166 TIERRA DEL FUEGO. [cat*.*. 



since gone to his own country, and had taken farewell by an act of 

 consummate villainy; 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 for 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 I 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 pei feet 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 man- 

 kind. Whether 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 grade 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 advantage, such as the domesticated animals, it seems scarcely 

 possible that the political state of the country can be improved. At 

 present, even a piece of cloth given to one is torn into shreds and dis- 

 tributed ; 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 his superiority and 

 increase his power. 



I believe, in this extreme part of South America, man exists in a 

 lower state of improvement than in any other part of the world. The 

 South Sea Islanders of the two races inhabiting the Pacific, are com- 

 paratively civilized. The Esquimaux, in his subterranean hut, enjoys 

 some of the comforts of life, and in his canoe, when fully equipped, 

 manifests much skill. Some of the tribes of Southern Africa, prowling 

 about in search of roots, and living concealed on the wild and arid plains, 

 are sufficiently wretched. The Australian, in the simplicity of the 

 that when 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 term probably 

 bears a double interpretation) some days on board, 



