They told me that in winter they often killed a beast, cleaned the flesh from the bones with their knives and then with these same bones roasted the meat for their suppers.
MAY 18, 1834.
It rained during nearly the whole day.

At night we managed, however, with our saddle-cloths to keep ourselves pretty well dry and warm; but the ground on which we slept was on each occasion nearly in the state of a bog, and there was not a dry spot to sit down on after our day's ride.

I have in another part stated how singular it is that there should be absolutely no trees on these islands, although Tierra del Fuego is covered by one large forest.
The largest bush in the island (belonging to the family of Compositae) is scarcely so tall as our gorse.

The best fuel is afforded by a green little bush about the size of common heath, which has the useful property of burning while fresh and green.

It was very surprising to see the Gauchos, in the midst of rain and everything soaking wet, with nothing more than a tinder-box and a piece of rag, immediately make a fire.