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necessary to ply to windward all day, and every day, making
half-mile boards in defiance of squalls strong enough to capsize
a vessel. A steam-vessel might answer in this region, as
there is plenty of wood every where. Directly the noon observations
were finished, and the instruments safely stowed, we
began our return, and as a fresh breeze sprung up from the
westward, we dashed along with a favouring tide at a great
rate. ,
“ 11th. Next day we landed, for dinner and rest, near the
Murray Narrow, and close to a wigwam, whose inmates ran
away ; but soon returned, on seeing us seated quietly hy their
fire We bought fish from them for beads, buttons, &c., and
save a knife for a very fine dog, which they were extremely
reluctant to part with ; but the knife was too great a temptation
to be resisted, though dogs seemed very scarce and
proportionably valuable. Afterwards we continued our route,
but were stopped when in sight of the Narrow by three canoes
full of natives, anxious for barter. We gave them a few beads
and buttons, for some fish ; and, without any previous intention,
I told one of the boys in a canoe to come into our boat,
and gave the man who was with him a, large shining mother-ot-
pearl button. The boy got into my boat directly, and sat
down. Seeing him and his friends seem quite contented, 1
pulled onwards, and, a light breeze springing up, made sail
Thinking that this accidental occurrence might prove usetul
to the natives, as well as to ourselves, I determined to take
advantage of it. The canoe, from which the boy came, paddled
towards the shore; but the others still paddled after us, holding
up fish and skins to tempt us to trade with them. Ihe
breeze freshening in our favour, and a strong tide, soon carried
us through the Narrow, and half an hour after dark we
stopped in a cove, where we had passed the second mght of this
excursion. ‘ Jemmy Button,’ as the boat’s crew called him,
on account of his price, seemed to be pleased at his change,
and fancied he was going to kill guanaco, or wanakaye, as he
called them—as they were to be found near that place.
“ 12th. We continued our course with a fresh and favouring
breeze from the N .E .; passed Windhond Bay, and at sunset
hauled the boat up, though a surf on the stony beach made
it a difficult task. Several guanacoes were seen near the shore
as we passed along.
“ At daylight this morning (13th), we went in search of
guanacoes; but, seeing none, soon returned to the boat, and
launched her. I lost my new dog in the bushes, yet we
could not stop to recover him. During our walk this morning,
I observed traces of a large land-animal, which I supposed
to be a puma; and two of the men noticed a place, like a
large nest, made in the trees by the natives, in which I have
no doubt they watch for the guanacoes, to spear them as
they pass underneath. We reached the Beagle in the evening,
and found all well on board excepting one man, who, in carrying
a guanaco,* shot by the cutter’s crew, had slipped and
broken his leg. Mr. Stokes, with whom he was, contrived to
set it for him ; but very properly made the best of his way to
our ship with the man, whose leg was there found to be so
well set, and bandaged up with splints, by those in the boat,
that the surgeon had nothing to alter. Mr. Stokes went away
again directly; and both he and Mr. Murray were absent
at my return; but Lieut. Kempe, with the few men left on
board, had done what was required, and gave a good account
of the harbour, with respect to safety as well as shelter from
wind. Ten canoes had come, at different times, to the ship ;
but the natives were extremely quiet and inofiensive, and
sold our people a large quantity of fish. By success in’ shooting,
Lieut. Kempe had been enabled to stop the issue of salt
provisions for two days. Our Fuegians were in high spirits,
and the meeting between them and Jemmy Button was droll
enough : they laughed at him, called him Yapoo, and told
us to put more clothes on him directly.
“ 17th. Mr. Murray returned from his excursion to Cape
Good Success, having done all that was expected, hut not
without incurring considerable danger on so exposed a coast.
Had not his boat been a very fine one, his crew good, and
' The stuffed skin is now in the British Museum.
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