, which had been so 
 long overdue as to make it appear probable that she had met 
 with an accident. Tired of the delay, I had just negotiated 
 my passage in a Dutch schooner laden with grain for 
 Buenos Ayres, when one evening the steamer arrived, having 
 been delayed in Bahia Blanca.
 
 THE RIO NEGRO SETTLEMENTS. \VSo 
 
 In the morning I was agreeably surprised by the size of 
 the steamer, formerly the Montauk, of Boston, but re- 
 christened the Patagones, and owned by Messrs. Aguirre 
 and Mui-ga. She was very well fitted up as regards accom- 
 modation, but all the decks, cabins, and every part of her 
 presented a very dirty appearance. 
 
 After two days' stay she hoisted the blue peter, and, 
 having taken my passage, together with Messrs. Fraser 
 and Kincaid, who were going] to Buenos Ayres on^ business, 
 and Mr. Gibb, who was on his return to Europe, repaired uu 
 board, where we found a considerable number of passengers 
 assembled ; the distinguished billiard-marker who had annexed 
 the clock amongst the number. About four p.m. we weighed, 
 and, bidding adieu to Patagones, started down the river with 
 the ebb tide, intending to anchor for the night in the Boca, 
 and cross the long line of sandbank, which forms a danger- 
 ous bar, with the morning tide. We steamed along smoothly 
 enough until just well within sight of the ships lying in the 
 Boca, Avheu a sudden concussion announced that she was 
 ashore on a sandbank, where she had stuck hard and fast. 
 We thought little of this misadventure, expecting to be off at 
 high tide, and some of us went on shore and picnicked on 
 the flats bordering the river. We returned about ten, and 
 about midnight I was awoke up by hearing one of the funnel 
 guys snap, and, going on deck, found that, though the bow 
 of the ship was high out of the water, the stern was in 
 deep water, and the ship severely straining amidships in 
 consequence. A few minutes after the main steam pipe 
 broke : the steam had, however, luckily, been turned off, 
 or the consequences would have been disastrous to those 
 in the after-part of the ship. The ladies were then landed, 
 for fear of accidents, and the remainder of us held a con- 
 sultation as to how we should get to Buenos Ayres, and 
 ultimately went to sleep on it. 
 
 The following morning the Choelechel came down and 
 succeeded in towing the vessel off, and the Dutch captain of
 
 336 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 the schooner came on board and agreed to take me and some 
 others on to Buenos Ayres. We accordingly jumped into a 
 boat, and proceeding down to the Boca, got on board the 
 schooner, hoping to sail the next day; but were again 
 doomed to be disappointed. 
 
 The captain went up to buy provisions, and did not return 
 till late the following evening. Meantime the wind set in 
 foul in the morning, and the line of roaring white breakers 
 on the bar shoAved the impossibiUty of sailing ; so we were 
 compelled to wait, looking out on the dreary sand-dunes 
 which narrowed the entrance to the river on either side. 
 
 Some of us went on shore to visit the pilot station, and 
 had a talk with the pilot, a brave old German or Dutchman. 
 This veteran and his men had successfully defended his 
 station against a large force of Indians in the raid of 
 Lenquetrou. The enemy desired to get possession of a 
 howitzer which is kept in the station, and the Indians 
 rushed actually up to the enclosure, while the men fired on 
 them almost muzzle to their breasts, at last succeeding in 
 beating them off with immense loss. 
 
 The boat's crew consisted of men of all nations. I got 
 into conversation with one, at first in Spanish, then in 
 English. After lending me his pipe, he looked hard at me, 
 and said, 'I knowyou: I am Pat Sweeny, and ran away from 
 the Sheldrake. What ship did you run away from ?' I 
 was not dressed in my best clothes, and looked doubtless 
 weatherbeaten enough ; but I recognised my friend, though 
 he failed to remember me, and was not enlightened as to my 
 identity. Several weary days were spent in drinking 
 schnapps, and ineffectually trying to catch fish, when at last 
 a fair breeze sprang up, which speedily wafted us out of 
 si»ht of the Patagonian shores, and after a boisterous pas- 
 sage of six days the anchor was dropped off Buenos Ayres.
 
 APPENDIX A. 
 
 A partial Vocabtdary of the Tsoncca Language, as spoken by the 
 Northern Tehuelckea. 
 
 English. 
 
 I or mine 
 you or yours 
 his or hers 
 this one or he 
 who 
 here 
 
 there 
 
 Ahunicanka, 
 oh tsoneca. 
 
 ya 
 
 in a 
 
 ti 
 
 win 
 
 hem 
 
 nanik 
 ( mawoori 
 i mawook 
 V luon 
 
 kiuik 
 
 kenoesh 
 
 ket 
 
 where 
 
 when 
 
 what 
 
 how — 
 
 how much or many kinkeiu kerum 
 eok 
 punk 
 wumka 
 
 above 
 below 
 
 immediately 
 to-morrow 
 yesterday 
 day aftir to- 
 morrow 
 quickly 
 
 marso 
 nush 
 nush 
 eouunush 
 
 gemmo 
 
 Exclamations. 
 
 of surprise wati, wati.wati 
 
 of anger worrioo-wdlloo 
 
 curse it noureuk y s^ 
 
 on erring with the wow 
 
 bulas 
 on catching an ani- kow 
 
 mal or in fighting 
 
 English. 
 
 jealous 
 
 foolish 
 
 quick 
 
 good 
 
 pretty 
 
 bad 
 
 ill 
 
 hot 
 
 cold 
 
 big 
 
 little 
 
 light 
 
 heavy 
 
 like 
 
 far 
 
 near 
 
 similar 
 
 tired 
 
 hungry 
 
 difficult 
 
 hard 
 
 soft 
 
 ready 
 
 yes 
 
 no 
 
 man {Indian) 
 
 man {Christian) 
 
 people {Indian) 
 
 woman {married) 
 
 father 
 
 mother 
 
 wife 
 
 Aho.mcanka, 
 orTeoneca. 
 
 ynaien 
 
 chops 
 
 souruo 
 
 ketz 
 
 coquet 
 
 tero.sh 
 
 hammersh 
 
 yporsk 
 
 kckoosh 
 
 chaish 
 
 talenque 
 
 hoppeu 
 
 pogelsh 
 
 uourks 
 
 douns 
 
 ekel 
 wdks 
 
 wot^'sk 
 
 pashlik 
 
 wiekemi 
 
 chornk 
 
 kattii 
 
 kush 
 
 ahou {very guttural) 
 
 kompsh 
 
 ahonican 
 
 hikhish 
 
 tchonik 
 
 karken 
 
 yank 
 
 yanna 
 
 yshcr 
 
 ykall\nn
 
 338 
 
 AT HOME WITH THE PATAilONIANS. 
 
 
 
 Ahonicanka, 
 
 
 Ahoxicanka, 
 
 English. 
 
 
 OR TSONECA. 
 
 English. 
 
 OR T.SONECA. 
 
 brother 
 
 
 yten 
 
 whip 
 
 w'akenem 
 
 sister 
 
 
 ystshen 
 
 belt 
 
 wdti 
 
 children 
 
 
 cofiuetra 
 
 sun {or a day) 
 
 gengenko 
 
 friend ^''companioH gonnow | 
 
 moon {or a month) 
 
 showan 
 
 head 
 
 
 kittar 
 
 stars 
 
 ddskren 
 
 eyes 
 
 
 btl 
 
 a year 
 
 tsor 
 
 pose 
 
 
 tchal 
 
 fire 
 
 yaik 
 
 tongue 
 
 
 tal 
 
 water 
 
 '^I 
 
 lips 
 
 
 chum 
 
 snow- 
 
 g^ 
 
 teeth 
 
 
 oer 
 
 wind 
 
 hoshen 
 
 hands 
 
 
 tsicc'r 
 
 rain 
 
 t^wa 
 
 legs 
 
 
 poa 
 
 smoke 
 
 paan 
 
 feet 
 
 
 shankence 
 
 clouds 
 
 pdwall 
 
 toldo or house 
 
 kou 
 
 night 
 
 queyomen 
 
 poles for ditto 
 
 ho 
 
 wood 
 
 kaki 
 
 liides, ditto 
 
 wummum 
 
 hill 
 
 yorri 
 
 thongs 
 
 
 cowan 
 
 place 
 
 haik 
 
 mantle 
 
 
 kai 
 
 land or country 
 
 yerroen 
 
 fiUet for h 
 
 ail' 
 
 kotchi 
 
 river 
 
 koona 
 
 boots 
 
 
 tsuccre 
 
 road 
 
 nooma 
 
 clothes 
 
 
 kakewit 
 
 poncho 
 
 lecho 
 
 hat 
 
 
 kor 
 
 meat 
 
 yipper 
 kiitch 
 
 bolas {three haUs] 
 
 yatschiko 
 
 stones 
 
 bolas (two 
 
 halls) 
 
 chume 
 
 rocks 
 
 air 
 
 sinews 
 
 
 katz 
 
 grass 
 
 kor 
 
 lazo 
 
 
 laso 
 
 pasture 
 
 oet 
 
 knife 
 
 
 paiken 
 
 broth or tea 
 
 diisleish 
 
 gun 
 
 
 gilwum 
 
 horse 
 
 ^ ewoe 
 
 revolver 
 
 
 gUwinikush 
 
 ( cawall 
 
 powder 
 
 
 tcliampum 
 
 cattle 
 
 choi 
 
 caps 
 
 
 kun 
 
 sheep 
 
 campan 
 
 lance 
 
 
 waike 
 
 large deer 
 
 shoen 
 
 pot {for cookiny 
 
 askem 
 
 guauaco 
 
 rou 
 
 Dottle 
 
 
 oetre 
 
 ostrich {or rhea) 
 
 mikkeoush 
 
 banel 
 
 
 barr 
 
 puma 
 
 gol 
 
 (bodkin) needle, 
 
 or hlUlen 
 
 iox 
 
 paltn 
 
 nail 
 
 
 
 skunk 
 
 %vickster 
 
 bag 
 
 
 hull 
 
 armadnio 
 
 iino 
 
 
 
 j aniwee 
 
 hare 
 
 paahi 
 
 pipe 
 
 
 1 conganoii 
 
 fowls 
 
 peyou 
 
 tobacco 
 
 
 golk 
 
 1 fawn or colt 
 
 kooroo 
 
 saddle 
 
 
 tusk 
 
 ; skins 
 
 wummuo 
 
 bridle 
 
 
 hum 
 
 gold 
 
 winki 
 
 bit 
 
 
 kankion 
 
 eggs 
 
 66m 
 
 stirrups 
 
 
 keshon 
 
 bones 
 
 kotsh 
 
 spurs 
 
 
 wateren 
 
 1 marrow 
 
 tcham 
 
 girth 
 
 
 genig 
 
 grease 
 
 am 
 
 straps foi 
 
 securing kaligi 
 
 a chief 
 
 gounok 
 
 horses' 
 
 legs 
 
 
 fish 
 
 oin
 
 VOCABULARY. 
 
 339 
 
 English, 
 
 Ahonicanka, 
 
 Enuush, 
 
 Ahonicanka, 
 
 
 OB TSONECA. 
 
 
 OR TsOPfECA. 
 
 marriage 
 
 coyenk 
 
 to light 
 
 kaime 
 
 wild potatoes 
 
 appely 
 
 to fill 
 
 meshawr 
 
 sleep 
 
 shensk 
 
 tf) eat 
 
 shehattu 
 
 a file 
 
 kikeriki 
 
 march 
 
 wden 
 
 council 
 
 aix 
 
 to break 
 
 charsk 
 
 ill 
 
 hammersh 
 
 to play 
 
 naj'ensli 
 
 ship 
 
 youlel 
 
 
 
 gum or rosiu 
 
 maki 
 
 COLOU 
 
 RS. 
 
 cards 
 
 bersen 
 
 
 
 sit down 
 
 pespesh 
 korigi 
 
 black 
 
 chorlo 
 
 catch 
 
 wliite 
 
 golwin 
 
 to be tired 
 
 ywotisk 
 
 yellow 
 
 waiekeii 
 
 1 go 
 he goes 
 he has 
 
 yschengri 
 
 wansk 
 
 hell 
 
 green 
 
 red 
 
 blue 
 
 arkum 
 kaopen 
 kalikeii 
 
 .^dve me 
 lend me 
 
 moyout 
 mon 
 
 brown or bay 
 jiiebald 
 
 soorsh 
 hogel 
 
 write 
 
 aakren 
 
 
 
 buy 
 
 amili 
 
 I^UMEKAI.S. 
 
 change 
 
 queuarien 
 
 one 
 
 chuchu 
 
 I am tired 
 
 vvotyskiya 
 
 two 
 
 bouke 
 
 [ am hungry 
 
 pashlik ya 
 
 three 
 
 aiis 
 
 I am sleepy 
 
 yshen.sk 
 
 four 
 
 ctvrge 
 
 to kill 
 
 ymuck 
 
 five 
 
 ktsiu 
 
 to fight 
 
 ywowesk 
 
 six 
 
 winikush 
 
 to sing 
 
 yworrish 
 
 seven 
 
 ouk 
 
 Hike 
 
 yshorske ya 
 
 eight 
 
 winiciirge 
 
 to mount on 
 
 1 amootts 
 
 nine 
 
 humanakoutseu 
 
 horseback 
 
 ' oin 
 
 ten 
 
 kake 
 
 to race 
 
 kattern 
 
 eleven 
 
 chuclie kor 
 
 to send messenger 
 
 >vickeni coeto 
 
 twelve 
 
 houke kor 
 
 to talk 
 
 ayen.sh 
 
 thirteen 
 
 ajis kor 
 
 I understand 
 
 ya omkes 
 
 kor added 
 
 up to twenty 
 
 I do not understand ytonkt.s 
 
 twenty 
 
 wommeuikukikor 
 
 come along 
 
 heroschengs 
 
 thii-ty 
 
 aasenikaki 
 
 to hunt 
 
 aoukem 
 
 forty 
 
 cargeLiki 
 
 to speak 
 
 kinscott 
 
 fifty 
 
 ktsinknki 
 
 to do a thing 
 
 miclieteu 
 
 a hundred 
 
 putack 
 
 make 
 
 milki 
 
 a thousand 
 
 buarauca 
 
 Some Sentknces. 
 Enolish. Ahonicanka, or Tsonkca, 
 
 Thank you Nourenii naki 
 
 Lend me the pijxj Mon aniwee aniwue nioyoiif 
 
 Catch my horse Korigi ya 
 
 Come along, friend HeroBchejig.-* ;ieunow
 
 340 
 
 AT HOME WITH THE PATAGONIANS. 
 
 English. 
 
 Will you come out hunting? (Ztt. 
 
 Come out hunting, tell me.) 
 The people are fighting 
 How many are killed ? 
 Where are you going ? 
 Cook some meat ; I am hungry 
 I understand Indian 
 I like your wife 
 What do you want ? 
 It rains much to-day 
 We are going to see many people 
 We are going to see another 
 
 country 
 Come here quickly 
 What do you buy ? 
 
 Ahcjnicanka, ok Tsoneca. 
 Heros aoukemshaw kinscott ya 
 
 Ywowishk chonik 
 
 Kinkeinkerum ymuck 
 
 Kinek nis chengs 
 
 Herosh yipper wummi pashlik ya 
 
 Omkes Ahonicanka 
 
 Ma yshorsks ysher 
 
 Keterum karn ? 
 
 Chaiske nush que tewa 
 
 Wushkaeye seonk chonik 
 
 Wushkaeye kaiok yerroen 
 
 Gommo heout witka 
 Ket, m amli 
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 Testimony of successive Voyagers to the Stature of the Patagoniajis. 
 
 A.D. 
 
 1520. PvjafMa . 
 
 1578. Drale. 
 
 1591-. Knyvet 
 
 1598. Van jS'oort . 
 
 1(315. Schouten 
 
 1669. Narhorough 
 
 1750. Falkner 
 
 1764. Byron 
 
 1766. Wallis 
 
 1783. Viedma 
 1829. D'Orbiijny . 
 
 1833. Fitzroy and Darivin 
 1867-8. Cunningham 
 
 The least, taller than the tallest men in 
 
 Castile. 
 Not taller than some Enghshmen. 
 Fifteen or sixteen spans high. 
 Natives of tall statuie. 
 Human skeletons 10 or 11 feet long. 
 Mr. Wood was ttvller than any of them. 
 A cacique 7 feet and some inches high. 
 A chief about 7 feet high, and few of the 
 
 others shorter. 
 Measured some of the t;illest : one was 
 
 6 feet 7 inches, several 6 feet 5 inches ; 
 
 the average height was between 5 feet 
 
 10 inches and 6 feet. 
 Generally 6 feet high. 
 Never found any exceeding 5 feet 11 
 
 inches ; average height 5 feet 4 inches. 
 Tallest average of any people ; average 
 
 height 6 feet, some taller and a few 
 
 shorter. 
 Rarely less than 5 feet 11 inches in 
 
 height, and often exceeding 6 feet by 
 
 a few inches. One measured 6 feet 10 
 
 inches.
 
 ^21. 
 
 V 

 
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 s- 
 
 fi^^
 
 
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