Feb. 1827. NATIVES. 53 
water had been given her, made no attempt to pilfer. One 
of the party, who seemed more than half an idiot, spit in 
my face; but as it was not apparently done angrily, and he 
was reproved by his companions, his uncourteous conduct was 
forgiven. 
If possessed of any furs, they had left them, perhaps con- 
cealed, near their wigwams: only a few arrows, a necklace of 
shells, and a fillet for the head, made of ostrich feathers, were 
obtained by barter. Their canoes were paddled by the women, 
occasionally helped by the men. One or two of the former were 
young, and well-featured, but the rest were hideous ; and all 
were filthy and most disagreeable, from the quantity of seal- 
oil and blubber, with which they had covered their bodies. 
After we had obtained, by barter, all the articles they had to 
dispose of, I presented them with red caps and medals, of 
which they were very proud : the latter they requested might 
have a hole drilled through them, that they might be suspended 
by a string round their necks. Their astonishment was much 
excited, and they were pleased by hearing a watch tick; but 
I believe I had very nearly, though unintentionally, given great 
offence, by cutting off a lock of hair, from the head of one of 
the men. Assuming a grave look, he very carefully wrapped 
the hair up, and handed it to a woman in the canoe,. who, as 
carefully, stowed it away in a basket, in which she kept her 
beads and paint: the man then turned round, requesting me, 
very seriously, to put away the scissors, and my compliance 
restored him to good-humour. 
The features of these people bore a great resemblance to 
those of the Patagonian Indians, but in person they were 
considerably shorter and smaller. The elderly people of both 
sexes had hideous figures; the children, however, and young 
men, were well-formed ; particularly one of the boys, whom they 
called ¢* Yal-la-ba,’ which, I believe, meant a youth, or a young 
warrior. ‘The word ‘ Shérr6o’ was used to denote a canoe, or 
vessel. 
They were ill-clothed, with mantles made of guanaco, or 
otter skins, but not so neatly as those of the Patagonians. 
