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neighbourhood, as well as casual visitors, who became much
interested in their welfare, and from time to time gave them
several valuable presents.
The attention of their instructor was directed to teaching
them English, and the plainer truths of Christianity, as the
first object ; and the use of common tools, a slight acquaintance
with husbandry, gardening, and mechanism, as the
second. Considerable progress was made by the boy and girl ;
bu t the man was hard to teach, except mechanically. He took
interest in smith’s or carpenter’s work, and paid attention to
what he saw and heard about animals ; bu t he reluctantly
assisted in gai-den work, and had a great dishke to learning to
read. By degrees, a good many words of their own languages
were collected (the boy’s differed from that of the man and the
girl), and some interesting information was acquired, respecting
their own native habits and ideas. They gave no particular
trouble; were very healthy; and the two younger ones
became great favourites wherever they were known. Sometimes
I took them with me to see a friend or relation b f my own,
who was anxious to question them, and contribute something
to the increasing stock of serviceable articles which I was
collecting for their use, when they should return to Tierra del
Fueo-o. My sister was a frequent benefactress ; and they often
talked, both then and afterwards, of going to see ‘ Cappen
Sisser.’
During the summer of 1831, his late Majesty expressed to
Colonel Wood a wish to see the Fuegians, and they were
taken to St. James’s. His Majesty asked a great deal about
their country, as well as themselves ; and I hope I may be
permitted to remark that, during an equal space of time, no
person ever asked me so many sensible and thoroughly pertinent
questions respecting the Fuegians and their country also
relating to the survey in which I had myself been engaged, as
did his Majesty. Her Majesty Queen Adelaide also honoured
the Fuegians by her presence, and by acts of genuine kindness
which they could appreciate, and never forgot. She left the
room, in which they were, for a minute, and returned with one
of her own bonnets, which she put upon the girl’s head. Her
Majesty then pu t one of her rings upon the girl’s finger,
and gave her a sum of money to buy an outfit of clothes when
she should leave England to return to her own country.
I must now revert to matters more immediately connected
with the Beagle’s second voyage.
My own official duties, relating to the survey, were completed
in March 1831; when my late commanding officer.
Captain King, addressed a letter to the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty expressive of his approbation of the part I
had taken, under his direction, and recommending me to their
Lordships.*
From various conversations which I had with Captain King,
during the earlier period of my service under him, I had been
led to suppose that the survey of the southern coasts of South
America would be continued; and to some ship, ordered upon
such a service, I had looked for an opportunity of restoring
the Fuegians to their native land.
Finding, however, to my great disappointment, th a t an
entire change had taken place in the views of the Lords of
the Admiralty, and that there was no intention to prosecute
the survey, I naturally became anxious about the Fuegians;
and, in June, having no hopes of a man-of-war being sent to
Tierra del Fuego, and feeling too much bound to these
natives to trust them in any other kind of vessel, unless with
myself—because of the risk that would attend their being
landed anywhere, excepting on the territories of their own
tribes—I made an agreement^- with the owner of a small
merchant-vessel, the John of London, to carry me and five
other persons to such places in South America as I wished to
visit, and eventually to land me at Valparaiso.
My arrangements were all made, and James Bennett, who
was to accompany me, had already purchased a number of
goats, with which I purposed stocking some of the islands of
Tierra del Fuego—when a kind uncle, to whom I mentioned
* Appendix. t Ibid.
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