430 WEAPONS. FOOD. 



armour consists of a helmet and shield, both made of thick 

 hide, and strong enough to resist either arrows or lances. 



Their bows are small, and the arrows, which are pointed 

 with stone or bone, are said to be sometimes poisoned. They 

 have also clubs and long cane lances, most of which are now 

 tipped with iron. But the weapons which are most charac- 

 teristic of the Patagonians, and which are indeed almost 

 peculiar to them, are the bolas,* of which there are two or 

 three sorts. That used in war is a single rounded stone or 

 ball of hardened clay, weighing about a pound, and fastened 

 to a short rope of sinew or skin. This they sometimes throw 

 at their adversary, rope and all, but generally they prefer to 

 strike at his head with it. For hunting they use two similar 

 stones, fastened together by a rope, which is generally three 

 or four yards long. One of the stones they take in their 

 hand, and then whirling the other round their head, throw 

 both at the object they wish to entangle. Sometimes several 

 balls are used, but two appears to be the usual number. 

 They do not try to strike their -victim with the balls them- 

 selves, but with the rope, " and then of course the balls swing 

 round in different directions and the thongs become so ' laid 

 up/ or twisted, that struggling only makes the captive more 

 secure." f It is said that a man on horseback can use the 

 " bolas " effectually at a distance of eighty yards. J They 

 also use the lasso. 



On the coast their food consists principally of fish, which 

 they kill either by diving or striking them with their darts. 

 Guanacoes and ostriches they catch with the bolas, and they 

 also eat mare's- flesh, as well as various sorts of small game, 

 and at least two kinds of wild roots. They have no fer- 

 mented liquor, and the only prepared drink which they use 

 is a decoction of chalas, and the juice of berberries mixed 

 with water. 

 * Falkner, I.e. p. 130. f Fitzroy, I.e. vol. ii,, p. 148. J Darwin's Journal, p. 129. 



