396 FIRE—TREATMENT OF NATIVES. 
I would not disturb them until daylight (8th), when we con- 
tinued our search in the direction the natives had indicated ; 
but after examining several coves without finding any traces 
of Fuegians, we hastened back towards the wigwams we had 
visited on the previous day. Sailing close along-shore, a large 
smoke suddenly rose up, out of a small cove close by us, where 
we immediately landed, and looked all round; but found only 
the foot-prints of two Fuegians, probably the runaways, who 
had just succeeded in lighting a fire at the moment we passed 
by. This shows how quickly they find materials for the pur- 
pose, for when they left us, they had neither iron nor fire-stone 
(pyrites), nor any kind of tinder. They had carried off two 
tarpaulin coats, which Mr. Murray had kindly put on to keep 
them warm ; although, treated as he had so lately been, one 
might have thought he would not have been the first to care 
for their comfort. I mention these incidents to show what was 
our behaviour to these savages, and that no wanton cruelty 
was exercised towards them. 
“«‘ After looking for these two natives, and for Mr. Murray’s 
coats, which at that time-he could ill spare, we returned to 
our boat, and pushed on towards the wigwams. The moment 
the inmates saw us, they ran away, and we gave chase, trying, 
in vain, to make them stop. Disappointed in the hope of obtain- 
ing a guide, we determined to prevent these people from escap- 
ing far, and spreading any intelligence likely to impede the 
return of our boat, which we daily expected: we therefore 
destroyed two canoes, and part of a third, that the natives were 
building, and burned every material which could be useful to 
them in making another canoe. 
** (Oth). Next day, we went straight across the bay to Cape 
Desolation, against a fresh breeze: by pulling in turns, the 
boat was kept going fast through the water, and late in the 
evening we reached the cove from which the thieves had first 
started, when they stole the boat ; but no traces of their having 
been there again, were found. I thought it probable that they 
would return to see what had become of our party, and whether 
our people were weak enough to be plundered again, or per- 
haps attacked. 
