286 TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 



The next morning after our arrival (the 24th) 

 the Fuegians began to pour in, and Jemmy's moth- 

 er and brothers arrived. Jemmy recognised the 

 stentorian voice of one of his brothers at a prodi- 

 gious distance. The meeting was less interesting 

 than that between a horse, turned out into a field, 

 when he joins an old companion. There was no 

 demonstration of affection ; they simply stared for 

 a short time at each other, and the mother imme- 

 diately went to look after her canoe. We heard, 

 however, through York, that the mother had been 

 inconsolable for the loss of Jemmy, and had search- 

 ed everywhere for him, thinking that he might 

 have been left after having been taken in the boat. 

 The women took much notice of and were very 

 kind to Fuegia. We had already perceived that 

 Jemmy had almost forgotten his own language. I 

 should think there was scarcely another human be- 

 ing with so small a stock of language, for his Eng- 

 lish was very imperfect. It was laughable, but 

 almost pitiable, to hear him sjjeak to his wild 

 brother in English, and then ask him in Spanish 

 (" no sabe ?") whether he did not vmderstand him. 



Everything went on peaceably during the three 

 next days, whilst the gardens were digging and 

 wigwams building. We estimated the number of 

 natives at about one hundred and twenty. The 

 women worked hard, whilst the men lounged about 

 all day long, watching us. They asked for every- 

 thing they saw, and stole what they could. They 

 were delighted at our dancing and singing, and 

 were particularly interested at seeing us wash in 

 a neighbouring brook ; they did not pay much at- 

 tention to anything else, not even to our boats. 

 Of all the things which York saw during his ab- 

 sence from his country, nothing seems more to have 

 astonished him than an ostrich near Maldonado : 



