Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-05-08
NATIVES OF PATAGONIA.
Dress Of the Men-women Do All the
Manual Labor-Ornaments.

49,
Four years ago Chill and the Argentine
Republic divided Patagonia between
them, the former taking the Straits Of
Magellan, the key to the commerce Of
the west coast, and the latter the pampas.
Thus in the partition the Indians fell to
the Argentines, but they kept as far away
from their owners as possible, for fear of
being impressed into the army. Their
numbers have been so much reduced
that there are not more than 5000 of
them left, and these remain around
Puenta Arenas, where they find the So
ciety of the Chillanos more agreeable than
that Of the Argentines further north.
They are still mindful Of their tribal
relations, and have similar customs to
those of the Sioux. The term Patagonian
is unknown To them and was given BY
the early explorers because of their large
feet. Those who formerly inhabited the
lower ATTITUDES had the tribal name Of
Tehuelches, while further north they
were called Chennas.
The native dress Of the men is a chirpa
or breech clout; a shirt of calico, which
is a modern innovation; leggings OF
horsehide or the skin Of the puma the
pampa lion), and over all a splendid robe
of guanaco fur fit for any king. These
robes, like the blanket of the North
American Indians. are never laid aside,
and are worn like the celebrated breeches
of Bryan 0Lynn. The leather side is
painted in bright colors. with symbol and
tracery TO represent the achievements of
the owner in battle or in the chase, and
some of them bear fantastic designs. A
well tanned robe is worth half a dozen
horses, and is much priced by the owner,
who will not part with it unless he is very
drunk or thirsty. The best ones are
made of the skins of young guanacos,
sewed together with the sinews Of the
ostrich, 70 that the shape of the animal
will appear. The fur is soft and silken,
the backs and sides being Of fawn color,
and the belly of the purest white. One
can buy them Of the traders at Puenta
Arenas, but they seldom go to market, as
people on passing vessels pick them up
for ~curiosities.
The Indian women dress as the men
do, and il is difficult for a stranger to
distinguish the sex of a Patagonia native,
except from the difference in stature, as
the women are short and stumpy and
generally have a baby slung over then
backs. They do all the manual labor,
pitch the tents or toldos, as they are
called, skin the game that is brought
down IN the chase, make the robes, cook
the meals and everything else in the way
of drudgery. for their lords and masters
are opposed I o every form Of work that
cannot be done in the saddle. Both the
men and women are given to wearing
loads Of solid silver ornaments. much Of
which is antique, and handed down from
generation TO generation. The silver
comes from the Andes, and is obtained
by trading with their neighbors, the
Arucanian Indians of Chill. Hunting is
their business, and their amusements are
gambling and horse racing. They are
great smokers. but do not have the calu-
met of their North American brothers,
using cigarettes exclusively, like the
Spauiards, from whom they have ac-
quired the habit, and rolling them with
the skill aud grace of a naughty dom
Philadelphia Times.