Twohundredsoldiersweresent；andtheyfirstdiscoveredtheIndiansbyacloudofdustfromtheirhorses’feet，astheychancedtobetravelling。
Thecountrywasmountainousandwild，anditmusthavebeenfarintheinterior，fortheCordillerawereinsight。TheIndians，men，women，andchildren，wereaboutonehundredandteninnumber，andtheywerenearlyalltakenorkilled，forthesoldierssabreeveryman。TheIndiansarenowsoterrifiedthattheyoffernoresistanceinabody，buteachflies，neglectingevenhiswifeandchildren；butwhenovertaken，likewildanimals，theyfightagainstanynumbertothelastmoment。OnedyingIndianseizedwithhisteeththethumbofhisadversary，andallowedhisowneyetobeforcedoutsoonerthanrelinquishhishold。Another，whowaswounded，feigneddeath，keepingaknifereadytostrikeonemorefatalblow。Myinformersaid，whenhewaspursuinganIndian，themancriedoutformercy，atthesametimethathewascovertlyloosingthebolasfromhiswaist，meaningtowhirlitroundhisheadandsostrikehispursuer。“Ihoweverstruckhimwithmysabretotheground，andthengotoffmyhorse，andcuthisthroatwithmyknife。”Thisisadarkpicture；buthowmuchmoreshockingistheunquestionablefact，thatallthewomenwhoappearabovetwentyyearsoldaremassacredincoldblood！WhenIexclaimedthatthisappearedratherinhuman，heanswered，“Why，whatcanbedone？theybreedso！”
Everyonehereisfullyconvincedthatthisisthemostjustwar，becauseitisagainstbarbarians。WhowouldbelieveinthisagethatsuchatrocitiescouldbecommittedinaChristiancivilizedcountry？ThechildrenoftheIndiansaresaved，tobesoldorgivenawayasservants，orratherslavesforaslongatimeastheownerscanmakethembelievethemselvesslaves；
butIbelieveintheirtreatmentthereislittletocomplainof。
Inthebattlefourmenranawaytogether。Theywerepursued，onewaskilled，andtheotherthreeweretakenalive。TheyturnedouttobemessengersorambassadorsfromalargebodyofIndians，unitedinthecommoncauseofdefence，neartheCordillera。Thetribetowhichtheyhadbeensentwasonthepointofholdingagrandcouncil，thefeastofmare’sfleshwasready，andthedanceprepared：inthemorningtheambassadorsweretohavereturnedtotheCordillera。Theywereremarkablyfinemen，veryfair，abovesixfeethigh，andallunderthirtyyearsofage。Thethreesurvivorsofcoursepossessedveryvaluableinformationandtoextortthistheywereplacedinaline。Thetwofirstbeingquestioned，answered，“Nose“Idonotknow，andwereoneaftertheothershot。Thethirdalsosaid“Nose；“adding，“Fire，Iamaman，andcandie！”Notonesyllablewouldtheybreathetoinjuretheunitedcauseoftheircountry！Theconductoftheabove-mentionedcaciquewasverydifferent；hesavedhislifebybetrayingtheintendedplanofwarfare，andthepointofunionintheAndes。
ItwasbelievedthattherewerealreadysixorsevenhundredIndianstogether，andthatinsummertheirnumberswouldbedoubled。AmbassadorsweretohavebeensenttotheIndiansatthesmallSalinas，nearBahiaBlanca，whomIhavementionedthatthissamecaciquehadbetrayed。Thecommunication，therefore，betweentheIndians，extendsfromtheCordilleratothecoastoftheAtlantic。
GeneralRosas’splanistokillallstragglers，andhavingdriventheremaindertoacommonpoint，toattacktheminabody，inthesummer，withtheassistanceoftheChilenos。Thisoperationistoberepeatedforthreesuccessiveyears。Iimaginethesummerischosenasthetimeforthemainattack，becausetheplainsarethenwithoutwater，andtheIndianscanonlytravelinparticulardirections。TheescapeoftheIndianstothesouthoftheRioNegro，whereinsuchavastunknowncountrytheywouldbesafe，ispreventedbyatreatywiththeTehuelchestothiseffect；——
thatRosaspaysthemsomuchtoslaughtereveryIndianwhopassestothesouthoftheriver，butiftheyfailinsodoing，theythemselvesaretobeexterminated。ThewariswagedchieflyagainsttheIndiansneartheCordillera；formanyofthetribesonthiseasternsidearefightingwithRosas。Thegeneral，however，likeLordChesterfield，thinkingthathisfriendsmayinafuturedaybecomehisenemies，alwaysplacestheminthefrontranks，sothattheirnumbersmaybethinned。SinceleavingSouthAmericawehaveheardthatthiswarofexterminationcompletelyfailed。
Amongthecaptivegirlstakeninthesameengagement，thereweretwoveryprettySpanishones，whohadbeencarriedawaybytheIndianswhenyoung，andcouldnowonlyspeaktheIndiantongue。FromtheiraccounttheymusthavecomefromSalta，adistanceinastraightlineofnearlyonethousandmiles。ThisgivesoneagrandideaoftheimmenseterritoryoverwhichtheIndiansroam：yet，greatasitis，Ithinktherewillnot，inanotherhalf-century，beawildIndiannorthwardoftheRioNegro。Thewarfareistoobloodytolast；theChristianskillingeveryIndian，andtheIndiansdoingthesamebytheChristians。ItismelancholytotracehowtheIndianshavegivenwaybeforetheSpanishinvaders。Schirdel[21]saysthatin1535，whenBuenosAyreswasfounded，therewerevillagescontainingtwoandthreethousandinhabitants。EveninFalconer’stime1750theIndiansmadeinroadsasfarasLuxan，Areco，andArrecife，butnowtheyaredrivenbeyondtheSalado。Notonlyhavewholetribesbeenexterminated，buttheremainingIndianshavebecomemorebarbarous：insteadoflivinginlargevillages，andbeingemployedintheartsoffishing，aswellasofthechase，theynowwanderabouttheopenplains，withouthomeorfixedoccupation。
Iheardalsosomeaccountofanengagementwhichtookplace，afewweekspreviouslytotheonementioned，atCholechel。Thisisaveryimportantstationonaccountofbeingapassforhorses；anditwas，inconsequence，forsometimethehead-quartersofadivisionofthearmy。WhenthetroopsfirstarrivedtheretheyfoundatribeofIndians，ofwhomtheykilledtwentyorthirty。Thecaciqueescapedinamannerwhichastonishedeveryone。ThechiefIndiansalwayshaveoneortwopickedhorses，whichtheykeepreadyforanyurgentoccasion。Ononeofthese，anoldwhitehorse，thecaciquesprung，takingwithhimhislittleson。Thehorsehadneithersaddlenorbridle。Toavoidtheshots，theIndianrodeinthepeculiarmethodofhisnationnamely，withanarmroundthehorse’sneck，andonelegonlyonitsback。Thushangingononeside，hewasseenpattingthehorse’shead，andtalkingtohim。Thepursuersurgedeveryeffortinthechase；theCommandantthreetimeschangedhishorse，butallinvain。TheoldIndianfatherandhissonescaped，andwerefree。Whatafinepictureonecanforminone’smind，——thenaked，bronze-likefigureoftheoldmanwithhislittleboy，ridinglikeaMazeppaonthewhitehorse，thusleavingfarbehindhimthehostofhispursuers！
Isawonedayasoldierstrikingfirewithapieceofflint，whichI
immediatelyrecognisedashavingbeenapartoftheheadofanarrow。HetoldmeitwasfoundneartheislandofCholechel，andthattheyarefrequentlypickedupthere。Itwasbetweentwoandthreeincheslong，andthereforetwiceaslargeasthosenowusedinTierradelFuego：itwasmadeofopaquecream-colouredflint，butthepointandbarbshadbeenintentionallybrokenoff。ItiswellknownthatnoPampasIndiansnowusebowsandarrows。I
believeasmalltribeinBandaOrientalmustbeexcepted；buttheyarewidelyseparatedfromthePampasIndians，andbordercloseonthosetribesthatinhabittheforest，andliveonfoot。Itappears，therefore，thatthesearrow-headsareantiquarian[22]relicsoftheIndians，beforethegreatchangeinhabitsconsequentontheintroductionofthehorseintoSouthAmerica。[1]Sincethiswaswritten，M。Alcided’Orbingyhasexaminedtheseshells，andpronouncesthemalltoberecent。
[2]M。Aug。Bravardhasdescribed，inaSpanishwork’ObservacionesGeologicas，’1857，thisdistrict，andhebelievesthatthebonesoftheextinctmammalswerewashedoutoftheunderlyingPampeandeposit，andsubsequentlybecameembeddedwiththestillexistingshells；butIamnotconvincedbyhisremarks。M。BravardbelievesthatthewholeenormousPampeandepositisasub-aerialformation，likesand-dunes：
thisseemstometobeanuntenabledoctrine。
PrinciplesofGeology，vol。iv。p。40。ThistheorywasfirstdevelopedintheZoologyoftheVoyageoftheBeagle，andsubsequentlyinProfessorOwen’sMemoironMylodonrobustus。
Imeanthistoexcludethetotalamountwhichmayhavebeensuccessivelyproducedandconsumedduringagivenperiod。
[TravelsintheInteriorofSouthAfrica，vol。
TheelephantwhichwaskilledatExeterChangewasestimatedbeingpartlyweighedatfivetonsandahalf。Theelephantactress，asIwasinformed，weighedonetonless；sothatwemaytakefiveastheaverageofafull-grownelephant。IwastoldattheSurryGardens，thatahippopotamuswhichwassenttoEnglandcutupintopieceswasestimatedatthreetonsandahalf；wewillcallitthree。Fromthesepremiseswemaygivethreetonsandahalftoeachofthefiverhinoceroses；perhapsatontothegiraffe，andhalftotheboscafferaswellastotheelanalargeoxweighsfrom1200to1500pounds。Thiswillgiveanaveragefromtheaboveestimatesof2。7ofatonforthetenlargestherbivorousanimalsofSouthernAfrica。InSouthAmerica，allowing1200poundsforthetwotapirstogether，550fortheguanacoandvicuna，500forthreedeer，300forthecapybara，peccari，andamonkey，weshallhaveanaverageof250pounds，whichIbelieveisoverstatingtheresult。Theratiowillthereforebeas6048to250，or24to1，forthetenlargestanimalsfromthetwocontinents。
IfwesupposethecaseofthediscoveryofaskeletonofaGreenlandwhaleinafossilstate，notasinglecetaceousanimalbeingknowntoexist，whatnaturalistwouldhaveventuredconjectureonthepossibilityofacarcasssogiganticbeingsupportedontheminutecrustaceaandmolluscalivinginthefrozenseasoftheextremeNorth？
SeeZoologicalRemarkstoCapt。Back’sExpedition，byDr。Richardson。Hesays，“Thesubsoilnorthoflatitude56degs。isperpetuallyfrozen，thethawonthecoastnotpenetratingabovethreefeet，andatBearLake，inlatitude64degs。，notmorethantwentyinches。Thefrozensubstratumdoesnotofitselfdestroyvegetation，forforestsflourishonthesurface，atadistancefromthecoast。”
SeeHumboldt，FragmentsAsiatiques，p。386：
Barton’sGeographyofPlants：andMalteBrun。InthelatterworkitissaidthatthelimitofthegrowthoftreesinSiberiamaybedrawnundertheparallelof70degs。
Sturt’sTravels，vol。ii。p。74。
AGuchoassuredmethathehadonceseenasnow-whiteorAlbinovariety，andthatitwasamostbeautifulbird。
Lichtenstein，however，assertsTravels，vol。
ii。p。25thatthehensbeginsittingwhentheyhavelaidtenortwelveeggs；andthattheycontinuelaying，Ipresume，inanothernest。Thisappearstomeveryimprobable。Heassertsthatfourorfivehensassociateforincubationwithonecock，whositsonlyatnight。
WhenattheRioNegro，weheardmuchoftheindefatigablelaboursofthisnaturalist。M。Aleided’Orbigny，duringtheyears1825to1833，traversedseverallargeportionsofSouthAmerica，andhasmadeacollection，andisnowpublishingtheresultsonascaleofmagnificence，whichatonceplaceshimselfinthelistofAmericantravellerssecondonlytoHumboldt。
AccountoftheAbipones，A。D。1749，vol。i。
EnglishTranslationp。314
M。BibroncallsitT。crepitans。
Thecavitiesleadingfromthefleshycompartmentsoftheextremity，werefilledwithayellowpulpymatter，which，examinedunderamicroscope，presentedanextraordinaryappearance。Themassconsistedofrounded，semi-transparent，irregulargrains，aggregatedtogetherintoparticlesofvarioussizes。Allsuchparticles，andtheseparategrains，possessedthepowerofrapidmovement；generallyrevolvingarounddifferentaxes，butsometimesprogressive。Themovementwasvisiblewithaveryweakpower，butevenwiththehighestitscausecouldnotbeperceived。Itwasverydifferentfromthecirculationofthefluidintheelasticbag，containingthethinextremityoftheaxis。Onotheroccasions，whendissectingsmallmarineanimalsbeneaththemicroscope，Ihaveseenparticlesofpulpymatter，someoflargesize，assoonastheyweredisengaged，commencerevolving。
Ihaveimagined，Iknownotwithhowmuchtruth，thatthisgranulo-pulpymatterwasinprocessofbeingconvertedintoova。Certainlyinthiszoophytesuchappearedtobethecase。
Kerr’sCollectionofVoyages，vol。viii。p。
Purchas’sCollectionofVoyages。Ibelievethedatewasreally1537。
AzarahasevendoubtedwhetherthePampasIndianseverusedbows。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter6TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterNextChapterChapter6-BahiaBlancatoBuenosAyresSEPTEMBER18th——IhiredaGauchotoaccompanymeonmyridetoBuenosAyres，thoughwithsomedifficulty，asthefatherofonemanwasafraidtolethimgo，andanother，whoseemedwilling，wasdescribedtomeassofearful，thatIwasafraidtotakehim，forIwastoldthatevenifhesawanostrichatadistance，hewouldmistakeitforanIndian，andwouldflylikethewindaway。ThedistancetoBuenosAyresisaboutfourhundredmiles，andnearlythewholewaythroughanuninhabitedcountry。
Westartedearlyinthemorning；ascendingafewhundredfeetfromthebasinofgreenturfonwhichBahiaBlancastands，weenteredonawidedesolateplain。Itconsistsofacrumblingargillaceo-calcareousrock，which，fromthedrynatureoftheclimate，supportsonlyscatteredtuftsofwitheredgrass，withoutasinglebushortreetobreakthemonotonousuniformity。Theweatherwasfine，buttheatmosphereremarkablyhazy；I
thoughttheappearanceforebodedagale，buttheGauchossaiditwasowingtotheplain，atsomegreatdistanceintheinterior，beingonfire。Afteralonggallop，havingchangedhorsestwice，wereachedtheRioSauce：itisadeep，rapid，littlestream，notabovetwenty-fivefeetwide。ThesecondpostaontheroadtoBuenosAyresstandsonitsbanks，alittleabovethereisafordforhorses，wherethewaterdoesnotreachtothehorses’belly；
butfromthatpoint，initscoursetothesea，itisquiteimpassable，andhencemakesamostusefulbarrieragainsttheIndians。