Man appeared in Patagonia between ten and thirty thousand years BC, during the higher Paleolithic Period. Testimony of this are the findings of numerous negative rock paintings of hands, similar to the ones found in Europe. During the latter part of the Stone Age there was a peaceful coexistence, around Nahuel Huapi.

Between the Tehuelche tribes from the south, the Puelche from the east and the Pehuenche from the north. This ended around the 17th century with the arrival of the Araucanos. Due to the relentless Spanish invader, the Mapuche or Araucanos came over from Chile and their culture absorbed the previous tribes. Captain Don Francisco de César, half a century before, had heard rumors of the existence of a fabulous city built of gold and precious stone on the shores of a large lake in the southern territories. The Church and the Army set off in a vain attempt to find the city; they found it impossible to civilize the Indians and generally found a tragic death. Such was the end of fathers Nicolas Mascardi, Guillelmo, Elgea y Laguna. For more than a century there was no more news from this area until new expeditions started around 1860 with the arrival of Cox from Chile and Perito Francisco Moreno from Argentina.