Gilpin observer., 1900-04-26
ABOUT THE FUE1IANS
UNIQUE RA'cEs LITTLE KNOWN;
TO THE WORLD.
Dwarfs and Giants of the Most south-
ern Lands of the American Conti-
nsnt slowly Yielding to the March of
Civilization.

Little attention has been given to
the inhabitants of the islands that lie
off the southern extremity of the
South American continent The
islands were first sighted and named
by Magellan in 1920. The largest of
the group is known as Terra del
Fuego, and the name applies to the
smaller islands also. From time to
time the natives, who are known as
Fuegians, have been reported to the
world, but they still remain almost
unknown. DIR. Frederick A. Cook of
the Belgian antarctic expedition has
very interesting article in the
March number of the Century Maga-
zine describing these people. Accord
ing to his statements the Fuegians
consist of three distinct races, with
different languages, different appear
ances, different habits and homes. The
Aliculufs live ON the islands in the
western Chilean channels They are
short and impsrfectly developed, and
because they are more frequently met
than the other tribes by vessels navi-
Sdtiu6 tHc VI MdRGlldH, the eu-
tire body of Fuegians are judged by
this one type. They live in beech
bark canoes and dugouts, and subsist
on mussels, snails, crabs and fish in
general. They were always the lowest
and most abject of the Fuegians and
are now nearly extinct. The inhabi-
tants of the islands about Cape Horn
and northward to Beagle channel are
called Yahgans. At one time they
were the most numerous and powerful
of the Fuegian people, but are now
greatly diminished in number and in
few years more will no doubt he
extinct. They resemble the Aliculufs
to a great extent in habits, are dwarf
ish in stature, as we'll as in mental
development, live in canoes and their
food consists of the product of the sea.
The important and powerful race Of
the islands at the present time is
known as the Onas. The power of the
Onas lies in their physical rather than
their mental development. There is
perhaps no race in the world with a
more perfect physical development
than that of the Ona men. They are
veritable giants. Many attain the
height Of six feet six inches, and very
few are below six feet. The women
are not so tall, but are more corpu-
lent. This splendid development is
due in great part to the roughnesS of
their country and the distribution of
game which makes long marches
necessary. The men are no doubt the
greatest cross-country runners in the
western world. The Ona has sho wn
but little skill in either the arts of
war or peace. He understands the
few requirements necessary to main
tain food supply. but his needs being
very simple he doesn't have to exert
himself to any great extent to live.
His home life is of the most primitive
form and his house and clothing are
very crude. The children are mostly
naked, poorly fed, badly trained and
altogether neglected, not because of
lack Of paternal love, but because of
the laziEess of the parents. The Onas
have plenty of material to make good
':ents and warm. storm-proof houses,
but they simply bunch up few
branches, throw a few skins over the
windward side, and then shiver behind
the rude protection.
Before the white man made sheep
raising a profitable business in Terra
del Fuego, the Onas had little diff
Guilty in getting plenty of food They
are meat eaters and the guanaco fur
nished them with abundant food. This
animal was and is to the Onas what
the bison was to the North American
Indian. Until the sheep raisers drove
the guanacos from the fertile por-
tions of the island, the Onas had no
difficulty in killing great numbers of
them with their rude weapons. Now
they are scarce and found only in the
wild and barren regions. For days
the Ona men and their families are
now compelled to pursue the chase be-
fore they round up herd and capture
some of the animals. By this time
they are nearly starved, and hilari-
Gus feast continues while the meat
lasts. Then another long hunt and
chase commences and the Onas suffer
all the privations of famine. On such
occasions. when near a farm wnere
perhaps thousands of sheep are kept,
they often make raid and then enjoy
a feast of mutton. These raids have
often caused clashes between the
whites and the natives, and the latter
always get the worst of the bargain.
for their arrows are no match for the
Winchesters in the hands Of the shep-
herds. The existence of the Onas ut
the present time may be classed as ore
of short feasts and long famines.
They are savage in every respect,
and thus far have evaded all efforts at
niyiIi1ation