CHAP, x.] INTERVIEW WITH THE NATIVES. 195 



the Fuegians. When we came within hail, one of the four natives 

 who were present advanced to receive us, and began to shout most 

 vehemently, wishing to direct us where to land. When we were on 

 shore the party looked rather alarmed, but continued talking and 

 making gestures with great rapidity. It was without exception 

 the most curious and interesting spectacle I ever beheld : I could 

 not have believed how wide was the difference between savage and 

 civilized man : it is greater than between a wild and domesticated 

 animal, inasmuch as in man there is a greater power of improve- 

 ment. The chief spokesman was old, and appeared to be the head 

 of the family ; the three others were powerful young men, about 

 six feet high. The women and children had been sent away. 

 These Fuegians are a very different race from the stunted, miserable 

 wretches farther westward; and they seem closely allied to the 

 famous Patagonians of the Strait of Magellan. Their only garment 

 consists of a mantle made of guanaco skin, with the wool outside : 

 this they wear just thrown over their shoulders, leaving their 

 persons as often exposed as covered. Their skin is of a dirty 

 coppery red colour. 



The old man had a fillet of white feathers tied round his head, 

 which partly confined his black, coarse, and entangled hair. His 

 face was crossed by two broad transverse bars ; one, painted bright 

 red, reached from ear to car and included the upper lip ; the other, 

 white like chalk, extended above and parallel to the first, so that 

 even his eyelids were thus coloured. The other two men were 

 ornamented by streaks of black powder, made of charcoal. The 

 party altogether closely resembled the devils which come on the 

 stage in plays like Der Freischutz. 



Their very attitudes were abject, and the expression of their 

 countenances distrustful, surprised, and startled. After we had 

 presented them with some scarlet cloth, which they immediately 

 tied round their necks, they became good friends. This was shown 

 by the old man patting our breasts, and making a chuckling kind 

 of noise, as people do when feeding chickens. I walked \\ith the 

 old man, and this demonstration of friendship was repeated several 

 times; it was concluded by three hard slaps, which were given me on 

 the breast and back at the same time. He then bared his bosom 

 for me to return the compliment, which being done, he seemed 

 highly pleased. The language of these people, according to our 

 notions, scarcely deserves to be called articulate. Captain Cook has 



