SAN LEON SUBDIVISIONS. 



169 



During late years, several persons, run-away seamen and 

 others, have passed many months — some, indeed, have passed 

 years — in their company,— living as they live. 



In 1833-34, one of the most influential individuals among 

 them was a Chilian, named San Leon, who had been carried 

 to Patagonia by Mr. Brisbane, for the purpose of trading with 

 the Indians for horses. He ran away from the vessel (1830-32), 

 and has since lived with the tribe who are generally found 

 near Gregory Bay. His wife is the daughter of an old native 

 who possesses much property (according to their ideas) ; she 

 speaks a little Spanish, and interprets for strangers better than 

 her husband, whose knowledge of the Indian language is very 

 slight. Bred in Chile, San Leon is a good horseman, and 

 considered by the Indians to be an excellent hunter. 



Mr. Low thinks that the natives would encourage and be 

 friendly to a settlement of white people, made in Patagonia. 

 They profess to like white men, and to wish some to live with 

 them : when old Maria (the woman previously mentioned) was 

 at the Falkland Islands, Mr. Low told her that he intended 

 to build a house at Gregory Bay, and carry white people with 

 him to live there, at which she and her party (including the 

 wizard) seemed to be much pleased. 



Mr. Low considers that those natives who live eastward and 

 northward of the First Narrow are not of the same tribe as 

 those who are generally about Gregory Bay, with whom, he 

 says, they are frequently at war. He also thinks that those 

 who live farther westward, near Otway and Sky ring Waters, 

 form another subdivision. The following notices, written from 

 his dictation, will show that what I have already stated respect- 

 ing these minor tribes, considered as subdivisions of one large 

 body or nation, cannot be very far wrong : — 



During the stay of the Unicorn (Mr. Low^s vessel) in 

 the channel between Otway and Skyring Waters, a fire was 

 made, as a signal to the Indians. They soon began to arrive 

 in small detached parties, some of whom were known to Mr. 

 Low, whose acquaintance with them had been formed at Gre^ 

 gory Bay. They travelled in small parties, therefore were not. 



