EXPLOEAÏION OF AEGENTINA. 347 



But along the frontiers there still remain almost unknown tracts, either held 

 by hostile Indians, or too difficult and dangerous to traverse. Thus the Chaco 

 region, occupied by the fierce Tobas, still contains some spaces, either untraversed 

 or crossed by itineraries, which have hot yet been harmonised at all points. In 

 the north-western highlands, with their snowy peaks, the network of passes pre- 

 sents doubts, which have not been solved in the same way by all cartographers. 

 Lastly, the study of the triangular Patagonian region has cost great labour, while 

 the section of the Andes separating the Atlantic slope from the western fiords 

 remains to a great extent still unknown. 



Patagonia itself has been visited and explored by numerous travellers, natura- 

 lists, and geologists, mostly following in the track of the old missionaries, who 

 crossed from the Chilian heights to the Argentine plains. Punta Arenas, the 

 Chilian station on Magellan Strait, has also been a starting-point for various 

 excursions to the interior, while other explorers have penetrated inland from the 

 various agricultural, pastoral, and military settlements along the eastern seaboard. 

 Patagonia has thus been completely assimilated to the rest of Argentina by the 

 labours of Descalzi, Cox, Gardiner, Moreno, Musters, Ramon Lista, Moyano, 

 Fontana, Pogers, Popper, Vinciguerra, Ameghino, Poncagli, Burmeister, and 

 many others, as well as by the military expeditions sent against the aborigines. 

 Paleontologists and geologists also are systematically studjâng the land in the 

 interests of the La Plata Museum, and other collections ; stockbreeders are 

 examining the grassy bottom lands, and prosj^ectors are exploring the mineral 

 deposits of the country, and thus the era of accurate geographical research has 

 begun for Patagonia, as well as for the rest of Argentina. 



Subjoined is a chronological table of the chief explorations in Patagonia since 

 the war of independence : — 



1S27. Stokes (Santa Cruz). 



1832 et seq. Fitzroy and Darwin (Santa Cruz, Chubut, Rio Negro and Sierra Ventana). 



1833. Descalzi (Rio Negro). 



1854 et seq. Jones (Chubut). 



1856. Fonck, Hess (Nahuêl-Huapi). 



1857. Bravard (Sierra Ventana). 



1862 et seq. Guillermo Cox (Andean Passes). 



1867. Gardiner (Santa Cruz, Lake Argentina). 



1869. Musters (foot of the Andes, Rio Negro). 



1872. GueiTico (Rio Negro). 



1874 et seq. Moreno (Rio Negro, Santa Cniz, Chubut, Lake Argentina, etc.). 



1876 et seq. Moyano (Rio Chico, Lake Buenos Ayi-es, Chubut). 



1877. Rogers and Ibar (Lake Argentiua, Andean Passes). Beerholra (San Julian, Gallegos). 



1878 et seq. Ramon Lista. 



1879 et seq. Wysoski (Chubut, Rio Negro). Lorentz (Neuquen). 



1882. Roncagli (Gallegos, Santa Cruz). 



1883. Rohde (Nahuel-Huapi, Pass of Bariloche). Zeballos ;Rio Colorado, Rio Negro). 



1885 et seq. Fontana (Upper Chubut). 



1886 et seq. Carlos Burmeister (Chubut, Santa Cruz). Popper (Fuegia). 

 1887. Asahel Bell (Upper Chubut). 



1891. Siemiradzki (Colorado, Negro, Limay. Nahuel-Huapi). Bodenbender (Neuquen). 



1892. Machon and Roth (Andean Valleys, Senguel, Chubut). 



The abundant materials already collected on the relief and geology of Argen- 

 tina, as well as on its natural history and inhabitants, have been embodied iu 



