218 TIERRA DEL FUEGO. [CHAP. x. 



and remaimd on board till the ship got under way, which 

 frightened his wife, who continued crying violently till he got 

 into his canoe. He returned loaded with valuable property. 

 Every soul on board was heartily sorry to shake hands with him 

 for the last time. I do not now doubt that he will be as happy 

 as, perhaps happier than, if he had never left his own country. 

 Every one must sincerely hope that Captain Fitz Roy's noble hope 

 may be fulfilled, of being rewarded for the many generous sacrifices 

 which he made for these Fuegians, by some shipwrecked sailor 

 being protected by the descendants of Jemmy Button and his 

 tribe ! When Jernmy reached the shore, he lighted a signal fire, 

 and the smoke curled up, bidding us a last and long farewell, as 

 the ship stood on her course into the open sea. 



The perfect equality among the individuals composing the 

 Fuegian tribes must for a long time retard their civilization. 

 As we see those animals, whose instinct compels them to live in 

 society and obey a chief, are most capable of improvement, so is 

 it with the races of mankind. Whether we look at it as a cause 

 or a consequence, the more civilized always have the most artificial 

 governments. For instance, the inhabitants of Otaheite, who, when 

 first discovered, were governed by hereditary kings, had arrived at 

 a far higher grade than another branch of the same people, the 

 New Zealanders, who, although benefited by being compelled to 

 turn their attention to agriculture, were republicans in the most 

 absolute sense. In Tierra del Fuego, until some chief shall arise 

 with power sufficient to secure any acquired advantage, such as 

 the domesticated animals, it seems scarcely possible that the 

 political state of the country can be improved. At present, even 

 a piece of cloth given to one is torn into shreds and distributed ; 

 and no one individual becomes richer than another. On the other 

 hand, it is difficult to understand how a chief can arise till there 

 is property of some sort by which he might manifest his superiority 

 and increase his power. 



I believe, in this extreme part of South America, man exists in 

 a lower state of improvement than in any other part of the world. 

 The South Sea Islanders, of the two races inhabiting the Pacific, 

 are comparatively civilized. The Esquimaux, in his subterranean 

 hut,' enjoys some of the comforts of life, and in his canoe, when 

 fully equipped, manifests much skill. Some of the tribes of 



