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point of his spear. If any present was designed for one
canoe, and it fell near another, it was invariably given to the
right owner. AVe were always much surprised at the little
notice, or rather none whatever, which was evinced respecting
many things, even such as boats, the use of which must
liave been evident. Simple circumstances,—such as the whiteness
of our skins, the beauty of scarlet cloth or blue beads, the
alisence of women, our care in washing ourselves,—excited
their admiration far more than any grand or complicated
object, such as the ship. Bougainville has remarked concerning
these very people that they treat the “ chef
d’oeuvres de l’industrie humaine, comme ils traitent les loix
de la nature et ses phénomènes.”
The perfect equality among the individuals composing
these tribes, must for a long time retard their civilization.
As we see those animals, whose instinct compels them to
live in society and obey a chief, are most capable of improvement,
so is it with the races of mankind. AVhether we
look at it as a cause or a consequence, the more civilized
always have the most artificial governments. For instance,
the inhabitants of Otaheite, who, when first discovered, were
governed by hereditary kings, had arrived at a far higher
gi-ade than another branch of the same people, the New
Zealanders,—who although benefited by being compelled to
turn their attention to agriculture, were republicans in the
most absolute sense. In Tierra del Fuego, until some chief
shall arise with power sufficient to secure any acquired
advantages, such as the domesticated animals or other valuable
presents, it seems scarcely possible that the political
state of the country can be improved. At present, even a
piece of cloth is torn into shreds and distributed ; and no
one individual becomes richer than another. On the other
hand, it is difficult to understand how a chief can arise till
there is property of some sort by which he might manifest
and still increase his authority.
J a n u a r y 2 8 t h .—In the evening. Captain FitzRoy sent
two boats back to the ship from Ponsonby Sound, and witb
the two others proceeded to survey the western end of the
Beagle channel. The view in this central part was very
remarkable. Looking towards either hand, no object intercepted
the vanishing points of this long canal of the mountains.
The circumstance of its being an arm of the sea was
rendered very evident by several huge whales spouting in
different directions. On one occasion I saw two of these
monsters, probably male and female, slowly swimming one
after the other, -within less than a stone’s throw of the shore,
over which the beech extended its branches.
AVe sailed on tiU it was dark, and then pitched our tents
in a quiet creek. The greatest luxury here is to find a beach
of pebbles, for they are both dry and yield to the body. The
peaty soil is damp; rock is uneven and hard; sand gets into
one’s meat, when cooked and eaten boat-fashion; but when
lying in our blanket hags, on a good bed of smooth pebbles,
we passed most comfortable nights.
It was my watch till one o’clock. There is something
very solemn in these scenes. At no time does the consciousness
in what a remote corner of the world you are
then buried, come so strongly before your mind. Every
thing tends to this effect; the stiUness of the night is
interrupted only by the hea-vy breathing of the seamen beneath
the tents, and sometimes hy the cry of a night bird.
The occasional barking also of a dog, heard in the distance,
reminds one that it is the land of the savage.
2 9 t h .—Early in the morning we arrived at the point
where the Beagle channel divides itself into two arms; and we
entered the northern one. The scenery here becomes even
grander than before. The lofty mountains on the north side
compose the granitic axis, or backbone of the whole country.
They were covered by a wide mantle of perpetual snow, and
numerous cascades poured their waters, through the woods,
into the narrow channel below. In many parts magnificent
glaciers extended from the mountain side to the water’s edge.
It is scarcely possiUe to imagine any thing more beautiful
than the beryl-like blue of the glacier, and especially when
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