142 



SOUTHERN ABORIGINES. 



The tribe mentioned in a following page, which was met 

 by Mr. Low at the north side of Fitz-Roy Passage, must 

 have been chiefly composed of slaves (zapallos). The Huemul 

 tribe is not numerous, and having plenty of land, with abun- 

 dance of food, would hardly quit their own territory to submit 

 to a Patagonian Cacique. These natives are neither inclined 

 to serve a master, nor to learn new habits : besides, being 

 separated from the Horse Indians by a little channel, they 

 could not easily be caught, and obliged to remain with the 

 Patagonians, as some persons have supposed. 



The Chonos, who live on the western shores and islands of 

 Patagonia, are rather like the Alikhoolip, but not quite so stout 

 or so daring. In general they are less savage than the Fuegians ; 

 and though their habits of life are similar, traces are visible 

 of former intercourse with the Spaniards, which doubtless 

 has tended to improve their character. 



Prior to the Spanish conquest, the Chonos Indians inhabited 

 Childe and the Chonos Archipelago ; but that now they are 

 all south of Cape Tres Montes, there is good reason to sup- 

 pose, though certainly no positive proof. The canoes of these 

 Chonos Indians are made of planks, sewed together ; and they 

 are rowed with oars. Generally there is a cross at one end of 

 the canoe, or rather boat. Their wigwams are like those 

 already mentioned of the bee-hive form. 



The climate of Western Patagonia is so disagreeable that the 

 country is almost uninhabitable. Clouds, wind, and rain are 

 continual in their annoyance. Perhaps there are not ten days 

 in the year on which rain does not fall ; and not thirty on 

 which the wind does not blow strongly ; yet the air is mild, 

 and the temperature surprisingly uniform throughout the year. 

 The country is like the worst part of Tierra del Fuego — a 

 range of mountains, half sunk in ocean ; barren to seaward, 

 impenetrably wooded towards the mainland, and always 

 drenched with the waters of frequent rain, which are never dried 

 up by evaporation before fresh showers fall. 



Having thus endeavoured to give a slight general idea of the 

 more obvious peculiarities of these, the most southern abori- 



