THE RIVER VALLEYS 



83 



lower edges were gaping slits, through which the sky or the ground 

 was visible. As to the shape of the toidos, if you can imagine a 

 very squat, deep-draught boat, cut off at rather beyond the half of 



jft\:V»-s- 



WATI ! WATI ! (TEHUELCHE EXCLAMATION OF SURPRISE) 



her length, and turned upside down, you will have some idea of 

 their appearance. On the roof, and about the wooden props, 

 pieces of guanaco-nieat had been hung out to dry in the sun. 

 Within, as I have said, upon the skins which strewed the floor the 

 doo"s and o-randmothers of the tribe were mingled. 



It was our first experience of a Tehuelche encampment, and 

 perhaps the most remarkable feature of it was the presence, in one 

 form or another, of the guanaco. Some of his flesh was cooking 

 at a fire outside the tents, the toidos themselves were composed of 

 his pelts, the ponchos which some of the women were weaving 

 were made from his wool, tin- boots were formed of his neck-skin, 

 some of the horse-gear uf his hide, the men's capas of his skin, 

 while dogs, men, and women alike were fattened upon the food he 



