414 NATIVES DISPERSED. March 1830, 
arms. It appeared that the savages knew of no alternative but 
escape or death, and that in trying to take them they would 
certainly do material injury to some of our party with their 
spears, stones, or large knives made of pieces of iron hoops. 
Remaining therefore with Lieut. Kempe, in the cutter, to watch 
their motions, I sent my boat on board with the man who was 
hurt. The Fuegians made their escape separately through the 
bushes, and were quickly out of sight and reach: we fired a 
few shots to frighten them, watched their retreat over the barren 
upper part of the hills, and then went to look for their wig- 
wams, which could not be far distant, as I thought; but after 
unsuccessfully searching all the coves near us, a smoke was 
seen at the opposite side of the sound, on one of the Whittle- 
bury islands; so concluding it was made by the rest of their 
tribe, and being late, I returned on board. 
“9th. At daylight, next morning, I went to look for the 
wigwams, on the Whittlebury Islands, at the north side of 
the sound: we saw their smoke when we were half-way across, 
but no longer. The natives had probably seen us, and put 
out their fire directly, well knowing the difference between our 
boat and their own canoes, and noticing her coming from a 
part of the sound distant from the point whence they would 
expect their own people, and crossing over against a fresh 
breeze, which a canoe could not attempt to do. The wig- 
wams were entirely deserted, and almost every thing was taken 
away; but near their huts a piece of ‘ King’s white line,’ quite 
new, was picked up; therefore our boat* had been there, or 
these were some of the people who stole her. For the late 
inmates of the wigwams we searched in vain—only their dogs 
remained, they themselves being hidden. Looking round on the 
other side of that islet, we saw two canoes paddling right 
away from the islands, though it was blowing a fresh breeze, 
and a considerable sea was running. Knowing, from the place 
they were in, and their course, that they were the fugitives from 
the wigwams, we gave chase, and came up with them before 
* In the lost boat were several pieces of spare line, ‘ King’s white 
line,’ quite new. 
