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192 SAGACITY.
time that he would depart as soon as the wind became fair.
An old Indian, then, in a very ceremonious and mysterious
manner, gave Low what he understood to be a charm, with
strict injunctions not to look at it until next morning ; when,
at sunrise, there would be a fair wind, and the vessel might
sail. Notwithstanding the old man’s orders, he was no sooner
out of sight than Low opened the mysterious packet, which
appeared to contain human hair, mixed with the scrapings of
the shaft of an arrow.
Next morning, however, at sunrise, a fair (easterly) wind
sprung up, and the vessel sailed. How the old man foreknew
the change—whether he judged by the sky, the tides, or other
indications, did not transpire; but this was by no means a
singular instance of extraordinary accuracy shown hy the
natives in foretelling changes of weather.
The sagacity and extensive local knowledge of these people
is very surprising; Niqueaccas was so well acquainted with
all the coast between 47° and the Strait of Magalhaens, that,
upon being taken to a high hill, immediately after landing from
a cruise, in which they had been far out of sight of land, he
pointed out the best harbours and places for seal then visible;
and in one direction, a long way off (pointing towards Eyre
Sound, then far out of sight), he said there were great numbers
of fur seals. The boy Bob also described that same place, when he
was with Mr. Low at the Galapagos Islands. On a calm day,
while there was nothing going on, he made a chart with chalk
upon the vessel’s deck, reaching from the windlass to the taff-
rail, and Mr. Low has since felt quite certain that the boy
meant Eyre Sound, though at that time these interior waters on
the west coast of Patagonia had not been explored by any
white man.
Niqueaccas was always anxious and timid about taking the
Adeona through a passage where he knew danger existed, and
proportionably pleased when the dangers were safely passed,
and the vessel anchored in a safe position.
The boy Bob, when only ten years old, was on board the
Adeona at sea. As the vessel approached land. Low asked
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE WAR. 193
him where a harbour could be found ? As soon as he understood
what was meant, which was an affair of some difficulty,
for he then could speak but very little English, he got up on
the vessel’s bulwark, and looked anxiously around. After
some hesitation, he pointed to a place where the ship might
go, and then went to the lead-line, and made signs to Mr. Low
that he must sound as he approached the land. The cove was
found to have a shoal and narrow entrance, but was safe and
sufficiently spacious within. Such knowledge at so early an age
is an extraordinary proof of the degree in which the perceptive
and retentive faculties ai-e enjoyed by these savages. AVhenever
the advice of Niqueaccas or any of his tribe was rejected, much
suUenness and displeasure were shown. Upon one occasion his
services were refused, and a harbour tried against his advice,
which proved to be a bad one; it was left to seek for that
which he had previously recommended, and his sullenness
suddenly changed into delight; but when his harbour was
pronounced excellent, and he was duly praised, his joy knew
no hounds.
Generally speaking, both Niqueaccas and the boy Bob were
well-behaved and good-tempered ; but the boy was sometimes
inclined to be mischievous, and would liide the people’s clothes,
or put salt into their mouths while asleep. When much annoyed,
he would use both teeth and nails, and attack any one, however
superior to himself in size and strength.
Battles between parties of the same tribe seem to occur
occasionally, as this boy showed Mr. Low two spots where
quarrels had been decided. Both were open spaces, clear of
trees, and near them were the remains of wigwams. One of
those battles occurred in consequence of one party wishing
to take some seal-skins away from the other; but it did not
distinctly appear from the boy’s account whether these encounters
were between parties of Ids tribe, or whether an encroachment
upon their territory, with a view to plunder, had been
made by some other tribe. That parties occasionally cross
overland from Skyring AVater to Obstruction Sound is evident
from Mr. Bynoe’s account (page 198), and that people of the
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