1830. NATIVES DRIVEN AWAY—A CAUTION. 319 
The next morning, five or six natives were seen crouching 
down among high grass, on the hill over our watering-well, 
waiting for the people to go for water ; probably with the inten- 
tion of assailing them, for it appeared afterwards that their 
slings and bows were in readiness. To show them they were 
not out of our reach, I caused a six-pound shot to be fired 
over their heads, which, as it went high above them, made no 
impression. The gun was then pointed lower, and another 
ineffectual shot fired. A third, however, fell close to them, 
when they jumped up, shook their mantles in the air, with 
the most violent gestures, and, apparently in a furious rage, 
scampered off; but the last man, before he disappeared, 
threw an immense stone, which did not reach one quarter of the 
distance. 
We saw nothing more of the natives until the evening, when 
Lieutenant Mitchell, who went to look for them, found they 
had moved away to Rocky Bay, where they had encamped 
on the open beach. The next-day, I sent him to endeavour to 
make peace, which he very easily effected, by the interchange 
of a few trifles. 
After this we had much bad weather, during which most of 
the Indians kept close to their wigwams; but a few occasionally 
communicated with our watering party, quite peaceably, as if 
nothing had happened. A day or two after, the weather im- 
proved, and the Fuegians dispersed, probably for want of food, 
some going to the northward, but the greater part along shore 
to the southward. These people pointed upwards to the sky, 
when they were going away, repeating the word ¢ Pecheray.” 
This was our last interview with the wretched Fuegians. 
Naturally petulant and quarrelsome, they are also ever intent 
upon mischief ; the fear of punishment alone restraining them. 
Weakly-manned vessels passing through this Strait should 
always avoid them, if they are numerous; for unless they are 
given what they want, they try to steal it, and any consequent 
punishment probably brings on a quarrel. Their conduct, and 
servile bearing, at our first seeing them, gave them an ap- 
pearance of being timid and inactive; while, in reality, they 
