Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

142 SOUTHERN ABORIGINES. The tribe mentioned in a following page, which was met by Mr. Low at the north side of Fitz-Roy Passage, must have been chiefly composed of slaves (zapallos). The Huemul tribe is not numerous, and having plenty of land, with abun- dance of food, would hardly quit their own territory to submit to a Patagonian Cacique. These natives are neither inclined to serve a master, nor to learn new habits : besides, being separated from the Horse Indians by a little channel, they could not easily be caught, and obliged to remain with the Patagonians, as some persons have supposed. The Chonos, who live on the western shores and islands of Patagonia, are rather like the Alikhoolip, but not quite so stout or so daring. In general they are less savage than the Fuegians and though their habits of life are similar, traces are visible of former intercourse with the Spaniards, which doubtless has tended to improve their character. Prior to the Spanish conquest, the Chonos Indians inhabited Chiloe and the Chonos Archipelago ; but that now they are all south of Cape Tres Montes, there is good reason to sup- pose, though certainly no positive proof. The canoes of these Chonos Indians are made of planks, sewed together ; and they are rowed with oars. Generally there is a cross at one end of the canoe, or rather boat. Their wigwams are like those already mentioned of the bee-hive form. The climate of Western Patagonia is so disagreeable that the country is almost uninhabitable. Clouds, wind, and rain are continual in their annoyance. Perhaps there are not ten days in the year on which rain does not fall ; and not thirty on which the wind does not blow strongly ; yet the air is mild, and the temperature surprisingly uniform throughout the year. The country is like the worst part of Tierra del Fuego sk range of mountains, half sunk in ocean ; barren to seaward,s impenetrably wooded towards the mainland, and always' drenched with the waters of frequent rain, which are never dried, up by evaporation before fresh showers fall. Having thvis endeavoured to give a slight general idea of the more obvious peculiarities of these, the most southern abori-