Homes of the Channel Fuegians, 53 



only once, succeeded in finding a STONE axehead. It was of very 

 primitive shape — being only in part ground — and was found lying 

 among the shells of a very old abandoned kitchen-midden. 



For holding drinking water they use large cylindrical buckets* 

 which are made from the bark of the Drimys wiuteri; the single 

 scroll-shaped piece which forms the cylinder and the disc-shaped 

 bottom being sewn together with rushes. From this same kind 

 of rush plant, which they use so frequently for making temporary 

 hitches, they make three- plaited ropes for mooring the canoes, 

 and also baskets to hold shell fish. The kind of plait used in 

 fashioning their baskets is a simple network, which must, however, 

 be tedious to construct, owing to the necessity for frequently 

 splicing the rushes. 



Their huts' somewhat resemble small haycocks in general shape, 

 but are rather oblong, the floor (which is never excavated, as in 

 the case of some of the southern Fuegians) usually measuring ten 

 by twelve feet ; the height in the centre is six feet, so that one 

 of us could always stand upright when in the middle of the hut. 

 A skeleton framework is made of boughs, whose thicker ends are 

 stuck in the ground, while the terminal twigs are made to inter- 

 lace, and are moreover secured to each other by rush lashings. 

 The required amount of shelter is obtained by placing leafy 

 boughs and dried sealskins over the framework of the hut. A 

 fire is kept burning in the centre ; and when the boat is about 

 to be used, a few burning sticks are transferred to it, and kept 

 alight on a clay flooring amidships. 



I have never seen their appliances for striking a light, but 

 I have no doubt they use iron pyrites, with dried moss or down 

 for tinder, as do the southern Fuegians, from whom I have ob- 

 tained these appliances. These materials for obtaining fire are 

 very judiciously guarded, and are the only articles among the 

 properties of a canoe which are not submitted for barter. The 

 " Pecheray " Fuegians keep their stock of tinder in water-tight 

 pouches, made of the dried intestine of the seal. (?) 



