THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 205 



only a part of which we could comprehend, and fur- 

 ther told us that he was a colonel in the service of the 

 Argentine Kepublic. He sat with us in one of the tents 

 while we were at dinner, after which, under his escort, we 

 paid a visit to the Patagonian camp, which consisted of a 

 row of tents formed of guanaco-skins supported on poles, 

 open in front, where they were about seven feet high, and 

 gradually sloping down towards the back, which did not 

 exceed three feet in elevation. On our approach we were 

 saluted with the loud baying of dogs of all sorts and sizes, 

 and for the most part of very ugly appearance. The inmates 

 of the tents came out to receive us in a polite manner, 

 thereafter conducting us into their dwellings, from the roofs 

 of which, at the entrance, dangled rows of strips of ostrich 

 and guanaco meat hung up to dry. From other parts of 

 the roof many beautiful skunk-skins were also suspended, 

 which diffused anything but an agreeable odour. In one of 

 the tents a woman was rocking a rough cradle, formed of 

 pieces of wood lined with skins, in which was contained a 

 baby with a thick crop of black hair. Our attention was 

 also attracted by the ridiculous aspect of some hideous little 

 pet dogs, apparently much prized by their owners. They 

 were entirely naked, with the exception of the crown of their 

 heads, which were sparsely covered with white hair, con- 

 trasting strangely with the dark hue of the body, and they 

 had little guanaco-skin cloaks tied around them to keep 

 them w^arm. Our visit over, we returned to our own tents, 

 glad to be rid of the company of our friends for a while, and 

 after spending some time by our fire, retired to rest. 



Next morning we rose between six and seven, much 

 pleased to find that the state of the weather was everything 

 that could be desired for the day's campaign, being bright, 



