218 TIERRA DEL FUEGO. [cuar. x. 
Tierra del Fuego in an east and west line, and in the middle is 
joined at right angles on the south side by an irregular channel, 
which has been called Ponsonby Sound. This is the residence 
of Jemmy Button’s tribe and family. 
19th.—Three whale-boats and the yawl, with a party of 
twenty-eight, started under the command of Captain Fitz Roy. 
In the afternoon we entered the eastern mouth of the channel, 
and shortly afterwards found a snug little cove concealed by 
some surrounding islets. Here we pitched our tents and lighted 
our fires. Nothing could look more comfortable than this scene. 
The glassy water of the little harbour, with the branches of the 
trees hanging over the rocky beach, the boats at anchor, the 
tents supported by the crossed oars, and the smoke curling up 
the wooded valley, formed a picture of quiet retirement. The 
next day (20th) we smoothly glided onwards in our little fleet, 
and came to a more inhabited district. Few if any of these 
natives could ever have seen a white man; certainly nothing 
could exceed their astonishment at the apparition of the four 
boats. Fires were lighted on every point (hence the name of 
Tierra de] Fuego, or the land of fire), both to attract our atten- 
tion and to spread far and wide the news. Sume of the men ran 
for miles along the shore. I shall never forget how wild and 
savage one group appeared: suddenly four or five men came to 
the edge of an overhanging cliff; they were absolutely naked, 
and their long hair streamed about their faces ; they held rugged 
staffs in their hands, and, springing from the ground, they waved 
their arms round their heads, and sent forth the most hideous 
yells. 
At dinner-time we landed among a party of Fuegians. At 
first they were not inclined to be friendly ; for until the Captain 
pulled in a-head of the other boats, they kept their slings in their 
hands. We soon, however, delighted them by trifling presents, 
such as tying red tape round their heads. They liked our bis- 
cuit: but one of the savages touched with his finger some of the 
meat preserved in tin cases which I was eating, and feeling it soft 
and cold, showed as much disgust at it, as I should have done 
at putrid blubber. Jemmy was thoroughly ashamed of his 
countrymen, and declared his own tribe were quite different, in 
which he was wofully mistaken. It was as easy to please as it 
