124 



TERRA DEL FUEGO. 



and brought together at the top, where they are firmly bound by bark, 

 sedge, and twigs. Smaller branches are then interlaced, forming a 

 tolerably compact wicker-work, and on this grass, turf, and bark are 

 laid, making the hut quite warm, and impervious s to the wind and snow, 

 though not quite so to the rain. The usual dimensions of these huts 

 are seven or eight feet in diameter, and about four or five feet in 

 height. They have an oval hole to creep in at. The fire is built in a 

 small excavation in the middle of the hut. The floor is of clay, which 

 has the appearance of having been well kneaded. The usual accom- 



FUEGIANS AND HUT. 



paniment of a hut is a conical pile of shells opposite the door, nearly 

 as large as the hut itself. 



Their occupancy of a hut seems to be limited to the supply of shell- 

 fish, consisting of mussels and limpets, in the neighbourhood. 



These natives are never seen but in their huts or canoes. The 

 impediments to their communication by land are great, growing out of 

 the mountainous and rocky character of the country, intersected with 

 inlets deep and impassable, and in most places bounded by abrupt 

 precipices, together with a soil which may be termed a quagmire, on 

 which it is difficult to walk. This prevails on the hills as well as in 

 the plains and valleys. The impenetrable nature of the forest, with the 

 dense undergrowth of thorny bushes, renders it impossible for them to 

 overcome or contend with these difficulties. They appear to live in 

 families, and not in tribes, and do not seem to acknowledge any chief. 



On the 11th of March three bark canoes arrived, containing four 

 men, four women, and a girl about sixteen years old, four little boys 

 and four infants, one of the latter about a week old, and quite naked. 

 The thermometer was at 46° Fahrenheit. They had rude weapons, 

 viz., slings to throw stones, three rude spears, pointed at the end with 

 bone, and notched on one side with barbed teeth. With this they 

 catch their fish, which are in great quantities among the kelp. Two 

 of the natives were induced to come on board, after they had been 

 alongside for upwards of an hour, and received many presents, for 



