114 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



although these do not go to the trader, the trader, as I have 

 mentioned in another chapter, comes to them. 



Throughout Patagonia, upon the rim of civiHsation, are 

 scattered boliches, or frontier drink-shops, whose Hquor sales 

 consist chiefly of "champagne cognac," whatever that potion 

 may be. These estabHshments hold out a perpetual temptation 

 to the passing Indians. The frequent presence of silver gear, 

 such as the Tehuelches possess when fortune smiles upon them, 

 that is almost always hanging from the ceiling of the neighbouring 

 store, tells its own tale. An Indian has rarely enough money to 

 " look upon the wine when it is red," or rather upon the unwhole- 

 some jaundice tinge of "champagne cognac," so he pays in kind ; 

 and when once the craving for drink grips him he will gamble 

 away everything to satisfy it. This infatuation appears to lay a 

 fatally strong hand upon the uncivilised peoples. They have no 

 principles to stay them, no scruples to overcome, they have found 

 a short cut to a wild species of happiness, and one cannot wonder 

 that they seek its extraordinary pleasures as often as possible. So 

 it is that liquor has destroyed whole races, wiped them clean off 

 the face of the earth. Some one has written : 



Oppression and the sword slay fast. 

 Thy breath kills slowly but at last, 



and it is certainly a terrible truth in this connection. 



I can call to mind two Indians, whom I saw ride up to a boliche 

 near Santa Cruz. They offered a contrast to one another which 

 it is not easy to forget. The first was an Indian with a close-shut 

 mouth and the dark and ponderous dignity of the big Tehuelche, 

 His gear was richly studded with silver, and his saddle covered 

 with embroidered cloths. His head was bare, save that his brows 

 were bound with a band of red finery. He made a picturesque 

 and imposing figure as he cantered up on his white horse with its 

 glinting eyes. Followed the second. He, too, was an Indian, but 

 his gear was guiltless of silver, his bozal was worn and blackened 

 with age. The best thing he possessed was his horse. He wore 

 an ancient tail-coat, once black but now green, this in conjunction 

 with a chiripa, or Indian loin-cloth, gave him an appearance 



