Feb. 1830. MORE DISAPPOINTMENT. 403 
watch in the bushes, he stood out to sea in the boat; and the 
stratagem succeeded sufficiently to enable our men to get very 
near to the natives, but not to catch any of them. One old man 
squinted very much, and in other respects exactly answered 
the description of a Fuegian who ill-treated some of the Saxe- 
Cobourg’s crew, when they were cast away in Fury Harbour. 
I wish we could have secured him; but he was always on the 
alert, and too nimble for our people. In their canoe, which was 
taken, was found the sleeve of Mr. Murray’s tarpaulin coat, a 
proof that these people belonged to the tribe which had stolen 
our boat. The canoe was a wretchedly patched affair, evidently 
put together in a great hurry. 
** Next morning (22d) the master and I set out on our return 
to the Beagle; but seeing a great smoke on the opposite shore, 
in Thieves’ Sound, I thought it must be made by the offen- 
ders, who, having returned and found their home desolate, 
were making signals to discover where their family was gone: 
sending the cutter therefore on board, I pulled across the sound 
towards the smoke. As the distance was long, and the wind 
fresh against us, it was late before I arrived; yet the smoke 
rose as thickly as ever, exciting our expectations to the utmost : 
—but, to our disappointment, not a living creature could be 
seen near the fire, nor could any traces of natives be found. 
The fire must have been kindled in the morning, and as the 
weather was dry, had continued to burn all day. 
** We were then just as much at a loss as ever, for probably 
(if that was the party), they had seen us, and would, for the 
future, be doubly watchful. At first we had a chance of com- 
ing upon them unawares, but the time for that had passed : 
every canoe in the sound had been examined, and all its inha- 
_ bitants knew well what we were seeking. 
* It blew too strong, and it was too late, to recross Whale- 
boat Sound that night, so I ascended a height to look round. 
Next morning (23d) we again searched many miles of the 
shores of Thieves’ Sound without any success; and afterwards 
sailed across to Stewart Harbour. We reached the Beagle in 
the evening, but found that all the other prisoners, excepting 
2p2 
& 
