144 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



small Distance from thence met with two Patagonians behind a Bush, 

 who immediately ran away from them, leaving their Baggage behind 

 them, consisting of some Skins sewed together, made into little Bags ; 

 wherein were contained some Flints and Colours, besides two Dogs 

 thay had there also tied together." 



It is, however, to the observations of Falkner, a Jesuit 

 missionary in South America during a part of last century, 

 and to the narratives of King and Fitzroy in more recent times, 

 that we are chiefly indebted for authentic information regard- 

 ing the Patagonians. At the present time, in so far as we were 

 able to ascertain from our repeated interviews with them in 

 the Strait, many of them are, as respects their religion, Eoman 

 Catholics, at all events in name ; but this altered or perhaps 

 additional creed appears to be of considerably recent date, as 

 Falkner tells us, in his account of their superstitions, that 

 they 



" Believe in two superior beings — the one good, the other evil. The 

 good power is called by the Moluches, Toquichar, which signifies 

 governor of the people ; by the Taluhets and Diuihets, Soychu, which 

 in their tongue signifies the being who presides in the land of strong 

 drink ; the Tehuelhets call him Guayana-cunnee, or the lord of the 

 dead." 



He farther states that 



" Their worship is entirely directed to the evil being, except in some 

 particular ceremonies made use of in reverence to the dead. To perform 

 their worship, they assemble together in the tent of the wizard ; who is 

 shut up from the sight of the rest in a corner of the tent. In this 

 apartment he has a small drum, one or two round calabashes with small 

 sea-shells in them, and some square bags of painted hide, in which 

 he keeps his spells. He begins the ceremony by making a strange 

 noise with his drum and rattle-bone, after which he feigns a fit or 

 struggle with the devil, who it is then supposed has entered into him ; 

 keeps his eyes lifted up, distorts the features of his face, foams at the 

 mouth, screws up his joints, and after many violent and distorting 

 motions, remains stiff and motionless, resembling a man seized with an 



