128 WORK ON 'MAN.' [1870. 



ably the very lowest of the human race. I had always 

 replied that I did not believe any human beings existed too 

 low to comprehend the simple message of the Gospel of Christ. 

 After many years, I think about 1869,* but I cannot find the 

 letter, he wrote to me that the recent accounts of the Mission 

 proved to him that he had been wrong and I right in our 

 estimates of the native character, and the possibility of doing 

 them good through Missionaries ; and he requested me to 

 forward to the Society an enclosed cheque for 5, as a 

 testimony of the interest he took in their good work. On 

 June 6th, 1874, he wrote : ' I am very glad to hear so good 

 an account of the Fuegians, and it is wonderful.' On June 

 loth, 1879 : 'The progress of the Fuegians is wonderful, and 

 had it not occurred would have been to me quite incredible.' 

 On January 3rd, 1880 : * Your extracts [from a journal] about 

 the Fuegians are extremely curious, and have interested me 

 much. I have often said that the progress of Japan was the 

 greatest wonder in the world, but I declare that the progress 

 of Fuegia is almost equally wonderful.' On March 2Oth, 

 1 88 1 : 'The account of the Fuegians interested not only me, 

 but all my family. It is truly wonderful what you have heard 

 from Mr. Bridges about their honesty and their language. I 

 certainly should have predicted that not all the Missionaries 

 in the world could have done what has been done.' On 

 December ist, 1881, sending me his annual subscription to 

 the Orphanage at the Mission Station, he wrote : ' Judging 

 from the Missionary Jotirnal, the Mission in Tierra del 

 Fuego seems going on quite wonderfully well.' "] 



* It seems to have been in 1867. 



