The Querandis or Pehuelches--the principal tribe of the Pampas Indians--
were, from the first, the chief opponents of the Spaniards in Buenos
Ayres. They stole their cattle, made captives of their wives and
children, and cut off the soldiers and estancieros, or cattle-farmers,
on numerous occasions. They were vain, haughty, and daring. Unlike the
Charruas, they paid great attention to their dress and appearance,
neither painting nor cutting their hair. The men wore their locks
turned up and secured at the top of the head; while the women divided
theirs in the centre, wearing them on each side in a large clump,
fastened by a ribbon, the ends falling down over each ear nearly to the
waist. They wore combs, and were in every respect cleanly. The women
also wore necklaces, with hanging ornaments. Their costume was a poncho
on festive occasions, highly ornamented; while they wore leather boots.
Although, when galloping across the Pampas, they went totally naked,
they carried their clothes with them--either to put on during cold
weather, or to appear in state when meeting Europeans. Their weapons of
war were lances and the formidable bolas,--by means of which, used as
slings, they could send stones to a great distance,--and combustible
materials, with which they set fire to the Spanish houses. Their huts
were composed of upright poles, four or five feet in height, and as many
apart, on which skins of large animals--such as the huanacus or
ostrich--were fastened, on the side from whence the cold winds blew.
These huts formed long streets; but were used only during cold or rainy
weather, as in fine weather they slept on the uncovered ground.
No sooner did the horses introduced by the Spaniards, escaping into the
wilds, increase and multiply, than the Indians learned to bestride them,
and soon exhibited an uncommon aptitude in their management. Armed with
their long lances, they would charge the Spanish troops,--each man lying
down at his horse's side, though going at full gallop, and jumping up,
turning round, or dropping down again, with wonderful rapidity. Though
even the Gauchos give their horses some preliminary training, the Pampas
Indian catches the animal with the lasso, throws it down, forces a
wooden bit, covered with a piece of hide, into its mouth, from which bit
there is a leathern cord to bind round its lower lip, and gallops off.
They are divided into many tribes, who, even a few years ago, made
frequent incursions into the provinces of Buenos Ayres, Cordova, and
others, and carried off large flocks of cattle--and many Argentines, as
captives. They were pursued to the River Colorado, however, when part
of the stolen cattle was recovered, and several captives liberated.
They are under the belief that when death does not occur, in consequence
of violence, it is owing to sorcery.