PREFACE XXlll 



was known to attain a length of upwards of a thousand feet, 

 which Sir Joseph Hooker does not seem inclined to question, but 

 rather confirms, for he expresses the opinion that this plant is of 

 indefinite growth. 



No great fossil animals have been discovered in Tierra del FAUNA 

 Fueo:o, although such should exist in continuation of those 

 occurring in the Patagonian Pampas — such as Megatherium^ 

 Scelidotherium^ Mylodon^ Glyptodon^ Hippidium^ Ifacrauchenia, 

 Toxodon, Nesodon, Megamys — so abundantly, that Darwin states 

 his belief no deep trench can be cut in a line across these 

 without intersecting some such remains. 



Living Mammals are extraordinarily few. 



Man is represented by the Onas in the north and east, the 

 Faghans in the south, and the Alakalufs in the west. It seems 

 to be a prevailing belief that the native races of Tierra del Fuego 

 are the most degraded of mankind — due probably to voyagers 

 to these regions having confused the Onas with the canoe tribes. 

 However much such an imputation may apply to the latter, it 

 cannot with any justice include the Onas ; for they are a 

 magnificent race, little inferior in stature to the Tehuelchs of 

 Patagonia, who are the giants of all mankind ; and like them, 

 they live entirely by the chase on foot with bows and arrows, 

 where the Tehuelchs are horsemen using the bolas. If the arts 

 of life of the Onas are primitive, it must be remembered that for 

 unknown ages they have been a people cut off from intercourse 

 with others. Judged from the point of view of the land they 

 inhabit, they are perfect. Living a nomadic existence in these 

 terrific elements, with only a screen of skins to windward where 

 they camp for the time being, they are able to supply all 

 their needs in food and clothing by the chase and by the 

 natural produce of the land, and at that maintain about the 

 finest physique seen in Man. Such weapons as they possess 

 are the best possible to them — mighty bows strung with 

 Guanaco sinew, arrows made from the forest barberry with heads 

 marvellously chipped from glass. For tools they rely on Nature 



