284 



PATAGONIANS. 



to their firesides. Some were above seven feet 

 high, and the least were five feet seven inches 

 (French measure) . Their bulk was still greater in 

 proportion ; which prevented them from appear- 

 ing so tall as they otherwise would have done. 

 Their limbs were large and sinewy ; they had 

 large faces, flat noses, dark complexions, black 

 hair, and were more robust than Europeans of the 

 same height. They were clad in guanaco and 

 vicunha skins, sewed together, and^ireaching 

 from the neck to the instep. These were painted 

 with blue and red figures, resembling the Chi- 

 nese characters, but all alike, and separated by 

 straight lines, which formed a sort of square, or 

 diamond pattern. The women were less dark, 

 but of a stature in proportion to the men. The 

 account goes on further to state, that they intro- 

 duced their wives and daughters to the French- 

 men, and showed no signs of jealousy at the 



