Sarmiento has today a population of 7200 inhabitants. Its
history started as a key point in a Tehuelche raking, recognized
both by Musters and explorer Carlos Moyano in 1880 when they
were searching for the route of cattle driving. The Araucanian
or Mapuches, as they are called in their own language, come from
the Araucan region, in the centre of Chile. Their massive income
to Argentine territory dates from the arrival of Spaniards to
Chile in the XVI century. Since they could not be subdued by
conquerors, they suffered a violent repression and had to adapt
in areas less and less favorable to their way of life, since
they were sedentary people devoted to agriculture. They
cultivated maize, potatoes, peppers, beans, and marrows. They
were metal workers, pot molders, and weavers. Governor Fontana
and his reiflemen met Juan Acosta here in 1884 when he was
driving cattle from Río Negro to the Strait of Magellan.
Francisco Pietrobielli, an Italian adventurer and enterpriser
arrived to Buenos Aires in 1888, and too