148 FUEGIAN CARVING. April 1828. 
As their visits lasted all day they always brought their 
food, consisting of the blubber of seals and porpoises. ‘The 
method used by them in cutting it up is nearly similar to that 
adopted by the Esquimaux Indians, as described by Sir 
Edward Parry in his second voyage, and also resembles the 
process of the natives of King George’s Sound, which I have 
described in the account of my survey of Australia (vol. ii. 
p- 140) : a piece of blubber being held in the left hand, a cor- 
ner of it is taken between the teeth, and it is then cut by a 
knife, held underhanded, into strips backward and forward, 
without passing the instrument entirely through: so that when 
the operation is finished the piece draws out into a long band, 
about an: inch thick, formed by the connected strips. The 
whole affair from first to last is most offensive to the sight ; and 
the countenance of the carver is beyond description, for his eyes 
being directed to the blubber, squint shockingly, and give his 
ugly face a hideous appearance. The strip of blubber is next 
divided among the party, each of whom proceeds to extract its 
oily juices by drawing it through his teeth and sucking it, 
after which it is warmed in the fire to facilitate its division 
into small pieces, which are swallowed or bolted without masti- 
cation. Morsels of this dainty food were given not only to the 
elder children, but even to infants at the breast. 
On the 14th, while preparing to weigh, the Indians came on 
board and helped to heave in the cable, but without rendering 
us much real assistance. When the sails were loosed, the women 
in the canoes began to chatter and scream for fear we should 
carry off their friends, and their alarm was no sooner given 
than the deck was cleared of our visitors, who seemed to be 
quite as much frightened for their safety as the women were. 
In a few minutes afterwards we were proceeding to the south- 
ward, and first tried to anchor in a bay on the south side of 
Smyth Harbour, but finding the depth too great, I sent Lieut. 
Graves to sound behind an islet where there were indications of 
a place of shelter, but he returned unsuccessful. During his 
absence I went to a very narrow passage, which he had dis- 
covered, leading to a large channel or sound; but finding it 
