230 BARTER AMONG THE FUEGIANS. [chap. x. 



rushes. Her husband, who enjoyed the very universal privi- 

 lege in this country of possessing two wives, evidently 

 became jealous of all the attention paid to his young wife ; 

 and, after a consultation with his naked beauties, was 

 paddled away by thenni. 



Some of the Fuegians plainly showed that they had a fair 

 notion of oarter. I gave one man a large nail (a most 

 valuable present) without making any signs for a return ; 

 but he immediately picked out two fish, and handed them 

 up on the point of his spear. If any present was designed 

 for one canoe, and it fell near another, it was invariably 

 given to the right owner. The Fuegian boy, whom 

 Mr. Low had on board, showed, by going into the most 

 violent passion, that he quite understood the reproach of 

 being called a liar, which in truth he was. We were this 

 time, as on all former occasions, much surprised at the 

 little notice, or rather none whatever, which was taken of 

 many things, the use of which must have been evident to 

 the natives. Simple circumstances — such as the beauty of 

 scarlet cloth or blue beads, the /absence of women, our care 

 in washing ourselves — excited their admiration far more 

 than any grand or complicated object, such as our ship. 

 Bougainville has well remarked concerning these people, 

 that they treat the "chef-d'oeuvres de I'industrie humaine, 

 comme ils traitent les loix de la nature et ses ph^nom^nes." 



On the 5th of March, we anchored in the cove at 

 Woollya, but we saw not a soul there. We were alarmed ' 

 at this, for the natives in Ponsonby Sound, showed by 

 gestures that there had been fighting ; and we afterwards 

 heard that the dreaded Oens men had made a descent. 

 Soon a canoe, with a little fla^ flying, was seen approach- 

 ing, with one of the men in it washing the paint off his 

 face. This man was poor Jemmy — now a thin, haggard 

 savage, with long disordered hair, and naked, except a bit 

 of a blanket round his waist. We did not recognise him 

 till he was close to us ; for he was ashamed of himself, and 

 turned his back to the ship. We had left him plump, fat, 

 clean, and well dressed ; I never saw so complete and 

 grievous a change. As soon, however, as he was clothed, 

 and the first flurry was over, things wore a good appear- 

 ance. He dined with Captain Fitz Roy, and ate his dinner 

 as tidily as formerly. He told us he had "too much" 

 (meaning enough) to eat, that he was not cold, that his 

 relations were very good people, and that he did not wish 



