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party of twenty-eight, started under the command of Captain
FitzRoy. In the afternoon we entered the eastern mouth of
the channel, and shortly afterwards found a snug little cove,
concealed by some surrounding islets. Here we pitched our
tents, and lighted our fires. Nothing could look more comfortable
than this scene. The glassy water of the little
harbour, with the trees sending their branches over the
rocky beach, the boats at anchor, the tents supported by the
crossed oars, and the smoke curling up the wooded valley,
formed a picture of quiet retirement. The next day (20th)
we smoothly glided onwards in our little fleet, and came to a
more inhabited district. Few if any of these natives could
ever have seen a white man; certainly nothing could exceed
their astonishment at the apparition of the four boats. Fires
were lighted on every point (hence the name of the land),
both to attract our attention, and to spread far and wide the
news. Some of the men ran for miles along the shore. As
we passed under one cliff, four or five men suddenly appeared
above us, forming the most wild and savage group
that can he imagined. They were absolutely naked, with
long streaming hair, and with rugged staffs in their hands :
springing from the ground they waved their arms around
their heads, and sent forth the most hideous yells.
At dinner-time we landed among a party of Fuegians. At
first they were not inclined to be friendly; for until the
captain pulled in ahead of the other boats, they kept their
slings in their hands. We soon, however, delighted them by
trifling presents, such as tying red tape round tlieir heads. It
was as easy to please, as it was difficult to satisfy these savages.
Young and old, men and children, never ceased repeating the
word “ yammerschooner,” which means “ give me.” After
pointing to almost every object, one after the other, even to
the buttons on our coats, and saying their favourite word in
as many intonations as possible, they would then use it in a
neuter sense, and vacantly repeat “ yammerschooner.” After
yammerschoonering for any article very eagerly, they would
by a simple artifice point to their young women or little children,
as much as to say, “ If you will not give it me, surely
you will to such as these ?”
At night we endeavoured in vain to find an uninhabited
cove; and at last were obliged to bivouac not far from a party
of natives. They were very inoffensive as long as they were
few in numbers, but in the morning (21st) being joined by
others they showed symptoms of hostility. An European
labours under great disadvantages, when treating with
savages like these, who have not the least idea of the power
of fire-arms. In the very act of levelling his musket, he
appears to the savage far inferior to a man armed with a bow
and arrow, a spear, or even a sling. Nor is it easy to teach
them our superiority except by striking a fatal blow. Like
wild beasts they do not appear in all cases to compare numbers
; for each individual if attacked, instead of retiring,
will endeavour to dash your brains out with a stone, as
certainly as a tiger under similar circumstances would tear
you. Captain FitzRoy on one occasion, being very anxious
from good reasons to frighten away a small party, twice fired
his pistol close by the side of a native. The man both times
looked astounded, and cai'cfully but quickly rubbed his head;
he then stared awhile, and gabbled to his companions; but
he never seemed to think of running away. We can hardly put
ourselves in the position of these savages, to understand
their actions. In the case of the Fuegian, the possibility of
such a sound as the report of a gun close to his ear, could
never have entered his mind. He perhaps literally did not for
a second know whether it was a sound or a blow, and therefore
very naturally rubbed his head. In a similar manner, when a
savage sees a mark struck by a bullet, it may be some time before
he is able at all to understand how it is effected; for the
fact of a body being invisible from its velocity, would perhaps
be to him an idea totally inconceivable. Moreover, the extreme
force of a bullet, that penetrates a hard substance without
tearing it, may convince the savage that it has no force at all.
Certainly I believe that many savages of the lowest grade.