CHAP. X. FUEGIANS ON BOARD. 



207 



instruct them in religion at kis own expense. To settle these 

 natives in their own country, was one chief inducement to Cap- 

 tain Fitz Roy to undertake our present voyage ; and before tht* 

 Admiralty had resolved to send out this expedition, Captain 

 Fitz Eoy had generously chartered a vessel, and would himself 

 have taken them back. The natives were accompanied by a mis- 

 sionary, R. Matthews ; of whom and of the natives, Captain Fitz 

 Roy has published a full and excellent account. Two men, one 

 of whom died in England of the small-pox, a boy and a little 

 girl, were originally taken ; and we had now on board, York 

 Minster, Jemmy Button (whose name expresses his purchase- 

 money), and Fuegia Basket. York Minster was a full-grown, 

 short, thick, powerful man: his disposition was reserved, taci- 

 turn, morose, and when excited violently passionate ; his affec- 

 tions were very strong towards a few friends on board ; his intel- 

 lect good. Jemmy Button was a universal favourite, but likewise 

 passionate; the expression of his face at once showed his nice 

 disposition. He was merry and often laughed, and was remark- 

 ably sympathetic with any one in pain : when the water was 

 rough, 1 was often a little sea-sick, and he used to come to me 

 and say in a plaintive voice, " Poor, poor fellow !" but the notion, 

 after his aquatic life, of a man being sea-sick, was too ludicrous, 

 and he was generally obliged to turn on one side to hide a smile 

 or laugh, and then he would repeat his " Poor, poor fellow !" He 

 was of a patriotic disposition ; and he liked to praise his own tribe 

 and country, in which he truly said there were " plenty of trees," 

 and he abused all the other tribes : he stoutly declared that there 

 was no Devil in his land. Jemmy was short, thick, and fat, but 

 vain of his personal appearance ; he used always to wear gloves, 

 his hair was neatly cut, and he was distressed if his well-polished 

 shoes were dirtied. He was fond of admiring himself in a look- 

 ing-glass; and a merry-faced little Indian boy from the Rio Negro, 

 whom we had for some months on board, soon perceived this, and 

 used to mock him : Jemmy, who was always rather jealous ol 

 the attention paid to this little boy, did not at all like this, and 

 used to say, with rather a contemptuous twist of his head, <* Too 

 much skylark." It seems yet wonderful to me, when I think over 

 all his many good qualities, that he should have been of the same 

 race, and doubtless partalcon of the same character, with the mi. 

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