136 CRANIA AMERICANA. 



from the Atlantic Ocean to the country of the Araucanians. In stature they 

 much resemble the Spaniards, hut they have stronger limhs than the adjacent 

 Indians, a larger and rounder head, and a heavier and harsher person. They are 

 also not so dark complexioned. 



It is remarkable that although all the Puelche tribes are of wandering habits, 

 none of them are strictly pastoral, neither keeping sheep nor sowing grain : but 

 they depend entirely on hunting, for which purpose they keep a great number of 

 dogs. They are divided into four tribes, one of which is the Tehuekts, who are 

 celebrated by the name of Patagonians. They are remarkably tall, athletic men, 

 and according to Falkner and others, average more than six feet in height. 

 Much, however, that the early voyagers have written respecting them must be 

 received with caution. We propose to advert to this subject again ; and will now 

 merely add, that when European voyagers visited the Patagonians, the latter 

 showed their policy by selecting their tallest men to confer with the strangers ; 

 thus leaving the impression that they were a nation of giants. 



The Puelches are proverbially brave and skilful in war, as their protracted 

 and bloody contests with the Spaniards bear ample testimony. They at first 

 compelled the latter to abandon the foundation of the city of Buenos Ayres ; nor 

 did they yield in the contest until their enemies overpowered them with cavalry. 

 In proof of their invincible courage, De Azara gives the following remarkable 

 example. " In the heat of battle five Pampas* were made prisoners : they were 

 put on board a seventy-four gun ship, with a complement of six hundred and fifty 

 men, for the purpose of conveying them to Spain. When the vessel had been 

 five days at sea, the captain allowed them the privilege of walking about without 

 restraint, when they immediately resolved to seize the ship and murder all on 

 board. To effect this object, one of them approached a corporal of marines, who 

 appeared to be off his guard, seized his sabre, and in a moment of time killed two 

 pilots and fourteen sailors and soldiers. The four other Indians also flew to arms, 

 but finding themselves overcome by the guard, they sprang into the sea and 

 drowned themselves, an example that was at once followed by their ringleader."t 



* The Spaniards call them Pampas, but their own national appellation is Puelche. 

 t De Azara, Voy. T. II, p. 39. 



