CHAP. X.] FAREWELL VISIT TO WOOLLY A. 229 



country, and had taken farewell by an act of consummate vil- 

 lainy ; he persuaded Jemmy and his mother to come with him, 

 and then on the way deserted them by night, stealing every 

 article of their property. 



Jemmy went to sleep on shore, and in the morning returned, 

 and remained on board till the ship got under weigh, which 

 frightened his wife, who continued crying violently till he got 

 into his canoe. He returned loaded with valuable property. 

 Every soul on board was heartily sorry to shake hands with him 

 fur the last time. I do not now doubt that he will be as happy 

 as, perhaps happier than, if he had never left his own country. 

 Every one must sincerely hope that Captain Fitz Roy's noble 

 hope may be fulfilled, of being rewarded for the many generous 

 sacrifices which he made for these Fuegians, by some ship- 

 wrecked sailor being protected by the descendants of Jemmy 

 Button and his tribe ! When Jemmy reached the shore, he 

 lighted a signal fire, and the smoke curled up, bidding us a last 

 and long farewell, as the ship stood on her course into the open 

 sea. 



The perfect equality among the individuals composing the 

 Fuegian 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. Whether we look at it as a cause 

 or a consequence, the more civilized always have the most arti- 

 ficial governments. For instance, the inhabitants of Otaheite, 

 who, when first discovered, were governed by hereditary kings, 

 had arrived at a far higher grade than another branch of the 

 same people, the New Zealanders, — who, although benefited by 

 being compelled to turn their attention to agriculture, were re- 

 publicans in the most absolute sense. In Tierra del Fuego, 

 until some chief shall arise with power sufficient to secure any 

 acquired advantage, such as the domesticated animals, it seems 

 scarcely possible tliat the political state of the country can be 



th-Jt Avh n in the western part of the Strait of Magellan, he was astonished by 

 a native woman coming on board, who could talk some English. Without 

 doubt this was Fuegia Basket. She lived (I fear the terra pi'obably bears a 

 double interpretation) some days on board. 



