Treachery of Savages Dialects. ^5 



for fourteen months, that it can hardly be doubted. On this 

 subject I can only add that we noticed a singularly small pro- 

 portion of old people, whether male or female, among the parties 

 of natives with whom we met This circumstance may support 

 Mr. Low's opinion, or it may be the natural consequence of the 

 short span of life which is allotted to these wretched people. 



Regarding the treachery of these savages, there can be no 

 doubt. Their faces alone indicate it, but unfortunately further 

 evidence is not wanting. We recently met with a small sealing 

 schooner, the Armita, of Sandy Point, the master of which 

 a Frenchman, named Lamire gave us a detailed account of an 

 attack made upon his vessel about two years ago, when he was 

 " sealing" at the north end of Picton Channel. He lay at anchor 

 one night in fancied security, when he was surprised by a large 

 party of natives who came alongside in seven canoes. A dreadful 

 struggle ensued, in which his crew defended themselves with their 

 guns against the axes, spears, sticks, and stones, of their savage 

 assailants. The natives were eventually driven off, but not before 

 five of the sealers had lost their lives. The sealers are now well 

 aware of the anxiety of the natives to gain possession of their 

 vessels, and consequently put no trust in their overtures of 

 friendship. A white man is feared only so long as his party 

 is known to be the strongest. 



Fitzroy has described six tribes of Fuegians who speak differ- 

 ent dialects, and also differ somewhat in their habits. These 

 are (i) the Yacanas, or inhabitants of the north portion of King 

 Charles's South Land ; (2) the Tekeenicas, who live in south- 

 eastern Fuegia ; (3) the Alikhoolips, who inhabit the South- 

 western Islands ; (4) the Pecherays, a small tribe of savages 

 who hover about the middle and western part of the Straits of 

 Magellan ; (5) the Huemuls, so called from the Chilian name 

 of a deer which has been found about Skyring Water and 

 Obstruction Sound, the head-quarters of this tribe ; and (6) the 

 Fuegians who inhabit the shores and islands ot western Pata- 



