434 FOOD AND HABITS. 



They never walk upright ; a stooping posture, and awkward 

 movement is their natural gait. They may be fit mates for 

 such uncouth men, but to civilized people their appearance is 



disgusting 



The smoke of wood fires, confined in small wigwams, hurts 

 their eyes so much, that they are red and watery : the effects 

 of their oiling or greasing themselves, and then rubbing 

 ochre, clay, or charcoal over their bodies; of their often 

 feeding upon the most offensive substances, sometimes in a 

 state of putridity ; and of other vile habits, may readily be 

 imagined/ '* Their incisors are worn flat,f like those of 

 the Esquimaux and of many ancient races. 



" The men procure food of the larger kind, such as seal, 

 otter, porpoises, etc. ; they break or cut wood and bark for 

 fuel, as well as for building the wigwams and canoes. They 

 go out at night to get birds ; they train the dogs, and of 

 course undertake all hunting or warlike excursions. The 

 women nurse their children, attend the fire (feeding it with 

 dead wood, rather than green, on account of the smoke), 

 make baskets and water-buckets, fishing-lines and necklaces, 

 go out to catch small fish in their canoes, gather shell-fish, 

 dive for sea-eggs, take care of their canoes, upon ordinary 

 occasions paddle their masters about while they sit idle, and 

 do any other drudgery." J 



"Swimming is a favorite amusement of the Fuegians 

 during summer ; but the unfortunate women are obliged to 

 go out into rather deep water, and dive for sea- eggs in the 

 depth of winter as often as in summer. Men, women, and 

 children are excellent swimmers, but they all swim like 

 dogs." 



"When there is time, the natives roast their shell-fish, 

 and half-roast any other food that is of a solid nature ; but 



* I.e. p. 139. f Fitzroy, Appendix, p. 144. 



J Fitzroy, I.e. p. 185. 



