96 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



But however this quality may seem to approximate to civilisa- 

 tion, the customs with which he still surrounds the events of birth, 

 sickness, and death are the old cruel forms that have been per- 

 petuated through the ages, and they stamp him as remaining even 

 to this day the very slightly diluted savage. 



In some cases when a child is born, a cow or mare is killed, 

 the stomach taken out and cut open, and into this receptacle while 

 still warm the child is laid. Upon the remainder of the animal 

 the tribe feast, and when they feast they carry out the notion 

 thoroughly. After eating their fill, they lie about gorged and half 

 insensible and let the world spin on. This is a quiet festivity, and 

 only takes place in this modified form when the tribe happen to 

 be out of fire-water. 



But should there be liquor at hand, the younger women, who 

 never drink on such occasions, go round beforehand and gather up 

 every knife, hatchet, or, in fact, all and any weapon they can find, 

 and bury them in some hidden spot about the camp.* This 

 custom, which is in its own way pathetic, speaks for itself Under 

 the influence of liquor the nature of the peaceable Indian becomes 

 completely changed. It maddens him, and the dance round the 

 fires often ends in a free fight. 



A variation of the foregoing birth-ceremony is yet more savage. 

 If a boy is born, his tribe catch a mare or a colt — if the father be 

 rich and a great man among his people^ the former ; if not, the 

 latter — a lasso is placed round each leg, a couple round the neck, 

 and a couple round the body. The tribe distribute themselves 

 at the various ends of these lassos and take hold. The animal 

 being thus supported cannot fall. The father of the child now 

 advances and cuts the mare or colt open from the neck down- 

 wards, the heart, &c., is torn out, and the baby placed in the 

 cavity. The desire is to keep the animal quivering until the child 

 is put inside. By this means they believe that they ensure the 

 child's becoming a fine horseman in the future. 1" 



* On the occasions I describe, even the asadores (iron spits three feet in length and 

 sharpened at the end which enters the ground) are taken away and buried by the 

 young women. 



f These customs are now dying out. 



