All the vessels passing through the straits call there for supplies and coal, and this business, together with the trade in whaling products, wool and furs, furnish the inhabitants with employment. It is one of the great wool-exporting ports of the world, having shipped more than sixteen million pounds of that commodity in a single season, and four hundred thousand pelts. It is a beautiful ride through the Straits of Magellan, with their many narrow channels, and the icebergs, which are always in view. [Illustration: NATIVE INDIANS OF PATAGONIA] Out upon the pampas the traveller will occasionally stumble upon the _toldos_ (huts) of the Tehuelche Indians. These are simply made huts of the skins of the guanaco sewn loosely together at the edges, and supported squarely upon awkward-looking props or posts forked at the top to admit the ridge poles. The skins are fastened to the earth by wooden pegs. The Tehuelches are the native Indians of Patagonia—the so-called giants—and are well built specimens of manhood. These Indians live almost as their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. They are still nomads and exist entirely by the chase. They do not cultivate anything whatever, but sometimes own a few cattle. In general they still dress in skins, although some of them have purchased store clothes at the settlements. As a rule they are mild mannered, when sober, and do not deserve the name of being bloodthirsty savages. Their numbers have greatly decreased since the first discovery of Patagonia through dissipation and disease, and some have estimated that the total number yet remaining will not exceed a few hundred. They still hunt with bows and arrows and the _bolas_. This consists of three thongs of rawhide fastened together at one end, with stones or bits of iron on the free end to give them weight. The Indian throws the _bolas_ with marvellous accuracy at any animal he may be pursuing, and the thongs wind themselves around the legs of the animal, thus entangling it. The principal game animal is the guanaco, which furnishes them food, raiment and shelter, and skins which they can barter with the trader for fire-water or other luxuries. They are an ignorant and superstitious race. A death will invariably cause them to shift their camp, for to their superstitious minds the place must be accursed. Sickness is always the work of the evil spirit and is driven away by incantations. With them there are good spirits and bad devils. The dominant spirit of evil is called Gualicho. He is an ever-present terror, and they spend a good portion of the time in either fleeing from his wrath or propitiating it. They believe in a future life which will be much the same as the earthly one, except that there will always be plenty of food with an abundance of grease.