SOUTHERN CHILI AND ARGENTINA 



573 



their height; the muscular development of the arms and chest being extraordinary, while 

 as a rule they are well proportioned throughout. Captain Musters especially notices the high 

 instep; a feature so developed that a Tehuelche with whom he had arranged to barter a 

 pair of London-made boots was quite unable to get them on. Their powers of walking and 

 of abstaining from food for long periods are remarkable; a party of them on one occasion 

 walking a distance of over forty miles within twelve hours without once touching food. Their 

 features are decidedly pleasing, the eyes being bright, and the nose aquiline and well 

 formed. Very characteristic are the prominent ridges over the eyebrows; above which the 

 forehead is somewhat retreating. When cleaned from paint and dirt, the complexion of 

 the men is reddish brown, and has been compared to the colour of Devon cattle. All hairs 

 on the face sometimes including even the eyebrows are carefully eradicated with tweezers; 

 and the long flowing hair of the scalp, which is confined by a cloth fillet, is carefully 

 dressed. Grey hair is rare, although the occurrence of snow-white locks has been recorded. 

 The hair of the women scarcely equals in length that of their lords, and is plaited into a pair 

 of long tails; these, 

 among the unmarried, 

 being lengthened on 

 festive occasions with 

 horse-hair ornamented 

 with blue beads and 

 terminating in silver 

 pendants. Although 

 not ageing prema- 

 turely, when old the 

 women become really 

 hideous. Unlike the 

 men, they never walk, 

 but perform all their 

 journeys on horseback. 

 " The dress of the 

 men," writes Captain 

 Musters, " consists of a 

 cliiripa, or under- 

 garment, round the 

 loins, made of a poncho, 

 a piece of cloth, or 

 even of a guanaco 

 mantle. . . . All other 

 garments are supplied 

 by the capacious and 

 warm skin - mantle, 

 which, worn with the 

 fur inside and the 

 painted side 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 p/ioto hi/ ])r { , ((ul Hyade ^ flwn lhe .. MMlf>n scieMfirjn <ia cap Bom." 

 a belt of hide, or leather A FUEGIAN MAN. 



