ld it up to him, and he laughed at the reflection of
his own face; and his friend then looked at the knife, as if expecting it
to produce the same effect, but, though they seemed to appreciate it,
they made no friendly sign, and appeared unmoved when spoken to either in
Spanish or in the few Patagonian phrases that Captain Gardiner had
managed to pick up; nor did anything seem to afford them any satisfaction
except demonstrations of departure.

Nothing seemed practicable with these uncouth, distrustful beings, and
the Captain therefore went on in search of a tribe of Patagonians, among
which, he was told, was a Creole Spaniard named San Leon, who had
acquired great influence by his reckless courage and daring, and through
whom it might be possible to have some communication with them. The camp
of these people on the main continent, near Cape Gregory, was discovered
newly deserted, with hollow places in the ground where fires had been
made, and many marks of footsteps. This extreme point of the continent
was by no means so dreary as the Land of Fire; it bore thorny bushes ten
feet high, wild celery and clover, and cranberry-bushes covered with red
berries. Indeed, the Patagonians--so called because their big splay
boots made Magelhaen conclude they walked on _patas_ (paws), like
bears--are a superior race to the Fuegians, larger in stature than most
Europeans, great riders, and clever in catching guanacos by means of
bolas, _i.e._ two round stones attached to a string. If the Fuegians are
Antarctic Esquimaux, the Patagonians are Antarctic Tartars, leading a
wandering life under tents made of skins of horses and guanacos, and
hating all settled habits, but not so utterly inhospitable and
impracticable as their neighbours beyond the Strait. In truth, the
division is not clearly marked, for there are Fuegians on the continent
and Patagonians in the islands. Ascending a height, the Captain took a
survey of the country, and, seeing two wreaths of smoke near Oazy
Harbour, sailed in, cast anchor, and in the morning was visited by the
natives of their own accord, after which he returned with them to their
camp, consisting of horse-hide tents, semicircular in form, and entirely
open. They were full of men, women, and children, and among them San
Leon, to whom it was possible to talk in Spanish, and indeed several
natives, from intercourse with ships, knew a few words of English. San
Leon had been with the tribe for twelve