82 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



tracks of sheep. This fact, taken in conjunction with the appear- 

 ance of the white bull, made me begin to wonder whether it was 

 possible that the cow I had shot might not prove to be a tame one. 

 We pushed on more rapidly, the tracks growing sharper and more: 

 distinct. Presently the tracks began to run into beaten lines, and 

 such always mean in Patagonia that man is not far off. As we 

 rode we discussed the chances as to who the owners of the sheep 

 would turn out to be, and this we found sufficiently exciting, as we 

 had beheld no strange face for many a day. 



Very soon, as we rode round a curve of the cliff, we came in 

 sight of five armadillo-shaped tents lying snugly in the valley. 

 We had not expected to come upon the Indians, who, so our guide 

 had told us, were in the valley of the River Mayo, until some time 

 later, but this was undoubtedly the encampment to which he had 

 alluded. A number of sheep and of horses, together with a small 

 herd of cattle, proved them to be an imusually rich tribe. 



The remainder of our party, on sighting the huts of the 

 Tehuelches, had halted and were waiting for my arrival. We 

 now rode together in the direction of the tents, and, while we 

 were yet afar ofT, the hounds about the squat tents broke into a 

 chorus of barking. As we drew nearer we could see that the tall 

 figures, wrapped in guanaco-skins, were standing in the openings 

 of the toldos, on the look-out for the arrival whose presence had 

 been heralded by the dogs. The sun was setting by this time 

 over the high cliffs of the canadon, and the toldos threw lengthened 

 shadows upon the ground. 



When we came within a short distance, the Indians stepped 

 forward, finely developed men, of a swarthy brown, with high 

 cheek-bones, their coarse black hair falling round their faces, and 

 tied about the brows with a red band. The tents seemed to be 

 full to overflowing of old women and lean hounds, all huddled 

 together upon the ground, and a crowd of curious faces peeped 

 forth. The toldos were made of guanaco-skins, sewn loosely at 

 their edges, and supported squarely on awkward-looking props or 

 posts, forked at the top to admit the ridge-poles. The skins were 

 fastened to the earth outside with wooden pegs. These dwellings 

 appeared to be anything but weather-proof, for at the seams and 



