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

\52 DWELLINGS — MARRIAGES. they migrate from place to place. Water does not lodge on the hide covering, neither does wind penetrate ; and as east winds ar3 very rare in Patagonia, a temporary screen, such as a few skins, suffices for protection against them. Two or three families sleep in one hut, unless it is the dwell- ing of a cacique, or person who has many wives. Poor people have but one wife. Those who are rich, and able to maintain them, have sevei-al wives — three, four, five, or even more. In places where some of the tribe stay constantly, and which are considered the head-quarters, or central rendezvous of a tribe, there are larger huts, almost deserving the name of houses. Some of these are for the cacique and his wives ; others are for the wizards, who, in their three-fold capacity of priests, magi- cians and doctors, have great influence over the superstitious minds of their countrymen. These larger dwelhngs are made with poles and skins, put together so as to form an oblong shed, with a sloping roof, shaped like a small cottage. The substi- tutes for walls are about five feet in height, and the roof is in the middle about eijjht feet from the ground. Some of these houses are four or five yards in width, and eight, ten, or twelve in length. I have never seen one myself ; but those who gave me other information, which I found true, said that there were such houses in the interior, and described them minutely to me. At night, skins are spread upon the ground to sleep on ; two or three rolled up, along the length of the back part of the tent or hut, form a pillow for the whole party, on which each family has its place, and the dogs lie at their feet. The children have a Uttle square place to themselves, in one corner. Infants in the cradle (a piece of hide with a thong fast to its four comers, by which it is suspended from the roof of the dwelling), are placed near their mother. Marriages are made by sale more frequently than by mutual agreement. Instead of receiving a dowry with his wife, a man pays a large price to her nearest relations. Sometimes girls are betrothed while very young, and a part of the stipulated price paid to the relations. Mutual inclination may sometimes determine the choice ; but payment must in every case be I