108 WHAT MR. DARWIN SAW. 



ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



and when entangled by the fall, to kill him with his pike 

 (chuzd). If the bolas only catch the neck or body of an 

 animal, they are often carried away and lost. As the mak- 

 ing of the stones round is the labor of two days, the manu- 

 facture of the balls is a very common employment. Several 

 of the men and women had their faces painted red, but I nev- 

 er saw the horizontal bands which are so common among the 

 Fuegians. Their chief pride consists in having everything 

 made of silver. I have seen a cacique with his spurs, stir- 

 rups, handle of his knife, and bridle, made of this metal. 

 The headstall and reins, being of wire, were not thicker than 

 whip-cord ; and to see a fiery steed wheeling about under the 

 command of so light a chain gave to the horsemanship a re- 

 markable character of elegance. 



The chief Indians always have one or two picked horses, 

 which they keep ready for any urgent occasion. When the 

 troops of General Rosas first arrived at Cholechel they found 

 there a tribe of Indians, of whom they killed twenty or thirty. 

 The cacique escaped in a manner which astonished every one. 

 He sprang upon an old white horse, taking with him his lit- 

 tle son. The horse had neither saddle nor bridle. To avoid 

 the shots, the Indian rode in the peculiar manner of his na- 

 tion, namely, with an arm round the horse's neck, and one 

 leg only on its back. Thus hanging on one side, he was seen 

 patting the horse's head, and talking to him. The pursuers 

 made every effort in the chase ; the commandant three times 

 changed his horse; but all in vain. The old Indian father 

 and his son escaped and were free. What a fine picture one 

 can form in one's mind the naked, bronze-like figure of the 



