fil 4!f l'il
I ‘ ’S i i i n Ü
I : 7
/Il
i ; : ■'U,
: i »
• *
1 i *
I¡ L" u4 i U ”. i 'q fi il ! isage
opening to the sea,* and a wigwam just deserted. Here was
cause for hope; and seeing, beyond the passage, some large
islands lying to seaward of that which we had been coasting, it
appeared probable that our boat had heen taken there for seal-
fishing. Our prisoners had given us to understand plainly
enough that such was the object of those who had stolen her,
and outlying islands were the most likely to be visited, as on
them most seal are found.
“ Next day (19th) I passed over to Gilbert Island, and in
a cove found such recent marks of natives, that I felt sure of
coming up with the chase in the course of the day. When the
Fuegians stop anywhere, they generally bark a few trees, to
repair their canoes or cover their wigwams ; but those whose
traces we were following, had made long journeys without
stopping; and, where they did stay, barked no trees, which
was one reason for supposing them to be the party in our boat.
In the course of the day we pulled nearly round the islands,f
looking into every cove.
“ On the 20th, we discovered three small canoes with their
owners in a cove.) All the men ran away, except two. As we
saw that there were no more persons than the canoes required,
we did not try to catch them, knowing that this could not be
the party we were in search of. We had now examined every
nook and comer about these islands, and I began to give up
all hope of finding our boat in this direction. Having no clue
to guide me farther, and much time having been lost, I reluctantly
decided to return to the Beagle. Our only remaining
hope, that the master might have met with the boat,
was but very feeble.
“ (21st ) All this day we were pulling to the westward, to
regain the Beagle. At night-fall I met Mr. Murray, with the
cutter, in the cove where I had appointed a rendezvous. He had
not found any signs of the boat upon the opposite shore, and
therefore returned; but he saw the people who had escaped
from us when we surprised the whole family. They fled as
soon as his boat was seen. Leaving, therefore, three men to
• Adventure Passage. t Gilbert Islands. I Doris Cove.
watch in the bushes, he stood out to sea in the boat ; and the
stratagem succeeded sufficiently to enable our men to get very
near to the natives, but not to catch any of them. One old man
squinted very much, and in other respects exactly answered
the description of a Fuegian who ill-treated some of the Saxe-
Cobourg’s crew, when they were cast away in Fury Harbour.
I wish we could have secured him ; but he was always on the
alert, and too nimble for our people. In their canoe, which was
taken, was found the sleeve of Mr. Murray’s tarpaulin coat, a
proof that these people belonged to the tribe which had stolen
our boat. The canoe was a wretchedly patched affair, evidently
put together in a great hurry.
“ Next morning (22d) the master and I set out on our return
to the Beagle ; but seeing a great smoke on the opposite shore,
in Thieves Sound, I thought it must be made by the offenders,
who, having returned and found their home desolate,
were making signals to discover where their family was gone :
sending the cutter therefore on board, I pulled across the sound
towards the smoke. As the distance was long, and the wind
fresh against us, it was late before I arrived ; yet the smoke
rose as thickly as ever, exciting our expectations to the utmost :
but, to our disappointment, not a living creature could be
seen near the fire, nor could any traces of natives be found.
The fire must have been kindled in the morning, and as the
weather was dry, had continued to burn all day.
“ We were then just as much at a loss as ever, for probably
(if that was the party), they had seen us, and would, for thé
future, be doubly watchful. At first we had a chance of com-
ing upon them unawares, but the time for that had passed :
every canoe in the sound had been examined, and all its inhabitants
knew well what we were seeking.
“ It blew too strong, and it was too late, to recross Whaleboat
Sound that night, so I ascended a height to look round.
Next momiiig (23d) we again searched many miles of the
shores of Thieves’ Sound without any success ; and afterwards
sailed across to Stewart Harbour. We reached tlie Beagle in
the evening, hut found that all the other prisoners, excepting
2 D 2