Wanderings in Patagonia; (1879) (14587331300)

Identifier: wanderingsinpata00beer_0 (find matches)
Title: Wanderings in Patagonia;
Year: 1879 (1870s)
Authors: Beerbohm, Julius. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, H. Holt and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



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raddiction to rum, to whose fatal agency the rapiddecrease in their numbers, and the consequentfast-approaching extinction of their race, must beascribed. But to return to my narrative. Our tent hav-ing been set up, and all our saddle-gear stowedaway, I strolled into the Indian camp, followedby the chattering crowd which had come out tomeet us. My curious glances at these childrenof the desert were certainly repaid with interest;and they subjected my person and belongings tothe closest scrutiny. The texture of my coat wascarefully examined, and appeared to give rise toa lengthy discussion, which was carried on withmore zeal and earnestness than the merits of thesubject would seem to warrant, and nothing buta good stare of several minutes duration at myface seemed to satisfy even the least curiousamong them. The camp was composed of five toldos, ortents, each tent containing on the average abouttwenty-five souls. These toldos are very prac-tically constructed, and notwithstanding their
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LIFE AMONG THE OSTRICH-HUNTERS. I05 formidable size they are set up or taken downby the squaws in a surprisingly short space oftime. A covering made of guanaco skins isdrawn over a rough frame-work of wood, consist-ing of a double row of stakes and cross-beams,lashed together with thongs of guanaco hide.The front of the tent is generally open, but it canbe closed whenever occasion requires. The in-terior is divided into partitions, each inmate hav-ing his own bunk, where he sleeps and where hisgear and chattels are stowed away when not inuse. I entered one of these tents and looked aboutme. In the front part there were three or foursmall fires, round each of which sat a circle of In-dians, who were warming their toes and smokingor taking mate. The squaws were all hard atwork, sewing capas, weaving fillets, or tying upbundles of ostrich feathers. At my approachthey stopped working and broke into a chorusof guttural commentaries on my appearance, in-terspersed with a great deal of noisy