The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-13
EXPLORING PATAGONIA.
Least Known Region Of America
Penetrated by Princeton Scientists.
ITS NAME SUGGESTS Stories OF
CHICAGO FEET.

Facts about the Tallest People on Earth
Strange Sayages about Cape Horn-
The Wild Rid ers of the Pampas.
Correspondence of the St. Louis Globe
Democrat.)
Washington, D. G., Nov. 4-Prof. j.
B. Hatcher, of Princeton University, has
newly returned from remarkable trip of
exploration in n hitherto unknown region
of South America-namely, the wild in
terror of Patagonia. He visited Washing
ton this week, for the purpose of deposit
ing with the Bureau of Ethnology rich
collection of objects illustrating the mode
of life Of the various tribes of aborigines
in that part of the world. These natives
are among the strangest and most pictur-
esque sayages in existence, some of them
being described as representing almost
the lowest stage in the scale of human
development Their country, too, is
more than ordinarily interesting, being
associated since the earliest times with
rumors of gigantic inhabitants and an
astonishing fauna. Quite recently some
skeletons of birds that had heads as big
Us those of horses have actually been dug
up. They stood at least 9 feet high, and
had short wings, claws like an eagles,
and a beak like a oondor's. 1t is likely
that they attacked with success the larg-
| est mammals contemporary with them,
being the biggest fowls of prey that ever
lived, but they became extinct long ago
and 80 there was 10 opportunity for Prof.
Hatcher to secure living specimen.
The professor made several trips, dur
ing one of which-through the desert in
terior-he did not see human being for
over four months, except Mr.. o. A.
Peterson. of Princeton. who accompanied
him. He discovered river never before
heard of, which is one of the largest in
Patagonia, very swift and deep. But his
most interesting observations related to
the aboriginal tribes, respecting some of
which almost nothing was known. Of
ages of the west coast, who are an aquatic
people. living almost entirely in small
open boats. which they construct with
much skill out of large pieces Of beech
bark sewn together with sinew and fiexi-
BILE whalebone. OF the latter considera-
BILE quantities are thrown up along shore.
These natives feed almost exclusively
on shelltish, which they pick up along
shore, while the remains of an occasional
seal or sea otter, cast up by the waves or
killed with spears, serves to vary the
monotony of the diet Probably among
no other people in the world are the ao-
tual necessities of life SO few. With no
constant habitation-no place of residence
that can properly be called home-they
move about from one sheltered cove to
another. Their occupation of any par
ticular locality is entirely dependent upon
the abundance of edible mollusks and
upon the weather, which, during in
clement periods, may render a well-shel.
tered spot desirable as temporary vii.
lage SITE On few earthen sods in the
bottom of the family canoe is kept con-
stantly burning small fire, which
always seems just on the point of going
out. About this fire they huddle when
uOb. ouShSou Ill COll6CbluS lOOu.
The climate Is extremely cold, and fierce
storms are constantly raging; yet these
strange people, instead of wrapping them
selves in furs, go almost naked. Some of
them are clad in scraps of cheap calico,
obtained by barter from the whites,
which are fashioned into rude garments,
the costume of the women being q loose
skirt suspended from the shoulders and
falling below the knees. Others, through
| choice or necessity, cling to the primitive
| style of costume, which consists merely
| of a narrow girth about the loins. To
skin. held by thongs in such way as to
be readily shifted to any desired position
as protection against the wind.
For shelter ON land, Notwithstanding
the severe weather that prevails most OF
| the time, these aborigines erect struc-
lures scarce worthy to be called huts,
consisting of few branches OF trees, the
lower ends of which are stuck In the
ground In a circle, while the upper ends
are bent over toward the middle, and
carelesly matched together. Such
houss, together with canoe, couple OF
paddles, one or two spears or harpoons
OF bone for the capture of SEALS, and one
or more baskets made of rushes for use
in gathering mollusks, fulfill all the do
mestic requirements of a family. From
the great accommodations OF shell heapsafn
many places periodically occupied it is
evident thai the people described have In
habited the region for q long period, dur
ing which their habits and customs have
undergone little change.
| Of very different character are the
tribes to the east of the Cordilleras. They
belong to Arauoanian stock, and are q
very superior race. The Tehuelohes-as
they call themselves-of Southern and
Eastern Patagonia are the people whose
unusual stature gave rise to the fables o.
early days to the effect that the natives
of this region were giants, averaging OF
10 feet in height. 1t is q fact that they
are the tallest human beings in the worlc
the men averaging but slightly less thar