PORT FAMINE. 301" 



During our stay at Port Famine, the Fuegians 

 twice came and plagued us. As there were many 

 instruments, clothes, and men on shore, it was 

 thought necessary to frighten them away. The 

 first time a few great guns wei'e fired when they 

 were far distant. It was most ludicrous to watch 

 through a glass the Indians, as often as the shot 

 struck the water, take up stones, and, as a bold 

 defiance, throw them towards the ship, though 

 about a mile and a half distant ! A boat was then 

 sent •with orders to fire a few musket-shots wide 

 of them. The Fuegians hid themselves behind 

 the trees, and for every discharge of the muskets 

 they fired their arrows ; all, however, fell short of 

 the boat, and the ofiicer, as he pointed at them, 

 laughed. This made the Fuegians frantic with 

 passion, and they shook their mantles in vain rage. 

 At last, seeing the balls cut and strike the trees, 

 they ran away, and we were left in peace and 

 quietness. During the former voyage the Fuegi- 

 ans were here very troublesome, and, to frighten 

 them, a rocket was fired at night over their wig- 

 wams : it answered effectually, and one of the offi- 

 cers told me that the clamour first raised, and the 

 barking of the dogs, was quite ludicrous in contrast 

 with the profound silence which in a minute or two 

 afterwards prevailed. The next moniing not a sin- 

 gle Fuegian was in the neighbourhood. 



Wlien the Beagle was here, in the month of 

 Febi'uary, I started one moi'ning at four o'clock to 

 ascend Mount Tarn, which is 2600 feet high, and 

 is the most elevated point in this immediate district. 

 We went in a boat to the foot of the mountain (but, 

 imluckily, not to the best part), and then began our 

 ascent. The forest commences at the line of high- 

 water mark, and, during the first two hours, I gave 

 over all hopes of reaching the summit. So thick 

 C c 



