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such as these of Tierra del Fuego, have seen objects struck,
and even small animals killed by the musket, without being
in the least aware how deadly an instrument it was.
22n.—After having passed an unmolested night, in what
would appear to be neutral territory, between Jemmy’s tribe
and the people we saw yesterday, we sailed pleasantly along.
The scenery in this part had a peculiar and very magnificent
character; although the effect was lessened from the lowness
of the point of view in a boat, and from looking down the valley
and hence losing all the beauty of a succession of ridges. The
mountains attained an elevation of about 3000 feet, and were
terminated by sharp and jagged points. They rose in one
unbroken sweep from the water’s edge, and were covered to
the height of fourteen or fifteen hundred feet by the dusky-
coloured forest. It was most curious to observe, how level
and truly horizontal the line on the mountain side was, as far
as the eye could range, at which trees ceased to grow. It
precisely resembled the high-water mark of drift weed on a
sea-beach.
At night we slept close to the junction of Ponsonby
Sound with the Beagle channel. A small family of Fuegians,
who were living in the cove, were very quiet and inoffensive,
and soon joined our party round the blazing fire. We were
weU clothed, and though sitting close to the fire, were far
from too warm; yet these naked savages, though further off,
were observed to our great surprise, to be streaming with
perspiration at undergoing such a roasting. They seemed,
however, very well pleased, and all joined in the chorus of
the seamen’s songs : but the manner in which they were
invariably a little behindhand was quite ludicrous.
During the night the news had spread, and early in the
morning (23d) a fresh party arrived. Several of them had
run so fast that their noses were bleeding, and their mouths
frothed from the rapidity with which they talked, and with
their naked bodies all bedaubed with black, white, and red,
they looked like so many demoniacs who had been fighting.
AA’e then proceeded down Ponsonliy Sound to the spot
where poor Jemmy expected to find his mother and relations.
We staid there five days. Captain FitzRoy has given an
account of all the interesting events which there happened.
During the succeeding year we paid another visit to the
Fuegians, and the Beagle herself followed the same course
which I have just described as having been taken in the boats.
1 was amused by finding what a difference the circumstance of
being quite superior in force made, in the interest of beholding
these savages. While in the boats I got to hate the
very sound of their voices, so much trouble did they give us.
The first and last word was “ yammerschooner.” When,
entering some quiet little cove, we have looked round and
thought to pass a quiet night, the odious word “ yammerschooner”
has shrilly sounded from some gloomy nook, and
then the little signal smoke has curled upwards to spread the
news. On leaving some place we have said to each other,
“ Thank Heaven, we have at last fairly left these wretches !”
when one more faint halloo from an all-powerful voice,
heard at a prodigious distance, would reach our ears, and
clearly could we distinguish—“ yammerschooner.” But on
the latter occasion, the more Fuegians the merrier; and
very merry work it was. Both parties laughing, wondering,
gaping at each other; we pitying them, for giving us good
fish and crabs for rags, &c.; they grasping at the chance of
finding people so foolish as to exchange such splendid ornaments
for a good supper. It was most amusing to see the
undisguised smile of satisfaction with which one young woman,
with her face painted black, tied with rushes several
bits of scarlet cloth round her head. Her husband, who enjoyed
the very universal privilege in this country of possessing
two wives, evidently became jealous of all the attention
paid to his young wife; and, after a consultation with his
naked beauties, was paddled away by them.
Some of the Fuegians plainly showed that they had a fair
idea of barter. I gave one man a large nail (a most valuable
present) without making any signs for a return; but he immediately
picked out two fish, and handed them up on the
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