1833.] ENCAMPMENT OF GENERAL ROSAS. 67 



origin seldom have a good expression of countenance. I called on 

 the Secretary to show my passport. He began to cross-question me 

 in the most dignified and mysterious manner. By good luck I had 

 a letter of recommendation from the government of Buenos Ayres * 

 to the commandant of Patagones. This was taken to General Rosas, 

 who sent me a very obliging message ; and the Secretary returned 

 all smiles and graciousuess. We took up our residence in the 

 rancho, or hovel, of a curious old Spaniard, who had served with 

 Napoleon in the expedition against Russia. 



We stayed two days at the Colorado; I had little to do, for the 

 .surrounding country was a swamp, which in summer (December), 

 when the snow melts on the Cordillera, is overflowed by the river. 

 My chief amusement was watching the Indian families as they camo 

 to buy little articles at the rancho where wo stayed. It was sup- 

 posed that General Rosas had about six hundred Indian allies. The 

 men were a tall, fine race, yet it was afterwards easy to see in the 

 Fuegian savage the same countenance rendered hideous by cold, 

 want of food, and less civilization. Some authors, in defining the 

 primary races of mankind, have separated these Indians into two 

 classes ; but this is certainly incorrect. Among the young women 

 or chinas, some deserve to be called even beautiful. Their hair was 

 coarse, but bright and black ; and they wore it in two plaits hanging 

 down to the waist. They had a high colour, and eyes that glistened 

 with brilliancy; their legs, feet, and arms were small and elegantly 

 formed ; their ankles, and sometimes their waists, were ornamented 

 by broad bracelets of blue beads. Nothing could be more inter- 

 esting than some of the family groups. A mother with one or two 

 daughters would often come to our rancho, mounted on the sarno 

 horse. They ride like men, but with their knees tucked up much 

 higher. This habit, perhaps, arises from their being accustomed, 

 when travelling, to ride the loaded horses. The duty of the women 

 is to load and unload the horses ; to make the tents for the night ; 

 in short to be, like the wives of all savages, useful slaves. The men 

 fight, hunt, take care of the horses, and make the riding gear. One 

 of their chief indoor occupations is to knock two stones together 

 till they become round, in order to make the bolas. With this 

 important weapon the Indian catches his game, and also his horse, 



* I am bound to express, in the strongest terms, my obligation to the 

 Government of Buenos Ayres for the obliging manner in -which passports 

 to all parts of the country were given me, as naturalist of the Beagle. 



