The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-02

But in the old days bows and arrows for wa
time and spears as well were always at hand.
Their bows were not equal TO those Of some
Brazilian tribes. nor were they specially skiifuL
They used the bolas To the neglect of the bow.
But their spears were something worth mention
for sire II for no other reason. The shaft was
always fifteen feet long or more. and n charge Of
these desert lancers was terrible to face.
Because OF his use of the bola the Tehuelche IL
In q sense q sportsman as distinguished from .
Dot hunter. The game has n running chance for
life. However. the usual way of capturing gains
IL for the men to draw a circle about q bunch Of
guanacos when pumas and ostriches are often
enclosed and killed. When on the march the
women with the pack train serve as a part Of
the enclosing circle.
THE wIGwAN.
The tent Of the Tehuelche is a large affair. n
IL what would be called 10 this country n shelter
tent. or q lean-to open in front. II is Of rounded
exterior. like the fourth part Of an orange. IL
has a frame Of forks and ridGepoles. and is COW
cred with guanaco skins. Other skins serve to
divide the interior of the tent into rooms. Whole
families and their guests go to bed in a single
room In the out-of-the-way parts Of the United
States. such as the mountains of Kentucky and
West Virginia. but the Tehuelches are modest
enough TO divide their sleeping places so that
parents aud children, boys and girls. and guests
are separated by curtains OF borsehide. For
beds they have cushions made OF coarse blank.
cts stuffed with guanaco wool, and they Know
the comfort Of pillows.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
They are very modest In dress. From the
time they are five years old they wear a cloth
secured about the loins by a belt. To this the
women add a gown In these days. and the in
evitable robe OF guanaco skins, while the men
wear the rnha and hrnfs ~ ala ~ ,ha sk;n %
colts hind legs. The old style OF boots stuffed
with straw that gave the name OF Patagones to
this really small-footed race was abandoned
soon after horses were introduced.
For cooking they use the long steel bar COM
mon among gauchos for suspending q roast over
the IRE The gauchos say the Indians are al
ways In such a hurry to begin eating that time
TO cook q roast through Is never allowed. The
of the meat will be crisp, and even
burned. while the centre is still raw. No matter;
steaming slices are slashed of. and, dripping with
hot juices. conveyed TO the mouth. But having
tried some OF these slices myself, I can advise
the reader to wait q like opportunity before
the Tehuelches taste In rcasts. They
carry big kettles for boiling, and a rather
better outfit OF dishes than the gauchos use.
These things they get OF the whites in exchange
Tor ostrich plumes. In the old days they used to
bron their meat on the Goals, and even now they
90 obAN III hoI EIDUt1
md then bury them hides on) In the embers, and
70 make a right good dish.
They are called dirty-even yile-because they
'l themselves all over with the marrow Of
bones. As a matter Of fact they ara
n most matters Clearly. They battle daily
when near q lake or stream 1.-THE men separate
rom the women, and when the floor OF a tent
s by accident fouled the careful squaw always
'uts out the earth to a depth of two inches and
hrows IL away. They are also called dirty be-
'ause they eat the viscera OF animals, the lungs
tomach. &c. as well as the flesh that every one
ata- One can tell about such doIngs in a way
hat will make the Tehuelches seem TO be a very
lot And so the descriptions gen.
rally run. But when one remembers some
.inds OF food the most civilized white men eat
here Is found to be very little difference In such
matters between the two races.
Indeed. when one has seen these Indians-hss
'oted their self-restraint. their dignity. and
racefulness OF looks and bearing. their gentle
Iess and consideration one for the other. the
tier lack Of servility among them; more than
Il when one has noted the brightness OF their
ninds, the ease. for instance. with which they
sarn a foreign Language and grasp ideas en-
rely new and foreign TO their environment and
aoits OF thouRht-one all but loses patience
nth the pride OF race and eRotism Of religion
hat have named them sayages.
a visitor 10 the meeting place OF the Socists
Ethnographie OF Paris sees upon the wall
love the Presidents chair this motto:
oorpore diueTst, sed msnts lumfne Jrdtro.
Inc truth or that motto Is never more an
aren't than In a contemplation Of the Indians Of
ions n Spr,p