218 TIERRA DEL FUEGO. [chap. x. 



Tierra del Fuego in an east and west line, and in the middle i^ 

 joined at right angles on the south side by an irregular channel, 

 which has been called Ponsonby Sound. This is the residence 

 of Jemmy Button's tribe and family. 



l^th. — Three whale-boats and the yawl, with a party ol 

 twenty-eight, started under the command of Captain Fitz Roy. 

 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. Nothingr could look more comfortable than tliis scene. 

 Tlie glassy water of the little harbour, with the branches of the 

 trees hanging 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 pictm*e 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 

 Tierra del Fuego, or the land of fire), both to attract our atten- 

 tion and to spread far and wide the news. Some of the men ran 

 for miles along the shore. I shall never forget how wild and 

 savage one group appeared : suddenly four or five men came to 

 the edge of an overhanging cliff; they were absolutely naked, 

 and their long hair streamed about their faces ; they held rugged 

 staffs in their hands, and, springing from the ground, they waved 

 their arms round their heads, and sent forth the most hideous 

 yells. 



At dinner-time we landed affiong a party of Fuegians. At 

 first they were not inclined to be friendly ; for until the Captain 

 pulled in a-head 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 their heads. They liked our bis- 

 cuit : but one of the savages touched with his finger some of the 

 meat preserved in tin eases which I was eating, and feeling it soft 

 and cold, showed as much disgust at it, as I should have done 

 at putrid blubber. Jemmy was thorouglily ashamed of his 

 countrymen, and declared his own tribe were quite different, in 

 which he was wofully mistaken. It was as easy to please us 1^ 



