TIERRA DEL FUEGIANS 181 



as two feet across from claw to claw. These 

 crabs are excellent eating, being far superior to 

 any lobster we had ever tasted. 



On 8th February we left Molineux Sound. 

 During that morning two canoe-loads of Indians 

 came alongside. In one of these I saw the head 

 of a deer, which I bought for three biscuits. It 

 proved to be the head of a " huemule," and, 

 although too decomposed to skin, I managed to 

 save its skull, but this was washed overboard 

 during the fearful weather we encountered in the 

 Gulf of Penas. After a little persuasion the 

 natives came aboard. They were wretched- 

 looking creatures, little more than four feet ten 

 inches in height, with long straight black hair, 

 cut square across the forehead, while their faces 

 were almost repulsive, and their otter-skin clothing 

 was worn and scanty. 



Through our pilot I learned that they had 

 caught the " huemule " with the aid of their dogs 

 — fearful looking mongrels — which they had in 

 the boat with them. Before they left these strange 

 people completely divested themselves of their 

 otter-skin clothes, which they presented to 

 Captain Caws ; then, caring nothing for the most 

 inclement weather, they cast off the leather thong 

 which held their boat to the gangway of the ship, 

 and rowed away, naked, to the shore. It was thus 

 that we saw the last of these Indians, the exter- 

 mination of whom is but a matter of a short time. 



o 



