A YEAR’S WANDERINGS OVER UNTRODDEN GROUND FROM THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN TO THE RIO NEGRO RETIRED COMMANDER R.N. WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1871 The right of translation is reserved TO MY FRIEND F. W. EGERTON , ROYAL NAVY, THIS NARRATIVE IS DEDICATED....

—•◊•— In submitting the following pages to the public, I am conscious that some readers who desire exact and scientific descriptions of the geography and geology of Patagonia will be disappointed; but it must be urged as an apology that instruments could not be carried nor safely used under the circumstances. The course travelled was as carefully laid down, by the help of a compass, as was possible; and the map of the country is so far accurate, and, if incomplete, at least is not imaginative. T

—•◊•— Three hundred and fifty years ago the great navigator Magellan anchored in a port on the eastern coast of an unknown shore, part of the seaboard of the vast continent of South America, to which he gave the name of St. Julian. Starting from this point, the pilot Serrano explored the coast to the southward, and discovered a river, which he named Santa Cruz. His ship was wrecked near the mouth, and left her timbers on the rocks, the first of the long list of vessels lost on that ironbound coa

Journey Planned.—Preparations.—Passage from Stanley.—The Straits.—First Footsteps in Patagonia.—The Narrows.—Punta Arenas.—Commandante Viel.—The Colony.—The Town.—Chilotes and Convicts.—Resources.—Visit to the Coal Bed.—Lieut. Gallegos.—The Start.—Rio Chaunco.—The Patagonian Pampas.—Our Party.—Cabecera del Mar.—Oazy Harbour.—A useless Chase.—A Fireless Night.—Volcanic Hills.—Pampa Yarns.—Rio Gallegos.—First Indians.—Sam Slick.—Rio Cuheyli.—Meeting with Tehuelches.—Caravan of Women.—‘Anglish’ Pol

Introduction to Chiefs.—Orkeke.—Chilian Deserters.—The Settlement.—Island of Pabon.—Natural Advantages.—The Mission Station.—Mr. Clarke.—Our Circle at Pabon.—Expedition to Lake Viedma.—Winter Occupations.—Work and Play.—Casimiro’s Adventures.—His Character.—A Winter Hunting Excursion.—A Pampa Snow-storm.—The Santa Cruz Valley.—Up the River.—The Northern Hills.—Pumas.—Devil’s Eyes.—Hunting on Foot.—Intense Cold.—Return of the Deserters.—Visit to the Indian Camp.—First Night in a Toldo.—Towing a H

Breaking up of the Camp.—An Idle Day.—A Rash Start.—A Dilemma.—Alone on the Pampa.—Reunion.—The Kau or Toldo.—The Domestic Interior.—The Indian Tribes.—Three Races.—Order of the March.—The Hunt.—Indian Game Law.—Tehuelche Cookery.—Basaltic Hills.—An Indian Festival.—My First Tehuelche Ball.—Mrs. Orkeke’s Spill.—Fording Rio Chico.—A Battle.—Death of Cuastro.—Dangerous Times.—Chilian Conspiracy.—Obsidian Plain and Pass.—First Ostrich Eggs.—Amakaken.—Lifting the Boulder.—The Devil’s Country.—God’s

Ceremonial of Welcome.—Hinchel’s Indians.—Tehuelches and Araucanos.—Jackechan and the Chupat Tribe.—My Examination.—Encampment at Henno.—Peaceful Occupations.—The Oldest Inhabitant.—Chiriq.—The Hidden Cities.—Modern Legends.—Mysteries of the Cordillera.—Los Cesares.—La Ciudad Encantada.—Its Whereabouts.—The Indian Cesares.—The Guanaco.—The Patagonian Ostrich.—Neighbourhood of Chiriq.—Horseracing.—Indian Horses.—Indian Dogs.—Dog and Lover.—Plaiting Sinews.—Windy Hill.—Surrounded by Fire.—Young Gu

Patagonian Giants.—A Long Walk.—Strength and Good Humour.—Heads of Hair.—Tehuelche Coquettes.—Dress of Men and Women.—Ornaments and Cosmetics.—Toilette and Bath.—Arms and Implements.—Ancient Bolas and Arrows.—Saddles and Bridles.—Silversmiths.—Manufacture of Mantles.—Women’s Work.—Diet and Cookery.—Smoking.—Card Playing.—Game of Ball.—Ceremonies at Birth.—Childhood.—Marriage.—Funeral Rites.—Religion.—Demons and Doctors.—Witchcraft and Omens.—Medical Skill.—Population and Politics.—Etiquette.—Teh

Casimiro’s Household.—Carge-kaik.—Quintuhual’s Son.—Woolkein.—Partridges.—Meeting with the Araucanians.—The Cacique Quintuhual.—Esgel-kaik.—Araucanian Belles.—Communication with Chupat Colony.—Diplaik.—Calficura’s Declaration of War.—Tehuelches learn Fishing.—My Indian Relatives.—Woodland Rambles.—An Indian Paradise.—The Upper Chupat.—Cushamon.—Losing Horses.—Official Functions.—Message from Las Manzanas.—Blessing the Liquor.—Casimiro Intoxicated.—Foyel’s Encampment.—Great Parlemento.—Foyel’s Id

Catching a Thief.—Miss Foyel.—Start for Las Manzanas.—First View of the Apple Groves.—Omens of War.—Inacayal’s Tolderia.—Crossing the Rio Limay.—Mr. Cox’s Shipwreck.—Lenketrou’s Raid.—A Night of Alarm.—Bravery of my Cousins.—The Great Cheoeque.—A Mounted Parlemento.—Apples and Piñones.—Graviel’s Madness.—Las Manzanas.—Cheoeque’s Palace.—The Revels.—Feuds between the Chiefs.—The Picunches and the Passes to Valdivia.—Trading and Politics.—Resolutions of Peace.—A Grand Banquet.—Power of Cheoeque.—A

A Sick Camp.—Oerroè Volcanic Hill.—Crimè’s Deathbed.—Graviel’s Promotion.—The Burning Ground.—Hot Springs.—Fighting the Gualichu.—A Real Fight.—A Soda Lake.—Encampment at Telck.—The Doctor comes to Grief.—An Obliging Ostrich.—Appointed Chasqui.—Miseries of Pampa Life.—A Bad Time.—The Plains of Margensho.—Casimiro’s Distrust.—Doctor and Sick Child.—Duties of a Messenger.—Departure of the Chasquis.—Travelling Express.—The Paved Pampas.—An Ideal Bandit.—Letter from the Chupat Colony.—Trinita.—Tenef

Patagones, or Carmen Old Town.—The Fort and Buildings.—The Southern Town.—The English Mission.—Elements of the Population.—The Negroes.—The Convicts.—Lawless State of Society.—The Cemetery.—Early History of the Colony.—A Successful Stratagem.—Villarino’s Ascent of the River.—Expedition of Rosas.—The Island of Choelechel.—La Guardia Chica.—Estancia of Messrs. Kincaid.—Ancient Indian Graves.—Flint Weapons.—The Shepherd and Pumas.—Estancia San André.—The Indians and the Colonists.—Calficura’s Raid.

—•◊•— A partial Vocabulary of the Tsoneca Language, as spoken by the Northern Tehuelches....

—•◊•— Testimony of successive Voyagers to the Stature of the Patagonians. LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET FOOTNOTES Albemarle Street, London , February, 1871 ....